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SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between dizziness and intracranial artery calcification. METHODS: A total of 107 consecutive patients were recruited for this study. These patients were categorized into first (case) and second (control) groups. The first and second groups had complaints of dizziness and headache, respectively. All the patients had noncontrast cranial computed tomography images. Bilateral internal carotid arteries, bilateral vertebral arteries, and basilar arteries were evaluated for detecting burden of intracranial artery calcification. Finally, demographic characteristics, stroke risk factors, and burden of intracranial artery calcification of these two groups were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Spearman's correlation were performed to analyze the study. RESULTS: It was found that the first and second groups included 39 and 68 patients, respectively. The mean age of the first group was significantly higher than that of the second group. The mean burden of intracranial artery calcification of the posterior circulation in the first and second groups were not statistically different from each other (p=0.555). The mean burden of intracranial artery calcification of the anterior circulation in the first group was found to be significantly higher than the second group (p=0.005). However, no significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of burden of intracranial artery calcification of anterior or posterior circulation, when the age variable was synchronized in both groups. CONCLUSION: Although this study found a limited correlation between dizziness and intracranial artery calcification, this situation was basically related to aging.
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Objective:To investigate the structural and functional changes of the common carotid artery in patients with severe preeclampsia (SPE).Methods:Fifty-six patients with severe preeclampsia (SPE group) admitted in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2019 to December 2021, and 31 normal pregnant women admitted in the same period (control group) were enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent conventional ultrasonography and color Doppler sonography examinations. The QLAB software was used to measure intima-media thickness (IMT) and hemodynamics indexs, including systolic peak velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), vascular resistance index (RI) and vascular pulsation index (PI); the elastic parameters, including stiffness index β, the stress and strain modulus of elasticity Ep and compliance (AC). The clinical data and ultrasound parameters were compared between SPE group and control group. Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between elastic parameters and SPE.Results:Compared with the control group, the PSV, EDV were decreased, and RI was increased in the prenatal SPE group (all P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the Ep and stiffness index β increased in the SPE group, while AC decreased (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PSV ( OR=0.915, 95%CI: 0.859-0.974, P=0.005) was negatively correlated with SPE; IMT( OR=4.012, 95%CI:1.150-10.660, P=0.005), RI ( OR=9.279, 95%CI:1.781-46.743, P=0.013), Ep ( OR=1.086, 95%CI:1.031-1.142, P=0.002) were positively corrected with SPE. Conclusion:The structure and function of the common carotid artery have changed in patients with SPE.
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Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and management strategy of carotid web (CW)-related stroke and improve the understanding of CW.Methods:The clinical data of 6 patients with CW-related stroke treated at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2018 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Relevant data included clinical manifestations, bronchial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT angiography (CTA)/digital subtraction angiography (DSA), carotid ultrasonography, and transcranial color-coded Doppler sonography (TCCD). Treatments and follow-ups were also reported.Results:All 6 patients were middle-aged or young, without traditional risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. The male-to-female ratio was 2∶4. All patients had recurrent strokes, with a score of 2-4 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at the time of onset. Head MRI showed 5 patients with cerebral infarction in the middle cerebral artery supply area; 1 patient had no intracranial infarction. No significant stenosis of the vessels at the site of the CW was observed in any of the 6 patients. Four patients had ipsilateral stenosis or occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, 1 patient had microembolic signals in the middle cerebral artery, and 1 patient had no significant abnormalities in the intracranial artery. All 6 patients were initially diagnosed by ultrasound. Diagnoses were confirmed by CTA/DSA in 5 cases; the other patient did not show any significant abnormalities. All 6 patients underwent a carotid endarterectomy after a pathological examination to confirm the diagnosis. Postoperatively, regular antiplatelet aggregation and statin lipid-lowering therapies were administered. A follow-up of 0.5 to 5.2 years showed no stroke recurrence in any patient.Conclusions:CW-related stroke is a rare cause of cryptogenic stroke and has a high recurrence rate. For stroke patients who do not have traditional risk factors for cerebrovascular disease while repeatedly experiencing embolic events of the internal carotid artery system, attention should be paid to the combination of the carotid and cerebral arteries, and comprehensive hemodynamic characteristics should be checked for the presence of a CW. Carotid artery ultrasound and TCCD combined with other imaging methods can improve the detection rate of a CW. Simple antiplatelet aggregation therapy cannot effectively prevent stroke recurrence. For patients with confirmed CW-related cerebral infarction, surgical resection can be performed, and the treatment effect can be evaluated using ultrasonography.
