A Preliminary Study On The Correlation Between Carotid Plaque Neovascularization And TCM Qi Deficiency Syndrome Based On SMI Technology

Objective:Superb microvascular imaging technology was used to observe the correlation between neovascularization and qi deficiency syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine,to explore the pathogenesis of neovascularization in atherosclerosis,and to provide objective basis for the identification of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome of unstable carotid plaques,guiding the clinical treatment.Method:A total of 38 patients with carotid atherosclerostic plaque who have received treatment in the neurology clinic of Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2019 to February 2021 were selected.All of the patients were asked for baseline information,information acquired from four diagnostic methods of TCM and the laboratory test results such as blood routine,biochemistry,thrombosis risk detection were collected.Patients were then examined by carotid artery ultrasound and SMI,the location,thickness,echogenicity of the plaques,as well as IMT,the grade of neovascularization were recorded.Next,the collected data of the four diagnoses information were entered into excel table,and the degree of Qi deficiency syndrome and other accompanying syndrome elements of each patient were determined according to the calculation method in Chapter ?"Syndrome Differentiation Scale" of Professor Zhu Wenfeng's "Syndrome Differentiation".The correlation between plaque characteristics and the degree of qi deficiency as well as other syndrome elements was analyzed by SPSS25.0,with a statistically significance at P<0.05.Results:1.General situation:Of the 38 patients included,24 were male and 14 were female,with an average age of 63.03±9.75 years;19 had SMI neovascularization grade 0,15 had grade 1,3 had grade 2,and 1 had grade 3;4 had qi deficiency grade 0,11 had grade 1,16 had grade 2,and 7 had grade 3;2.Among 38 patients,Yin deficiency(92.11%),blood deficiency(78.95%),Qi deficiency(68.42%),Yang hyperactivity(57.89%),Yang deficiency(52.63%),phlegm(44.74%),blood stasis(39.47%)and dampness(39.47%)were the most frequent pathogenic syndrome.The most frequent pathological syndrome were liver(84.21%),kidney(47.37%)and mind(34.21%);3.Comparison between the neovascularization group and the nonneovascularization group:?There was no significant difference in sex,age,BMI,diseases history and other general data between the two groups(P>0.05);?There was significant difference in the grade of qi deficiency between the two groups(P<0.05),and there were significant differences in the distribution of phlegm,blood stasis,spleen and Yang hyperactivity syndrome elements.The proportion of these four syndrome elements in the neovascularization group was significantly higher than that in the nonneovascularization group(P<0.01);?There was significant difference in plaque thickness between the two groups(P<0.01).The thicker the plaque,the higher the detection rate of neovascularization;?the HDL level in the nonneovascularization group was higher than that in the neovascularization group,the HCY level in the neovascularization group was higher than that in the nonneovascularization,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);There was no statistic difference in PT?FIB?D-D?TM and other thrombosis risk detection between the two groups(P>0.05).4.Comparison between plaque characteristics and syndrome elements:?There was a positive correlation between grade of neovascularization and grade of qi deficiency degree(P<0.05).But there was no correlation between plaque thickness and the degree of qi deficiency(P>0.05),and there was no statistical difference in the degree of qi deficiency between the low-echo plaque group and the mixed echo plaque group,as well as the obvious carotid artery stenosis group and the non-obvious carotid artery stenosis group(P>0.05).?There was significant difference in plaque thickness between blood stasis syndrome and non-blood stasis syndrome(P<0.01).The plaque thickness in blood stasis syndrome was greater than that in non-blood stasis syndrome.There was no statistical difference in the distribution of all the syndromes between the low-echo plaque group and the mixed echo plaque group(P>0.05),and there was no statistical difference in the distribution of all the syndromes between the obvious carotid artery stenosis group and the non-obvious carotid artery stenosis group(P>0.05).Conclusion:There is a correlation between carotid plaque neovascularization and Qi deficiency syndrome.The loss of transformation resulting from Qi deficiency,the interaction of phlegm and blood stasis may be the important pathogenesis of neovascularization.Clinically,it may be possible to intervene the neovascularization of plaque based on the method of invigorating qi and activating blood circulation.