title: Comparison of carotid artery ultrasonography findings between acute coronary syndrome and atherothrombotic cerebral infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although risk factors for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and atherothrombotic cerebral infarction (ACI) are common, it is unknown if the risk factors for these two conditions are similar. The purpose of our study was to elucidate differences in carotid artery atherosclerotic features between ACS and ACI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured carotid artery ultrasound-based atherosclerotic parameters in 61 ACS and 33 ACI patients. In the ACS patients, 31 had single-vessel coronary artery disease (SVD) and 30 had multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximum intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery was higher in ACS patients with MVD than in ACS patients with SVD (P < 0.05), and tended to be higher than that in ACI patients (P = 0.085). The values in ACS patients with SVD and ACI patients were similar. The maximum IMT of the carotid artery bulb in ACS patients with MVD was similar to that in both ACS patients with SVD and ACI patients. The plaque score was higher in ACS patients with MVD than in ACS patients with SVD (P < 0.01), but similar to that in ACI patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACS and ACI show common atherosclerotic features as assessed by carotid artery ultrasonography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan. s-toyoda@dokkyomed.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.affiliation: Stroke Division, Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takekawa
authors.affiliation: Stroke Division, Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asakawa
authors.affiliation: Stroke Division, Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Shichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Tochigi, 321-0293, Japan.
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Atherothrombosis; Atherothrombotic cerebral infarction; Carotid artery ultrasonography; Multivessel coronary artery disease