S. Hallerstam et al., Carotid atherosclerosis in relation to symptoms from the territory supplied by the carotid artery, EUR J VAS E, 19(4), 2000, pp. 356-361
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery
Journal title
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY
Objectives: to investigate the relationship between intima-media thickness
in the common carotid artery, plaque morphology in the carotid bifurcation
and symptoms of cerebral embolism.
Design: prospective study of consecutive patients referred for carotid dupl
ex examination.
Methods: One hundred and eighty-eight patients were classified by one of tw
o neurologists into four categories (symptomatic, asymptomatic, undefined,
uncertain). Carotid atherosclerosis was measured by means of high-resolutio
n ultrasound technique. Carotid plaques were classified based on visual eva
luation of plaque echogenicity.
Results: intima-media thickness (IMT) was correlated to presence of plaques
, age and gender, but not to symptoms referable to the carotid circulation.
Carotid plaques were more common in symptomatic than in asymptomatic vesse
ls (p<0.05). There was no difference in plaque occurrence between the ipsi-
and contralateral sides in the symptomatic patients, neither in frequency
of echolucent plaques between the sides or between symptomatic and asymptom
atic patients. Echogenic plaques were more common and generally smaller tha
n echolucent plaques.
Conclusions: IMT correlates with presence of plaques, but not with symptoms
from the territory supplied by the carotid artery. Echolucent plaques in t
he carotid bifurcation are not more frequently symptomatic than echogenic p
laques are, in patients with low-to-moderate degree of carotid stenosis.