Carotid intima-media thickness and presence or absence of plaque improves prediction of coronary heart disease risk: the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We evaluated whether carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence or absence of plaque improved coronary heart disease (CHD) risk prediction when added to traditional risk factors (TRF).

Background

Traditional CHD risk prediction schemes need further improvement as the majority of the CHD events occur in the "low" and "intermediate" risk groups. On an ultrasound scan, CIMT and presence of plaque are associated with CHD, and therefore could potentially help improve CHD risk prediction.

Methods

Risk prediction models (overall, and in men and women) considered included TRF only, TRF plus CIMT, TRF plus plaque, and TRF plus CIMT plus plaque. Model predictivity was determined by calculating the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AU

SUBMITTER: Nambi V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2862308 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature