• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.198-207
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• 2015

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and chronic total occlusion (CTO) of coronary artery are well-known atherosclerotic vascular diseases. However, the difference of intima-media thickness and plaque characteristics of carotid arteries between STEMI and CTO patients were not directly compared in previous studies. Medical records of a total of 158 (101 STEMI, 57 CTO) patients, who underwent carotid artery ultrasonography, were selected for the analysis. The baseline characteristics, ultrasonography findings, and clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia was significantly higher in CTO patients. Carotid intima-media thickness ($0.97{\pm}0.13$ vs. $0.78{\pm}0.17cm$, P < 0.0001) and number of plaques ($2.2{\pm}1.0$ vs. $1.7{\pm}1.2$, P < 0.0001) were greater in CTO than STEMI patients. Multiple (${\geq}3$) or echogenic plaques were more frequently observed in CTO patients. During the median follow-up duration of 27 months, major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 31% of CTO and 14% of STEMI patients (P = 0.008). We found that, compared with STEMI, CTO patients have higher burden of carotid artery atherosclerosis associated with more comorbid diseases and poor clinical outcomes.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.291-302
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• 2023

Purpose: Early detection of carotid stenosis can reduce cardiovascular risk. In this study, the maximum-carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), the mean-CIMT, and the presence of plaque were examined in healthy young Thai adults. Additionally, correlations between CIMT and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed. Materials and Methods: Left and right carotid arteries of 302 participants(15-45 years old) were scanned, with CIMT measured at the far walls of the common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery. Demographics and risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire. Ten random participants were re-scanned after 4 weeks. Results: The study included 123 (40.70%) male and 179 (59.30%) female participants. The max-CIMT, mean-CIMT, and plaque thickness were 0.400±0.100, 0.403±0.095 and 1.520±0.814 mm, respectively. Male participants had significantly higher CIMT values for nearly all locations and age groups. The right-sided CIMT values were higher for all locations. The carotid bulb had the greatest CIMT values(0.437±0.178 mm), followed by the common (0.403±0.095 mm) and internal(0.361±0.099 mm) carotid arteries. Plaque was present in 18 locations (1.00%), affecting 15 participants (4.97%). These plaques were found in the right carotid bulb (n=9; 0.50%), left carotid bulb (n=7; 0.39%), and right internal carotid artery (n=2; 0.11%). Adjusted multivariable regression revealed significant positive associations between CIMT and male, increased age and "other" occupation (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both max-CIMT and mean-CIMT were approximately 0.4 mm. Plaque was observed in 4.97% of patients, with an average thickness of 1.5 mm. The most influential risk factors for increased CIMT were sex, age, and occupation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between C-reactive protein(CRP) and carotid intima-media thickness(carotid IMT) in a population of middle-aged Koreans. Methods : A total of 1,054 men and 1,595 women(aged 40-70 years) from Kanghwa County, Korea, were chosen for the present study between 2006 and 2007. We measured high-sensitivity CRP and other major cardiovascular risk factors including anthropometrics, blood pressure, blood chemistry, and carotid ultrasonography. Health related questionnaires were also completed by each study participant. Carotid IMT value was determined by the maximal IMT at each common carotid artery. The relationship between CRP level and carotid IMT was assessed using multiple linear and logistic regression models after adjustment for age, body mass index, menopause(women), systolic blood pressure, total/HDL cholesterol ratio, triglyceride level, fasting glucose, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Results : Mean carotid IMT values from the lowest to highest quartile of CRP were 0.828, 0.873, 0.898, and 0.926 mm for women(p for trend<0.001), and 0.929, 0.938, 0.949, and 0.979 mm for men(p for trend=0.032), respectively. After adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors, the relationship between CRP and carotid IMT was significant in women(p for trend=0.017), but not in men(p for trend=0.798). Similarly, adjusted odds ratio of increased IMT, defined as the sex-specific top quartile, for the highest versus lowest CRP quartiles was 1.55(95% CI=1.06-2.26) in women, but only 1.05(95% CI=0.69-1.62) in men. Conclusions : CRP and carotid IMT levels appear to be directly related in women, but not in men.

