The purpose of the present study was to examine whether intima-media
thickness (IMT) predicts the presence of the coronary artery lesions
independent of other risk factors including clinic blood pressure (BP),
parameters of 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, body mass index, serum
cholesterol. and glucose levels.
The study population consisted of 390 consecutive subjects who had
recently under-one coronary arteriography; 51 subjects with no
measurable lesions in their coronary arteries (control group) and 339
subjects with coronary artery lesions (coronary artery disease [CAD]
group). Mean IMT of the common carotid artery (MCCA) and internal
carotid artery (MICA) were significantly higher in subjects with CAD
compare control subjects (P <.0001). Carotid IMT could predict the
presence of coronary artery lesions independently of clinic or
ambulatory BP values, BMI, serum cholesterol, and glucose levels (P
<.01). Carotid IMT predicted the presence of significant coronary artery
lesions with cutoff values 0.85 and 0.80 for MICA and MCCA,
respectively. The IMT Could be a clinical useful test for the presence
of significant coronary artery lesions. (c) 2005 American Journal of
Hypertension, Ltd
