Echogenic Carotid Plaques Are Associated With Aortic Arterial Stiffness in Subjects With Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis

Purpose: The limited number of large animal carotid atherosclerotic models restricts the preclinical evaluation of endovascular therapies. Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage may be associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke in patients with carotid disease. In this study, we assess the association of the lesional expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 with vulnerable atherosclerotic carotid plaque and intraplaque hemorrhage in a Swine model. Materials and Methods: Carotid atherosclerosis was induced in miniswines using the combination of partial ligation and high cholesterol diet, and a minimum 70% stenosis was confirmed by Doppler ultrasonography immediately post-ligation. Carotid artery sections were obtained for histopathological examination and immunohistochemical study for MMP-9 at three months. Distal embolism was determined by the presence of atheroemboli in the ipsilateral rete mirabile. Atherosclerotic changes were classified by AHA/Stary stage (type I to VI). The association of distal embolism in the rete mirabile with vulnerable carotid plaque was analyzed. The association of MMP-9 expression in the plaque with the vulnerable plaque and intraplaque hemorrhage was further analyzed. Results: One hundred ninety-one carotid segments from ten carotid artery models were assessed. Among 139 segments with atherosclerotic changes, 102 segments had vulnerable plaque (Stary IV to VI). Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques were found more frequently in the vessel wall proximal to the partial ligation than distal ( P <0.0001). Distal embolism was found in all 10 rete mirabilis, and deemed to be from the ipsilateral vulnerable carotid plaques. Areas positive for MMP-9 tended to be greater in the vulnerable plaque than in the stable plaque (8.69 ± 0.73% vs. 7.04 ± 0.94%, p=0.35). Areas positive for MMP-9 were significantly greater in the plaque with intraplaque hemorrhage than in the plaque without intraplaque hemorrhage (11.84 ± 1.22% vs. 6.63 ± 0.59%, p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, positive expression of MMP-9 was an independent predictor of intraplaque hemorrhage (p=0.007). Conclusion: Vulnerable carotid plaques with distal embolism were created in a Swine model of carotid atherosclerosis. Increased expression of MMP-9 may be associated with vulnerable carotid plaques, especially having the feature of intraplaque hemorrhage.

Download Full-text

Serum tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) and carotid atherosclerosis and aortic arterial stiffness

Journal of Hypertension ◽

10.1097/01.hjh.0000191245.68443.24 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 23 (12) ◽

pp. 2263-2268 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Mahmoud Zureik ◽

Jean-Louis Beaudeux ◽

Dominique Courbon ◽

Athanase Bénétos ◽

Pierre Ducimetière

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Carotid Atherosclerosis ◽

Tissue Inhibitors Of Metalloproteinases ◽

Tissue Inhibitors

Download Full-text

P4.44 REGIONAL ARTERIAL STIFFNESS ASSESSED BY POPMETRE® IN PATIENTS WITH CAROTID PLAQUES

Artery Research ◽

10.1016/j.artres.2012.09.191 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 195

Author(s):

M. Hallab ◽

C. Terrier-Barbeau ◽

G. Berrut ◽

M. Legrand ◽

P.H. Ducluzeau ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Carotid Plaques

Download Full-text

Serum ferritin levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in Chinese postmenopausal women: the Shanghai Changfeng Study

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114515001944 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 114 (7) ◽

pp. 1064-1071 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hui Ma ◽

Huandong Lin ◽

Yu Hu ◽

Xiaoming Li ◽

Wanyuan He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postmenopausal Women ◽

Serum Ferritin ◽

Carotid Atherosclerosis ◽

Ferritin Level ◽

Oral Glucose ◽

Model Assessment ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Carotid Plaques ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Fourth Quartile

Postmenopausal women are at increased risk of CVD: the increased serum ferritin level may be involved in the pathogenesis. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship of ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women. A total of 1178 postmenopausal women (mean age, 60·8 years) were enrolled from the Changfeng Study. A standard interview, anthropometric measurements and laboratory analyses were performed for each participant. Bilateral CIMT (carotid intima–media thickness) were measured using ultrasonography, and the presence of carotid plaques was assessed. Serum ferritin was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The results showed that serum ferritin was 181·9 (sd 65·8) ng/ml in the postmenopausal women. Multivariate, linear, stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that age (standardised β = 0·233, P< 0·001), alanine transaminase (standardised β = 0·194, P< 0·001), log homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistance (standardised β = 0·181, P< 0·001), TAG (standardised β = 0·083, P= 0·003), Hb (standardised β = 0·080, P= 0·004) and PPG (2-h glucose levels following a 75-g oral glucose challenge) (standardised β = 0·079, P= 0·004) were independently associated with serum ferritin. Compared with the ferritin level of subjects in the first quartile, that in the fourth quartile had greater CIMT, and higher prevalence of carotid plaque. After adjusting for conventional CVD risk factors, Hb, leucocytes, log urine albumin:creatinine ratio and liver function, the ferritin level of postmenopausal women in the fourth quartile had a 1·587-fold increased risk of carotid plaques relative to those in the lowest quartile. In conclusion, these results suggest that serum ferritin is independently and positively associated with carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women and that ferritin may be implicated in atherosclerosis.

Download Full-text

Association between hemoglobin A1c, carotid atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, and peripheral arterial disease in Korean type 2 diabetic patients

Journal of Diabetes and its Complications ◽

10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2009.12.001 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 7-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Seong-Woo Choi ◽

Min-Ho Shin ◽

Woo-Jun Yun ◽

Hey-Yeon Kim ◽

Young-Hoon Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Carotid Atherosclerosis ◽

Hemoglobin A1c ◽

Arterial Disease ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Type 2 Diabetic Patients ◽

Peripheral Arterial ◽

Korean Type ◽

Type 2 Diabetic

Download Full-text

Alcohol consumption and carotid atherosclerosis in China: the Cardiovascular Risk Survey

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology ◽

10.1177/1741826711404501 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 314-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Xiang Xie ◽

Yi-Tong Ma ◽

Yi-Ning Yang ◽

Zhen-Yan Fu ◽

Xiang Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Carotid Artery ◽

Alcohol Intake ◽

Carotid Atherosclerosis ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽

Moderate Drinking ◽

Carotid Plaques ◽

Uygur Population

Aim: The relationship between alcohol consumption and carotid atherosclerosis has been reported in some epidemiological studies, but the results were conflicting. We investigated the association between alcohol intake and carotid atherosclerosis in the Han, Uygur, and Kazakh populations in Xinjiang in western China. Methods and results: The study population sample comprised 13,037 Chinese people (5277 Han, 4572 Uygur, and 3188 Kazakh) aged ≥35 years who participated in a cardiovascular risk survey between June 2007 and March 2010. Daily consumption of alcohol was determined by the number and frequency of alcoholic beverages consumed. Carotid-artery parameters, including common carotid artery intima–media thickness (CCA–IMT) and carotid plaques were measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. In the Han and Kazakh populations, CCA–IMT as a function of alcohol consumption was depicted as a J-shaped curve with a nadir for the alcohol-intake category of 20–29.9 g/day; In the Uygur population, a similar curve with a nadir of 30–49.9 g/day was observed. With respect to the prevalence of carotid plaques, we also observed similar curves in the Han and Kazakh populations, but not in the Uygur population. After adjustment for age, sex, blood pressure, body mass index, and smoking status, as well as levels of glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, the J-shaped curves remained. Conclusions: Our results indicated that alcohol consumption was associated with carotid atherosclerosis and that moderate drinking had an inverse association with carotid atherosclerosis. However, the definition of moderate drinking could be different in Han, Uygur, and Kazakh populations.

Download Full-text