THE RELATION OF CORONARY AND PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL-DISEASE TO THE SEVERITY OF FEMORAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

Objectives. The extent of atherosclerosis in the superficial femoral a rtery and the severity of arterial disease in the aorto-iliac and femo ro-popliteal arterial districts were related to clinical diagnosis of coronary and peripheral atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolaemic patie nts. Design. The study constitutes baseline cross-sectional data of a randomized double-blind clinical trial on Probucol, using both compute r based and visual estimations of angiographies as endpoints. Subjects . Two hundred and ninety men and women (mean age 54 years) with hyperc holesterolaemia. Main outcome measures. Atherosclerosis was estimated with arteriographies. Lumen volume and edge roughness (vessel inner wa ll irregularity) of a 20 cm segment of the femoral artery were estimat ed by computer. A visual atherosclerosis score of the abdominal aorta to the popliteal arteries was made on both sides.Results. Patients wit h peripheral arterial disease had significantly more advanced disease according to all three angiographic variables than those without sympt oms of peripheral vascular disease. Both men and women with coronary a rtery disease had significantly lower femoral lumen volume and higher roughness values than patients without. Men with previous myocardial i nfarction had significantly higher mean visual scores of atheroscleros is than those without, while lumen volume and roughness did not differ in either sex. Conclusions. Femoral atherosclerosis is an expression of a generalized disease, associated with clinical symptoms of coronar y artery disease. Femoral atherosclerosis is often accompanied by athe rosclerosis also in the coronary arteries. Keywords: coronary artery d isease, femoral atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolaemia, intermittent c laudication, myocardial ischaemia, peripheral arterial disease.