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Differences in carotid artery atherosclerosis between men and women in the early phase after ischemic event
Affiliations- 1st Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
- chair and department of experimental and clinical pharmacology, medical university of warsaw
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Abstract
There is little data about sex differences in carotid atherosclerosis in the early phase after an ischemic event. The aim of this study was to examine the carotid artery atherosclerosis differences between men and women in early phase after TIA or stroke.
MethodsConsecutive patients with recent ischemic event, admitted during the first week after symptom onset were examined with ultrasound. Sex differences in degree of stenosis, number of plaques and plaque morphology were compared. Plaque morphology was assessed by gray-scale median (GSM), according to which lower values were associated with hemorrhagic/necrotic core indicating plaque instability.
ResultsOf the 316 patients with ischemic events, 196 (50.5% male) entered the study. Men had more often moderate as well as severe ipsilateral carotid stenosis (12.1% vs 7.2% for moderate and 12.1% vs 2.1% for severe; p=0.024). Men had more often the largest plaque hypoechogenic contralateral (62.6% vs 37.1%, p=0.0008), but not ipsilateral. Men had 3 or more hypoechogenic plaques (24.2% vs 4.1%, p=0.0001; 17.2% vs 4.1%, p<0.0001) both ipsi and contralateral respectively. Male sex was a risk factor for having 3 or more ipsilateral hypoechogenic plaques (p=0.002, OR=20 CI 95% [5.5–75].
ConclusionsMen had more often carotid stenosis and higher number of hypoechogenic plaques.
Abstract
There is little data about sex differences in carotid atherosclerosis in the early phase after an ischemic event. The aim of this study was to examine the carotid artery atherosclerosis differences between men and women in early phase after TIA or stroke.
MethodsConsecutive patients with recent ischemic event, admitted during the first week after symptom onset were examined with ultrasound. Sex differences in degree of stenosis, number of plaques and plaque morphology were compared. Plaque morphology was assessed by gray-scale median (GSM), according to which lower values were associated with hemorrhagic/necrotic core indicating plaque instability.
ResultsOf the 316 patients with ischemic events, 196 (50.5% male) entered the study. Men had more often moderate as well as severe ipsilateral carotid stenosis (12.1% vs 7.2% for moderate and 12.1% vs 2.1% for severe; p=0.024). Men had more often the largest plaque hypoechogenic contralateral (62.6% vs 37.1%, p=0.0008), but not ipsilateral. Men had 3 or more hypoechogenic plaques (24.2% vs 4.1%, p=0.0001; 17.2% vs 4.1%, p<0.0001) both ipsi and contralateral respectively. Male sex was a risk factor for having 3 or more ipsilateral hypoechogenic plaques (p=0.002, OR=20 CI 95% [5.5–75].
ConclusionsMen had more often carotid stenosis and higher number of hypoechogenic plaques.
Keywords
Carotid plaque morphology, Carotid ultrasound, Gender, Gray-scale median (GSM)
About this articleTitle
Differences in carotid artery atherosclerosis between men and women in the early phase after ischemic event
Journal
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
Issue
Pages
162-167
Published online
2017-09-20
Page views
326
Article views/downloads
649
DOI
10.1016/j.pjnns.2017.09.002
Bibliographic record
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2018;52(2):162-167.
Keywords
Carotid plaque morphology
Carotid ultrasound
Gender
Gray-scale median (GSM)
Authors
Marta Skowronska
Anna Piorkowska
Anna Czlonkowska
