Ultrasound detection of increased carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque in an office practice setting: does it affect physician behavior or patient motivation?

[Ultrasound examination of the carotid artery for improved prediction of cardiovascular events and the effect of statin treatment in advanced atherosclerosis : An observational study]

BACKGROUND

Advanced atherosclerosis of the carotid artery is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular diseases. It was investigated whether ultrasound provides a better prediction of cardiovascular events compared to the prospective cardiovascular Münster study (PROCAM) score and whether treatment of subjects with advanced atherosclerosis with statins improves the prognosis.

METHOD

Between 2009 and 2016 a total of 4482 subjects (41% women) aged 35-65 years with no signs of cardiovascular disease underwent carotid artery ultrasound examination. Total plaque area (TPA) and maximum plaque thickness were measured. The PROCAM score was used to determine the cardiovascular risk.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 77 months (6.4 years) for the men and 74 months (6.2 years) for the women. Events, such as myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), occurred in 131 (3.4%) of the 3833 subjects with complete follow-up data. The prediction of cardiovascular events was better with ultrasound than with the PROCAM score. Ultrasound predicted 79.4% of 131 events and the PROCAM score predicted 22.9%. Treatment of subjects with advanced atherosclerosis (types III, IV b) with a statin significantly improved the prognosis. The event rate was 12.6% in men and women in the treated group vs. 31.5% (p < 0.0001) in the untreated group. Mortality (from any cause) was significantly lower in men treated with statins (p = 0.0148).

CONCLUSION

The prediction of cardiovascular events was better with plaque burden measurements than with the PROCAM score. Treatment with statins in subjects with advanced carotid atherosclerosis (types III-IV b findings on ultrasound) significantly improved the prognosis in a nonrandomized observational study.

Controlling Hypertension through Education and Coaching in Kidney Disease (CHECK-D): protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 30 million Americans. Early management focused on blood pressure (BP) control decreases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Less than 40% of patients with CKD achieve recommended BP targets due to many barriers. These barriers include a lack of understanding of the implications of their diagnosis and how to optimise their health.This cluster randomised control trial hypothesises that the combination of early primary care CKD education, and motivational interviewing (MI)-based health coach support, will improve patient behaviours aligned with BP control by increasing patient knowledge, self-efficacy and motivation. The results will aid in sustainable interventions for future patient-centric education and coaching support to improve quality and outcomes in patients with CKD stages 3-5. Outcomes in patients with CKD stages 3-5 receiving the intervention will be compared with similar patients within a control group. Continuous quality improvement (CQI) and systems methodologies will be used to optimise resource neutrality and leverage existing technology to support implementation and future dissemination. The innovative approach of this research focuses on the importance of a multidisciplinary team, including off-site patient coaching, that can intervene early in the CKD care continuum by supporting patients with education and coaching.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will test impact of BP control when clinician-delivered education is followed by 12 months of MI-based health coaching. We will compare outcomes in 350 patients with CKD stages 3-5 between intervention and control groups in primary care. CQI and systems methodologies will optimise education and coaching for future implementation and dissemination.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study was approved by the University of Michigan Institutional Review Boards (IRBMED) HUM00136011, HUM00150672 and SITE00000092 and the results of the study will be published on ClinicalTrials.gov, in peer-reviewed journals, as well as conference abstracts, posters and presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04087798.

Assessment of atherosclerosis: should coronary calcium score and intima-media thickness be replaced by ultrasound measurement of carotid plaque burden and vessel wall volume?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To describe the uses of vessel wall volume (VWV) and measurement of carotid plaque burden, as total plaque area (TPA) and total plaque volume (TPV), and to contrast them with measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and coronary calcium (CAC).

RECENT FINDINGS

Measurement of carotid plaque burden (CPB) is useful for risk stratification, research into the genetics and biology of atherosclerosis, for measuring effects of new therapies for atherosclerosis, and for treatment of high-risk patients with severe atherosclerosis. It is as predictive of risk as CAC, with important advantages. IMT is only a weak predictor of risk and changes so little over time that it is not useful for assessing effects of therapy.

SUMMARY

Measurement of CPB and VWV are far superior to measurement of carotid IMT in many ways, and should replace it. Vessel wall volume can be measured in persons with no plaque as an alternative to IMT. There are important advantages of CPB over coronary calcium; CPB should be more widely used in vascular prevention.

Impact of vascular screening interventions on perceived threat, efficacy beliefs and behavioural intentions: a systematic narrative review

Health-related behaviours contribute to the global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiovascular imaging can be used to screen asymptomatic individuals for increased risk of CVD to enable earlier interventions to promote health-related behaviours to prevent or reduce CVD risk. Some theories of behaviour and behaviour change assume that engagement in a given behaviour is a function of individual threat appraisals, beliefs regarding the performance of behaviour, self-efficacy for performing the desired behaviour and/or dispositions to act (e.g. behavioural intentions). To date, little is known about the impact of cardiovascular imaging interventions on these constructs. This article summarises evidence related to perceived threat, efficacy beliefs, and behavioural intentions after CVD screening. We identified 10 studies (2 RCTs and 8 non-randomised studies, n = 2498) through a combination of screening citations from published systematic reviews and meta-analyses and searching electronic databases. Of these, 7 measured behavioural intentions and perceived susceptibility and 3 measured efficacy beliefs. Findings showed largely encouraging effects of screening interventions on bolstering self-efficacy beliefs and strengthening behavioural intentions. Imaging results that suggest the presence of coronary or carotid artery disease also increased perceived susceptibility to CVD. However, the review also identified some gaps in the literature, such as a lack of guiding theoretical frameworks and assessments of critical determinants of health-related behaviours. By carefully considering the key issues highlighted in this review, we can make significant strides towards reducing CVD risks and improving population health.

Why do guidelines recommend screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms, but not for asymptomatic carotid stenosis? A plea for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines do not recommend screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (AsxCS). The rationale behind this recommendation is that detection of AsxCS may lead to an unnecessary carotid intervention. In contrast, screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms is strongly recommended.

METHODS

A critical analysis of the literature was performed to evaluate the implications of detecting AsxCS.

RESULTS

Patients with AsxCS are at high risk for future stroke, myocardial infarction and vascular death. Population-wide screening for AsxCS should not be recommended. Additionally, screening of high-risk individuals for AsxCS with the purpose of identifying candidates for a carotid intervention is inappropriate. Instead, selective screening for AsxCS should be considered and should be viewed as an opportunity to identify individuals at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and future cardiovascular events for the timely initiation of intensive medical therapy and risk factor modification.

CONCLUSIONS

Although mass screening should not be recommended, there are several arguments suggesting that selective screening for AsxCS should be considered. The rationale supporting such selective screening is to optimize risk factor control and to initiate intensive medical therapy for prevention of future cardiovascular events, rather than to identify candidates for an intervention.

Psychological distress and quality of life in asymptomatic adults following provision of imaging results for prevention of cardiovascular disease events: a scoping review

AIMS

Psychological distress and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may occur after screening for disease. Reporting outcomes related to potential benefits and harms of screening is a key recommendation in the guidelines for reporting high-quality trials or interventions. However, no reviews have directly investigated outcomes related to psychological distress and/or changes in HRQoL following imaging assessment of cardiovascular risk and communication of cardiovascular findings to asymptomatic adults. A scoping review was conducted to map research on psychological distress and/or HRQoL following screening.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Six electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Social Work Abstracts, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, CINAHL, and EMBASE) were searched for articles that assessed psychological distress and/or HRQoL following screening. Two investigators independently screened titles and abstracts for all records retrieved using predefined criteria. Studies were conducted among active smokers, military personnel, athletes, post-menopausal women, and high-risk individuals. Seven constructs related to psychological distress and HRQoL appeared across 11 articles (randomized controlled trials, n = 4 and non-randomized studies, n = 7). Worry, depression, perceived stress, anxiety, and quality of life were most prominent. Multiple-item measures of psychological distress (e.g. Taylor Anxiety Score and Beck Depression Inventory) were used in 5/9 (56%) studies. Key findings on psychological distress and/or changes in HRQoL following screening were mixed.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support the need for multiple-item measures with better psychometric properties to examine the psychological responses to screening results in future studies. Strategies to support individuals during and following vascular screening to maximise potential benefits of screening and minimize harms are discussed.

The Unstable Carotid Plaque

Carotid revascularization is performed to prevent cerebrovascular events in patients with symptomatic (>50%) and asymptomatic high degree (>70%) carotid stenosis. As this operation carries significant risks for perioperative stroke, careful selection of patients who will benefit from the procedure is essential. Certain plaque characteristics, including texture, are associated with increased tendency for rupture and can be used to identify high-risk patients. Medical therapy, carotid endarterectomy, and carotid stenting are the mainstays for patient management. With careful selection of patients, all anesthesia techniques (general anesthesia, monitored anesthesia care, and regional anesthesia) can be used safely for these revascularization procedures.

Cardiovascular risk communication strategies in primary prevention. A systematic review with narrative synthesis

AIM

To evaluate the effectiveness of cardiovascular risk communication strategies to improve understanding and promote risk factor modification.

DESIGN

Systematic review with narrative synthesis.

DATA SOURCES

A comprehensive database search for quantitative and qualitative studies was conducted in five databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), EMBASE, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) and Web of Science. The searches were conducted between 1980 and July 2019.

REVIEW METHODS

The systematic review was conducted in accordance with Cochrane review methods. Data were extracted and a narrative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative results was undertaken.

RESULTS

The abstracts of 16,613 articles were assessed and 210 underwent in-depth review, with 31 fulfilling the inclusion criteria. We observed significant heterogeneity across study designs and outcomes. Nine communication strategies were identified including numerical formats, graphical formats, qualitative information, infographics, avatars, game interactions, timeframes, genetic risk scores and cardiovascular imaging. Strategies that used cardiovascular imaging had the biggest impact on health behaviour change and risk factor modification. Improvements were seen in diet, exercise, smoking, risk scores, cholesterol and intentions to take preventive medication.

CONCLUSION

A wide range of cardiovascular risk communication strategies has been evaluated, with those that employ personalized and visual evidence of current cardiovascular health status more likely to promote action to reduce risk.

