J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2014 Apr;55(4):541-547.

The Intima Media Thickness (IMT) as Measured by Carotid Ultrasonography in Patients with Retinal Vascular Diseases

• Seo SJ
• Jang HD
• Lee SJ
• Park JM

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the findings of carotid ultrasonography performed on patients with retinal vascular disease and to determine the risk of cardiovascular disease and association of retinal vascular disease and cardiovascular disease.
METHODS
From December 2009 to May 2012, patients diagnosed with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO, n = 18), central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO, n = 23), and branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO, n = 68) underwent carotid ultrasonography. We evaluated the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and the internal carotid artery (ICA), stenosis and the number of plaques, and then compared these results with those of a healthy control group (n = 221).
RESULTS
The mean CCA-IMT and ICA-IMT were significantly higher in the CRAO and BRVO groups compared with the control group. On the contralateral side, CCA-IMT was increased in the CRAO, BRVO, and CRVO groups and ICA-IMT was increased in the CRAO and BRVO groups compared with the control group. Contralateral CCA stenosis was higher in the CRVO group (9.1%) and ipsilateral ICA stenosis in CRAO group (21.7%) was significantly higher than that of the control group. Plaque was observed better in all groups compared with the control group. The proportion of patients risk for cardiovascular disease, i.e. those who had IMT thickenesses more than 1.0 mm, was higher in the CRAO and BRVO groups compared with the control group.
CONCLUSIONS
The carotid ultrasound findings of patients with retinal vascular diseases showed increased IMT and plaque. The group of patient at risk for cardiovascular disease, which was defined with carotid artery IMT, was higher in patients with retinal vascular disease. Therefore, in patients with retinal vascular disease, carotid artery ultrasonography and the overall management and treatment of cardiovascular disease are necessary.

Keyword

Branch retinal artery occlusion; Carotid ultrasonography; Central retinal artery occlusion; Central retinal vein occlusion; Intima-media thickness

MeSH Terms

Cardiovascular Diseases
Carotid Arteries
Carotid Artery, Common
Carotid Artery, Internal
Constriction, Pathologic
Ultrasonography
Humans
Retinal Artery Occlusion
Retinal Vein
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Retinaldehyde*
Ultrasonography*
Vascular Diseases*
Retinaldehyde

Figure

• 

  Figure 1. The measurement diagram of carotid artery in-tima-media thickness. The IMT is define as a distance between lumen intima interface and media adventitia interface at the far wall of carotid artery. In the B-mode ultrasonography of carotid artery, the intima show hyperechoic, the media show hy-poechoic and the adventitia show hyperechoic.

• 

  Figure 2. Comparisons of the ipsilateral carotid intima-media thickness among the patients with retinal vascular disease and the control group. CRAO = central retinal artery occlusion; CRVO = central retinal vein occlusion; BRVO = branch retinal vein occlusion; CCA = common carotid artery; ICA = internal carotid artery; IMT = intima-media thickness.

• 

  Figure 3. Proportion of Carotid artery stenosis in the patients with retinal vascular disease and the control group. CRAO = central retinal artery occlusion; CRVO = central retinal vein occlusion; BRVO = branch retinal vein occlusion; CCA = common carotid artery; ICA = internal carotid artery.

• 

  Figure 4. Proportion of high risk groups according the ipsilateral carotid artery IMT in the patients with retinal vascular disease and the control group. CRAO = central retinal artery occlusion; CRVO = central retinal vein occlusion; BRVO = branch retinal vein occlusion; CCA = common carotid artery; ICA = internal carotid artery; IMT = intima-media thickness.

Reference

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