The study about the availability of carotid artery ultrasonography in examination for cardiovascular diseases

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08670435
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: KONISHI Masamitu Ehime University School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (40274328)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SINKAI Syoji Ehime University School of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (60171063)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1997
• Keywords: mass examination for cardiovascular disease / risk factor / cerebral artery sclerosis / carotid artery ultrasonography

Research Abstract

To O city residents in rural area of Ehime Prefecture and to S city residents in urban area of Osaka Prefecture, we exanined the availability of adoption of carotid artery ultrasonography in examination for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Comparing CVD examination results between both city residents, mean values of serum cholesterol and the ratio of hypercholesterolemia was higher in S city than in O city. And also we examined results of 3 districts in O city, which is stratified by regional characteristics. Among 3 districts, residents living in central area of O city, urban area, showed higher level of serum cholesterol than those living in other area.
To analyze background of regional differences, we conducted survey of food habits by questionnaire. In central area which is strongly tinctured with urbanization, western-style food habits, represented by breads and meat was observed, whereas much salty intake and few intake of animal fat and protein in mountainous area.
From the results of stroke incidence investigation, relatively higher incidence rate of cerebral hemorrhage and penetrating artery infarction showed in mountainous area, whereas higher incidence of cortical artery infarction (thrombosis) showed in central area.
We clarified that blood pressure, disorders of lipid metabolism, disorders of carbohydrate metabolism and smoking were strongly related to carotid artery sclerosis detected by ultrasonography, excluding age. And also we recognized having more risk factors for CVD,showing higher ratio of carotid artery sclerosis findings. Therefor, it must be essential to adopt carotid artery ultrasonography as secondary testing for examinees screened by usual primary CVD examination.
This study indicated that the more life style become urbanized, the higher the possibility of incidence of CVD based on sclerosis in relatively large artery become. Furthermore, from the fact that recent life style in Japan demonstrates a tendency to be westernized not only in urban area but also in rural area, in order to proceed preventive policy cardiovascular diseases effectively, to adopt carotid artery ultrasonography is considered to play an important role in detecting high-risk examinees with sclerotic lesions of carotid artery in early stage in addition to usual CVD examination.