title: Is there an association between inflammatory bowel diseases and carotid intima-media thickness? Preliminary data.
abstract: Inflammation is a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Thus, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) may be associated with CVD. We assessed carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT; an indicator of CVD risk) in 42 patients with IBD, free of CVD or diabetes; 26 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 16 with ulcerative colitis (UC). The cIMT was significantly greater in patients with IBD compared to 42 healthy controls (0.62 ± 0.08 vs 0.52 ± 0.06 mm; P < .0005). The cIMT did not differ between patients with CD and UC or between the different disease activity and treatment groups. Factors associated with cIMT were age, body mass index, and IBD, with the latter making a greater contribution. The IBD is a predictor of cIMT, even when other CVD risk factors are considered. These findings suggest an association between early arterial wall alterations and IBD. Such an association should be proven in larger studies that should assess the incidence of CVD in patients with IBD.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece eltheocharidou@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Theocharidou
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Cardiology, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Gossios
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Griva
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Giouleme
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Douma
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Vasilios G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Athyros
authors.affiliation: 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Asterios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: C-reactive protein; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; carotid intima-media thickness; inflammatory bowel disease