Abstract
Early detection of risk factors related with atherosclerosis, is necessary to decrease the morbidity and mortality of cardiovasular disease(CVD). Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is regarded as a surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk, believed to detect high risk better than traditional risk factors alone have been proposed. There were numerous studies which were evaluated the correlation with carotid IMT and cardiovascular events. In addition, measure of carotid IMT is safe, noninvasive, and relatively inexpensive method to detect early changes of atherosclerosis. Recently, the method which could measure carotid intima and media thickness seperatly, was developed . In this issue, Won et al, reported that in hypertensive patients, media thickness was greater than that of normotensive patients. however, intima thickness was not different in between two groups. They concluded medial hypertrophy contribute to increase IMT in hypertensive patients. However, there are technical limitation related with the characteristics of ultrasound., individual measurement of intima and media is very promising method to evaluate the disease progression earlier than the other methods. Thus this method can be applied to identify and track the progression of atherosclerotic disease.
결론적으로 기존의 경동맥의 내중막 두께가 여러 심혈관계 질환과 관련됨 위험인자의 혈관 상태를 판정하고 향후 심근경색증이나 뇌졸중 등 혈관 질환의 발생을 독립적으로 예측할 수 있는 강력한 예측인자로 이미 널리 사용되고 있다. 이번 호의 원 등이 발표한 경동맥 내중막의 분리 측정은 향후 혈관 질환의 병태 생리를 이해하는데 좀 더 도움이 될 것으로 예측이 된다. 또한 질병의 진행 과정을 예측하는 데는 더 많은 연구 결과가 필요할 것으로 생각되며 이러한 결과의 집적으로 기존의 내중막 두께에 비해 좀더 강력한 예측인자로 사용이 가능할 것으로 추정된다.