Key result
Spatio-temporal variation in carotid circumferential strain was significantly associated with the presence of calcified plaque (regression coefficient 14.2, P<0.001) independent of confounding factors.
Why the study?
Does spatio-temporal variation in carotid wall distension measured by 2D speckle tracking associate with age and the presence of calcified plaque in asymptomatic individuals?
Cross-Sectional (n=256)
No
Does spatio-temporal variation in carotid wall distension measured by 2D speckle tracking associate with age and the presence of calcified plaque in asymptomatic individuals?
Effect estimate: Regression coefficient 14.2
p-value: p=<0.001
Spatio-temporal variation in carotid artery distension measured by speckle tracking is associated with aging and calcification, potentially serving as a novel, blood pressure-independent marker for arterial wall stiffening and plaque vulnerability.
Carotid strain variation may flag calcified plaque; hypothesis-generating for blood pressure-independent stiffness assessment before clinical adoption.
Arterial calcification may lead to regional variation in distension imposing stresses on the arterial wall that predispose to plaque rupture. The objective of this study was to use a novel speckle tracking method to investigate regional motion of the carotid wall and to determine whether this relates to subclinical disease. Measurements were obtained on 256 subjects from the Twins UK cohort (mean SD age 62 10.2 years). The left carotid was imaged for an assessment of plaque and calcification. Speckle-tracking was then used to measure regional circumferential strain of the left common carotid in 6 separate 60 segments of the circumference of the arterial wall in a plaque free plane of the common carotid approximately 1 cm proximal to the bifurcation. Regional variation in circumferential strain around the circumference of the arterial wall was characterized by the standard deviation of circumferential strain and that of the time from onset of systole to peak circumferential strain in each segment. Spatio-temporal variation in circumferential strain characterized by variation in the time to peak circumferential strain was associated with age and presence of calcified plaque (regression coefficients 0.73 units/year and 14.2 increase for presence of calcified plaque, each P<0.001) independent of other confounding factors and of other measures of arterial wall damage such as carotid intima-media thickening, carotid distensibility and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. Arterial ageing and calcification are associated with spatio-temporal variation in distension of the carotid artery.
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Wang et al. (2015) conducted a cross-sectional in Asymptomatic individuals (subclinical vascular disease) (n=256). 2D speckle tracking analysis of carotid wall distension vs. Absence of calcified plaque was evaluated on Association between variation in time to peak circumferential strain (VCStp) and presence of calcified plaque (Regression coefficient 14.2, p=<0.001). Spatio-temporal variation in carotid circumferential strain was significantly associated with the presence of calcified plaque (regression coefficient 14.2, P<0.001) independent of confounding factors.
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