title: Asymmetry in prevalence of femoral but not carotid atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerotic disease is caused by a combination of systemic and local factors (e.g. geometry) affecting local flow conditions. In contrast to the carotid artery, at the iliac-femoral artery region, a large degree of bilateral asymmetry exists. Therefore, we aimed to determine the influence of body side on the prevalence of atherosclerosis (i.e. plaque and intima-media thickness; IMT) at the carotid and femoral arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were used from the ASKLEPIOS study, including 2524 apparently healthy individuals with a mean age of 46 years (range 35-55 years). Echographic images were obtained bilaterally of the carotid and femoral arteries. A single observer approach was used for the acquisition and quantification of plaques and IMT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The carotid artery displays no significant left-right difference in IMT values nor plaque prevalence (right: 12.0 vs. left 13.3%; P = 0.18). In contrast, for the femoral artery, the IMT distribution at the right common femoral artery is more skewed (P90 right: 1.11 mm, left 1.01 mm; P < 0.001), which is mirrored by a significantly higher plaque prevalence (right: 21.9 vs. left: 15.7%; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, atherosclerotic lesions are more prevalent at the right than at the left femoral artery. This finding highlights the possible role of local arterial geometry in the development of atherosclerosis and underscores the importance of the choice of body side when assessing vascular health.
authors.affiliation: aHeymans Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology bInstitute Biomedical Technology (IBiTech), Ghent University cDepartment of Internal Medicine (Cardiovascular Diseases), Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital dDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bossuyt
authors.forename: Luc M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Van Bortel
authors.forename: Tine L M
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Sandrien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van De Velde
authors.forename: Majda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azermai
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Segers
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Buyzere
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Daele
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rietzschel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence