Intima-media complex of both the brachial artery and the common carotid artery are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with previous myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Prospective trials have established intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery and cardiac left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) as predictors of cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between intima-media complex of the brachial artery to FMD, intima-media complex of the common carotid artery and cardiac hypertrophy in patients with coronary heart disease.


METHODS
Cross-sectional design. Procedures were undertaken within the Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. A total of 123 patients with a previous acute myocardial infarction (MI) were investigated. Calculated intima-media area (cIMa) of the brachial and common carotid arteries and FMD of the brachial artery and left ventricular dimensions were examined.


RESULTS
The brachial cIMa was significantly associated with age, p-triglycerides, common carotid cIMa, ejection fraction, septum thickness, posterior wall thickness and left ventricular mass index (P < 0.05). Brachial cIMa also tended to be associated with systolic blood pressure (P = 0.056). Common carotid cIMa was significantly associated with age, systolic blood pressure, brachial cIMa, FMD and septum thickness (P < 0.05). FMD was significantly associated with age and carotid cIMa (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Both cIMa of the common carotid artery and the cIMa of the brachial artery were independently and significantly associated with ventricular septum thickness of the heart in patients with previous myocardial infarction.
Agewall
Stefan
S
Department of Cardiology, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. stefan.agewall@kus.se
Henareh
Loghman
L
Jogestrand
Tomas
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex