Abstract

ABSTRACT
The intima media thickness (IMT) of the extra cranial carotid arteries (ECA) measured by 2 Dimentional ultrasound is a
valid estimate of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis and reflects the extent and severity of clinical coronary heart
disease (CHD). The value of the IMT of the ECAs was assessed in relation to clinical cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and
to risk factors (RFs) of CVD including age, male gender cigarette smoking hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity
and total serum cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (TSC/HDL C) value>5 in patients who had at least one RF for CHD,
using 10 MHz probe. The total of 1170 patients were studied they were divided into four groups according to the value of
the IMT of their ECAs Group (1) had an IMT of 0.79 mm or less, it contained 300 patients (25.64%), group (2) had a
value of 0.8-0.99 mm and included 262 (24.1%) patients, group no (3) had an IMT of 1-1.29 mm and is comprised of 390
patients (33.33%) and group (4) had IMT of 1.3mm and over and were 199 patients (16.92%). Collected data in group 1
to group 4 in sequence were: mean age of 45.22, 55.26 55.1 and 67.9 years, male gender 31%, 51%, 51%and 53.03%
,smoking rate 16%, 28%, 31.5% and 39.39%. DM in 16%, 21.2%, 28.46% and 37.87%, hypertension in 55%, 58.5%,
66.92% and 74.24%, myocardial infarction (MI) was detected in 66 (22%), 66 (22%), 123(31.15%) and 81(40.9%)
patients in these four groups consecutively, angina pectoris (AP) in 81(17%), 51(18%), 84(21.5%) and 27(13.63%)
patients, stroke in 18(6%), 18(6.3%), 26(6.92%) and 27(13.63%), cardiomegaly (CMG) in (3%), 18(6.3%), 36(9%) and
36(18.18%), congestive cardiac failure (CCF) in 6(2%), 12(4.2%), 9(2.3%) and l2(10.60%). Risk factors particularly
advancement in age, DM, hypertension (numerically the most prevalent), smoking, TSC/HDL C ratio but not BMI were
markedly increased in the group of the highest IMT. Conclusion: IMT of the ECAs is shown to be the function of the RF s
studied all together and of each one independently, hypertension was the most prevailing RF, The rate of MI, AP, strokes
CMG and CCF were related to the IMT level 2D U/S of the ECAs should become more popular in considerations related
to assessment of RF of CVD and in the follow up of prevention protocols.