Objectives: The thickness of the intima-media (IMT) layer of the common carotid artery is a marker of severe and extensive coronary artery disease and it has been reported that it is related to the presence of risk factors for atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the IMT correlates with the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS) risk score which identifies a large proportion of men who may experience a major ischaemic heart disease event within 5 years of initial screening.
Subjects: High resolution ultrasonography was used to measure the thickness of the intima-media layer in 89 individuals. The BRHS risk score of these individuals was also recorded.
Main outcome measures: Correlation between the carotid IMT and the BRHS score.
Results: The IMT was linearly related to the BRHS score (r = 0.56; P < 0.001). There was a highly significant difference between the mean IMT in individuals with a risk score greater and those with a risk score lesser than the 80th percentile (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: It is concluded that the IMT may be a useful surrogate end-point or biological marker of coronary artery disease and might be considered for use in prospective studies and clinical trials.