Gnasso A, Irace C, Mattioli P L, Pujia A
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, University of Reggio Calabria, Catanzaro, Italy.
Atherosclerosis. 1996 Jan 5;119(1):7-15. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(95)05625-4.
There is increasing evidence that arterial intima-media thickness (IMT) might represent an early atherosclerotic lesion. The clinical importance of its measurement is, however, still debated. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors on carotid IMT and to verify whether intima-media thickening is associated with overt atherosclerosis of carotid arteries. Two hundred and seventy-six subjects referred to the Angiology Unit for echo-Doppler examination of carotid arteries during the period January-June 1993 were enrolled. Echo-Doppler was performed with a Multigon Angioview 600. IMT was measured in the common carotid artery, 1 cm proximal to the bulb. CHD risk factors were evaluated by routine methods. In males IMT increased significantly with increasing number of CHD risk factors. In females only the presence of three CHD risk factors was associated with a significant IMT increase. In both sexes IMT was higher in subjects with evidence of atherosclerotic lesions in the carotid arteries. In multiple regression analysis IMT was strongly and significantly associated with the presence of plaques and/or stenosis in the carotid arteries. The present findings suggest that IMT measurement can be useful in clinical practice, giving a comprehensive picture of the damage caused by several CHD risk factors over time on arterial wall.
越来越多的证据表明,动脉内膜中层厚度(IMT)可能代表早期动脉粥样硬化病变。然而,其测量的临床重要性仍存在争议。本研究的目的是分析冠心病(CHD)危险因素对颈动脉IMT的影响,并验证内膜中层增厚是否与颈动脉明显的动脉粥样硬化相关。纳入了1993年1月至6月期间转诊至血管病科进行颈动脉超声多普勒检查的276名受试者。使用Multigon Angioview 600进行超声多普勒检查。在颈总动脉距球部近端1 cm处测量IMT。通过常规方法评估CHD危险因素。在男性中,IMT随着CHD危险因素数量的增加而显著增加。在女性中,只有存在三种CHD危险因素才与IMT显著增加相关。在两性中,颈动脉有动脉粥样硬化病变证据的受试者IMT更高。在多元回归分析中,IMT与颈动脉斑块和/或狭窄的存在密切且显著相关。目前的研究结果表明,IMT测量在临床实践中可能有用,它能全面反映多种CHD危险因素随时间对动脉壁造成的损害情况。