IMPACT

Future risk communication strategies should incorporate methods to provide individuals with evidence of their current cardiovascular health status.

Risk factors for carotid plaque progression after optimising the risk factor treatment: substudy results of the Atherosclerotic Plaque Characteristics Associated with a Progression Rate of the Plaque and a Risk of Stroke in Patients with the carotid Bifurcation Plaque Study (ANTIQUE)

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Carotid plaque progression contributes to increasing stroke risk. The study aims to identify factors influencing carotid plaque thickness progression after changing the preventive treatment to the 'treating arteries instead of risk factors' strategy, that is, change in treatment depending on the progression of atherosclerosis.

METHODS

The study participants who completed sonographic controls over the course of 3 years were enrolled to the analysis. Duplex sonography of cervical arteries was performed in 6-month intervals with measurement of carotid plaque thickness. Plaque thickness measurement error (σ) was set as 3 SD. Only evidently stable and progressive plaques (defined as plaque thickness difference between initial and final measurements of ˂σ and >2σ, respectively) were included to analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing plaque progression.

RESULTS

A total of 1391 patients (466 males, age 67.2±9.2 years) were enrolled in the study. Progressive plaque in at least one carotid artery was detected in 255 (18.3%) patients. Older age, male sex, greater plaque thickness, coronary heart disease, vascular surgery/stenting history and smoking were more frequently present in patients with progressive plaque (p˂0.05 in all cases). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified only the plaque thickness (OR 1.850 for left side, 95% CI 1.398 to 2.449; and OR 1.376 for right side, 95% CI 1.070 to 1.770) as an independent factor influencing plaque progression.

CONCLUSION

Carotid plaque thickness corresponding to stenosis severity is the only independent risk factor for plaque thickness progression after optimising the prevention treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02360137.

Effect of Statin Treatment in Patients With Advanced Carotid Atherosclerosis: An Observational Outcome Study

Background

Advanced atherosclerosis of the carotid artery is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the study was to investigate whether treatment with statins improved the prognosis.

Methods

Sum of all plaque areas (total plaque area (TPA)) and the maximum plaque thickness were determined in healthy subjects using ultrasound. We compared the outcome in subjects with advanced atherosclerosis of the carotid artery (type III-IV b finding) with and without statin treatment. The follow-up was recorded during follow-up examinations as part of preventive occupational health examinations or by personal communication.

Results

In 7,106 subjects aged 35 - 65 years (50 ± 8 years, 43% women), we found 669 subjects with advanced atherosclerosis of the carotid artery (type III-IV b finding). A follow-up was available for 640 (95.4%) subjects. In these subjects (54 ± 8 years, 20.4% women), 94 (88 men) had cardiovascular events (35 myocardial infarctions, 13 bypass operations, 32 stent implantations, and 14 strokes) with a mean follow-up time of 3.9 (1 - 12) years. Two hundred sixty subjects were treated with a statin, while 339 received no statin. Fourteen cardiovascular events occurred in the treated group (eight stent implantations, two heart attacks, two bypass operations, and two strokes). In the untreated group, 80 cardiovascular events occurred (12 strokes, 11 bypass operations, 33 heart attacks, and 24 stent implantations). The event rate was 5.4% for the subjects treated with a statin and 23.6% for the untreated subjects. Both groups were well matched for the baseline presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusion

Statin treatment in subjects with advanced atherosclerosis of the carotid artery (type III-IV b finding on ultrasound) significantly improves the prognosis in a non-randomized observational cohort study.

Scoring model to predict risk of chronic kidney disease in Chinese health screening examinees with type 2 diabetes

PURPOSE

As health screening continues to increase in China, there is an opportunity to integrate a large number of demographic as well as subjective and objective clinical data into risk prediction modeling. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a prediction model for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Chinese health screening examinees with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study consisting of 2051 Chinese T2DM patients between 35 and 78 years old who were enrolled in the XY3CKD Follow-up Program between 2009 and 2010. All participants were randomly assigned into a derivation set or a validation set at a 2:1 ratio. Cox proportional hazards regression model was selected for the analysis of risk factors for the development of the proposed risk model of CKD. We established a prediction model with a scoring system following the steps proposed by the Framingham Heart Study.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 8.52 years, with a total of 315 (23.20%) and 189 (27.27%) incident CKD cases in the derivation set and validation set, respectively. We identified the following risk factors: age, gender, body mass index, duration of type 2 diabetes, variation of fasting blood glucose, stroke, and hypertension. The points were summed to obtain individual scores (from 0 to 15). The areas under the curve of 3-, 5- and 10-year CKD risks were 0.843, 0.799 and 0.780 in the derivation set and 0.871, 0.803 and 0.785 in the validation set, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed scoring system is a promising tool for further application of assisting Chinese medical staff for early prevention of T2DM complications among health screening examinees.

The beneficial effect over 3 years by pictorial information to patients and their physician about subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk: Results from the VIPVIZA randomized clinical trial

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VIPVIZA is a pragmatic randomized controlled trial performed within the regular primary health care and targeting both individuals and physicians.

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Beneficial effects on risk for cardiovascular disease regardless of sex and education level 3 years after providing pictorial information of subclinical atherosclerosis in addition to regular preventive information.

