title: Increased carotid intima-media thickness is associated with higher SYNTAX score.
abstract: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and coronary artery disease (CAD) complexity. Consecutive patients (n = 360) with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled. Mean CIMT and the overall SYNTAX score (SXscore) were 0.87 ± 0.12 mm and 15 ± 9, respectively. In univariate analysis, there was a significant correlation between the overall SXscore and CIMT (r = .42, P < .001), age (r = .23, P < .001), hypertension (r = .27, P = 0.001), diabetes (r = 0.11, P = 0.02), smoking (r = .24, P = .01), dyslipidemia (r = .2, P = 0.03), and β-blocker use (r = .19, P < .001). In multivariate analysis, CIMT (β = .34, P < .001) and age (β = .11, P < .019) were independently associated with SXscore. We have demonstrated a significant relation between CIMT and SXscore. Although this study is correlative and no causative conclusions can be drawn, our findings suggest that increased CIMT could reflect complex coronary artery lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ahi Evren Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey. l.korkmaz@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bektas
authors.forename: Ayca Ata
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Mustafa Tarik
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Agaç
authors.forename: Zeydin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: Sukru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014421:Turkey