High-resolution radial artery intima-media thickness and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with suspected coronary artery disease--comparison with common carotid artery intima-media thickness.

OBJECTIVE: The radial artery wall structure can be measured with non-invasive very high-resolution ultrasound with great feasibility and high accuracy. In the present study, we aim to explore clinical correlates of radial artery intima-media thickness (rIMT), in a relatively large patient cohort with suspected coronary artery disease, and further compare those to common carotid artery IMT (cIMT) that is an accepted surrogate marker of atherosclerosis.

METHODS: Four hundred and sixteen patients referred to myocardial perfusion scintigram (MPS) were recruited, and cIMT and rIMT were scanned using conventional and very high-resolution ultrasound (55 MHz transducer), respectively. A number of plasma biomarkers were also measured.

RESULTS: Both cIMT and rIMT were similarly correlated with disease history, MPS-verified ischemia, carotid plaque burden, and lipid status. Repeated measurement of rIMT showed acceptable variability.

CONCLUSION: Radial artery IMT may constitute a novel feasible imaging biomarker for systemic atherosclerosis burden, which may be used in future imaging trials to evaluate, e.g. anti-atherosclerotic treatments.