Cor Vasa 2025, 67(1):30-34 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.097

Thyroid Doppler parameters association with coronary atherosclerosis burden

Ali AlQazzaz^a, Wasan Kadhum Abbas^b, Hussein Nafakhi^c, Abdulameer A. Al-Mosawi^a, Hayder Nafakhi^d

^a Radiology Department, Medical College, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

^b Radiology Department, Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Amarah City, Maysan Governorate Iraq, Iraq

^c Internal Medicine Department, Medical College, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

^d Medical College, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

Background: Little is known about the potential association between thyroid vascular parameters and coronary atherosclerotic burden in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To assess the potential association between superior thyroid artery Doppler parameters and coronary atherosclerotic markers, including stenosis severity, coronary artery calcification (CAC), and plaque assessed by multi-detector CT (MDCT) coronary angiography among patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 patients with chest pain who underwent MDCT coronary angiography to exclude the presence of occlusive coronary artery disease. All of the enrolled patients were clinically euthyroid, with no clinical features of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. The superior thyroid artery in enrolled patients was examined using ultrasound to assess vascular parameters, including resistive index (RI), peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and pulsatility index (PI).

Results: There was a significant association between decreased PSV values (16 cm/s vs. 15 cm/s, p = 0.03) and CAC ≥400, even after further adjustment for coronary risk factors (OR (CI) = 0.3 (0.1-0.8. p = 0.03). Patients with significant coronary stenosis severity ≥50% had higher RI values (0.58 vs. 0.54, p = 0.04) than those with a non-significant coronary stenosis <50%. However, this association did not persist after adjustment for other coronary risk factors. No significant association was observed between thyroid Doppler parameters, including PSV, EDV, RI, and PI, and coronary plaque presence.

Conclusion: PSV and RI of the superior thyroid artery showed a significant association with CAC burden and significant coronary stenosis. These results may suggest a possible link between thyroid vascular resistance parameters and coronary atherosclerosis burden.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, Coronary, CT angiography, Doppler ultrasonography, Thyroid,

Received: October 23, 2024; Revised: October 23, 2024; Accepted: November 25, 2024; Prepublished online: June 2, 2012; Published: March 1, 2025  Show citation