Association between carotid intima-media thickness on ultrasonography and severity of coronary atherosclerosis

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of noninvasive assessment of common carotid artery [CCA] intima-media thickness [IMT] in prediction of presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. B-mode ultrasound of carotid arteries was performed on 80 patients [mean age 51 +/- 6 yrs., range 40-60 43 were males] who had coronary angiography performed within 3 months. -4ccording to the results of coronary angiography patients were divided into control group [normal coronary angiography no=18] and coronary disease group [22 patients with single vessel disease and 40 patients with multivessel disease]. Diabetic patients and those with peripheral artery and cerebral vascular diseases were e-duded from the study. IMT less than 1.0 mm was considered as normal. IMT equal or more than 1.0 mm was considered as initial atherosclerotic lesion of carotid arteries, and IMT more or equal to 2.0 was considered as a sign of mild carotid plaque