The clinical significance of carotid intima-media thickness in cardiovascular diseases: a survey in Beijing

Association between basal septal hypertrophy and left ventricular geometry in a community population

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular (LV) geometry is closely associated with cardiovascular disease; however, few studies have evaluated the relationship between basal septal hypertrophy (BSH) and LV geometry. In this study, we examined the relationship between BSH and LV geometry in a Beijing community population.

METHODS

The clinical and echocardiographic data of 1032 participants from a community in Beijing were analyzed. BSH was defined as a basal interventricular septal thickness ≥ 14 mm and a basal septal thickness/mid-septal thickness ≥ 1.3. On the basis of their echocardiographic characteristics, patients were described as having a normal geometry, concentric remodeling, concentric hypertrophy, or eccentric hypertrophy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between BSH, LV mass index (LVMI), and relative wall thickness (RWT).

RESULTS

The prevalence of BSH was 7.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.8-9.0%). Basal and middle interventricular septal thickness, LV posterior wall thickness, and RWT were greater, while LVMI and LV end-diastolic dimension were lower in the BSH group than in the non-BSH group (p < 0.05). The BSH group accounted for the highest proportion of patients with concentric remodeling. A multivariable regression analysis showed that BSH increased by 3.99-times (odds ratio [OR] 3.99, 95% CI 2.05-7.78, p < 0.01) when RWT was > 0.42, but not when LVMI increased (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.02-1.19, p = 0.07). There were no interactions between BSH and age, body mass index, sex, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, stroke, and smoking in relation to an RWT > 0.42.

CONCLUSION

BSH was independently associated with an RWT > 0.42.

Reduced left atrial contractile strain with speckle tracking analysis predicts abnormal plasma NTproBNP in an asymptomatic community population

BACKGROUND

The left atrium (LA) is closely related to left ventricular diastolic function. Two-dimensional speckle tracking strain and strain rate (SR) imaging has been applied in the study of LA function. We intended to explore the relationship between global LA deformation parameters and plasma NTproBNP levels in asymptomatic community residents with normal ejection fraction and normal LA volume.

METHODS

A cross-sectional sample of Beijing residents underwent comprehensive Doppler echocardiography and medical record review in 2009. Global LA longitudinal strain and SR indexes were obtained in the apical four-chamber view. LA stiffness index (LASI) was calculated as the ratio of early diastolic velocity of transmitral flow/early diastolic mitral annular motion velocity (E/E') to LA reservoir strain.

RESULTS

A total of 620 individuals (mean age = 65.8 years, left ventricular ejection fraction = 70.8%, LA volume index = 17.9 ml/m²) were investigated in our study. 117 individuals had increased plasma NTproBNP (≥ 125 pg/ml). LA reservoir and contractile function by LA strain and SR indexes were significantly reduced in the abnormal NTproBNP group compared with the normal NTproBNP group. Multiple regression analysis indicated that LA contractile strain was a negative predictor of plasma NTproBNP in addition to indexed LA volume and E/E'. LASI was higher in the abnormal NTproBNP group and was significantly correlated with NTproBNP (r = 0.342, P < 0.001). The area under ROC analysis for LASI in predicting elevated plasma NTproBNP was 0.690, similar with LA contractile strain, E/E' and LAVI. The cut-off value of LASI was 0.612.

CONCLUSIONS

LA reservoir and contractile functions demonstrated by LA strain and SR were significantly impaired in the community-based population with increased plasma NTproBNP levels. LA contractile strain adds incremental information in predicting abnormal NTproBNP levels. As a single index, LASI showed similar diagnostic value with LAVI and E/E' in predicting abnormal NTproBNP.

