Research

Appropriateness of carotid plaque and intima-media thickness assessment in routine clinical practice

Liz Andréa Villela Baroncini¹ , Aguinaldo de Oliveira² , Enrique Antonio Vidal² , Graciliano José França² , Paulo Sérgio Dalla Bona Stahlke² , Alexandre Alessi¹ and Dalton Bertolim Précoma¹

¹  Center of Health and Biological Sciences-Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil

²  Federal University of Paraná, School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Paraná, Brazil

author email corresponding author email

Cardiovascular Ultrasound 2008, 6:52doi:10.1186/1476-7120-6-52

Published:	16 October 2008

Abstract

Objectives

To describe the findings and evaluate appropriateness of a carotid artery study including the measurement of IMT, the presence of atherosclerotic plaque, and their correlation with cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods

555 patients (220 men; 67.06 ± 12.44 years) were included in the study. 120 patients (21.62%) presented carotid plaque: 108 (19.45%) in patients with at least one risk factor and 12 (2.1%) in patients without risk factors. With respect to appropriateness of the present studies: 65% were appropriate, 22% were uncertain and 13% were inappropriate. The IMT medians were higher in males (0.0280; 95% CI, 00.82 to 0.478; p = 0.0057) and in hypertensive patients (0.391; 95% CI, 0.0190 to 0.0592; p = 0,001). There was a linear increase in mean IMT for each year increased in age (0.0059; 95% CI; 0.0050 to 0.0067). Carotid plaque was more frequent in patients with CAD (p = 0.0002), diabetes (p = 0.024) and hypertension (p = 0.036).

Conclusion

Assessment of carotid arteries identified increased incidence of plaque in patients with CAD, diabetes and hypertension. IMT was increased in older patients, hypertensive patients and males. Forty-five percent of the patients were studied based on uncertain and inappropriate reasons.