Evaluation of carotid artery elasticity in patients with uremia by echo tracking.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the carotid artery wall elasticity between patients with uremia and controls using echo tracking (ET). METHODS: Ninety-three patients with uremia and 35 control subjects (Group A) were enrolled in this study. In the ET mode, the carotid artery elasticity parameters including stiffness index (ß), pressure-strain elasticity modulus (EP), arterial compliance (AC), and one-point pulse wave velocity (PWVß) were measured, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured with B-mode ultrasonography. The patients were classified into three groups Group B (normal IMT), Group C (thickened IMT), and Group D (one single atheroma plaque). RESULTS: ß, EP, and PWVß were significantly higher in Group B, C, and D (especially in group D) than those of the control group (P < 0.05), and there were significant differences between Group A and Group B, while AC was lower than in controls, but there were no statistically significant differences among the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: ET is a noninvasive method that can demonstrate a loss in carotid artery elasticity in uremia patients with normal IMT.