Intima-media thickness: correlation between carotids, vertebral artery, aorta and femoral arteries.

Aim: Compare the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the internal carotid artery with the IMT of the common and external carotid, vertebral and femoral arteries and the abdominal aorta to assess the possibility of using these arteries as markers of atherosclerotic disease.

Methods: Fifty patients with atherosclerosic risk factors were examined and the IMT was determined in the carotid arteries and compared with the values of IMT of the vertebral and femoral arteries and the abdominal aorta. The Spearman correlation coefficient and Kappa index were used for statistical analysis.

Prevalence of lower limb occlusive vascular disease in outclinic diabetic patients.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for peripheral occlusive vascular disease (POVD) in subjects with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Brazil.

Methods: We evaluated 236 diabetic individuals, in spontaneous demand, representing 471 legs. POVD was assessed by the ankle brachial index (ABI).