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The results indicate that the intervention effect is a combined effect of pharmacological treatment and lifestyle modification.

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The intervention effect was observed in the intermediate risk group, the group where most CVD events occur and in which sufficient prevention is often overlooked.

Objective

Non-adherence to guidelines and preventive measures is a major challenge, particularly so to obtain long-term adherence to lifestyle changes and recommended medication. The objective was to investigate if pictorial information regarding subclinical carotid atherosclerosis provided to individuals and physicians gave sustained effects on cardiovascular risk beyond the previously reported effect after 1 year and up to 3 years.

Methods

A Prospective Randomized Open Blinded End-point (PROBE) trial. Within a CVD prevention program in Västerbotten County, Sweden, 3532 healthy individuals aged 40, 50 or 60 years were enrolled and 1:1 randomized to intervention (n = 1749; pictorial information with additional prevention materials to participants and physicians) or control group (n = 1783; no pictorial information to participants and physicians). Preventive measures were managed within primary care. Participants were investigated at baseline during 2013–2016 and at follow-up after 1 and 3 years.

Results

A beneficial effect on cardiovascular risk was observed at 3-year follow-up; Framingham Risk Score (FRS) was 13.38 for the intervention group and 14.08 for the control group (p = 0.047) and SCORE was 1.69 vs. 1.82 (p = 0.022). The effect observed at 1-year was sustained over 3 years after adjustment for sex and education and more pronounced among participants with a severe atherosclerotic picture at baseline.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence of sustained beneficial effects on the adherence to prevention guidelines over 3 years of pictorial information about subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, resulting in lower cardiovascular risk regardless of sex and educational level. Direct visualization of the underlying still subclinical atherosclerotic disease, rather than just indirect information about risk factors and statistical risk of future myocardial infarction, stroke and death, is one way to tackle the problem of non-adherence to prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Prescription of Lipid-Lowering and Antihypertensive Drugs Following Pictorial Information About Subclinical Atherosclerosis: A Secondary Outcome of a Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Preventive drugs are often underused. Carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaques are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and their detection could possibly improve estimation of the likelihood of CVD and prescription of preventive drugs.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether pictorial information on participants' asymptomatic atherosclerosis based on carotid ultrasonographic examinations to participants and their physicians had an effect on prescribing of lipid-lowering or antihypertensive drugs during the following 465 days.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Visualization of Asymptomatic Atherosclerotic Disease for Optimum Cardiovascular Prevention is a pragmatic randomized clinical trial nested within the Västerbotten Intervention Program, a CVD screening and prevention program in Sweden with 60% to 70% participation rates and small social selection bias. A total of 4177 individuals aged 40, 50, or 60 years participating in the Västerbotten Intervention Program who had low to moderate risk of CVD were invited to enroll in this trial from April 29, 2013, to June 7, 2016. Prescriptions for all participants were monitored for 465 days after the intervention. Data analysis was conducted from December 6, 2019, to April 2, 2020.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants and their family physicians were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive or not receive pictorial information from carotid ultrasonographic determination of vascular age, assessed as carotid intima-media thickness and the presence of carotid plaques, combined with a follow-up call to participants by nurses.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Two outcome measures of prescriptions of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs within 465 days after ultrasonography was performed. Data obtained through intention-to-treat analysis are presented as proportions of individuals with a prescription among those who had no baseline prescription for agents from these drug classes.

RESULTS

Of the 4177 individuals invited to enroll, 3532 participants were randomized and included in the analysis; 1870 (52.9%) were women, 2278 (64.5%) were aged 60 years, 978 (27.7%) were 50 years, and 276 (7.8%) were 40 years. First prescriptions of lipid-lowering drugs were higher in the intervention group vs the control group among men (118 of 639 [18.5%] vs 38 of 692 [5.5%]; P < .001) and women (126 of 804 [15.5%] vs 38 of 817 [4.7%]; P < .001). There were no significant differences in the proportion with prescription of antihypertensive drugs in the intervention vs control groups after ultrasonography among men (58 of 482 [12.0%] vs 56 of 528 [10.6%]; P = .47) and women (60 of 612 [9.8%] vs 64 of 615 [10.4%]; P = .73).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings of this trial demonstrate that provision of pictorial information on vascular age and carotid plaques based on the results of ultrasonographic examination increased physician prescription of lipid-lowering drugs but not antihypertensive drugs within the following 465 days.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01849575.

Measurement of carotid plaque burden: A tool for predicting and preventing dementia?

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Strokes markedly increase the risk of dementia from Alzheimer disease, and preventing strokes reduces the risk of dementia. Delaying dementia by 5 years nearly halves the incidence of dementia, because old patients often die before dementia is expressed.

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Carotid plaque burden is a strong predictor of the risk of stroke, and measurement of plaque burden has also been used to treat atherosclerosis. In high-risk patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis, doing so was associated with a >80% reduction of the 2-year risk of stroke and myocardial infarction compared to usual therapy.

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We found that high plaque burden was significantly associated with impairment of cognitive function.

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We suggest that measurement of carotid plaque burden may be a powerful tool not only for predicting risk of dementia, but also for preventing dementia.

