The prevalence of carotid artery stenosis in Maltese patients with peripheral vascular disease

Abstract

Purpose: Peripheral vascular disease is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis leading to significant narrowing of arteries distal to the arch of the aorta. Building of atherosclerotic plaque into the internal carotid artery may lead to serious complications such as cerebro - vascular accident. In Malta the prevalence of internal carotid stenosis in patients suffering from peripheral vascular disease is not yet known. The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of internal carotid artery stenosis in Maltese patients with peripheral vascular disease. Aim and Objectives: Identification of Maltese patients with PVD, selection of a sample and ultrasound scanning of the carotid arteries of the selected sample, determination of the prevalence of carotid artery stenosis from the scanned sample and determination of the degree of carotid artery stenosis categorising the severity of the disease from the ultrasound examinations; Methodology: The research design used in this study is mainly quantitative in nature. It included 50 Maltese patients suffering from PVD presently admitted to a local state hospital. These selected patients were screened for internal carotid stenosis by means of ultrasound. Results: The prevalence of >70% internal carotid artery stenosis in Maltese patients with PVD was 22%. Smoking was found to be the only significant predictor of internal carotid stenosis (p = 0.003) in this cohort of patients from among a number of risk factors such as family history of PVD, CHD, hypercholesterolemia, dibates mellitus, obesity, age, hypertension and gender. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study were based on such a small sample that they may only be interpreted as providing a small picture of prevalence of carotid stenosis in Maltese patients with PVD. However this can act as a pilot study for a larger project, which could provide more definite statements on the local situation in relation to the prevalence of internal carotid stenosis in Maltese patients with PVD.