title: Morphological and functional assessment of carotid plaques have similar predictive accuracy for coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microwave radiometry allows noninvasive in vivo measuring of internal temperature of tissues reflecting inflammation. In the present study, we evaluated the predictive accuracy of this method for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients (n=287) scheduled for coronary angiography were included in the study. In carotid arteries of both groups, the following measurements were performed: (1) intima-media thickness (IMTmax) and (2) temperature measurements by microwave radiometry (ΔTmax). C-statistic and net reclassification improvement were used to compare the prediction ability of the markers IMTmax and ΔTmax for the presence of CAD and multivessel CAD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 287 patients, 239 had stenoses ≥50% (CAD group), and 48 did not have significant stenoses (NO-CAD group). ΔTmax was an independent predictor for the presence of CAD and multivessel CAD, showing similar predictive accuracy to intima-media thickness, as assessed by c-statistic and net reclassification improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local inflammatory activation, as detected by microwave radiometry, has similar predictive accuracy to intima-media thickness for the presence and extent of CAD.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece. ktoutouz@gmail.com
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toutouzas
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benetos
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drakopoulou
authors.forename: Archontoula
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michelongona
authors.forename: Charalampia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Constantina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masoura
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stathogiannis
authors.forename: Constantina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aggeli
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsiamis
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Siores
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008872:Microwaves; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*
keywords: carotid arteries; coronary artery disease; inflammation; microwaves