Risk factors and utility of maximum carotid intima–media thickness as a surrogate marker for coronary artery stenosis

Figures

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  Figure 1. Visual quantitative grading of coronary artery stenosis using coronary computed tomography angiography. The severity of coronary artery stenosis (arrows) was visually categorized as no stenosis, 1%–24% stenosis, 25%–49% stenosis, 50%–74% stenosis, and ≥75% stenosis. Patients with at least one coronary artery stenotic lesion ≥75% were considered to have significant coronary artery stenosis.

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  Figure 2. Longitudinal B-mode ultrasound image of the common carotid artery. Notes: IMT was measured as the distance between the lumen–intima (black arrow) and media–adventitia (gray arrow) (A). Maximum-IMT was measured as the thickest IMT value recorded in either the right or left side of the common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery (double arrow) (B). Abbreviation: IMT, intima–media thickness.

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  Figure 3. Flow diagram of the analyzed patients. Abbreviation: IMT, intima–media thickness.

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  Figure 4. Associations between the degree of maximum-IMT and the prevalence of coronary artery stenosis (≥75%) as determined with coronary computed tomography angiography in each group categorized by the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus and renal impairment. Notes: (A) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (−)/renal impairment (−). (B) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (+)/renal impairment (−). (C) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (−)/renal impairment (+). (D) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (+)/renal impairment (+). Abbreviation: IMT, intima–media thickness.

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  Figure 5. ROC analysis for predicting coronary artery stenosis of ≥75% for each group categorized by the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus and renal impairment. Notes: (A) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (−)/renal impairment (−). (B) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (+)/renal impairment (−). (C) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (−)/renal impairment (+). (D) The group of patients with diabetes mellitus (+)/renal impairment (+). Abbreviations: AUC, area under the curve; ROC, receiver operating characteristic.