Preclinical atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: a case-control study

An independent role of chronic inflammation in the atherosclerotic process in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has been suggested, but data are still contentious. We assessed pre-clinical atherosclerosis in the IBD patients without traditional risk factors.

In this case-control study we assessed the early atherosclerotic alterations by carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurement in IBD patients and matched controls. The normal CIMT values were ≤0.9 mm; moderate thickness when >0.9 and ≤1.2 mm, and pre-clinical atherosclerosis when >1.2 mm. We selected a homogeneous group of IBD patients, all in ongoing biologic therapy, without any traditional risk factor for atherosclerosis as well as controls.

The study enrolled 23 consecutive patients (16 with ulcerative colitis and 7 with Crohn's disease) and 20 controls matched for age and sex. The mean of CIMT values was not statistically different between patients and controls (0.68±0.21 vs. 0.82±0.2 mm; P=0.4). The prevalence of moderate CIMT thickness was significantly lower in cases than in controls (8.7% vs. 42.8%; P=0.01; OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03-0.85).

This case-control study found that the atherosclerotic process is not more apparent in IBD patients without traditional risk factors.