Sex differences in plaque morphology may explain the higher male prevalence of myocardial infarction compared to angina pectoris. The Tromsø Study

Objectives To study whether the degree of carotid atherosclerosis and the male predominance of echolucent plaques could explain the sex difference in myocardial infarction (MI) compared to angina pectoris (AP).

Design Ultrasound examination of the carotid artery was performed in 6727 persons. The presence of plaque, plaque thickness and number of segments with plaque were recorded. Plaque morphology in terms of echogenicity was scored as echolucent (soft plaque) or echogenic (hard plaque). A questionnaire was used to obtain information about coronary heart disease.

Results In men with the most advanced atherosclerosis, the risk (OR, 95% CI) of having MI compared to those with no carotid atherosclerosis was less than half as the corresponding risk in women (2.2, 1.4–3.3 vs 5.3, 2.6–10.6). For MI, the male-to-female ratio was highest in the group with no carotid plaque and declined by increasing burden of atherosclerosis. For AP, the sex ratio was independent of the degree of atherosclerosis.

Conclusions The findings support the hypothesis that the sex difference in MI compared to AP is due to the higher male prevalence of echolucent plaque.     

Carotid Artery Occlusion: Acute Symptoms and Long-term Prognosis

Abstract

Fifty-nine patients with carotid artery occlusion diagnosed during 1968-1977 were studied. The presenting symptoms were ipsilateral TIA in 12 patients, stroke in 41, 9 of whom died in the acute phase, and TIA or stroke from other vascular territory in 6 patients. Thirty-nine percent of the patients had preceding TIA. At the time of follow up (mean 48 months), only 2 cases with TIA and 2 with stroke on the occluded side were found. Seven patients had recurrent symptoms from other vascular regions. Twelve patients died during follow up because of diseases unrelated to stroke. Thus the annual incidence of ipsilateral stroke (～1 %) and TIA (～1 %) was low. Anticoagulant treatment of 20 of the patients might have contributed to the low recurrence rate.     

Comparison of ultrasonic and histopathological features of carotid artery stenosis

Abstract

Besides the degree of carotid artery stenosis, the composition of the plaque may help to predict the thromboembolic risk. Low echogenicity on ultrasound and hemorrhage into the atheroma demonstrated histopathologically have been shown to be associated with a higher risk of embolism. Twenty-nine consecutive patients with carotid artery stenosis and scheduled for carotid endarterectomy were investigated preoperatively by B-mode ultrasound. Post-operatively the endarterectomy specimens were examined histopathologically. Neither atheroma with hemorrhage nor atheroma without hemorrhage were significantly associated with echolucent ultrasound presentation. Out of the 10 lesions echolucent and homogeneous on ultrasound, six corresponded to atheroma with hemorrhage, two corresponded to atheroma with hemorrhage plus thrombus, two corresponded to fibrous plaque plus thrombus, and one corresponded to pure thrombus. Out of the 4 lesions heterogeneous and predominantly echolucent, one corresponded to atheroma without hemorrhage plus thrombus, one corresponded to atheroma with hemorrhage, one corresponded to atheroma with hemorrhage plus thrombus, one corresponded to atheroma with hemorrhage plus fibrous plaque. Seven out of the 18 atheromas with hemorrhage did not present as purely or predominantly echolucent lesions, six of them were even homogeneouslyechogenic. Plaque surface could not reliably be predicted by ultrasound. In our study, there was no significant correlation between ultrasound and histology of the lesion. [Neural Res 1997; 19: 380-384]     

Effects of uncomplicated carotid endarterectomy on cognitive function and brain perfusion in patients with unilateral asymptomatic severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery by comparison with unoperated patients

Objective: The purpose of the present exploratory study was to evaluate the effects of uncomplicated carotid endarterectomy (CEA) on cognitive function and brain perfusion in patients with unilateral asymptomatic severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) by comparison with unoperated patients.

Methods: Patients with age ≤75 years and unilateral asymptomatic severe stenosis (≥70%) of the cervical ICA underwent CEA with antiplatelet therapy (surgically treated group: 116 patients) or antiplatelet therapy alone or neither (medically treated group: 45 patients). For the surgically treated group, neuropsychological testing and brain perfusion measurement using single-photon emission computed tomography were performed within one month before surgery and one month after surgery. For the medically treated group, the same testing and measurement were performed twice at an interval of 1 to 2 months.

Results: None of the operated patients developed new major ischemic events after surgery or intraoperative cerebral hyperperfusion. None of the patients in the medically treated group experienced neurological deficits including transient ischemic attacks during the study period. The incidence of patients with interval cognitive improvement was significantly greater in the surgically treated group (11 patients: 9%) than in the medically treated group (0%) (p = 0.0352). The incidence of patients with interval brain perfusion improvement in the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere was significantly greater in the surgically treated group (24 patients: 21%) than in the medically treated group (0%) (p = 0.0003).

Conclusions: Uncomplicated CEA may improve cognitive function and brain perfusion in patients with unilateral asymptomatic severe stenosis of the ICA when compared with unoperated patients.     

Diagnostic accuracy of somatosensory evoked potential and electroencephalography during carotid endarterectomy

Background and Purpose: Perioperative stroke risk following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is reported to be approximately 2–3%. The diagnostic accuracies of intraoperative EEG and SSEP monitoring during CEA have been studied separately. However, to date, the effectiveness of simultaneous EEG and SSEP monitoring during CEA has only been evaluated in small study populations. This study examined the diagnostic accuracy of combined EEG and SSEP monitoring in a large (N = 1165) patient population.

Methods: This study included 1165 patients who underwent CEA from 2000 to 2012 at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The sensitivities, specificities, and diagnostic odds ratio of EEG and SSEP monitoring methods were examined separately and together. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to assess sensitivity and specificity of single and combined Intraoperative monitoring (IONM) methods.

Results: Maximum sensitivity was obtained with multimodality monitoring with an IONM change in either EEG or SSEP of 50.00 (95% CI, 30.66–69.34). The specificity of simultaneous EEG and SSEP changes was 93.95 (95% CI, 92.28–95.35%). Maximum area under ROC curve obtained for IONM change in either EEG or SSEP was 0.660 (95% CI, 0.547–0.773, p-value 0.004).

Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of multimodality IONM during CEA is higher than an approach using single modality IONM. Simultaneous EEG and SSEP monitoring improves the likelihood of detecting periprocedural strokes after CEA. Neuro protective therapies to prevent periprocedural strokes can be based on changes in SSEP and EEG during CEA.     

Characteristics of intracranial aneurysms associated with extracranial carotid artery disease in South Korea

Objective

Although it is hypothesized that inflammatory signals and/or hemodynamic stress resulting from carotid disease increase the risk of aneurysm formation and growth, a relationship between intracranial aneurysms and extracranial carotid artery disease (ECAD) has not been explored. Here, we examined the characteristics of intracranial aneurysms associated with ECAD.

Methods

A total of 606 consecutive patients with stenosis of 50% or more of the proximal internal carotid artery (pICA) were enrolled. Stenosis was identified by conventional angiography between January 2003 and December 2009. We determined the prevalence of intracranial aneurysms in this population. The characteristics of the aneurysms were analyzed according to the degree and laterality of stenosis. The changes in the aneurysms were tracked for the evaluation of stability.

Results

In 86 patients (14.2%), 120 aneurysms were detected in association with pICA stenosis. In this group, 97 were associated with unilateral pICA stenosis. The distribution of aneurysms was independent of the laterality of stenosis, but aneurysms were more prevalent in the contralateral side as the stenosis grade increased (P < 0.001). All aneurysms with an imaging follow-up (28.9 ± 14.3 months) were stable, and the course was not affected by treatment of the carotid stenosis. In 23 aneurysms associated with bilateral pICA stenosis, there was only one case that increased in size during a 41-month period.

Conclusion

Intracranial aneurysms were most likely associated with ECAD, but were evenly distributed irrespective of the laterality of the stenosis. The distribution was related to the severity of the contralateral pICA stenosis. The low incidence of aneurysm growth or rupture in patients with significant ECAD indicates that these aneurysms do not require immediate intervention more than other conditions.     

三维黑血磁共振成像与DSA在颈动脉狭窄诊断中的对比研究

目的 通过与DSA比较,评价三维黑血磁共振成像(3D-BB-MRI)对颈动脉粥样硬化性狭窄的临床价值.方法 同时对40例颈动脉狭窄患者行DSA和3D-BB-MRI检查,比较两者在评估颈动脉狭窄程度、病变累及范围、破溃斑块检出的差异.结果 以DSA为金标准,3D-BB MRI判断颈动脉狭窄的Spearman相关系数为0.965,以狭窄率70％为判断点,其灵敏度为93.1％、特异度为100％、准确度为95.6％和阳性预测值为100％.3D-BB-MRI显示溃疡的灵敏度为100％、特异度为93.9％、准确度为95.6％和阳性预测值为85.7％.3D-BB-MRI和DSA的病变累及范围分别为(18.4±8.2) mm和(14.0±6.2)mm,P＜0.05.结论 3D-BB-MRI能较准确地显示颈动脉狭窄程度、溃疡斑块,在显示病变累及范围方面具有优势,可辅助DSA为临床提供可靠、有价值的信息.     

初诊2型糖尿病合并颈动脉斑块患者颈动脉斑块灰阶中位数值预测脑梗死的临床研究

目的 探讨三维超声颈动脉斑块灰阶中位数值(Grayscale median,GSM)对初诊2型糖尿病(Type 2 diabetes mellitus,T2DM)合并颈动脉斑块患者发生脑梗死的预测价值。方法 回顾性分析2017年6月-2020年6月在本院住院治疗的初诊T2DM合并颈动脉斑块患者,根据随访中是否发生脑梗死分为脑梗死组(n=28)和非脑梗死组(n=199); 收集首次住院的临床资料及三维超声颈动脉斑块指标灰阶中位数值(Grayscale median,GSM)、斑块体积(Plaque volume,PV)、斑块厚度(Plaque thickness,PT); 比较2组临床资料及超声指标水平的差异,进一步采用logistic回归分析初诊T2DM患者发生脑梗死的影响因素,采用受试者工作特征(Receiver operating characteristic,ROC)曲线分析不同指标对初诊T2DM患者发生脑梗死的预测效能。结果 脑梗死组合并冠心病的比例(35.71% vs 19.09%)及空腹血糖[(7.37±1.32)vs(6.82±0.85)mmol/L]、餐后2 h血糖[(13.16±3.52)vs(11.97±2.14)mmol/L]、糖化血红蛋白(Glycosylated Hemoglobin, Type A1C,HbA1c)[(7.03±0.98)vs(6.55±0.33)%]、总胆固醇[(5.98±1.13)vs(5.41±0.94)mmol/L]、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(Low density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDLC)[(3.42±0.65)vs(3.05±0.40)mmol/L]、尿酸[(360.01±76.87)vs(320.15±80.55)mmol/L]水平高于非脑梗死组(P<0.05),颈动脉斑块的GSM[(35.24±6.92)vs(41.93±11.82)]均低于非脑梗死组(P<0.05),颈动脉斑块PT,PV与非脑梗死组比较无明显差异(P>0.05)。LDLC,HbA1c、颈动脉斑块GSM是初诊T2DM患者发生脑梗死的影响因素,比值比分别为36.073、4.205、0.852(P<0.05)且四项指标单独或联合均对初诊T2DM患者发生脑梗死具有预测价值,联合指标的预测效能优于单一指标。结论 初诊T2DM患者颈动脉斑块GSM降低与脑梗死的发病有关,GSM联合实验室指标LDL-C,HbA1c能够进行脑梗死发病的预测。