Korean Circ J.  2007 Sep;37(9):425-431. 10.4070/kcj.2007.37.9.425.

Carotid Intima Media Thickness is Associated with the Framingham Risk Score in Korean Patients with Coronary Arteriosclerosis: Association between IMT and Framingham Risk Score

• Kim KH
• Hyun DW
• Kim WS
• Yang JK
• Kwon TG
• Bae JH

• KMID: 2093979
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2007.37.9.425

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events whereas the Framingham risk score (FRS) is globally used to evaluate cardiovascular risk. We sought to evaluate the relationship between carotid IMT and FRS in Korean patients with coronary arteriosclerosis.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
The study population consisted of angiographically proven 267 consecutive patients with coronary arteriosclerosis (mean age 59 years, 141 males). Carotid IMT was measured by high-resolution ultrasound and semiautomatic methods. The FRS was derived from the algorithm published in the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines (NCEP-ATP III) using age, gender, smoking, systolic blood pressure level, use of antihypertensive treatment and total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
RESULTS
Carotid IMT correlated with the FRS in men (r=0.307, p<0.001) and in women (r=0.429, p<0.001). The severity of CAD, which was graded on the number of stenosed major coronary arteries more than 50%, showed a significant positive correlation with the FRS (r=0.266, p<0.001) and carotid IMT (r=0.166, p=0.007). The mean value of the FRS in patients with carotid plaque was higher than in patients without carotid plaque (15.0+/-3.9 and 12.0+/-4.4, p<0.001). The FRS was independently associated with carotid IMT in men and women (beta=6.433, p=0.001 and beta=11.271, p<0.001, respectively).
CONCLUSION
The FRS for primary prevention was significantly associated with carotid IMT even in patients with CAD and also a correlation with the severity of CAD. The FRS may be helpful to predict the prognosis in patients with coronary arteriosclerosis such as carotid IMT and a prospective cohort study may be required to certify the usefulness of the FRS.

Keyword

Tunica intima; Tunica media; Atherosclerosis; Risk assessment

MeSH Terms

Adult
Atherosclerosis
Blood Pressure
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness*
Cholesterol
Cohort Studies
Coronary Artery Disease*
Coronary Vessels
Education
Female
Humans
Lipoproteins
Male
Primary Prevention
Prognosis
Risk Assessment
Smoke
Smoking
Tunica Intima
Tunica Media
Ultrasonography
Cholesterol
Lipoproteins
Smoke

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Plots of age vs CCA IMT in men (A) and women (B). Regression lines are shown. There are statistically significant correlation between age and CCA IMT in men (r=0.187, p=0.027) and women (r=0.315, p<0.001). CCA: common carotid artery, IMT: intima media thickness.

• 

  Fig. 2 Plots of Framingham risk scores vs CCA IMT in men (A) and women (B). Regression lines are shown. There are statistically significant correlation (p<0.001) between Framingham risk scores and CCA IMT in men (r=0.307) and women (r=0.429). CCA: common carotid artery, IMT: intima media thickness.

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