Ferreira, J.; Longatto-Filho, A.; Dionísio, A.; Correia-Neves, M.; Cunha, P.; Mansilha, A. Peri-Carotid Adipose Tissue and Atherosclerosis at Carotid Bifurcation. J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis.2024, 11, 58.
Ferreira, J.; Longatto-Filho, A.; Dionísio, A.; Correia-Neves, M.; Cunha, P.; Mansilha, A. Peri-Carotid Adipose Tissue and Atherosclerosis at Carotid Bifurcation. J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis. 2024, 11, 58.
Ferreira, J.; Longatto-Filho, A.; Dionísio, A.; Correia-Neves, M.; Cunha, P.; Mansilha, A. Peri-Carotid Adipose Tissue and Atherosclerosis at Carotid Bifurcation. J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis.2024, 11, 58.
Ferreira, J.; Longatto-Filho, A.; Dionísio, A.; Correia-Neves, M.; Cunha, P.; Mansilha, A. Peri-Carotid Adipose Tissue and Atherosclerosis at Carotid Bifurcation. J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis. 2024, 11, 58.
Abstract
Vulnerable carotid plaques are responsible for 20% of the ischemic strokes. The identification of those asymptomatic carotid plaques that will become symptomatic is essential but remains unclear. Our main goal was to investigate whether the amount of the peri-carotid adipose tissue, estimated by the extra-media thickness (EMT) is associated with the atherosclerotic characteristics at the carotid bifurcation in patients with PAD. An observational, prospective, single-center, longitudinal study was conducted. 177 patients performed carotid Doppler-ultrasound. The following data was collected: EMT, intima-media thickness (IMT), presence of carotid plaques, area of the highest plaque, and grade of internal carotid stenosis. From each carotid bifurcation a right and left EMT was determined. We analyzed both the mean EMT (calculated as the mean between the right and the left EMT) and the EMT ipsilateral to the carotid bifurcation. The presence of carotid plaques was associated with a higher mean EMT, [Median=1.14; IQR=0.66 versus Median=0.97; IQR=0.40; p=.001]. A positive correlation was found between mean EMT and IMT (right: ρ=.20; p=.010; left: ρ=.21; p=.007) and between mean EMT and area of the largest carotid plaque (right: ρ=.17; p=.036; left: ρ=.22; p=.004). Left carotid stenosis ≥ 70% was associated with higher mean EMT. [Median=1.55; IQR=0.68 versus Median=1.00; IQR=0.46; p=.019]. Patients with “acute culprit” carotid stenosis had a higher ipsilateral EMT [Left ipsilateral EMT: Median=1.46; IQR=0.63; “non-acute”: Median=0.94; IQR=0.43; p=.009; Right ipsilateral EMT: Median=2.25; IQR=0.62; “non-acute”: Median=1.00; IQR=0.51; p=.015]. This difference was not found in the contra-lateral EMT. Six months after the neurologic event, EMT ipsilateral to an “acute culprit” carotid stenosis decreased (p=.036). The amount of peri-carotid adipose tissue, estimated with EMT was associated with atherosclerosis at the carotid arteries. In particularly EMT could be a non-invasive marker of “acute culprit” carotid stenosis, easily determined in clinical practice. These findings may have implications in personalized medicine, for the determination of the best treatment approach.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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