Introduction

Carotid plaque burden is a strong predictor of stroke risk, and preventing stroke reduces the risk of dementia. Treating carotid plaque burden markedly reduces the risk of stroke.

Methods

Among patients age 65–80 years attending a stroke prevention clinic, we identified those with a carotid plaque burden in the top 20% of Total Plaque Area (High TPA) and the bottom 20% (Low TPA) and performed cognitive tests: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment test (MoCA), the WAIS-III Digit Symbol-Coding Test (DSST) and Trail-Making Test (TMT) part A and B.

Results

There were 31 patients recruited; 11 Low TPA (5 men) and 20 High TPA (17 men), p = 0.04. TPA was 35 ± 25 mm² in the Low TPA vs.392 ± 169 mm² in the High TPA group (0.0001). Patients with a high plaque burden had significantly worse performance on all the cognitive tests, all p< 0.05

Discussion

A high carotid plaque burden identifies patients at risk of cognitive impairment. Because carotid plaque burden is treatable, and treating it markedly reduces the risk of stroke, we suggest that measurement of plaque burden is a useful tool for both prediction of cognitive impairment, and prevention of dementia.

Management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis

Patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) are at very high risk of coronary events, so they should all receive intensive medical therapy. What is often accepted as “best medical therapy” is usually suboptimal. Truly intensive medical therapy includes lifestyle modification, particularly smoking cessation and a Mediterranean diet. All patients with ACS should receive intensive lipid-lowering therapy, should have their blood pressure well controlled, and should receive B vitamins for lowering of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) if levels are high; a commonly missed cause of elevated tHcy is metabolic B12 deficiency, which should be diagnosed and treated. Most patients with ACS would be better treated with intensive medical therapy than with either carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or stenting (CAS). A process called “treating arteries instead of treating risk factors” markedly reduced the risk of ACS in an observational study; a randomized trial vs. usual care should be carried out. The few patients with ACS who could benefit (~15%, or perhaps more if recent evidence regarding the risk of intraplaque hemorrhage is borne out) can be identified by a number of features. These include microemboli on transcranial Doppler, intraplaque hemorrhage, reduced cerebrovascular reserve, and echolucency of plaques, particularly “juxtaluminal black plaque”. No patient should be subjected to CAS or CEA without evidence of high-risk features, because in most cases the 1-year risk of stroke or death with intervention is higher with either CEA (~2%) or CAS (~4%) than with intensive medical therapy (~0.5%). Most patients, particularly the elderly, would be better treated with CEA than CAS. Most strokes can be prevented in patients with ACS, but truly intensive medical therapy is required.

A typology of clinical conditions

In the philosophy of medicine, great attention has been paid to defining disease, yet less attention has been paid to the classification of clinical conditions. These include conditions that look like diseases but are not; conditions that are diseases but that (currently) have no diagnostic criteria; and other types, including those relating to risk for disease. I present a typology of clinical conditions by examining factors important for characterizing clinical conditions. By attending to the types of clinical conditions possible on the basis of these key factors (symptomaticity, dysfunction, and the meeting of diagnostic criteria), I draw attention to how diseases and other clinical conditions as currently classified can be better categorized, highlighting the issues pertaining to certain typology categories. Through detailed analysis of a wide variety of clinical examples, including Alzheimer disease as a test case, I show how nosology, research, and decisions about diagnostic criteria should include normative as well as naturalistically describable factors.

Rationale for screening selected patients for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Approximately 15% of all first-ever strokes occur due to atheroembolism from a previously undetected/untreated asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS). Despite that, international guidelines do not recommend screening for ACS. The rationale for not recommending screening include: (a) the harm associated with screening, (b) the questionable clinical benefit associated with surgery, (c) the lack of proven reduction in the risk of stroke, (d) the large number of false positive/false negative tests, and (e) the cost-effectiveness of such screening programs. A critical analysis of each of these arguments is presented. Patients with ACS have a very high risk of all-cause and cardiac mortality. Detection of ACS should not be viewed as an indication for surgery, but rather as an opportunity to implement best medical treatment (BMT) and lifestyle changes to prevent not only strokes, but also cardiac events. The implementation of screening programs for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has led to a considerable reduction in the number of ruptured AAAs and AAA-related deaths. Similarly, screening high-risk individuals for ACS would enable timely identification of patients with ACS and implementation of BMT and lifestyle measures to prevent future strokes and cardiac events.

Choosing the right therapy for a patient with asymptomatic carotid stenosis

Introduction: Most patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) now have a lower risk with intensive medical therapy than with stenting (CAS) or endarterectomy (CEA); the annual risk of stroke or death with intensive medical therapy is ~ 0.5%, vs. a periprocedural risk with CAS of ~ 2.5-4.1% with CAS, and ~ 1.4-1.8% with CEA. The excess risk of CAS is greater in older patients.Areas covered: Discussed are the need for intensive medical therapy, the nature of intensive medical therapy, approaches to identifying the few patients with ACS who could benefit from CEA or CAS, and which patients would be better suited to CEA vs. CAS.Expert opinion: All patients with ACS are at high risk of cardiovascular events, soshould receive intensive medical therapy including lifestyle modification, intensive lipid-lowering, B vitamins to lower homocysteine (using methylcobalamin rather than cyanocobalamin), and appropriate antithrombotic therapy. High-risk patients who could benefit from intervention can be identified by clinical and imaging features including transcranial Doppler embolus detection, ulceration, intraplaque hemorrhage, reduced cerebrovascular reserve, plaque echolucency, silent infarction on brain imaging, and progression of stenosis. Most patients whose risk of stroke warrants intervention would be better treated with CEA than with CAS.

