Ultrasound evaluation of carotid artery intima-media thickness in patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Objective: The study purpose was to assess the change of carotid artery intima-media thickness (CAIMT) in patients with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), and determine the main factor that causing the abnormal IMT.

Methods: We collected the data of 89 patients who underwent a carotid artery ultrasound between February 2011 and November 2012 (43 men and 46 women aged between 20-80 years old). All patients included in the study had one of the following cardiovascular risk factors: smoking (n = 40), arterial hypertension (n = 25) or diabetes mellitus (n = 24). The IMT of the common carotid artery was measured and the results were correlated with the recorded risk factor. Correlation with the patient’s age and gender was also performed.

Results: The study revealed abnormal IMT (> 1 mm) in a total of 71 (79.8%) patients. These included 22 (88%) patients with hypertension, 19 (79.2%) patients with diabetes mellitus and 30 (75%) patients who were smokers (p < .05 for all 3 risk factors). While aging was also associated with increased IMT (p < .05), no gender differences were noted (p > .05).

Conclusions: The present study showed that ultrasound is an excellent, noninvasive method for evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness. The main risk factors associated with abnormal carotid IMT were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and
patient’s age.