Relation between carotid intima-media thickness and aortic knob width in patients with essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: The assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis is important in the evaluation of a hypertensive patient, as it provides information on the severity of the hypertension and the cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of the aortic knob width measured on chest radiography in the assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients. METHOD AND
RESULTS: A total of 126 consecutive hypertensive patients were enrolled. In univariate analysis, there was a strong correlation between carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and aortic knob width (r=0.62, P<0.001). In addition, there were statistically significant correlations between CIMT and age (r=0.42, P<0.001), systolic pressure (r=0.27, P=0.02), diastolic pressure (r=0.28, P<0.03), and pulse pressure (r=0.31, P<0.001). In linear regression analysis, the aortic knob width (β=0.5, P<0.001), age (β=0.02, P=0.03), and systolic pressure (β=0.03, P=0.005) were the only independent predictors of CIMT.
CONCLUSION: Observation of aortic knob on chest radiograph in hypertensive patients may provide important predictive information of subclinical atherosclerosis.