Abstract
The authors investigated the relationship between the progression of carotid atherosclerosis
and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). The two-year follow-ups of extracranial
carotid atherosclerosis in 50 patients with CAD were evaluated by B-mode high-resolution
ultrasonography. The summed maximal thickness of carotid plaques increased by 3.2
to 10.1 mm (mean 1.06 mm, SD 2.42 mm). The extent of coronary atherosclerosis (p < 0.02) and the serum total cholesterol level (p < 0.01) were different between the progressing group (n = 20) and the nonprogressing
group (n = 25) with carotid atherosclerosis. Carotid disease progression was significantly
higher in patients with three-vessel coronary disease than in those without significant
coronary disease (p < 0.005). Age, serum triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, pack-years
of smoking, % smokers, % hypertensives, and % diabetics were not different between
the two groups. It was concluded that the severity of CAD was one of the strong predictors
for carotid disease progression in patients with CAD.