How to identify which patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis could benefit from endarterectomy or stenting

Offering routine carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) to patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACS) is no longer considered as the optimal management of these patients. Equally suboptimal, however, is the policy of offering only best medical treatment (BMT) to all patients with ACS and not considering any of them for prophylactic CEA. In the last few years, there have been many studies aiming to identify reliable predictors of future cerebrovascular events that would allow the identification of patients with high-risk ACS and offer a prophylactic carotid intervention only to these patients to prevent them from becoming symptomatic. All patients with ACS should receive BMT. The present article will summarise the evidence suggesting ways to identify these high-risk asymptomatic individuals, namely: (1) microemboli detection on transcranial Doppler, (2) plaque echolucency on Duplex ultrasound, (3) progression in the severity of ACS, (4) silent embolic infarcts on brain CT/MRI, (5) reduced cerebrovascular reserve, (6) increased size of juxtaluminal hypoechoic area, (7) identification of intraplaque haemorrhage using MRI and (8) carotid ulceration. The evidence suggests that approximately 10%-15% of patents with asymptomatic stenosis might benefit from intervention; this will become more clear after publication of ongoing studies comparing stenting or endarterectomy with best medical therapy. In the meantime, no patient should be offered intervention unless there is evidence of high risk of ipsilateral stroke, from modalities such as those discussed here.

The effects of patient education on patient safety: can we change patient perceptions and attitudes?: Lessons from the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Korea

Objective

Strategies to promote patient involvement in medical error prevention have been implemented, but little is known about the effects of education on changes in perceptions and attitudes about patients' own safety.

Design

We administered a survey to military personnel admitted to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital. Responses were classified according to perception and attitude.

Setting

Single military hospital in Korea.

Participants

A total of 483 completed surveys were included in our study; 252 of the respondents received safety education at admission.

Methods

We provided educational program material to one-half of the patients at admission (intervention group). The other one-half of patients received no safety education (non-intervention group). We then performed two rounds of a self-administered survey, based on whether the patient received patient safety education. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to determine scale score reliability. Regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between education and change in scores.

Results

Scores for perception and attitude were greater in the intervention group. The results of the regression analysis revealed that compared with the non-intervention respondents, the respondents who received education had higher perception (estimate: 7.809, P < 0.0001) and attitude scores (estimate: 5.539, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Our study results suggested that patient education was associated with higher scores in both perception and attitudes about safety. To improve patient engagement in this area, efficient methods that encourage patient empowerment should be developed. Specialized health care providers who provide patient level education are needed to achieve a satisfactory patient safety climate.

[TIMMA: Ultrasonographic scale of carotid atherosclerosis by vascular neurologists]

BACKGROUND

Carotid atherosclerosis is a powerful predictive factor of vascular risk at the individual patient level. Ultrasonography is a reference technique for the evaluation of this condition. However, its use in common practice remains difficult due to a lack of standardization and inter-operator variability. We present a new and simple technique for the assessment of carotid atherosclerosis; and evaluate the ability of vascular neurologists to obtain results consistent with those of an expert in vascular ultrasound.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The TIMMA scale is an acronym for the five classes of carotid atherosclerosis in French, VIMMA in English: very important, important, moderate, minimal and absent. Combined, the first two classes make up the group "significant atheroma" and the last three classes make up the group "no significant atheroma". This scale was evaluated in 38 patients (76 carotid arteries) suffering from ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack by five operators who are competent in carotid echocardiography: one TIMMA-trained (40 hours of training) vascular neurologist physician (VNP), three VNPs informed on the measurement method (1 hour of information) and one specialized vascular physician (SVP) who was considered to be the reference examiner. We evaluated the concordance between the VNPs and the SVP in classifying patients, firstly into the significant or not atheroma group and, secondly, into the five TIMMA classes.

RESULTS

The evaluation of the two-group clustering scale found a concordance between the informed VNPs and the SVP on 76 carotid arteries of 86% (kappa=0.7) and between the trained VNP and the SVP on 58 carotid arteries of 90% (kappa=0.8). The positive and negative predictive values for significant atheroma diagnosis were 100% and 81%, respectively, for the informed VNPs, and 100% and 80% for the trained VNP. The evaluation of the Five-Class Scale showed a concordance between the informed VNPs and the SVP of 46% (kappa=0.3), and between the trained VNP and the SVP of 74% (kappa=0.7).

CONCLUSION

TIMMA allows VNPs who are competent in carotid ultrasonography to reproducibly identify subjects with significant carotid atheroma. The contribution of this scale to the determination of cardiovascular risk should be evaluated.

