Correlation between carotid stenosis and severity of coronary disease in diabetic candidates for angiography in cardiology clinic of Shariati Hospital in 2011

Background: Coronary disease is the most common cause of death in the world. Because of common risk factors, atherosclerotic stenosis of coronary and carotid arteries occurs together. This study evaluated the prevalence of carotid stenosis in diabetic candidates for angiography

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 152 diabetic candidates for angiography referred to cardiology clinic of Shariati Hospital in 2011 went under angiography and Doppler echocardiography. Data were analyzed employing chi-square and ordinal regression.

Results: Results indicated a negative correlation between carotid stenosis and coronary disease (P=0.017) which means without coronary disease, there was 1.7 times less risk for carotid stenosis. Age, duration of diabetes, side of carotid stenosis, and plaque size showed no effects on these variables, while female gender (P=0.03), no history of variables like smoking (P=0.026), hypertension (P<0.001), cerebral vessels disease (p=0.003), and family history of coronary disease (P=0.01) showed significant effect on relation between coronary disease and carotid stenosis.

Conclusion: In female diabetic patients, with history of smoking, hypertension, cerebral vessels disease and family history of coronary disease, carotid stenosis and coronary disease have co-incidence without relation to these factors. It appears that diabetes independently causes involvement in both carotid and coronary arteries.