title: Diagnostic value of carotid intima-media thickness and plaque score for predicting target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension.
abstract: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) assessed by ultrasonography is regarded as an early predictor of general arteriosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension. However, the methods of measuring IMT have not been globally standardized, and it remains unclear whether conventional measurement of IMT represents the prevalence of hypertensive target organ damage. In this study, we verified the association between several commonly used carotid ultrasonographical parameters and the severity of hypertensive target organ damage (retinal arteriosclerosis, microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH)). Carotid ultrasonography, echocardiography, urinalysis, and funduscopy were performed in 184 patients (64 +/- 12 years, 96 males and 88 females) with various stages of essential hypertension. Carotid arteriosclerosis was assessed using four methodologically different methods: conventional-IMT, maximum-IMT (Max-IMT), Mean-IMT, and Plaque Score (the sum of all plaque thicknesses). Age and all carotid ultrasonographical parameters were significantly associated with albuminuria, retinal arteriosclerosis, and left ventricular mass index. High-sensitivity CRP was significantly correlated with retinopathy and LVH. Carotid parameters in patients with histories of cardiovascular events were significantly greater in those without events. Among all carotid parameters, Max-IMT showed the highest correlation coefficient of the severity of target organ damage, and showed significant association with CRP. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that Max-IMT was the independent factor for predicting target organ damage. Max-IMT is suggested to be the most reliable and simplest parameter for predicting hypertensive target organ damage including microangiopathy in patients with essential hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hypertension and Nephrology, Department of Medicine, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan. takiuchi@hsp.ncvc.go.jp
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takiuchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamide
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomiyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshii
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matayoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horio
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawano
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology