SAT0661 Measurement of the intima media thickness of temporal and axillary arteries in subjects with different risks of cardiovascular disease: an ultrasound study
Authors: M.V. Martire, A. Di Matteo, E. Filippucci, E. Cipolletta, D. Jesus, M. Di Carlo, W. Grassi
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2018)

<h3>Background</h3> The "halo sign" is considered the well known qualitative ultrasound (US) finding for the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA). Recently, the measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) of temporal and axillary arteries has been proposed as a potential complementary US biomarker. A cut-off for IMT of 0.42, 0.29, 0.34 and 1.0 mm for superficial temporal arteries, parietal and frontal branches and axillary arteries, respectively, has been suggested. In fact, other conditions, such as atherosclerosis, may determine an increase of the IMT. <h3>Objectives</h3> To measure the IMT of the temporal and axillary arteries in subjects with different risks of cardiovascular (CV) disease and to investigate the prevalence of IMT values greater than the reference cut-off values. <h3>Methods</h3> Consecutive patients older than 50 years without signs or symptoms and without a previous history of GCA or polymyalgia rheumatica, were included. The European Guidelines of CV disease prevention were used to define different categories of CV risk. The subjects were divided in two groups: a first group made up of subjects with very high or high risk of CV disease and a second group made up of subjects with moderate or low risk of CV disease. The US examination was performed with a My Lab Twice (Esaote S.p.A. Genoa, Italy). The temporal arteries (superficial temporal arteries, parietal and frontal branches) were evaluated using a 18–22 MHz probe, whereas the axillary arteries were studied using a 6–18 MHz probe. <h3>Results</h3> Eight hundred and eight arteries were evaluated in 101 subjects (mean age 66.1 SD 8.5, 73.3% females). Thirty-one subjects (30.7%) were classified with very high risk of CV disease, 7 (6.9%) with high risk, 34 (33.7%) with moderate risk and 29 (28.7%) with low risk. The IMT of the superficial temporal and axillary arteries were significantly higher in the group made up of subjects with very high or high risk of CV disease than in the group made up of by subjects with moderate or low risk of CV disease (0.21 SD 0.82 vs 0.19 SD 0.86 <i>p</i>:0.013; 0.54 SD 0.17 vs 0.48 SD0.10 <i>p</i>:0.20). The value of the IMT was higher than the reference cut-off in 13 out of 808 (1.61%) of the studied arteries (2 superficial temporal artery, 6 parietal branch, 4 frontal branch and 1 axillary artery), in at least one artery in 10 out 101 patients (10.1%). Of these 10 patients, 8 (98%) were classified as having very high or high risk of CV disease. <h3>Conclusions</h3> These preliminary results suggest that an increased value of IMT may be observed in patients with very high or high risk of CV disease. However, the IMT value was higher than the reference cut-off only in a limited number of the studied arteries. <h3>References</h3> [1] Schäfer VS, Juche A, Ramiro S, Krause A, Schmidt WA. Ultrasound cut-off values for intima-media thickness of temporal, facial and axillary arteries in giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford)2017Sep 1;56(9):1632. [2] De Miguel E, Beltran LM, Monjo I, Deodati F, Schmidt WA, Garcia-Puig J. Atherosclerosis as a potential pitfall in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford)2018Feb 1;57(2):318–321. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared