KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 10, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC)announced today the launch of a new clinical study, using ultrasound-based Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) testing, intended to evaluate the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. This year approximately 1.2 million Americans will have a first or recurrent coronary attack, resulting in about 452,000 deaths.1 Identifying at-risk patients early has proven difficult, as up to 25% of all individuals experiencing a myocardial infarction (heart attack) do not experience any previous symptoms.2
The primary aim of the KUMC Carotid Artery Study is to determine CIMT in a diverse population of white collar workers employed at Hallmark Cards, Inc. and compare their chronological age to calculated apparent arterial age.
"Ultrasound-based CIMT measurement has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to detect subclinical atherosclerosis and improves coronary heart disease prediction over traditional risk assessment tools," noted Patrick Moriarty, MD, FACP, FACC, primary study investigator and Director, Atherosclerosis and LDL-Apheresis Center, at the University of Kansas Medical Center. "Recent evidence suggests that Framingham Risk Score assessment, while still medically appropriate, may be inadequate to detect the risk of developing heart disease, especially in a patient population at low to intermediate risk."
Arterial age is determined by measuring the thickness of the innermost two layers of the carotid artery, which tends to naturally increase in a slow linear manner over time. The secondary research aim of the study is to examine arterial age in context of other individual risk factors for heart disease, including a larger than average waist circumference (greater than 40 inches in men, 35 inches in women), elevated blood pressure, abnormal lipid profile (HDL and LDL cholesterol levels), smoking history, and other general lifestyle factors known to increase risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Prior to CIMT evaluation, all study participants will undergo a standard laboratory workup and complete a detailed lifestyle questionnaire. One potential long-term goal of the study is the possibility of taking serial CIMT measurements in study participants over time and evaluating changes based on pharmacological intervention and lifestyle changes.
"Once the data have been tabulated, we hope that these study results will provide us with new information on a population that has not historically been studied with respect to cardiovascular risk factors," added Dr. Moriarty.
During the testing, a physician or sonographer scans the patient's neck and captures longitudinal arterial images in a variety of orientations (anterior, posterior, and lateral). Measurements of the arterial thickness are then automatically calculated using proprietary SonoCalc® IMT software, developed by SonoSite, Inc. the Bothell, WA-based leader in point-of-care ultrasound systems. SonoCalc IMT software provides statistical analysis of multiple CIMT measurements, including mean average and mean maximum for patient composite scoring. Once tabulated, CIMT calculations can be summarized and generated into customizable reports and graphs that compare an individual's measurements to an extensive database of published CIMT data.
The clinical utility of CIMT testing has been reinforced by a recent publication in the April 8th edition of the Journal of American College of Cardiology, which demonstrated that adding plaque and CIMT assessment to traditional risk factors improves coronary heart disease risk prediction.3 Furthermore, a 2008 consensus statement by the American Society of Echocardiography maintains that measurement of carotid intima-media thickness with ultrasound is a noninvasive, sensitive, and reproducible technique for identifying and quantifying subclinical vascular disease and for evaluating cardiovascular disease risk.4 Unlike electron beam computed tomography, once considered the gold standard diagnostic tool for evaluating artery disease, CIMT evaluation is an attractive alternative as it does not depend on ionizing radiation, and it can be conducted at the point of care.
The study will use equipment and software developed by SonoSite (www.sonosite.com), the Bothell, WA-based leading manufacturer of point-of-care ultrasound devices.
About KUMC
The University of Kansas Medical Center prepares students for leadership roles in today's dynamic health care environment in Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health. KU Medical Center offers more than 2,900 students an innovative curriculum and patient-centered clinical training in partnership with many institutions, including the University of Kansas Hospital. KU Medical Center also is recognized as a leader in biomedical research within the city, state and region.
About The Atherosclerosis and LDL-Apheresis Center
The University's Atherosclerosis Center, founded in the 1960s, specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and research of individuals with atherosclerosis, the leading cause of cardiovascular disease. During the past 10 years the Center has been using carotid IMT analysis for both clinical and research purposes. Additionally, the Center is the largest site in the United States performing LDL-apheresis; a medically approved procedure which can lower a blood cholesterol levels by more than 65% in a matter of a couple of hours.
About SonoSite
SonoSite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. SonoSite's small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care.
| 1 The American Heart Association website (www.americanheart.org) |
| 2 Circulation. 2001; 104:1863-1867 |
| 3 J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2010;55;1608-1610 |
| 4 J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2008 Feb;21(2):93-111 |