title: Arterial ultrasound screening as a tool for coronary risk assessment in asymptomatic men and women.
abstract: One of the imaging tests most commonly used to assess cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in daily practice is Doppler ultrasonography of the carotid and femoral arteries. We included 2709 participants with no history or symptoms of CVD; they had a risk factor assessment and a carotid and femoral ultrasonography at baseline. Incident cases of definite coronary events were recorded during a median follow-up of 6 years. Approximately, 63% of the sample presented abnormalities (carotid stenosis >50%, carotid plaque, femoral plaque, increased intima-media thickness [IMT]). A moderately increased IMT (>0.63 mm) or the presence of carotid or femoral artery plaque was related to prognosis. The associations persisted after adjustment for pretest risk, treatment with statins, and other Doppler ultrasonography abnormalities. The hazard ratio increased significantly with the number of abnormalities (varying from 2.35 [1.16-4.74] to 14.83 [6.47-33.9]).
authors.affiliation: Department of cardiology, Centre Hospitalier du Val d'Ariège, Foix, France. maximecournot@gmail.com
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cournot
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bura
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cambou
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taraszkiewicz
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maloizel
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galinier
authors.forename: Hélène Hanaire
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Broutin
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chamontin
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carrié
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferrieres
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D055815:Young Adult