Correlation analysis of structural and functional changes in the carotid artery in patients with H-type hypertension using ultrasound radiofrequency

Objectives To perform a correlation analysis on the structural and functional changes of the carotid artery in patients with H-type hypertension. Methods Outpatients and inpatients with hypertension in our hospital between 2017 and 2018 were selected and divided into the H-type hypertension group (primary hypertension + plasma homocysteine ≥ 10 umol/l) ( n = 30) and the simple hypertension group (primary hypertension + plasma Hcy < 10 umol/l) ( n = 30) based on the plasma homocysteine (Hcy), and 30 healthy people were included in the control group. Thickness and stiffness parameters of the intima of the carotid artery (compliance coefficient [CC], stiffness index [β], and pulse wave velocity [PWV]) were measured for all study participants using ultrasound radiofrequency signal-based quality intima-media thickness (QIMT) and quantitative arterial stiffness (QAS) for contrast analysis. Results Indexes such as QIMT, β, and PWV of the carotid artery were significantly higher, and the CC was significantly lower in the H-type hypertension group and simple hypertension group than the control group ( p < .05), and the difference was statistically significant; these indexes were significantly higher in the H-type hypertension group than in the simple hypertension group, and the CC was significantly lower than in the control group ( p < .05), and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusions Hypertension can accelerate structural and functional changes of the carotid artery intima, with these changes being more significant in H-type hypertension. The ultrasound radiofrequency technique can be used to quantitatively evaluate the structure and function of the carotid artery in patients with H-type hypertension.