Correlation of femoral intima-media thickness and the severity of coronary artery disease.
The carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is an established surrogate marker of vascular risk. We assessed the common femoral artery IMT and its correlation with coronary artery disease (CAD). We also assessed the influence of vascular risk factors on the femoral IMT. Patients (n = 180; mean age 60.4 ± 10.5 years) who had undergone coronary angiography due to symptoms of CAD were enrolled in this study. We found significantly higher values of femoral IMT in patients with CAD than in those without CAD (P = .0000). A strong positive correlation between femoral IMT and the severity of CAD expressed by the Gensini Score (P = .0000) was observed. There was a positive correlation between femoral IMT and levels of triglycerides (P = .017), body mass index (BMI; P = .036), male gender (P = .0000), and smoking (P = .028). There was a negative correlation between femoral IMT and the level of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P = .001). Femoral IMT could be a novel cardiovascular risk marker.
Kirhmajer
Majda Vrkic
MV
Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University Hospital Centre Rebro, Zagreb, Croatia. majda_vrkic@yahoo.com
Banfic
Ljiljana
L
Vojkovic
Marina
M
Strozzi
Maja
M
Bulum
Josko
J
Miovski
Zoran
Z
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D002784:Cholesterol