Carotid Plaques From Symptomatic Patients With Mild Stenosis Is Associated With Intraplaque Hemorrhage

Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Nardi ◽  
John Benson ◽  
Melanie C. Bois ◽  
Luca Saba ◽  
Anthony S. Larson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Artery Stenosis ◽  
Continuous Variable ◽  
Interquartile Range ◽  
Artery Stenosis ◽  
Intraplaque Hemorrhage ◽  
Plaque Vulnerability ◽  
Carotid Plaques ◽  
Mild Stenosis ◽  
Cerebrovascular Events

Carotid plaque vulnerability features beyond the degree of stenosis may play a key role in the pathogenesis and recurrence of ischemic cerebrovascular events. This study sought to compare intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) as a marker of plaque vulnerability in symptomatic patients with mild (<50%), moderate (50%–69%), and severe (≥70%) carotid artery stenosis. We included patients who experienced ischemic cerebrovascular events with no other identifiable sources and underwent carotid endarterectomy for mild (n=32), moderate (n=47), and severe (n=58) carotid artery stenosis. The degree of stenosis and imaging hallmarks were assessed by computed tomography angiography or magnetic resonance angiography. Plaque specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Movat pentachrome staining. Carotid plaques of patients with mild stenosis had a higher extent of IPH (%) on tissue analysis compared with patients with moderate (mild, 15.7% [interquartile range, 7.8%–26.7%]; moderate, 3.9% [0.0%–9.2%]; P <0.001) and severe carotid artery stenosis (mild, 15.7% [interquartile range, 7.8%–26.7%]; severe, 2.5% [interquartile range, 0.0%–11.2%]; P <0.001). When considering the degree of carotid artery stenosis as a continuous variable, a lower lumen narrowing was associated with higher extent of IPH ( P <0.001; R, −0.329). Our major finding is the association of IPH with mild carotid artery stenosis based on histological analysis. The current study may suggest that IPH potentially plays a role in the mechanism of stroke in patients with nonobstructive carotid stenosis.

Asymptomatic moderate carotid artery stenosis with intraplaque hemorrhage: onset of new ischemic stroke

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyofumi Yamada ◽  
Masanori Kawasaki ◽  
Shinichi Yoshimura ◽  
Yuichi Sasaki ◽  
Shigehiro Nakahara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Artery Stenosis ◽  
Artery Stenosis ◽  
Neurological Deficits ◽  
Intraplaque Hemorrhage ◽  
Severe Stenosis ◽  
First Case ◽  
Cerebrovascular Events

BackgroundThe degree of stenosis of carotid arteries is recognized as an important risk factor for ischemic stroke. However, high-grade stenosis does not always cause cerebrovascular events, whereas low- to moderate-grade stenosis may often cause strokes. It has been reported that there is an association between carotid intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) and new brain ischemic events.Case presentationWe present three patients with asymptomatic moderate carotid artery stenosis and carotid IPH who underwent both neurological and MRI at baseline and after at least 1 year's follow-up. These patients were admitted to our hospital (after 15–35 months of follow-up) because of neurological deficits. Diffusion-weighted MRI of the brain showed ipsilateral new ischemic lesions due to carotid artery plaques. The patients were treated with carotid artery stenting and discharged uneventfully.ConclusionsWhether plaques with severe stenosis already had severe stenosis at the onset of events or plaques with moderate stenosis progressed owing to an acute change, such as growth of an IPH, remains unclear, because no carotid imaging was carried out just before the events. This is the first case report which presents neurological symptoms and MRI at both baseline and follow-up in patients with asymptomatic moderate carotid artery stenosis and carotid IPH.

Abstract TMP33: High Intensity Signal in the Plaque on 3DTOF MRA is Associated With Ischemic Stroke in the Patients With Low Grade Carotid Artery Stenosis

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyofumi Yamada ◽  
Masanori Kawasaki ◽  
Shigehiro Nakahara ◽  
Yoshikazu Sato ◽  
Kazutaka Uchida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Artery Stenosis ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Artery Stenosis ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Carotid Plaques ◽  
Tof Mra ◽  
High Intensity Signal

Background: Carotid artery stenosis is one of the major causes of ischemic strokes. However, degree of stenosis is not always correlated with frequency of ischemic strokes. Recently, it was reported that carotid intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) was associated with accelerated plaque growth, luminal narrowing and development of symptomatic events. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) images are easily reformatted within from 5 minute, routine time-of-flight (TOF) sequences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between high intensity signal (HIS) in the carotid plaques on MIP images detected by routine three-dimensional TOF magnetic resonance angiography (3D-TOF MRA) and ischemic strokes. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty two patients with low-grade carotid artery stenosis (North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria: 30% - 49%) were included. IPH was defined as the presence of HIS in the carotid plaques on MIP images of 3D-TOF MRA using the previously reported criteria. We analyzed the relationship between the presence of HIS in the plaques and prior ischemic strokes defined as ischemic lesions on diffusion weighed images of the brain. Results: HIS in the carotid plaque was present in 56 (37%) of 152 carotid arteries. Prior ipsilateral ischemic strokes were observed more frequently in HIS-positive group (12 of 56, 21.4%) than HIS-negative group (1 of 34: 2.9%) [p<0.001]. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, HIS (Odds ratio: 77.7, 95%CI: 6.4 - 944.0, p<0.001) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (odds ratio: 10.45, 95%CI: 1.6 - 67.9, p=0.014) were independent determinants of prior ischemic strokes after adjustment for age. Conclusions: HIS in the carotid plaques on MIP images of 3D-TOF MRA was an independent determinant of prior ischemic stroke in patients with low-grade carotid artery stenosis, and this finding may provide a reliable risk stratification of future stroke in patients with low-grade carotid artery stenosis.

scholarly journals Intraplaque Expression of C-Reactive Protein Predicts Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Severe Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Stenosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldo Bonaventura ◽  
François Mach ◽  
Aline Roth ◽  
Sébastien Lenglet ◽  
Fabienne Burger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Artery Stenosis ◽  
Cardiovascular Events ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Artery Stenosis ◽  
Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events ◽  
C Reactive Protein ◽  
Carotid Plaques ◽  
Reactive Protein ◽  
Serum Crp

Serum c-reactive protein (CRP) was suggested for the assessment of intermediate cardiovascular (CV) risk. Here, systemic or intraplaque CRP levels were investigated as predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with severe carotid stenosis. CRP levels were assessed in the serum and within different portions (upstream and downstream) of carotid plaques of 217 patients undergoing endarterectomy. The association between CRP and intraplaque lipids, collagen, neutrophils, smooth muscle cells (SMC), and macrophage subsets was determined. No correlation between serum CRP and intraplaque biomarkers was observed. In upstream portions, CRP content was directly correlated with intraplaque neutrophils, total macrophages, and M1 macrophages and inversely correlated with SMC content. In downstream portions, intraplaque CRP correlated with M1 and M2 macrophages. According to the cut-off point (CRP > 2.9%) identified by ROC analysis in upstream portions, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high CRP levels had a greater rate of MACEs. This risk of MACEs increased independently of age, male gender, serum CRP, and statin use. In conclusion, in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis, high CRP levels within upstream portions of carotid plaques directly and positively correlate with intraplaque inflammatory cells and predict MACEs at an 18-month follow-up period.

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