Eastern J Med. 2025; 30(4): 541-549 | DOI: 10.5505/ejm.2025.09522

Elevated Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Obesity is Unassociated with other Indices Used to Assess Cardiometabolic Risks

Yusuf Karadeniz¹, Yusuf Ozturk², Hatice Caliskan Burgucu³, Zeliha Yarar⁴, Hakan Bilgen⁵, Muhammet Kocabas^6
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Karaman Training and Research Hospital, Karaman, Turkiye
²Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkiye
³Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Konya City Hospital, Konya, Turkiye
⁴Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Tokat State Hospital, Tokat, Turkiye
⁵Department of Internal Medicine, Mersin City Training and Research Hospital, Mersin, Turkiye
⁶Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkiye

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and other cardiometabolic indices in obese patients, compare to controls, and evaluate the relationships between CIMT and other indices in obese individuals.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study included patients diagnosed with obesity between September 2019 and January 2022 and a control group without obesity. A broad range of metabolic markers were measured, including fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); lipid profile; C-reactive protein (CRP); and thyroid function tests. Several cardiovascular risk indices were calculated: atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), and triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index). CIMT was measured following standardized protocols.
RESULTS: Obese and control groups included 107 and 108 participants, respectively. Patients with obesity were significantly older (39 [29-43] vs. 33.5 [28-40], p = 0.040), while sex distribution did not differ (p = 0.089). Anthropometric results aligned with anticipated differences between the obese and normoweight groups. Cardiometabolic parameters, including glucose (p = 0.012), HbA1c, insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, CRP, CIMT, AIP, VAI, LAP, and TyG index, were significantly elevated in the obese group (p < 0.001). CIMT had weak correlations with age (r = 0.362, p < 0.001), total cholesterol (r = 0.206, p = 0.034), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.293, p = 0.002).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Obese individuals had significantly higher CIMT, AIP, VAI, LAP, and TyG index values, but no statistically significant correlations were detected between CIMT and cardiometabolic indices.

Keywords: Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Obesity, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Atherogenic Index of Plasma, Triglyceride-Glucose Index

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