scholarly journals Assessment of carotid artery calcifications on digital panoramic radiographs and their relationship with periodontal condition and cardiovascular risk factors

Author(s):  
Mehtap Bilgin Çetin ◽  
Yasemin Sezgin ◽  
Mediha Nur Nisancı Yilmaz ◽  
Cansu Köseoğlu Seçgin
VASA ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giannoukas ◽  
Sfyroeras ◽  
Griffin ◽  
Saleptsis ◽  
Antoniou ◽  
...  

Background: Severity of stenosis remains the main factor for assessing risk of stroke in patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) disease. This study was conducted to investigate the association of plaque echostructure and other established and emerging cardiovascular risk factors with symptomatic ICA disease. Design: Cross-sectional study of consecutive patients with significant (> 50 %) ICA stenosis. Patients and methods: Carotid plaque echostructure, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, serum lipoprotein (a), homocysteine, vitamin B12, folate, cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, and the Framingham risk score were assessed in 124 consecutive patients (70 asymptomatic; 54 symptomatic) with significant (> 50 %) ICA stenosis. Results: The asymptomatic and symptomatic groups did not differ in terms of gender distribution (p = 0.76) and severity of stenosis (p = 0.62). Echolucent plaques (type 1 and 2) were more predominant in patients with symptomatic disease (p = 0.004, OR = 2.13, 95 % CI = 1.26-3.6). Patients with plaques type 1 were relatively younger than those with type 4 (p = 0.02). None of the other factors assessed had any significant association with symptomatic disease and any type of carotid plaque. Conclusions: Besides the severity of carotid stenosis, the presence of an echolucent plaque appears as an important factor associated with symptomatic ICA disease. Also, young patients are more likely to have an echolucent plaque suggesting an age-related association with plaque maturation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 510-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven G. Aldana ◽  
Roger Greenlaw ◽  
Audrey Salberg ◽  
Ray M. Merrill ◽  
Ron Hager ◽  
...  

Purpose. This study evaluated the effect of the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease on cardiovascular disease as measured by the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery and compared this effect to outcomes from patients participating in traditional cardiac rehabilitation. Design. Randomized clinical trial. Setting. SwedishAmerican Health System. Subjects. Ninety three patients with clinically confirmed coronary artery disease were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 46) or traditional cardiac rehabilitation (n = 47). Intervention. Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease. Measures. Ultrasound of the carotid artery and other cardiovascular risk factors were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Analysis. Intent-to-treat analysis. Results. There was no significant reduction in the carotid intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in the Ornish group or the cardiac rehabilitation group. Ornish Program participants had significantly improved dietary habits (p < .001), weight (p < .001), and body mass index (p < .001) as compared with the rehabilitation group. The decrease in the number of patients with angina from baseline to 12 months was 44% in Ornish and 12% in cardiac rehabilitation. Conclusions. The Ornish Program appears to causes improvements in cardiovascular risk factors but does not appear to change the atherosclerotic process as it affects the carotid artery.


2018 ◽  
pp. 20170637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol C Mitchell ◽  
Claudia E Korcarz ◽  
Matthew C Tattersall ◽  
Adam D Gepner ◽  
Rebekah L Young ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 121 (5) ◽  
pp. 205-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent P.W. Scholtes ◽  
Dik Versteeg ◽  
Jean-Paul P.M. de Vries ◽  
Imo E. Hoefer ◽  
Arjan H. Schoneveld ◽  
...  

The innate immune response elicited by activation of TLRs (Toll-like receptors) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that cardiovascular risk factors are associated with the activation status of the innate immune system. We therefore assessed the responsiveness of TLRs on circulating cells in two groups of patients with established atherosclerosis and related this to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. TNF (tumour necrosis factor)-α release induced by TLR2 and TLR4 activation was measured in patients with established coronary [PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) study, n=78] or carotid artery disease [CEA (carotid endarterectomy) study, n=104], by stimulating whole blood samples with lipopolysaccharide (TLR4 ligand) and Pam3CSK4 [tripalmitoylcysteinylseryl-(lysyl)4; TLR2 ligand]. As an early activation marker, CD11b expression was measured by flow cytometry on CD14+ cells. Obesity was the ‘only’ risk factor that correlated with the TLR response. In both studies, obese patients had significantly higher TNF-α levels after stimulation of TLR2 compared with non-obese patients [16.9 (7.7–49.4) compared with 7.5 (1.5–19.2) pg/ml (P=0.008) in coronary artery disease and 14.6 (8.1–28.4) compared with 9.5 (6.1–15.7) pg/ml (P=0.015) in carotid artery disease; values are medians (interquartile range)]. Similar results were obtained following TLR4 stimulation. The enhanced inflammatory state in obese patients was also confirmed by a significant increased expression of the activation marker CD11b on circulating monocytes. In conclusion, obesity is associated with an enhanced TLR response in patients suffering from established atherosclerotic disease.


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