title: Sonographic evaluation for predicting the presence and severity of coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between age, sex, obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and both the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and their predictive value for the presence and severity of CAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study population consisted of 136 patients who underwent coronary angiography for various reasons. Gensini scoring was used to determine the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Carotid intima-media thickness was estimated by carotid duplex ultrasound. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as kilograms divided by meters squared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coronary artery disease was detected in 74 patients (54%). In the whole group, patients with CAD had significantly higher CIMT measurements compared with those without CAD (0.93 [SD, 0.14] and 0.72 [SD, 0.12] mm, respectively, P < 0.001). Carotid intima-media thickness was correlated with BMI (P < 0.001, r = 0.453), age (P = 0.001, r = 0.389), and grade 2-3 NAFLD (P < 0.001, r = 0.356). In the multiple logistic regression model, CIMT (odds ratio, 1.189; 95% confidence interval, 1.122-1.261; P < 0.001) was the only independent predictor of the presence of CAD. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, optimal cutoff value of CIMT to predict the presence of CAD was found as greater than 0.75 mm with 93.2% sensitivity and 71% specificity. In CAD group patients, Gensini score was correlated with CIMT (P < 0.001, r = 0.604), grade 2-3 NAFLD (P < 0.001, r = 0.534), BMI (P < 0.001, r = 0.498), and age (P = 0.001, r = 0.385). In the multiple stepwise linear regression model, CIMT (β = 0.444, P < 0.001) and grade 2-3 NAFLD (β = 0.353, P < 0.001) were associated with severity of CAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that CIMT is a strong independent predictor for the presence and severity of CAD. Furthermore, moderate to severe hepatosteatosis is also significantly associated with the severity of CAD. Therefore, detection of CIMT and NAFLD by ultrasonography, which is a very cheap, safe, and noninvasive radiological modality, can be used to improve CAD risk prediction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Sütçü İmam University Medical School, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. drfatihinci@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Inci
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ark
authors.forename: Ümit Erkan
authors.initials: ÜE
authors.lastname: Vurdem
authors.forename: Meltem Refiker
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ege
authors.forename: Isa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sincer
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zorlu
mesh_terms: D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology