This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 107/8/1146    most recent 01.CIR.0000051461.92839.F7v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Terry, J. G. Articles by Crouse, J. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Terry, J. G. Articles by Crouse, J. R., III Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Coronary Artery Disease Related Collections Remodeling Carotid Stenosis Doppler ultrasound, Transcranial Doppler etc. Chronic ischemic heart disease Epidemiology

(Circulation. 2003;107:1146.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.

Clinical Investigation and Reports

Carotid Arterial Structure in Patients With Documented Coronary Artery Disease and Disease-Free Control Subjects

James G. Terry, MS; Rong Tang, MD; Mark A. Espeland, PhD; Donna H. Davis, BS; Jose L.C. Vieira, MD, PhD; Michele F. Mercuri, MD, PhD; John R. Crouse, III, MD

From the Departments of Internal Medicine (J.G.T., D.H.D, J.L.C.V., J.R.C.), Division of Vascular Ultrasound Research (R.T., M.F.M.), and Public Health Sciences (M.A.E., J.R.C.), Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr Mercuri is currently employed by Merck & Co Inc, Rahway, NJ.

Correspondence to John R. Crouse III, MD, Department of Internal Medicine/Endocrinology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1047. E-mail jrcrouse{at}wfubmc.edu

Background— Although atherosclerosis often leads to lumen narrowing and symptomatic cardiovascular disease, it is now recognized that arteries have the potential to compensate by enlarging in response to atherosclerosis. We tested the hypotheses that carotid arterial interadventitial (IA) and lumen diameters were related to wall thickness and that carotid arterial diameters of individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) differed from those of CAD-free controls.

Methods and Results— We measured lumen diameter, IA diameter, and intima-media thickness (IMT) using B-mode ultrasound in the common and internal carotid arteries of 141 CAD case patients and 139 disease-free control subjects. Common carotid IA diameter was greater in CAD cases than controls after adjustment for age, height, and sex (P<0.01). Common carotid lumen diameter was marginally larger in individuals with greater IMT (P=0.06) but was not associated with case status. Conversely, mean internal carotid IA and lumen diameters were smaller in CAD cases than controls in both univariable and multivariable models (both P<0.001), and lumina were smaller in individuals with greater IMT. Despite these cross-sectional differences in carotid artery dimensions, we were unable to detect any statistically significant interactive effects of CAD case status on the association of IMT with arterial dimensions.

Conclusions— Internal carotid artery lumen and IA diameters are both smaller in CAD cases than controls. The association of increased IMT with arterial dimensions varies in a manner that is segment-specific for the common and internal carotid arteries.

Key Words: carotid arteries • atherosclerosis • coronary disease • compensation

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Ruiz, S. Redondo, A. Gordillo-Moscoso, and T. Tejerina Pioglitazone Induces Apoptosis in Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells from Diabetic Patients Involving the Transforming Growth Factor-beta/Activin Receptor-Like Kinase-4/5/7/Smad2 Signaling Pathway J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., May 1, 2007; 321(2): 431 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Crouse III Thematic review series: Patient-Oriented Research. Imaging atherosclerosis: state of the art J. Lipid Res., August 1, 2006; 47(8): 1677 - 1699. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Ruiz, A. Gordillo-Moscoso, E. Padilla, S. Redondo, E. Rodriguez, F. Reguillo, A. M. Briones, C. van Breemen, E. Okon, and T. Tejerina Human vascular smooth muscle cells from diabetic patients are resistant to induced apoptosis due to high bcl-2 expression. Diabetes, May 1, 2006; 55(5): 1243 - 1251. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Bots, D. E. Grobbee, A. Hofman, and J. C.M. Witteman Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction: The Role of Lumen Diameter Stroke, April 1, 2005; 36(4): 762 - 767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M.A. Henry, P. J. Kostense, J. M. Dekker, G. Nijpels, R. J. Heine, O. Kamp, L. M. Bouter, and C. D.A. Stehouwer Carotid Arterial Remodeling: A Maladaptive Phenomenon in Type 2 Diabetes but Not in Impaired Glucose Metabolism: The Hoorn Study Stroke, March 1, 2004; 35(3): 671 - 676. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]