Key result
Carotid plaques with a mixed or hard echogenic pattern, irregular surface, and >50% stenosis on echotomography were most often correlated with stroke, TIA, or carotid occlusion over 2 years.
Why the study?
Does echotomographic analysis of extracranial carotid atherosclerosis predict cerebrovascular events in patients with TIA, CHD, PAD, or cervical bruits?
Cohort (n=70)
No
Does echotomographic analysis of extracranial carotid atherosclerosis predict cerebrovascular events in patients with TIA, CHD, PAD, or cervical bruits?
High-resolution echotomography can identify high-risk carotid plaques characterized by mixed or hard echogenic patterns, irregular surfaces, and >50% stenosis that are prone to causing cerebrovascular events.
Echotomographic plaque features may stratify cerebrovascular risk beyond stenosis alone; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before guiding decisions.
High-resolution real-time echotomography was used in a longitudinal study on 118 atherosclerotic plaques of the extracranial carotid tract with the aim of identifying those most likely to cause a cerebrovascular event. Seventy patients (average age 61 +/- 7 years), referred to our Clinical Vascular Laboratory because suffering from transient cerebral ischemic attacks (TIA), coronary heart disease (CHD, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or cervical bruits (CB), were followed up for two years. Medical treatment remained that of the referring physician. Ten patients suffered from clinical events caused by stroke, TIA, and/or carotid occlusion during the follow-up. The echostructural profile of the lesions most often correlated with the clinical event was characterized by a mixed or hard echogenic pattern, and irregular surface, and an initial vascular stenosis of more than 50%.
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Parnetti et al. (1988) conducted a cohort in Extracranial carotid atherosclerosis (n=70). Echostructural profile of carotid plaques (mixed/hard echogenic pattern, irregular surface, >50% stenosis) was evaluated on Clinical events caused by stroke, TIA, and/or carotid occlusion. Carotid plaques with a mixed or hard echogenic pattern, irregular surface, and >50% stenosis on echotomography were most often correlated with stroke, TIA, or carotid occlusion over 2 years.
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