Definition of Best Medical Treatment in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis

Implementation of best medical treatment (BMT) is the cornerstone of the management of patients with either asymptomatic or symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. We review the literature to define the components of BMT. Smoking cessation, maintaining a healthy body weight, moderate exercise, and a Mediterranean diet are essential lifestyle measures. Moderate alcohol consumption may also be beneficial but recommending it to patients may be hazardous if they consume too much. The importance of lifestyle measures is largely underestimated by both physicians and patients. Blood pressure and diabetes control, antiplatelet agents, and lipid-lowering treatment with statins/ezetimibe comprise the pharmacological components of BMT. Initiation of an intensive regimen of BMT is a sine qua non for patients with carotid artery stenosis whether or not they are offered or undergo an invasive revascularization procedure.

Carotid intima-media thickness and plaque in cardiovascular risk assessment

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has been shown to predict cardiovascular (CV) risk in multiple large studies. Careful evaluation of CIMT studies reveals discrepancies in the comprehensiveness with which CIMT is assessed-the number of carotid segments evaluated (common carotid artery [CCA], internal carotid artery [ICA], or the carotid bulb), the type of measurements made (mean or maximum of single measurements, mean of the mean, or mean of the maximum for multiple measurements), the number of imaging angles used, whether plaques were included in the intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement, the report of adjusted or unadjusted models, risk association versus risk prediction, and the arbitrary cutoff points for CIMT and for plaque to predict risk. Measuring the far wall of the CCA was shown to be the least variable method for assessing IMT. However, meta-analyses suggest that CCA-IMT alone only minimally improves predictive power beyond traditional risk factors, whereas inclusion of the carotid bulb and ICA-IMT improves prediction of both cardiac risk and stroke risk. Carotid plaque appears to be a more powerful predictor of CV risk compared with CIMT alone. Quantitative measures of plaques such as plaque number, plaque thickness, plaque area, and 3-dimensional assessment of plaque volume appear to be progressively more sensitive in predicting CV risk than mere assessment of plaque presence. Limited data show that plaque characteristics including plaque vascularity may improve CV disease risk stratification further. IMT measurement at the CCA, carotid bulb, and ICA that allows inclusion of plaque in the IMT measurement or CCA-IMT measurement along with plaque assessment in all carotid segments is emerging as the focus of carotid artery ultrasound imaging for CV risk prediction.

Carotid intima–media thickness and the prediction of vascular events

Carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) has received interest as a predictor of cardiovascular events in recent years. Use of cIMT in a clinical setting is limited by the variability in measurement and the lack of evidence for its use in clinical risk prediction. This review examines the major studies that have assessed the relationship between cIMT and cardiovascular event risk and discusses the current role of IMT in cardiovascular risk prediction.

Atherosclerosis screening by noninvasive imaging for cardiovascular prevention: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Noninvasive imaging of atherosclerosis is being increasingly used in clinical practice, with some experts recommending to screen all healthy adults for atherosclerosis and some jurisdictions mandating insurance coverage for atherosclerosis screening. Data on the impact of such screening have not been systematically synthesized.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to assess whether atherosclerosis screening improves cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and clinical outcomes.

DESIGN

This study is a systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

We searched MEDLINE and the Cochrane Clinical Trial Register without language restrictions.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We included studies examining the impact of atherosclerosis screening with noninvasive imaging (e.g., carotid ultrasound, coronary calcification) on CVRF, cardiovascular events, or mortality in adults without cardiovascular disease.

RESULTS

We identified four randomized controlled trials (RCT, n=709) and eight non-randomized studies comparing participants with evidence of atherosclerosis on screening to those without (n=2,994). In RCTs, atherosclerosis screening did not improve CVRF, but smoking cessation rates increased (18% vs. 6%, p=0.03) in one RCT. Non-randomized studies found improvements in several intermediate outcomes, such as increased motivation to change lifestyle and increased perception of cardiovascular risk. However, such data were conflicting and limited by the lack of a randomized control group. No studies examined the impact of screening on cardiovascular events or mortality. Heterogeneity in screening methods and studied outcomes did not permit pooling of results.

CONCLUSION

Available evidence about atherosclerosis screening is limited, with mixed results on CVRF control, increased smoking cessation in one RCT, and no data on cardiovascular events. Such screening should be validated by large clinical trials before widespread use.

Effects of an office-based carotid ultrasound screening intervention

BACKGROUND

Carotid ultrasound screening (CUS) has been recommended for cardiovascular disease risk prediction, but its effectiveness in clinical practice is unknown. The purpose of this study was to prospectively determine the effects of office-based CUS on physician decision making and patient health-related behaviors.

METHODS

Physicians from five nonacademic, community practices recruited patients aged ≥40 years with ≥1 cardiovascular disease risk factor. Abnormal results on CUS (AbnlCUS) were defined as carotid intima-media thickness >75th percentile or carotid plaque presence. Subjects completed questionnaires before and immediately after CUS and then 30 days later to determine self-reported behavioral changes. Odds ratios (ORs) for changes in physician management and patient health-related behaviors were determined from multivariate hierarchical logistic regression models.

