Introduction: Increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), as early sign of atherosclerosis, closely correlates with traditional risk factors: increased cholesterol level, high blood pressure (BP), age, metabolic syndrome. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between IMT and other arterial wall parameters.

Methods: Consecutive high cardiovascular risk patients aged from 50 to 55 were investigated at the Vilnius University Hospital, including detailed assessment of cardiovascular risk factors, serum lipid profile, C-reactive protein (CRP). Carotid IMT and carotid stiffness were measured by echotracking with ART.LAB system. Aortic and brachial pulse wave velocity (aPWV and bPWV), heart rate adjusted aortic augmentation index (AIx/HR) were evaluated by applanation tonometry with SphygmoCor. Endothelial function in brachial artery was assessed by calculating the flow mediated dilatation (FMD). Correlations between IMT and other arterial wall parameters were estimated.

Results: 860 patients (mean age±SD 52.63±1.58; 536 (62.3%) females) were analyzed. There was only a very weak correlation between IMT and femoral PWV (r=0.094; p=0.049) in the whole group. IMT did not correlate with arterial wall parameters in female group, however, IMT correlated with AIx/HR in male group (r=0.190; p=0.004). Significant but relatively weak IMT correlations with age (r=0.079; p=0.024), BMI (r=0.134; p<0.001), systolic BP (r=0.122; p=0.001), diastolic BP (r=0,106; p=0,003), HDL-Ch (r=−0.143; p<0.001), CRP (r=0.089; p=0.013) were observed without impact of gender. Regression models showed that IMT may not be predicted by PWV, AIx/HR, FMD.

Conclusions: Carotid IMT has a weak correlation with the new arterial measures in high cardiovascular risk patients.