Common carotid intima-media features determine XXXX phenotype and vulnerability in asymptomatic @entity1 .

@entity1 @entity64 @entity66 @entity854 @entity400 @entity731 @entity850 @entity121
OBJECTIVES: There is a growing awareness of the importance of carotid plaque features evaluation in @entity64 prediction. Carotid @entity121 ( @entity121 ) and recently its echogenicity were used for @entity64 prediction, although their clinical relevance was not well determined. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between common carotid artery (CCA) ultrasound markers of @entity731 and distal, bifurcation and internal carotid artery (ICA), plaque features. METHODS: We analyzed 137 carotid arteries in 87 asymptomatic @entity1 with known @entity66 (mean age 69  6year, 34.5% females). @entity121 ( @entity121 ) and its gray scale median (IM-GSM) were measured at the CCA. Plaque textural features including gray scale median (GSM), juxtaluminal black area (JBA-mm(2)) without a visible cap, and @entity400 , at bifurcation and ICA were also determined. CCA measurements were correlated with those of the distal plaques. RESULTS: An increased @entity121 in CCA correlated with plaque irregularities in the bifurcation and ICA (r=0.53, p<0.001), while IM-GSM was closely related to plaque echogenicity (GSM) (r=0.76, p<0.001), and other textural plaque features. Both, @entity121 and IM-GSM correlated weakly with @entity850 severity (r=0.27, p=0.001 and r=-0.18, p=0.026) respectively. CONCLUSION: In asymptomatic @entity1 , measurements of CCA reflect distal, bifurcation and ICA disease, with @entity121 reflecting plaque irregularities and IM-GSM as markers of @entity854 . Integrating measurements of both @entity121 and IM-GSM in a model could be used as a better marker of disease vulnerability over and above each measure individually.
