Evaluation of common carotid artery changes in Saudi current smokers using medical ultrasound (B-mode and Doppler).

Purpose: This study evaluates using ultrasound the changes that occur in wall thickness, blood flow velocity, and Doppler indices of the common carotid arteries (CCAs) in healthy Saudi adult males who are current smokers.

Methods: A prospective study was performed between May 2011 and May 2013 with a group consisting of nonsmokers (n = 180; 36 %) and current smokers (n = 320; 64 %) with a mean age of 25 ± 2.6 years. In all cases, the CCA ultrasound scanning protocol met the standards established by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) to measure intima media thickness (IMT), peak systolic velocity (PSV), and end diastolic velocity (EDV). The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the results.

Results: Significant linear and positive correlations were noted between the level of daily consumption of cigarettes smoked and carotid mean IMT, PSV, and Doppler indices, while a linear and negative correlation was present between cigarette smoking and mean EDV. These findings were significant when compared with the results for nonsmokers.

Conclusions: Cigarette smoking is associated with CCA morphological changes caused by significant impairment of arterial endothelial function, and an increase in daily cigarette consumption significantly leads to a decrease in the blood flow velocity of CCAs.