Variability in the intima-media thickness measurement as marker for cardiovascular risk? Not quite settled yet

For over two decades the measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has been applied in cardiovascular research. There is a wealth of evidence supporting its value. A thickened CIMT measurement does not lead directly to the occurrence of a myocardial infarction or stroke, but merely reflects what is going on in the vasculature of an individual. Similarly, the rate of change in CIMT over time is a reflection of how the development of atherosclerosis is altered over time. Both these CIMT measurements are reflections of cardiovascular risk (1,2).