The following is a summary of “Varying Definitions of Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness and Future Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis,” published in the November 2023 issue of Cardiology by Ling et al.

The study aimed to evaluate diverse definitions of carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT) as predictors of future cardiovascular disease (CVD). In a systematic review and meta‐analysis of 18 articles comprising 14 studies, different cIMT definitions were examined: common carotid artery IMT (CCA‐IMT), internal carotid artery IMT (ICA‐IMT), combined segments (combined‐IMT), mean CCA‐IMT, and maximum CCA‐IMT. Adjusting for age and sex, increased CCA‐IMT corresponded to higher risks of future stroke (HR, 1.32), myocardial infarction (MI) (HR, 1.27), and CVD events (HR, 1.28). 

Similarly, increased ICA‐IMT was linked to stroke (HR, 1.25) and CVD events (HR, 1.25) but not MI. Combined IMT showed a stronger association with stroke (HR, 1.30) and CVD events (HR, 1.36) compared to individual segment cIMT definitions. Furthermore, maximum CCA‐IMT displayed a stronger relationship with MI compared to mean CCA‐IMT, whereas both measures similarly correlated with stroke and CVD events. The findings underscore the importance of using combined‐IMT for stronger associations with CVD events and suggest a stronger predictive value of maximum CCA‐IMT for MI. Standardizing cIMT measurement protocols and exploring underlying mechanisms are vital for future research in this domain.

Source: ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.031217