Preliminary Analysis Of Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Component Characteristics In AIS Patients

Objective To analysis the carotid atherosclerotic plaque component characteristics in AIS patients of the vascular distribution of the internal carotid artery, and then to explore the relationships between the plaque component features which included of plaque ulceration, degree of stenosis, plaque volume, plaque components of hypoechoic signs and hyperechoic signs on ultrasound.Methods Consecutive in-patients of AIS (n=519) with symptoms in vascular distribution of the internal carotid artery between Janunary2008and Janunary2014were collected in our study,which were evaluated with high resolution ultrasonic Doppler for the presence of atherosclerotic plaque. The patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaque were enrolled into group, whose plaque component characteristics on ultrasound were analysised. All the patients were devided into different groups accounding of the exitense of plaque ulceration or degree of stenosis. The associations between other plaque component characteristics and plaque ulceration were analyzed by statistical methods.Results1. Atherosclerotic plaque was present in288AIS patients,whereby plaque ulcerations were present in49patients. The patients with plaque ulceration was found with larger plaque volume and larger percentage of plaque component of hypoechoic signs on ultrasound than the patients without plaque ulceration(,P<0.05). After adjustment for age,sex,and degree of stenosis, plaque volume(odds ortio,1.11;95%CI,1.03to1.18) and percentage of plaque component of hypoechoic signs on ultrasound (odds ortio,2.06;95%CI,1.53to3.19) were positively associated with plaque ulceration,meanwhile percentage of plaque component of hyperechoic signs on ultrasound are negatively associated(odds ortio,0.63;95%CI,0.42to0.87).2. All the patients were devided into mild to moderate stenosis group(stenosis degree<50%) and severe stenosis group(stenosis degree^50%) accounding of degree of stenosis.multiple factor analysis between plaque ulceration and other plaque component features show that percentage of plaque component of hypoechoic signs on ultrasound (odds ortio,3.14;95%CI,1.82to5.35) were positively associated with plaque ulceration,meanwhile percentage of plaque component of hyperechoic signs on ultrasound are negatively associated(odds ortio,0.41;95%CI,0.19to0.67).Conclusions The instability and vulnerability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque could be identified by high resolution ultrasonic Doppler. This could be favor of second prevention of ischemic events, risk factor stratification and clinical guideline in AIS patients.