Intima-media thickness: correlation between carotids, vertebral artery, aorta and femoral arteries.

Aim: Compare the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the internal carotid artery with the IMT of the common and external carotid, vertebral and femoral arteries and the abdominal aorta to assess the possibility of using these arteries as markers of atherosclerotic disease.
Methods: Fifty patients with atherosclerosic risk factors were examined and the IMT was determined in the carotid arteries and compared with the values of IMT of the vertebral and femoral arteries and the abdominal aorta. The Spearman correlation coefficient and Kappa index were used for statistical analysis.
Results: Considering IMT equal or greater than 0,8mm, there was positive and significant correlation between the values obtained for the examined arteries. The best agreement was found between the external and common carotid artery as compared to the internal carotid. (accuracy of 73.5% and 79.2%, respectively). For all arteries the was a positive correlation of the values of the EMI.
Conclusion: There is positive and significant correlation between the IMT of the internal carotid artery and the vertebral and femoral arteries and abdominal aorta. Routine examinations of either one of these arteries can ad important findings regarding early diagnosis for higher risk patients concerning atherosclerotic disease.