A STUDY ON THE CAROTID-ARTERY INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH LIPID-PEROXIDATION

High resolution B-mode ultrasonography of the carotid arteries has bee n used to investigate the signs of early atherosclerotic vessel wall d isease by measuring the intima-media thickness (IMT). We examined the association between IMT and lipid peroxidation and found IMT to be inc reased in a group of patients with respect to controls (1.430 +/- 0.34 1 mm versus 0.703 +/- 0.201 mm, P < 0.001). Plasma and erythrocyte mal ondialdehyde (MDA) levels were also significantly higher (P < 0.001) a nd the erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the patients with respect to the controls. In th e groups of patients there was no significant correlation between the mean IMT and the plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels or the erythrocyte GSH levels. In conclusion determination of lipid peroxides would be es pecially important and advisable in patients with increased carotid IM T. Type II diabetes and hypertension were also associated with increas ed IMT. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.