Intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery in highway toll collectors

• Published in: Journal of clinical ultrasound 2006-11, Vol.34 (9), p.430-433
• Main Authors: Erdogmus, Besir, Yazici, Burhan, Annakkaya, Ali Nihat, Bilgin, Cahit, Safak, Alp Alper, Arbak, Peri, Tugay, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; air pollution; Analysis of Variance; B-mode ultrasound; carotid artery; Carotid Artery, Common - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery, Common - pathology; exhaust particle; Humans; intima-media thickness; Male; Occupational Exposure; Regression Analysis; Tunica Intima - diagnostic imaging; Tunica Intima - pathology; Tunica Media - diagnostic imaging; Tunica Media - pathology; Ultrasonography; Vehicle Emissions
• ISSN: 0091-2751; 1097-0096
• DOI: 10.1002/jcu.20276

Purpose. To assess the effects of exposure to exhaust particles on intima‐media thickness of the common carotid artery in highway toll collectors. Methods. Sixty‐one highway toll collectors (HTCs) between 24 and 56 years of age (mean, 36.2 ± 7.3) and 48 controls between 24 and 64 years of age (mean, 42.6 ± 10.6) were evaluated with gray‐scale sonography to measure intima‐media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA). Subgroups were categorized according to duration of exhaust exposure and further divided according to tobacco use. Results. CCA IMT was higher (0.8 ± 0.2 mm) in HTCs than in the control group (0.6 ± 0.1 mm; p < 0.001) and remained higher when subgroups with similar smoking habits were compared. In HTCs, IMT was greater when the number of years working in tollbooths was greater (p = 0.023). IMT was lower in HTCs with an exposure duration of 20 years (p value not significant). Conclusion. Air pollution has a widely acknowledged negative effect on humans. This study confirms that exposure to exhaust particles might cause wall thickening of carotid arteries. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2006