open access

Vol 45, No 4 (2011)
ARTYKUŁ ORYGINALNY
Submitted: 2010-08-27
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Ultrasound-based markers of carotid atherosclerosis correlate well with the number of classical atherosclerotic risk factors

Radosław Kaźmierski1, Sławomir Michalak2, Wojciech Kozubski3
DOI: 10.1016/S0028-3843(14)60102-X
·
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2011;45(4):317-327.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Neurology and Cerebrovascular Disorders, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, L. Bierkowski MSWiA Hospital, Poznań, Poland
  2. Department of Neurochemistry and Neuropathology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Neuroimmunological Unit, Polish Academy of Sciences
  3. 1 Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland

open access

Vol 45, No 4 (2011)
ARTYKUŁ ORYGINALNY
Submitted: 2010-08-27

Abstract

Background and purpose

Ultrasound-based indicators such as mean or maximal carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and cross-sectional plaque area (C-SPA) have been shown to be measurable indices of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether those indicators correlated with the number of atherosclerotic risk factors assessed in routine clinical practice.

Materials and methods

The study involved a group of 150 patients (median age, 65 years). High-resolution ultrasound was used to assess CIMT and C-SPA of their common and internal carotid arteries. The number of risk factors derived from clinical examination (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, smoking), haematological test, acute phase proteins, serum lipoproteins, homocysteine, and body mass index was assessed.

Results

Plaques occurred in 85 patients (57% of participants). The median plaque area was 21 mm2 (10.7–46.5 mm2), and the mean CIMT was 0.88 mm (standard deviation, 0.28 mm). The study found significant associations among most of the single as well as the total number of risk factors and mean and maximal CIMT and C-SPA. The differences among the groups of patients with different numbers of risk factors were more evident in terms of the maximal and mean CIMT than in the case of C-SPA. Assessment of C-SPA could be statistically underpowered because only 57% of the investigated subjects had plaques in their carotid arteries.

Conclusions

We found a significant correlation between the total number of atherosclerosis risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis as measured by ultrasonography. Along with an increase of the number of risk factors, a gradual increase of CIMT and C-SPA was observed.

Abstract

Background and purpose

Ultrasound-based indicators such as mean or maximal carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and cross-sectional plaque area (C-SPA) have been shown to be measurable indices of atherosclerosis. We investigated whether those indicators correlated with the number of atherosclerotic risk factors assessed in routine clinical practice.

Materials and methods

The study involved a group of 150 patients (median age, 65 years). High-resolution ultrasound was used to assess CIMT and C-SPA of their common and internal carotid arteries. The number of risk factors derived from clinical examination (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, smoking), haematological test, acute phase proteins, serum lipoproteins, homocysteine, and body mass index was assessed.

Results

Plaques occurred in 85 patients (57% of participants). The median plaque area was 21 mm2 (10.7–46.5 mm2), and the mean CIMT was 0.88 mm (standard deviation, 0.28 mm). The study found significant associations among most of the single as well as the total number of risk factors and mean and maximal CIMT and C-SPA. The differences among the groups of patients with different numbers of risk factors were more evident in terms of the maximal and mean CIMT than in the case of C-SPA. Assessment of C-SPA could be statistically underpowered because only 57% of the investigated subjects had plaques in their carotid arteries.

Conclusions

We found a significant correlation between the total number of atherosclerosis risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis as measured by ultrasonography. Along with an increase of the number of risk factors, a gradual increase of CIMT and C-SPA was observed.

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Keywords

atherosclerosis, risk factors, ultrasonography, carotid plaques, carotid arteries, intima-media thickness

About this article
Title

Ultrasound-based markers of carotid atherosclerosis correlate well with the number of classical atherosclerotic risk factors

Journal

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska

Issue

Vol 45, No 4 (2011)

Pages

317-327

Page views

287

Article views/downloads

460

DOI

10.1016/S0028-3843(14)60102-X

Bibliographic record

Neurol Neurochir Pol 2011;45(4):317-327.

Keywords

atherosclerosis
risk factors
ultrasonography
carotid plaques
carotid arteries
intima-media thickness

Authors

Radosław Kaźmierski
Sławomir Michalak
Wojciech Kozubski

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