Role of carotid intima-media thickness in assessment of atherosclerosis: an autopsy study

BACKGROUND: The non-invasive technique of measuring carotid artery intima-media thickness has generated considerable interest as a marker of atherosclerosis, particularly in predicting clinical coronary events and coronary artery disease. In the present study, a postmortem comparative analysis of intima-media thickness of carotid artery with coronary artery atherosclerosis has been carried out. To date no such morphological tissue studies are available from our country. METHODS AND RESULTS: Right and left common carotid arteries with their branches were removed at postmortem in 40 cases with history of diabetes, hypertension or both. Intima-media thickness was measured and compared with coronary artery atherosclerosis. There were 10 control postmortem cases without history of diabetes or hypertension. Common carotid artery and internal carotid artery intima-media thickness were found to be good predictors of coronary events. There was also significant correlation (by Pearson's correlation formula) between the carotid artery intima-media thickness and the percentage of block in the coronary arteries. CONCLUSIONS: Internal carotid artery along with common carotid artery intima-media thickness measurement is a good predictor of coronary artery disease. However, carotid artery intima-media thickness has no bearing on the status of collateral circulation of the coronary arteries.