Journal of Radiology
Open Access

Abstract

Smoking has been found to be associated with carotid atherosclerotic disease. Since it is an important public health problem, the objective of this study was to explore smoking powerful association with carotid atherosclerosis. In observational cross- sectional study, 121 participants were investigated by B- mode and Doppler ultrasound at king Abdul Aziz specialty hospital -Taif, KSA during 2011-2013. 92 of the participants were smokers and 29 were control group. The mean age was 40.9±21.5 (range from 19 to 100 years old). Carotid arteries for all participants were examined by using 7 MHrz linear transducer according to the carotid ultrasound protocol. The frequency of carotid plaques was 22.8% (of 92). The high frequency registered in group that smoke >20 cigarettes per day. All plaques were presented in population of age above 53 years old. There was strong association between duration of smoking and the presence & increases of plaque size, P=0.002. The mean thickness of IMT in smokers was 0.8362±0.37 mm while it was 0.5 mm in control group. There was strong statistical association between the frequency of smoking and the increase in IMT, P=0.000. The study suggested that there is a significant association between carotid atherosclerosis and smoking in Saudi smokers. In addition, the study findings suggested that early carotid plaque may present at age of 54 years old in smokers.

Biography

Mahmoud S. Babiker has completed his M.Sc. at the age of 33 years from Sudan University and he has just finished his Ph.D. from Sudan University of science & technology, College of Medical Radiological Science. He is a lecturer at Taif University, KSA. He has published two papers in peer review journals and three books in Free Lambert Academic publishing, Germany.