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Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
04:40

Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans

Published on: August 28, 2018

Correlation of coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis: difference between extracranial and intracranial arteries

Hee-Joon Bae1, Byung-Woo Yoon, Dong-Wha Kang

  • 1Department of Neurology, Eulji General Hospital, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Cerebrovascular Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 13, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) is more strongly linked to extracranial carotid atherosclerosis (ECAS) than intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis (ICAS). This association between CAS and ECAS is independent of common atherosclerosis risk factors.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Vascular Biology

Background:

  • The relationship between coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) and extracranial (ECAS) versus intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis (ICAS) has been debated.
  • Previous studies have not directly compared the correlation of CAS with ECAS and ICAS within the same patient cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly compare the correlation of coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) with extracranial carotid atherosclerosis (ECAS) and intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis (ICAS) in a single population.
  • To determine if observed differences in correlation are independent of traditional atherosclerosis risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 246 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery was analyzed.
  • Coronary atherosclerosis severity was quantified using a CAS score from coronary angiography.
  • ECAS and ICAS were screened using Doppler and duplex sonography, then confirmed with magnetic resonance angiography.

Main Results:

  • Patients with ECAS showed higher CAS scores compared to those without ECAS (p=0.054).
  • The difference in CAS scores was less significant between patients with and without ICAS (p=0.201).
  • Advanced CAS was significantly associated with ECAS, but not ICAS, even after adjusting for risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • The correlation between coronary atherosclerosis (CAS) and extracranial carotid atherosclerosis (ECAS) is stronger than that with intracranial cerebral atherosclerosis (ICAS).
  • This observed difference in correlation is independent of established atherosclerosis risk factors such as age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking history.
Abstract

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