title: Femoral Artery Ultrasound Examination.
abstract: We compared intima-media thickness (IMT) and the prevalence of plaques in the common carotid artery (CCA) and common femoral artery (CFA) in apparently healthy participants. This multicenter study included 322 participants (59.9% female; age 20-78 years, mean 52.1 ± 15.3 years) who underwent Echo-color Doppler examination of the CCA and CFA bilaterally. Prevalence and composition of plaque were recorded. A significant ( P < .01) difference between mean CCA-IMT and mean CFA-IMT was detected (0.70 vs 0.73 mm). Plaque prevalence was significantly higher in the CFA compared to the CCA (40.7% vs 30.4%). Atherosclerotic plaques were found in both CFA and CCA in 46% of the cases, solely in CFA in 38%, and in CCA alone in 17%. The observed difference in plaque prevalence was even greater when only fibrolipid isolated plaques were considered (CFA 39.4% vs CCA 22.1%). In a healthy general population, atherosclerotic plaques were present in the CFA but not in the CCA in over one-third of the cases. Further studies must confirm whether ultrasonography of the CFA might be introduced in the screening protocols for cardiovascular risk assessment.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Oncology and Anatomic Pathology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierleone
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lucatelli
authors.affiliation: 2 Genetic Epidemiology Unit, National Centre of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fagnani
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Adam Domonkos
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Tarnoki
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Radiology and Oncotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: David Laszlo
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Tarnoki
authors.affiliation: 2 Genetic Epidemiology Unit, National Centre of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stazi
authors.affiliation: 2 Genetic Epidemiology Unit, National Centre of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salemi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Oncology and Anatomic Pathology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cirelli
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Oncology and Anatomic Pathology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sacconi
authors.affiliation: 4 Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Division, Department of Surgery "Paride Stefanini", Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: d'Adamo
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Oncology and Anatomic Pathology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fanelli
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Oncology and Anatomic Pathology, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.affiliation: 5 Unità di Medicina Interna, Università di Perugia, Ospedale 'S. Maria', Terni, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.affiliation: 5 Unità di Medicina Interna, Università di Perugia, Ospedale 'S. Maria', Terni, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schillaci
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua School of Medicine, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baracchini
authors.affiliation: 2 Genetic Epidemiology Unit, National Centre of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Medda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cardiovascular risk; common carotid artery plaque; common femoral artery plaque; intima–media thickness