Vol 15, No 3 (2020)
Original paper
Published online: 2018-09-13
Morphometry of peripheral arteries in the assessment of the cardiovascular risk
Folia Cardiologica 2020;15(3):193-202.
Abstract
Introduction. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that ultrasound measurements of common carotid artery (CCAd) and brachial artery (BAd) diameters represent markers of higher coronary artery disease risk (CAD, defined as ≥ 50% reduction in diameter of at least one large coronary artery segment).
Materials and methods. Seventy-one patients (pts) evaluated for suspected stable CAD (23.9% women, age 61.5 ± 7.5) underwent ultrasound measurements of averaged diameters of both common carotid arteries and the brachial artery diameter of dominant arm. Clinical protocol included also: standard medical examination, assessment of biochemical parameters, resting electrocardiography, treadmill exercise test and transthoracic echocardiography. Diagnosis was established using quantitative coronary angiography measurements and calculation of Gensini Score (GS).
Results. Angiographic CAD was present in 43 (60.5%) patients. Average CCAd was larger in CAD group (7.97 ± 0.96 mm vs. 7.37 ± 0.67 mm, p = 0.0052), similar to BAd (5.06 ± 0.65 vs. 4.68 ± 0.75, p = 0.03), respectively. The peripheral arterial diameters correlated with values of GS index, more pronounced for CCAd (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.0023) than for BAd (ρ = 0.24, p = 0.0368). CCAd significantly more positively correlated with the distal coronary artery segments values of the GS index (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.0024), whereas the diameter of BA with the proximal segments values of GS index (ρ = 0.239, p = 0.045). CCA and BD diameters indexed to body surface area (BSA) showed a strong trend toward larger average diameters in CAD patients: CCAd/BSA index: 4.06 ± 0.46 mm/m2 vs. 3.85 ± 0.56 mm/m2, p = 0.087, BAd/BSA
index: 2.57 ± 0.29 mm/m2 vs. 2.42 ± 0.35 mm/m2, p = 0.057. Gensini score significantly correlated with CCAd/BSA index (ρ = 0.24, p = 0.043) with a strong trend of positive correlation between GS index and BAd/BSA index (ρ = 0.21, p = 0.076).
Conclusions. The diameters of common carotid arteries and the brachial artery of dominant arm are greater in CAD pts. Peripheral arteries ultrasound may complement classic diagnostic pathway of stable coronary artery disease.
Keywords: coronary artery diseaseperipheral arteries ultrasound
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