title: Carotid artery intima-medial thickness is increased in chronic renal failure.
abstract: 1. Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with rapidly progressive atherosclerotic vascular disease. In the present study, carotid arterial intima-medial thickness (IMT) was assessed in a large cohort of patients with CRF and matched controls and related to risk factors. 2. A total of 159 subjects with CRF (serum creatinine > or =0.40 mmol/L) aged > 50 years (mean (+/-SD) 63.8+/-7.7 years) and 159 healthy controls matched for age, sex and smoking status were studied. 3. The IMT was determined using B-mode ultrasound measurements of the far wall of both common carotid arteries and presented as the mean IMT. Fasting plasma homocysteine (tHcy) was measured in the CRF group. 4. Intima-medial thickness was significantly greater in CRF patients than controls (0.89+/-0.17 vs 0.73+/-0.13 mm, respectively) after matching for age, sex and smoking status. Heart rate and pulse pressure were also significantly increased. The tHcy was increased two-fold in the CRF group (27.7+/-11.3 micromol/L; normal < 13.0 micromol/L) and did not correlate with carotid IMT. 5. Compared with controls after adjusting for traditional risk factors, patients with CRF exhibit significantly increased IMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. sophia.zoungas@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zoungas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ristevski
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lightfoot
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Branley
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Shiel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McNeil
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography