Key result
Increased carotid intima-media thickness (≥0.78 mm) in COPD patients was associated with more severe disease but did not significantly reduce mean survival time (21.8 vs 23.9 months; P>0.05).
Why the study?
COPD is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but the relationship between COPD, carotid intima-media thickness, and survival required investigation.
Does increased carotid intima-media thickness correlate with COPD severity and affect survival in stable COPD patients?
Cohort (n=668)
Yes
Does increased carotid intima-media thickness correlate with COPD severity and affect survival in stable COPD patients?
Absolute Event Rate: 21.8% vs 23.9%
p-value: p=>0.05
In stable COPD patients, increased carotid intima-media thickness correlates with disease severity and exacerbation frequency, though it did not significantly impact 2-year survival.
CIMT increase associates with COPD severity but not survival; leaves open its added prognostic value in prospective studies.
Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT) is a noninvasive method assessing atherosclerosis. Objective It was aimed to determine relationship and survival between COPD and CIMT. Methods CIMT was measured using Doppler ultrasound (USG) in 668 stable COPD patients at 24 centers. Patients were followed‐up for 2 years. Results There were 610 patients who completed the study. There were 200 patients CIMT with <0.78 mm (group 1), and 410 with CIMT ≥ 0.78 mm (group 2). There was a significant difference at the parameters of age, gender, smoking load, biomass exposure, GOLD groups and degree of airway obstruction (FEV1) between groups 1 and 2. Our results revealed positive correlations between mean CIMT and age, smoking load (pack‐years), biomass exposure (years), exacerbation rate (last year), duration of hypertension (years) and cholesterol level; negative correlations between CIMT and FEV 1 ( P < 0.05). According to logistic regression model, compared with group A, risk of CIMT increase was 2.2‐fold in group B, 9.7‐fold in group C and 4.4‐fold in group D ( P < 0.05). Risk of CIMT increase was also related with cholesterol level ( P < 0.05). Compared with infrequent exacerbation, it was 2.8‐fold in the patients with frequent exacerbation ( P < 0.05). The mean survival time was slightly higher in group 1, but not significant (23.9 vs 21.8 months) ( P > 0.05). Conclusion This study is the first regarding CIMT with combined GOLD assessment groups. It has revealed important findings supporting the increase in atherosclerosis risk in COPD patients. We recommend Doppler USG of the carotid artery in COPD patients at severe stages.
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Gülbaş et al. (2019) conducted a cohort in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n=668). Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥ 0.78 mm vs. CIMT < 0.78 mm was evaluated on Mean survival time (p=>0.05). Increased carotid intima-media thickness (≥0.78 mm) in COPD patients was associated with more severe disease but did not significantly reduce mean survival time (21.8 vs 23.9 months; P>0.05).
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