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Objective@#To examine the association between secondhand smoke exposure (SHS) in indoor public places and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) in children and adolescents, so as to provide guidance for the prevention of early abnormal vascular architecture.@*Methods@#The data were obtained from the second follow up of the Children Cardiovascular Health Cohort Study conducted from November to December 2021. A total of 1 297 children and adolescents for who completed data relating to sex, age, cIMT, physical examinations, questionnaires variables and blood biochemical indices, were included for analysis. Linear regression analysis was performed to examine trends in the levels of cIMT with exposure to SHS in indoor public places. Multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to assess the association between SHS exposure in indoor public places and cIMT after adjustment for potential covariates.@*Results@#During the previous 7 days, 407 (31.4%) children and adolescents were exposed to SHS in indoor public places for 1-2 days, 86 (6.6%) for 3-4 days, and 82 (6.3%) for ≥5 days. The levels of cIMT in youth increased on different models, with the duration of SHS exposure during the previous 7 days ( t=3.30, 3.05, 2.87, P <0.05). After adjusting for various covariates, the cIMT values of children and adolescents were[0 day:(551.5±29.3) μm, 1-2 days:(554.0±28.6) μm, 3-4 days:(557.0±27.7) μm, ≥5 days:(559.4±27.5) μm]. Compared to those who were not exposed to SHS in indoor public places during the previous 7 days, those exposed for ≥5 days had significantly higher cIMT levels ( β=7.91, 95%CI=1.47-14.34, P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#Among children and adolescents, exposure to SHS in indoor public places remains high and is significantly associated with cIMT. The findings highlight the need for stricter regulation and tobacco control policies to provide healthy smoke free environments for children and adolescents, and to reduce the risk of early abnormal vascular architecture.
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Purpose To evaluate the effect of subclinical hypothyroidism(SCH)on the early carotid elastic function in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)via ultrafast pulse wave velocity technology.Materials and Methods A total of 90 patients with T2DM in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University from December 2020 and June 2021 were prospectively collected and were divided into normal thyroid group(n=63)and SCH group(n=27)according to the thyroid function,and 155 healthy adults(healthy control group)from physical examination center in the same period were also collected.Statistical analysis were performed on clinical and laboratory indicators,intima-media thickness(IMT),pulse wave velocity of beginning of systolic(PWV-BS)and pulse wave velocity of end of systolic(PWV-ES).The correlation between PWV and clinical indicators,the influencing factors of PWV and the sensitivity and specificity of PWV in T2DM with SCH were further analyzed.Results PWV-BS[(7.36±0.85)m/s vs.(6.24±1.51)m/s]and PWV-ES levels[(10.11±0.97)m/s vs.(8.36±1.31)m/s]of SCH group were significantly higher than those of the normal thyroid group(all P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that PWV-BS and PWV-ES were well correlated with the clinical laboratory indicators in T2DM(P<0.05):PWV-BS and PWV-ES were all positively correlated with age(r=0.355,0.305),smoking(r=0.281,0.263),thyroid stimulating hormone(r=0.402,0.579),body mass index(r=0.318,0.037),fasting blood glucose(r=0.497,0.432),systolic blood pressure(r=0.628,0.361),diastolic blood pressure(r=0.495,0.378),total cholesterol(r=0.350,0.242),triglyceride(r=0.265,0.281)and IMT(r=0.698,0.614),while negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol(r=-0.378,-0.413)(all P<0.05).Multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis showed that common influencing factors of PWV-BS and PWV-ES included thyroid stimulating hormone,fasting blood glucose,high density lipoprotein cholesterol and IMT(all P<0.05).The receiver operator characteristic curve showed that PWV-ES was superior to PWV-BS in predicting the sensitivity and specificity of carotid elasticity changes in T2DM(96.3%vs.88.9%,61.9%vs.52.4%,both P<0.05).The optimal cut-off values for PWV-BS and PWV-ES were 6.36 m/s and 8.72 m/s,respectively.Conclusion Ultrafast pulse wave velocity technology detected that patients with T2DM combined with SCH has impaired vascular elasticity before the development of carotid atherosclerosis,PWV-BS and PWV-ES can be used as predictors to guide the development of atherosclerosis in early clinical intervention.
