Local carotid stiffness and intima-media thickness assessment by a novel ultrasound-based system in essential hypertension

• Published in: Atherosclerosis 2012-08, Vol.223 (2), p.372-377
• Main Authors: Giannarelli, Chiara, Bianchini, Elisabetta, Bruno, Rosa Maria, Magagna, Armando, Landini, Linda, Faita, Francesco, Gemignani, Vincenzo, Penno, Giuseppe, Taddei, Stefano, Ghiadoni, Lorenzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; blood; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular system; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Arteries - physiopathology; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - epidemiology; Carotid Artery Diseases - physiopathology; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Carotid stiffness; Chi-Square Distribution; clinical trials; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnostic imaging; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - physiopathology; Female; Hemodynamics; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - diagnostic imaging; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - physiopathology; Intima-media thickness; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Italy - epidemiology; Linear Models; Male; Manometry; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; patients; Predictive Value of Tests; Pulse Wave Analysis; Reproducibility of Results; risk; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; risk profile; stroke; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasound; Vascular Stiffness
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.05.027

Abstract Objective To evaluate local carotid stiffness (CS) and intima-medial thickness (C-IMT) in hypertensive patients with different cardiovascular risk profile, using a new user-friendly ultrasound-based system, previously validated vs. RF-based echotracking device. Methods We investigated a population with different cardiovascular risk: 45 healthy normotensives (NT), 90 non-diabetic hypertensives (HT), and 48 patients with hypertension and type-2 diabetes (DM). Framingham risk factor score (FRS) was calculated. PWV was assessed by applanation tonometry. The relative stroke change in diameter (Δ D ) and C-IMT were measured on carotid scans. Distensibility coefficient (DC) was calculated as Δ A /( A *Δ P ), where A  = diastolic lumen area, Δ A  = stroke change in lumen area, and Δ P  = carotid pulse pressure. CS (m/s) was calculated as ( ρ *DC) − 1/2 ( ρ  = blood density). Results CS, C-IMT, PWV were significantly increased in HT and DM vs. NT. C-IMT and PWV were significantly higher in DM than HT. Δ D and DC were significantly lower in HT and DM vs. NT. FRS ≥10% group showed increased carotid diameter, C-IMT and CS than the FRS