A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Femoral Artery Intima-Media Thickness

Abstract

Introduction.

—Arterial intima thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery has been established as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. The role of femoral IMT remains incompletely defined. This study was undertaken to define the potential relationship between patient demographics, comorbidities, and femoral IMT and to establish it as a potential marker for future peripheral arterial disease.

Methods.

—A total of 160 patients (89 male, 71 female) between the ages of 18 and 50 years were enrolled and demographic data were obtained by chart review. Images of the common femoral artery were obtained with B-mode ultrasonography gated to the R-wave of the electrocardiograph. Automated edge detection software (Carotid Analyzer for Research) was used to measure femoral IMT and vessel diameter, and these measurements were used to derive the IMT cross-sectional area (CSA). Triplicate measurements of each femoral artery were made and averaged. T-tests and multivariate analysis were performed and significance was indicated by a p < 0.05.

Results.

—The mean femoral IMT measurements for men and women were 0.514 ± 0.011 mm and 0.465 ± 0.005 mm, respectively. Univariate analysis found significant differences in IMT for sex, age, and presence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. Univariate analysis found significant differences in CSA for sex, age, race, body mass index (BMI), and presence of chronic renal insufficiency and hypercholesterolemia. When significant variables were included in a multivariate regression, age and sex (p < 0.001) remained significant predictors of IMT and age, sex, and BMI (p < 0.001) remained significant predictors of CSA.

Conclusions.

—In this subset of patients, multivariate analysis revealed a thicker IMT in males and in patients ≥35 years of age. Greater IMT CSA was associated with male sex, age ≥ 35 and BMI ≥ 30. These findings have ramifications for the future study of femoral IMT as it relates to atherosclerosis and vessel remodeling.