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Abstract Background Previous studies indicate an inverse relationship between hospital volume and mortality after carotid endarterectomy. However, data at the level of Brazil are lacking. Objectives To assess the relationship between hospital carotid endarterectomy procedure volumes and mortality in the state of São Paulo. Methods Data from the São Paulo State Hospital Information System on all carotid endarterectomies performed between 2015 and 2019 were analyzed. Hospitals were categorized into clusters by annual volume of surgeries (1-10, 11-25, and ≥26). Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine whether the volume of carotid endarterectomy procedures was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality among patients undergoing this procedure. Results Crude in-hospital mortality was nearly 60 percent lower in patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy at the highest volume hospitals than among those who underwent endarterectomy at the lowest volume hospitals (unadjusted OR of survival to hospital discharge, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.11-5.23; p = 0.027). Although this lower rate represents 1.5 fewer deaths per 100 patients treated, high-volume centers are more likely than low-volume centers to perform elective procedures, thus the analysis did not retain statistical significance when adjusted for admission character (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 0.74-3.87; p = 0.215). Conclusions In a contemporary Brazilian registry, higher volume carotid endarterectomy centers were associated with lower in-hospital mortality than lower volume centers. Further studies are needed to verify this relationship considering the presence of symptoms in patients.
Resumo Contexto Estudos indicam uma relação inversa entre volume hospitalar e mortalidade após endarterectomia carotídea. Entretanto, não há dados a nível brasileiro. Objetivos Avaliar a relação entre volume hospitalar de endarterectomia carotídea e mortalidade no estado de São Paulo. Métodos Foram analisados dados do Sistema de Informação Hospitalar do Estado de São Paulo de todas as endarterectomias carotídeas realizadas entre 2015 e 2019. Os hospitais foram categorizados em grupos de acordo com o volume anual de cirurgias (1-10, 11-25 e ≥26). Modelos de regressão logística múltipla foram usados para determinar se o volume de endarterectomias carotídeas era um preditor independente de mortalidade intra-hospitalar entre os pacientes submetidos a esse procedimento. Resultados A mortalidade intra-hospitalar foi quase 60% menor nos pacientes submetidos a endarterectomia carotídea nos hospitais de maior volume em comparação aos pacientes submetidos a endarterectomia nos hospitais de menor volume (OR não ajustado de sobrevida após alta hospitalar, 2,41; IC 95%, 1,11-5,23; p = 0,027). Embora essa taxa mais baixa represente 1,5 menos mortes por 100 pacientes tratados, os centros de alto volume são mais propensos do que os centros de baixo volume a realizarem procedimentos eletivos; portanto, a análise não reteve significância quando ajustada para o caráter de admissão (OR, 1,69; IC 95%, 0,74-3,87; p = 0,215). Conclusões Em um registro brasileiro contemporâneo, centros com maior volume de endarterectomia carotídea foram associados a menor mortalidade intra-hospitalar em comparação aos centros de menor volume. Mais estudos são necessários para verificar essa relação considerando a presença de sintomas em pacientes.
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Abstract Objective: To investigate vascular and perivascular abnormalities in the carotid arteries using ultrasound, as well as to evaluate their association with mortality and clinical variables in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study in which 53 hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 were evaluated and underwent carotid ultrasound. We documented the carotid ultrasound findings in these patients. Clinical, demographic, laboratory, and imaging features were analyzed and compared by statistical analysis to detect correlations between them. Results: Carotid ultrasound demonstrated luminal surface irregularity in 29 patients (55%), carotid plaques in 30 (57%), perivascular infiltration in four (8%), and increased intima-media thickness (IMT) in 31 (58%). Of the 31 patients with increased IMT, 19 (61%) died, and the association between increased IMT and COVID-19-related mortality was significant (p = 0.03). Logistic regression showed that the risk of death was 85% in patients who had increased IMT in combination with acute kidney injury at admission or a history of chronic kidney disease (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19, carotid ultrasound can show increased IMT, luminal surface irregularity, carotid plaques, and perivascular infiltrates. The combination of increased IMT and kidney damage appears to increase the risk of death in such patients.
