Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012 Oct 23;60(17):1599-604. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2011.12.061. Epub 2012 Sep 19.
Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurements have been used in cardiovascular research for more than 2 decades. There is a wealth of evidence showing that CIMT can be assessed in a reproducible manner and that increased CIMT relates to unfavorable risk factor levels and atherosclerosis elsewhere in the arterial system and to the risk of vascular events. Change in CIMT over time can be readily assessed, and trials showed that the rate of change is modifiable by treatment. Several issues important for the cardiovascular research community and its application in clinical practice are still outstanding. Promising future areas for CIMT measurements are: 1) application in studies among children and adolescents; 2) use of CIMT trials positioned decisively before the start of a morbidity and mortality trial; and 3) the use of CIMT measurement in risk stratification in those with an intermediate 10-year risk estimate.
颈动脉内膜中层厚度（CIMT）测量在心血管研究中已经使用了超过 20 年。有大量证据表明，CIMT 可以以可重复的方式进行评估，并且 CIMT 的增加与不利的危险因素水平以及动脉系统其他部位的动脉粥样硬化以及血管事件的风险有关。随着时间的推移，CIMT 的变化可以很容易地评估，试验表明，通过治疗可以改变 CIMT 的变化率。一些对心血管研究界及其在临床实践中的应用仍然很重要的问题仍然存在。CIMT 测量有前途的未来领域包括：1）在儿童和青少年中进行研究；2）在发病率和死亡率试验开始之前果断地使用 CIMT 试验；3）在具有中等 10 年风险估计的患者中进行 CIMT 测量以进行风险分层。
