Carotid Atherosclerosis as a Marker of Atherosclerosis of the Thoracic Aorta in the Elderly.
- Author:
Yung Woo SHIN
;
Kook Jin CHUN
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Atherosclerosis;
Carotid arteries;
Aorta;
ultrasonics
- MeSH:
Aged*;
Aorta;
Aorta, Thoracic*;
Atherosclerosis*;
Cardiovascular Diseases;
Carotid Arteries;
Carotid Artery Diseases*;
Echocardiography, Transesophageal;
Female;
Humans;
Incidence;
Male;
Plaque, Atherosclerotic;
Sensitivity and Specificity;
Ultrasonics;
Ultrasonography
- From:Journal of the Korean Geriatrics Society
2001;5(1):18-23
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Carotid atherosclerosis and aortic at herosclerosis are both a predictor of atherosclertic cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship between carotid and aortic atherosclerosis is not well known. METHODS: We performed B-mode ultrasound examinations of the carotid arteries in 38 consecutive elderly cases(13 men, mean age 69+/-3 years and 25 women, mean age 69+/-5 years) who underwent transesophageal echocardiography, to assess whether atherosclerosis in the carotid artery correlates with thoracic aortic atherosclerosis or may be a marker for it. RESULTS: The incidence of carotid and thoracic aortic atherosclerotic plaques were 44.7% and 50%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and thoracic aortic atherosclerosis(r=0.532, p<0.01), and a increase in the extent of aortic atherosclerosis with increasing grades of carotid atherosclerosis. In the entire study cases, the presence of carotid atherosclerosis had a sensitivity 63.2%, specificity 73.7%, positive value 72.6% and negative predictive value 66.7% in detec-ting thoracic aortic atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: In the Korean elderly, B-mode ultra sound examination of the carotid arteries is a easy and useful technique for the prediction of the presence and severity of thoracic atherosclerosis.
