Forearm vessel atherosclerosis. A harbinger of carotid disease?
OBJECTIVE
Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease affecting several vessels of the body. Coronary artery patients requiring bypass surgery have increased prevalence of carotid artery atherosclerosis which is known to increase operative risk in coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Radial artery is often screened for grafting purposes preoperatively. Our aim was to find out whether atherosclerotic changes in forearm vessels are correlated and could reveal risk to carotid artery disease.


METHODS
Eighty-five patients planned for elective CABG were examined with ultrasonography preoperatively. Biplane ultrasonographic scanning was performed on forearm arteries and both carotid arteries.


RESULTS
Eleven patients had pathologic changes in the wall of forearm vessels. Carotid artery disease was found on 19 patients. Forearm vessel pathology was found to have correlation to carotid artery disease. When forearm arteries show atherosclerotic pathology the risk of having carotid disease is at least five-fold, in subgroups even higher.


CONCLUSIONS
Forearm arterial pathology is correlated to carotid artery disease. When forearm vessel pathology is evident in preoperative examination, scanning of the carotid vessels should be considered.
Kohonen
Mika
M
Heart Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. mika.kohonen@pshp.fi
Teerenhovi
Ossi
O
Terho
Tiina
T
Laurikka
Jari
J
Tarkka
Matti
M
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017535:Ulnar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler