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Echogenicity of the carotid intima–media complex and cardiovascular risk factors
Author(s) -
Blois Jonathan,
Stranden Einar,
Jogestrand Tomas,
Henareh Loghman,
Agewall Stefan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
clinical physiology and functional imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.608
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-097X
pISSN - 1475-0961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-097x.2012.01134.x
Subject(s) - medicine , echogenicity , myocardial infarction , cardiology , stroke (engine) , intima media thickness , ultrasound , thrombus , carotid arteries , radiology , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary Introduction Increased carotid intima–media thickness ( IMT ) has been associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction ( MI ) and stroke. A measure of echogenicity, the grey scale median ( GSM ), has been shown to be inversely correlated with cardiovascular risk factors and to be predictive of mortality in a community‐based cohort. We assessed the factors associated with carotid IM – GSM in younger, non‐diabetic patients with a recent MI . Methods and results A total of 122 patients (women, 25%) aged 31–80 years (61) were recruited 2–3 days after an acute MI . Ultrasound examinations of the carotid arteries were performed 1–12 months after the MI . IMT was 0·78 ( SD 0·17) mm on the right side and 0·81 (0·20) mm on the left side ( P = 0·05). GSM was 88·60 (range 46–132, SD 18·32) on the right side and 82·10 (40–126, 17·89) on the left side ( P = 0·002). Triglycerides ( TG ) correlated with GSM on both sides (right, r = −0·27, P = 0·003; left, r = −0·18, P = 0·05). On the right side, GSM was 92·15 and 82·26 ( P = 0·05) in patients with TG < and ≥1·7, and on the left side, it was 84·04 and 74·55 ( P = 0·02) in patients with TG < and ≥2·3. On multivariate analysis, TG were significantly associated with GSM , both on the right side ( P = 0·01) and on the left side ( P = 0·009). Conclusion We found a negative association between TG and carotid IM – GSM on both sides in patients with a recent MI . Our results also suggest that atherosclerosis progression may be faster on the left side in patients with coronary heart disease.