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Association of epistaxis with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Author(s) -
Kunz Seraina M.,
Holzmann David,
Soyka Michael B.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.27604
Subject(s) - medicine , confidence interval , odds ratio , confounding , logistic regression , case control study , intima media thickness , cohort , relative risk , surgery , carotid arteries
Objectives/Hypothesis To investigate the association between epistaxis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Study Design Case‐control cohort study. Methods This study included patients from the tertiary‐care ear, nose, and throat department at the University Hospital of Zurich between December 1, 2016 and June 1, 2017. We assessed the cardiovascular risk profiles in a group of 41 patients presenting with epistaxis, and a group of 41 matched controls, focusing on a surrogate parameter for atherosclerosis: the carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT). Results With a mean of 1.06 mm (standard deviation [SD] = 0.17), CIMT values were on average 26% higher in epistaxis patients than in their controls, with a mean of 0.84 mm (SD = 0.14; P < .001). Occurrence of severe epistaxis was also associated with lower ankle–brachial index values at 0.96 (SD = 0.12) versus 1.05 (SD = 0.17) ( P < .001) and significantly higher QRISK2 relative risks (an algorithm for predicting cardiovascular risk) than found in the control group (1.81, SD = 0.97 vs. 1.35, SD = 0.28; P = .028). A binary logistic regression model, adjusted for possible confounders, showed an odds ratio of 2.5 for the occurrence of epistaxis per increase in CIMT of 0.1 mm in the study population (95% confidence interval: 1.56‐4.11; P < .001). Conclusions The occurrence of severe epistaxis was shown to be closely associated with the prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Accordingly, patients affected by epistaxis should be regarded as at an elevated cardiovascular risk, which indicates the need for appropriate further medical assessment and preventive measures. Level of Evidence 3b Trial registration Clinical trials NCT03092973 Laryngoscope , 129:783–787, 2019