• 순환기질환의공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.12a
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• pp.59-60
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• 2005

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.54-58
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• 2009

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with several cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanisms are not completely understood. The measure of common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) has been extensively used as an early marker of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that early signs of atherosclerosis are present in patients with OSA and correlate with OSA severity Methods: Eleven male patients with OSA were studied by using full standard overnight polysomnography and high-definition echo-tracking device to measure intima-media thickness and carotid artery diameter. Eight healthy volunteers matched for age and sex were studied by portable respiratory monitoring device. All participants were free of hypertension, diabetes, and were not on any medications. Patients with OSA were naive to treatment. Results: All patients and normal controls were male. There was no significant difference of age between patients and controls ($48.4{\pm}8.85$ and $48.0{\pm}9.77$). Significant differences existed between control subjects and patients with mild to moderate and severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index, $1.51{\pm}1.15$ and $38.51{\pm}19.13$ respectively) in intima-media thickness ($0.59{\pm}0.064$ and $0.93{\pm}0.16$; P=0.0023), and carotid diameter ($5.79{\pm}0.44$ and $6.47{\pm}0.51$; P=0.0227). Multivariate analyses showed that the apnea-hypopnea index correlated independently with intima-media thickness and carotid diameter (r=0.79, P=0.0008, and r=0.47, P=0.0482). Conclusions: Middle-aged patients with OSA who are free of overt cardiovascular diseases have early signs of atherosclerosis, which further supports the hypothesis that OSA plays an independent role in atherosclerosis progression.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.292-297
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• 2011

Purpose: Our study aimed to evaluated sex differences in clinical features of obese high school students. Methods: One hundred three obese high school students (body mass index [BMI]${\geq}$85th percentile) and 51 control students (BMI<85th percentile) were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements were performed. Fasting serum glucose, insulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein were measured. Abdominal fat thickness, degree of fatty liver, and carotid intima-media thickness were measured by ultrasound. Results: In control and obese groups, waist circumference was significantly longer in boys but body fat mass was Significantly higher in girls. In the control group, total cholesterol and LDL-C were higher in girls. In the obese group, however, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and triglyceride were higher and HDL-C was lower in boys. Preperitoneal fat thickness was significantly higher in obese girls. In obese group, the degree of fatty liver was significantly higher in boys. Carotid intima-media thickness was not significantly different between boys and girls. Conclusion: Obese adolescents had distinguishable sex differences in body measurements, metabolic abnormalities, abdominal fat thickness and fatty liver. We can infer that these characteristics may extend into adult obesity.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2013

Increased intima-media thickness(IMT) of the common carotid artery is an early marker of atherosclerosis and a powerful predictor of coronary and cerebrovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between carotid artery IMT and cardiovascular risk factors. Total 134 adult were performed with Ultrasonography to measure IMT at common carotid artery, the physical measurements and blood tests, the following results were obtained. As a result, IMT showed higher value in male IMT than female IMT. And, the IMT increased according to the age increased. Also, TC and AI have positive significant correlation with IMT. In Conclusion, cardiovascular risk factors with adult are associated with increased IMT of common carotid artery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.465-472
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• 2023

In predicting vascular disease, this study attempted to identify changes in the carotid intima-media thickness in patients who underwent carotid artery ultrasonography and hematological tests and to find out the effect of risk factors on the expression of atherosclerotic plaque. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 469 healthy adults who visited the hospital for the purpose of medical examination and performed carotid artery ultrasonography. As a result, carotid intima-media thickness, age, body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and glucose were analyzed as significant predictors of atherosclerotic plaque (p<0.001). The risk ratio was calculated based on the cut off value of the risk factors of the atherosclerotic plaque determined through ROC curve analysis, followed by 8.06 times the carotid intima-media thickness, 7.53 times the age, 3.97 times the waist circumference and 2.02 times the glucose. Therefore, in this study it was possible to prepare a Korean standard for clinical risk factors that affect the presence of absence of atherosclerotic plaque and observation of carotid artery ultrasonography is thought to help diagnose or predict cardiovascular disease early.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2007

In this paper, we present a method of detecting the boundary of the intima-media complex for automated measurement based on dynamic programming from carotid artery B-mode ultrasound images and then show the experimental results. We apply the dynamic programming for determining the optimal locations that a cost function is minimized. The cost function includes cost terms which are representing image features such as intensity, intensity gradient and geometrical continuity of the vessel interfaces. Moreover, we improve the boundary continuity by applying the B-spline to smooth the rough boundary due to noise such as speckle, dropout and weak edges. The proposed method has obtained more accurate reproducible results than conventional edge-detection by considering multiple image features and ensures efficient automated measurement by solving the problems of the inter- and intra-observer variability and its inefficiency due to manual measurement.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.82-91
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• 2021

Carotid duplex ultrasound is commonly used to diagnose various carotid artery diseases due to it being noninvasive and easy to perform. Carotid atherosclerosis is a major indicator for the need to perform carotid duplex ultrasound, which can determine the degree of stenosis, plaque characteristics, and intima-media thickness. It can also be used to screen and follow-up after carotid revascularization. Here we discuss the standard techniques, interpretations, and clinical indicators for carotid duplex ultrasounds.