RESULTS

There were 355 subjects (mean age, 53.6 ± 7.9 years; mean number of risk factors, 2.3 ± 0.9; 58% women); 266 (74.9%) had AbnlCUS. The presence of AbnlCUS altered physicians' prescription of aspirin (P < .001) and cholesterol medications (P < .001). Immediately after CUS, subjects reported increased ability to change health-related behaviors (P = .002), regardless of their test results. Subjects with AbnlCUS reported increased cardiovascular disease risk perception (OR, 4.14; P < .001) and intentions to exercise (OR, 2.28; P = .008), make dietary changes (OR, 2.95; P < .001), and quit smoking (OR, 4.98; P = .022). After 30 days, 34% increased exercise frequency and 37% reported weight loss, but these changes were not predicted by the CUS results. AbnlCUS modestly predicted reduced dietary sodium (OR, 1.45; P = .002) and increased fiber (OR, 1.55; P = .022) intake.

CONCLUSIONS

Finding abnormal results on CUS had major effects on physician but not patient behaviors.

Treating arteries instead of risk factors: a paradigm change in management of atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Until recently, atherosclerosis was thought to be inexorably progressive. Beginning in 2001 and implemented in our vascular prevention clinics by 2003, we have been treating arteries rather than risk factors. We studied the proportion of patients with plaque progression vs regression before and after this change in paradigm.

METHODS

Carotid total plaque area was measured by ultrasound at baseline and during follow-up. Before 2003, patients were treated according to consensus guidelines. After 2003, patients with plaque progression were treated more intensively, with the explicit goal of halting plaque progression or achieving regression.

RESULTS

Four thousand three-hundred seventy-eight patients had serial plaque measurements in a given year between 1997 and 2007; 47% were female. Mean age at time of referral was 60 (SD, 15); this increased steeply (from age 50 to 62 years over the first 5 years) as we focused on stroke prevention. The annual rate of plaque progression increased steeply as the clinic populations aged but then abruptly decreased after implementation of the new approach to therapy. Before 2003, approximately half the patients had plaque progression and approximately 25% had regression; by 2005, this had reversed. Changes in plasma lipids show that the differences were attributable to plaque measurement, not simply more intensive therapy for all patients. By 2007, patients with progression had lower levels of low-density lipoprotein than those with regression.

CONCLUSIONS

Treating arteries without measuring plaque would be like treating hypertension without measuring blood pressure. A clinical trial to test this approach is being designed.

Accuracy of carotid plaque detection and intima-media thickness measurement with ultrasonography in routine clinical practice

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines in cardiovascular disease prevention advocate the use of carotid ultrasound measurements for risk stratification. Carotid abnormalities (plaques or increased intima-media thickness (IMT)) are associated with high risk of coronary and peripheral artery disease. An office-based measurement by clinicians would considerably broaden the clinical applicability of carotid ultrasound. In the present study we have assessed the accuracy of ultrasound detection of carotid plaques and intima-media thickness by trained internists in a routine outpatient setting.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Carotid ultrasound was performed in 112 vascular outpatients by internists, after a six-week training period. The internists' results were independently compared to the reference standard, consisting of carotid ultrasound performed in a specialized vascular laboratory. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for plaque detection and IMT determination. The mean time required to perform the scans on the outpatient department was 7.3 min (range 4.5 to 16.7 min). A high level of accuracy for detecting plaques (sensitivity 78.5%; specificity 93.6%) was achieved. Identifying abnormal IMT had lower sensitivity but adequate specificity of 46.7% and 87.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that clinicians can be trained well enough in six weeks to accurately and efficiently detect carotid plaques in an outpatient setting. IMT abnormalities were less accurately detected in the office-based approach and may require a specialized vascular laboratory.

Carotid intima-media thickness for the practicing lipidologist

BACKGROUND

It is well known that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States and in many parts of the developed world. However, early detection of atherosclerosis remains a challenging area of research and development. Stress echo and myocardial perfusion studies were not designed to be screening tests and the majority of literature using these tests is in populations with a high probability of disease. It must be emphasized that negative stress echo and stress MPI tests only imply a lack of flow limiting disease; they do not indicate lack of atherosclerotic disease. It is important to remember that when these tests are "negative," the implication is favorable short-term prognosis rather than any implication regarding lack of disease. In contrast, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) scanning protocols can detect atherosclerotic disease in early and asymptomatic stages. For a number of reasons reviewed in this article, CIMT may be a more optimal screening and risk-stratifying technology: CIMT directly visualizes vasculature unlike biomarkers such as LDL cholesterol, hsCRP, or PLA2.

METHODS

We performed medline searches for original articles and reviews of carotid IMT from 1985 to the present. We particularly emphasized large multi-center epidemiologic studies of the natural history of patients with carotid IMT measurements.

CONCLUSION

There is substantial evidence that CIMT is a suitable surrogate for the coronary tree. CIMT is also (along with coronary calcium scoring) recognized by the American Heart Association as a surrogate marker for coronary artery disease. A recent commentary by Stein, et al reviewed the comparison of CIMT to coronary calcium scoring, with favorable findings for CIMT especially in the healthy young and middle-aged populations, as well as women and African American individuals where coronary calcification has more limited utility. Recent findings of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis indicate further that increased CIMT predicted CVD events in individuals without coronary calcification.