[en] Background: There are few data regarding carotid echography usefulness in the diagnosis or assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) extension in patients undergoing non-invasive cardiac test. Moreover there are also few data regarding carotid echography as a marker of adverse cardiovascular events after a coronary angiography. Methods: observational and retrospective study of patients submitted to coronary angiography after the performance of a treadmill exercise echocardiography (EE) and carotid ultrasonography. Patients with previous vascular disease were excluded in the assessment of the relationship between CAD and carotid ultrasound. Positive EE was defined as exercise induced wall motion abnormalities. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and CP were performed and defined according to international consensus. Significant CAD was defined as stenosis greater than or equal to 50 % and CAD extension as number of vessels affected. Adverse event was defined as myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death. Results: CP was associated with CAD presence (odds ratio [OR] = 2,95; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1,25 - 6,93; p = 0,013) and CAD extension (OR = 1,75; 95 % CI 1,20 - 2,55; p = 0004) in the 156 patients without vascular disease. CP addition to EE results did not improve CAD prediction. CP predicted adverse events in the 390 subjects submitted to a coronary angiography (Hazard ratio = 2,36; 95 % CI 1,02 - 5,44; p = 0,044). CIMT results were not significant. Conclusions: carotid ultrasonography provides additional diagnostic information in patients submitted to EE and additional prognosis information in subjects undergoing coronary angiography.

[gl] Antecedentes: hai poucos datos sobre a utilidade da ecografía carotídea para predicir a presenza e a extensión da enfermidade coronaria (EAC) en suxeitos aos que se lles realizou unha proba de detección de isquemia nin para predicir eventos cardiovasculares tras unha coronariografía. Métodos: estudo observacional retrospectivo de doentes aos que se lles foron realizados un ecocardiograma de esforzo (EE), unha ecografía carotídea e unha coronariografía. Para a valoración da presenza e extensión da EAC excluíronse suxeitos con enfermidade vascular previa. Definiuse EE positivo como a aparición de isquemia co esforzo. O grosor da íntima media carotídea (GIMC) e a definción de placa carotídea (PC) realizáronse segundo os consensos internacionais. Considerouse EAC como estenose maior ou igual ao 50 %, a extensión como número de vasos enfermos e evento adverso como infarto de miocardio, accidente cerebrovascular ou morte cardiovascular. Resultados: a existencia de PC asociouse a presenza e extensión de EAC nos 156 suxeitos sen enfermidade vascular previa (odds ratio [OR] de 2,95; intervalo de confianza [IC] ao 95 % 1,25 - 6,93; p = 0,013 e OR = 1,75; IC 95 % 1,20 - 2,55 para extensión; p = 0,004). A adición da PC ao EE non mellorou a capacidade diagnóstica de EAC. A PC predixo eventos adversos nos 390 doentes cateterizados (Hazard ratio = 2,36; IC 95 % 1,02 - 5,44; p = 0,044). Non se acharon resultados estadísticamente significativos ao analizar o GIMC. Conclusións: a ecografía carotídea achega información diagnóstica adicional en suxeitos aos que se realiza un EE e información pronóstica en doentes aos que se lles pratica unha coronariografía.