Carotid atherosclerosis in COPD patients compared to non-COPD smokers

Abstract

Background
It is unclear if there is a pathogenic link between cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The assessment of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence of carotid plaques by carotid ultrasonography are considered surrogate markers for atherosclerosis. Although smoking is an important factor, it is not clear if the association between atherosclerosis and COPD depends on smoking status. This study aims to evaluate the atherosclerosis risk in COPD patients in comparison with non-COPD smokers.


Methods
This study was cross-sectional analytical study, carried out in the Chest Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University during the period between March 2024 to March 2025.The study included 30 COPD patients recruited from outpatient chest clinic and inpatients in chest department and 30 non- COPD smokers (Control) group. All participants were subjected to full history taking, smoking history, dyspnea score, spirometry and carotid artery ultrasound.


Results
The mean Carotid intima-media thickness in COPD patients was 1.263 ± 0.57 compared with 0.650 ± 0.163 in control group with p value 0.00. COPD patients exhibited significantly higher CIMT compared to non-COPD smokers, suggesting a higher likelihood of developing atherosclerosis.


Conclusion
Our study contributes to our understanding of cardiovascular risk in COPD patients by demonstrating increased carotid intima-media thickness and its potential relationship with pulmonary function. The findings highlight the need of comprehensive cardiovascular screening in COPD management and highlight the complex interplay between respiratory and cardiovascular systems.