We evaluated whether an increased carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) and brachial artery IMT (bIMT) are related to diffuse coronary involvement rather than focal lesions. Patients (n = 88) with at least 1 significant lesion of the main epicardial coronary arteries (≥50%) were included in the present study. We used a novel score based on length and mean narrowing of all lesions in order to predict diffuse coronary involvement. Both cIMT and bIMT were higher in patients with long coronary lesion than focal lesion (P < .001). The patients with long coronary lesion had a higher rate of total coronary involvement than patients with focal lesion (P < .001). The cIMT had a higher correlation with total atherosclerotic burden in the coronary vasculature (r = .495, P < .001) and the longest lesion length (r = .489, P < .001) than cardiovascular risk factor score (r = .453, P < .001 and r = .324, P = .012, respectively). These findings may be valuable for clarifying the prognostic value of IMT measurements.
RossRGlomsetJHarkerL. Response to injury and atherogenesis. Am J Pathol. 1977;86(3):675–684.
2.
GimbroneMAJrTopperJNNagelTAndersonKRGarcia-CardeñaG. Endothelial dysfunction, hemodynamic forces, and atherogenesis. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2000;902: 230–239
3.
MecoJFPintóXEscribàJM. Cardiovascular risk factors associated with clinically isolated and diffuse atherosclerosis in Spanish patients with coronary artery disease. Eur J Clin Invest. 1998;28(8):643–650.
4.
CravenTERyuJEEspelandMA. Evaluation of the association between carotid artery atherosclerosis and coronary artery stenosis. Circulation. 1990;82(4):1230–1242.
5.
HowardGSharrettARHeissG. Carotid artery intimal-medial thickness distribution in general populations as evaluated by B-mode ultrasound. Stroke. 1993;24(9):1297–1304.
6.
BotsMLHoesAWKoudstallPSHofmanAGrobbeeDE. Common carotid intima-media thickness and risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. The Rotterdam study. Circulation. 1997;96(5):1432–1437.
7.
FrickMSuessenbacherAAlberHF. Prognostic value of brachial artery endothelial function and wall thickness. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005;46(6):1006–1010.
8.
SteinJHKorcarzCEHurstRT. Use of carotid ultrasound to identify subclinical vascular disease and evaluate cardiovascular disease risk: a consensus statement from the American Society of Echocardiography Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Task Force. Endorsed by the Society for Vascular Medicine. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2008;21(2):93–111.
9.
IkedaNKogameNIijimaRNakamuraMSugiK. Carotid artery intima-media thickness and plaque score can predict the SYNTAX score. Eur Heart J. 2012;33(1):113–119.
10.
KorkmazLBektasHKorkmazAA. Increased carotid intima-media thickness is associated with higher SYNTAX score [published online ahead of print September 22 2011]. Angiology. 2011.
11.
NichollsSJHsuAWolskiKHuB. Intravascular ultrasound-derived measures of coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden and clinical outcome. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010;55(21):2399–2407.
12.
JarautaEMateo-GallegoRGilabertR. Carotid atherosclerosis and lipoprotein particle subclasses in familial hypercholesterolaemia and familial combined hyperlipidaemia [published online ahead of print December 31 2011]. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010.
13.
MasouraCPitsavosCAznaouridisKSkoumasIVlachopoulosCStefanadisC. Arterial endothelial function and wall thickness in familial hypercholesterolemia and familial combined hyperlipidemia and the effect of statins. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Atherosclerosis. 2011;214(1):129–138.
14.
Bonithon-KoppCScarabinPTaquetATouboulPMalnejakAGuizeL. Risk factors for early carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged French women. Arterioscler Thromb. 1991;11(4):966–972.
15.
Sutton-TyrrellKLassilaHCMeilahnEBunkerCMatthewsKAKullerLH. Carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women and its association with risk factors measured after menopause. Stroke. 1998;29(6):1116–1121.
16.
ChamblessLEHeissGFolsomAR. Association of coronary heart disease incidence with carotid arterial wall 501 thickness and major risk factors: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, 1987-1993. Am J Epidemiol. 1997;146(6):483–494.
17.
BardRLKalsiHRubenfireM. Effect of carotid atherosclerosis screening on risk stratification during primary cardiovascular disease prevention. Am J Cardiol. 2004;93(8):1030–1032.
18.
HodisHNMackWJLaBreeL. The role of carotid artery intima-media thickness in predicting clinical coronary events. Ann Intern Med. 1998;128(4):262–269.
19.
TimóteoATMota CarmoMFerreiraRC. Carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaques improves prediction of obstructive angiographic coronary artery disease in women [published online ahead of print February 8]. Angiology. 2012.
20.
InabaYChenJABergmannSR. Carotid intima-media thickness and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(17):1640–1641.
21.
PignoliPTremoliEPoliAOrestePPaolettiR. Intimal plus medial thickness of the arterial wall: a direct measurement with ultrasound imaging. Circulation. 1986;74(6):1399–1406.
22.
PerssonJFormgrenJIsraelssonBBerglundG. Ultrasound-determined intima-media thickness and atherosclerosis. Direct and indirect validation. Arterioscler Thrornb. 1994;14(2):261–264.
23.
GeroulakosGO'GormanDJKalodikiESheridanDJNicolaidesAN. The carotid intima-media thickness as a marker of the presence of severe symptomatic coronary artery disease. Eur Heart J. 1994;15(6):781–785.
24.
SalonenJTSeppänenKRauramaaRSalonenR. Risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Ann Med. 1989;21(3):227–229.
25.
BelcaroGNicolaidesANLauroraGCesaroneMRDe SanctisMIncandelaLBarsottiA. Ultrasound morphology classification of the arterial wall and cardiovascular events in a 6-year follow-up study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc BioI. 1996;16(7):851–856.
26.
CrouseJR IIIByingtonRPBondMG. Pravastatin, Lipids, and Atherosclerosis in the Carotid Arteries (PLAC-ll). Am J Cardiol. 1995;75(7):455–459.
27.
CrouseJR IIIRaichlenJSRileyWA. Effect of rosuvastatin on progression of carotid intima-media thickness in low-risk individuals with subclinical atherosclerosis: the METEOR trial. JAMA. 2007;297(12):1344–1353.
28.
LiapisCDBellPFMikhailidisDP. ESVS Guidelines: Section A—prevention in patients with carotid stenosis. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2010;8(5):673–681.
29.
LiapisCDBellPFMikhailidisDP. ESVS Guidelines: Section B—diagnosis and investigation of patients with carotid stenosis. Curr Vasc Pharmacol. 2010;8(5):682–691.
30.
SalonenRSalonenJT. Progression of carotid atherosclerosis and its determinants: a population-based ultrasonography study. Atherosclerosis. 1990;81(1):33–40.