Resumo Objetivo: Investigar anormalidades vasculares e perivasculares nas artérias carótidas por meio de ultrassonografia e avaliar sua associação com mortalidade e variáveis clínicas em pacientes hospitalizados com COVID-19. Materiais e Métodos: Neste estudo prospectivo, 53 pacientes hospitalizados com COVID-19 grave foram avaliados e submetidos a ultrassonografia de carótida. Descrevemos os achados ultrassonográficos de carótida nesses pacientes. As correlações de características clínicas, demográficas, laboratoriais e de imagem foram analisadas e comparadas por meio de análise estatística. Resultados: A ultrassonografia carotídea demonstrou irregularidade da superfície luminal em 29 pacientes (55%), placas carotídeas em 30 pacientes (57%), infiltração perivascular em quatro pacientes (7,5%) e aumento da espessura médio-intimal (EMI) em 31 pacientes (58%). Dos pacientes com EMI aumentada, 19 (61%) morreram, com associação observada entre EMI aumentada e mortalidade por COVID-19 (p = 0,03). Um modelo de regressão logística mostrou que a probabilidade de óbito foi de 85% em pacientes com EMI aumentada e história de nefropatia crônica ou lesão renal aguda na internação (p < 0,05). Conclusão: Aumento da EMI, irregularidade da superfície luminal, placas carotídeas e infiltrados perivasculares foram encontrados na ultrassonografia carotídea em pacientes hospitalizados com COVID-19 grave. O aumento da EMI associado a danos nos rins pode aumentar o risco de morte.
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ABSTRACT Introduction: There is no complete consensus on the three surgical methods and long-term consequences for coexisting coronary and carotid artery disease. We retrospectively evaluated the surgical results in this high-risk group in our clinic for a decade. Methods: Between 2005 and 2015, 196 patients were treated for combined carotid and coronary artery disease. A total of 50 patients were operated on with the staged method, 40 of which had carotid endarterectomy (CEA) priority, and 10 had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) priority. CABG and CEA were simultaneously performed in 82 patients; and in 64 asymptomatic patients with unilateral carotid artery lesions and stenosis over 70%, only CABG was done (64 patients). Results were evaluated by uni-/multivariate analyses for perioperative, early, and late postoperative data. Results: In the staged group, interval between the operations was 2.82±0.74 months. Perioperative and early postoperative (30 days) parameters did not differ between groups (P-value < 0.05). Postoperative follow-up time was averaged 94.9±38.3 months. Postoperative events were examined in three groups as (A) deaths (all cause), (B) cardiovascular events (non-fatal myocardial infarction, recurrent angina, congestive heart failure, palpitation), and (C) fatal neurological events (amaurosis fugax, transient ischemic attack, and stroke). When group C events were excluded, event-free actuarial survival rates were similar in all three methods (P=0.740). Actuarial survival rate was significantly different when all events were included (P=0.027). Neurological events increased markedly between months 34 and 66 (P=0.004). Conclusion: Perioperative and early postoperative event-free survival rates were similar in all three methods. By the beginning of the 34th month, the only CABG group has been negatively separated due to neurological events. In the choice of methodology, "most threatened organ priority'' was considered as clinical parameter.
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ABSTRACT Introduction: The aim of this study was to present the mid-term results of patients who had undergone a carotid-subclavian bypass surgery after a thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) stent-graft implantation with proximal landing at zone 2 of the aorta. Methods: A total of 66 patients had undergone TEVAR and carotid-subclavian bypass between January 2015 and May 2020 at our clinic. Five of these patients were lost to follow-up, so 61 patients were included in this retrospective study. At follow-up visits, patency of the carotid-subclavian bypass grafts was evaluated with physical examination and radiological imaging. Results: The mean follow-up time was 15.11±12.29 months (ranging from 1 to 56 months). There were 3 (4.91%) in-hospital deaths of patients admitted with bilateral lower limb and visceral malperfusion. There were also 2 (3.27%) deaths unrelated to the procedure. Carotid-subclavian graft occlusion occurred in 3 (4.91%) patients. The occlusion was detected with radiological imaging within a period of 12 to 24 months. The graft patency rate was 100% in the first 12 months. The mean graft patency time (survival) was 52.56±2.10 months. Conclusion: Periprocedural carotid-subclavian bypass surgery with synthetic grafts is a recommended procedure with high patency and acceptably low mortality and morbidity rates in TEVAR.