title: Study of carotid disease in patients with peripheral artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the stenosis of the carotid arteries in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  we assessed 100 consecutive patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease in stages of intermittent claudication, rest pain or ulceration. Carotid stenosis was studied by echo-color-doppler, and considered significant when greater than or equal to 50%. We used univariate analysis to select potential predictors of carotid stenosis, later taken to multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of carotid stenosis was 84%, being significant in 40% and severe in 17%. The age range was 43-89 years (mean 69.78). Regarding gender, 61% were male and 39% female. Half of the patients had claudication and half had critical ischemia. Regarding risk factors, 86% of patients had hypertension, 66% exposure to smoke, 47% diabetes, 65% dyslipidemia, 24% coronary artery disease, 16% renal failure and 60% had family history of cardiovascular disease. In seven patients, there was a history of ischemic cerebrovascular symptoms in the carotid territory. The presence of cerebrovascular symptoms was statistically significant in influencing the degree of stenosis in the carotid arteries (p = 0.02 at overall assessment and p = 0.05 in the subgroups of significant and non-significant stenoses).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the study of the carotid arteries by duplex scan examination is of paramount importance in the evaluation of patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, and should be systematically conducted in the study of such patients.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.
authors.forename: Leonardo Ghizoni
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Bez
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.
authors.forename: Túlio Pinho
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index