Association between hemoglobin A1c and asymptomatic carotid intima-media thickness in middle-aged and elderly populations without diabetes

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Carotid atherosclerosis, including carotid artery intima-media thickness, plaques, and stenosis, is an important risk factor for stroke. However, the association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was inconsistent. The aim of this study was to explore the association between HbA1c and the risk of increased cIMT among the Chinese population aged ≥40 years without diabetes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 3528 participants without diabetes from the China National Stroke Screen Survey program were enrolled in this study. cIMT was measured using duplex ultrasound examination. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between HbA1c level and the risk of increased cIMT. A total of 565 (16.0%) participants had increased cIMT. After adjustment for other potential confounding factors, higher levels of HbA1c increased the risk of increased cIMT compared with the lowest level, and the odds ratios for quartile 2, quartile 3, and quartile 4 were 1.58, 1.67, and 1.98, respectively. Age had an interaction impact on the association between HbA1c level and the risk of increased cIMT.

CONCLUSION

In this large-scale and cross-sectional study, high-normal HbA1c was associated with the risk of increased asymptomatic cIMT in a rural Chinese population without diabetes, especially in individuals aged <60 years.

Left atrial phasic function remodeling during its enlargement: a two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography study

BACKGROUND

Left atrial (LA) size is often used as a surrogate marker of LA function in clinical practice, with larger atrial thought to represent a "dysfunctioning" atrium, since there is no accepted 'gold' standard to evaluate LA function. The exact relationship between LA size and phasic function, and whether LA dysfunction occur before LA enlargement (LAE) may be of clinical interest while have not been fully studied. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D STE) was showed a promising method in measuring LA physical deformation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A community cohort of 715 subjects at cardiovascular disease high risk accepted comprehensive echocardiography. LA longitudinal phasic strain Sa (absolute peak strain during atrial contraction), Se (peak strain at early diastole) and Stot (total atrial strain = Sa + Se), representing contractile, conduit, and reservoir function respectively, were measured using off-line 2D STE software in apical 4 chamber view, and data were compared among groups at different LA size and between subgroups in normal LA size with and without hypertension (HT).

RESULTS

With LAE (from normal size, mild, moderate to severe LAE), the Stot (21.74 ± 5.97, 20.75 ± 4.99, 20.49 ± 5.27, 17.75 ± 4.71, respectively, ANOVA P = 0.003) and Sa (11.84 ± 3.92, 11.00 ± 3.29, 10.11 ± 2.57, 8.55 ± 2.88, respectively, ANOVA P < 0.001) reduced while Se had no change. Stot of Severe LAE group was significantly lower than that of Normal LA size group (P = 0.002). Sa of the three LAE groups were all significantly lower than that of Normal LA size group (P = 0.024, P = 0.002, P < 0.001, respectively). In normal sized LA subgroups, Stot (21.35 ± 5.91 vs. 23.01 ± 6.02, P = 0.008) and Se (9.51 ± 4.41 vs. 11.17 ± 4.89, P < 0.001) reduced in subjects with HT comparing with those without.

CONCLUSION

LA phasic function remodeling occurs before LAE and continues with LAE, with reservoir, conduit and contractile function being affected unparalleled.

Association of epicardial fat thickness with left ventricular diastolic function parameters in a community population

Background

We examined the relationship between epicardial fat thickness (EFT) measured by echocardiography and left ventricular diastolic function parameters in a Beijing community population.

Methods

We included 1004 participants in this study. Echocardiographic parameters including E and A peak velocity, the early diastolic velocities (e′) of the septal and lateral mitral annulus using tissue doppler imaging, E/e′, and EFT were measured. EFT1 was measured perpendicularly on the right ventricular free wall at end diastole in the extension line of the aortic root. EFT2 was the maximum thickness measured perpendicularly on the right ventricular free wall at end diastole. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between EFT and the mean e′ and E/e′.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 63.91 ± 9.02 years, and 51.4% were men. EFT1 and EFT2 were negatively correlated with lateral e′, septal e′, and mean e′ (p < 0.05), and the correlation coefficient for EFT1 and EFT2 and mean e′ was − 0.138 and − 0.180, respectively. EFT1 and EFT2 were positively correlated with lateral E/e′, septal E/e′, and mean E/e′ (p < 0.05), and the correlation coefficient for EFT1 and EFT2 and mean e′ was 0.100 and 0.090, respectively. Multivariable egression analysis showed that EFT2 was independently and negatively associated with e′ mean (β = − 0.078 [95% confidence interval = − 0.143, − 0.012, p = 0.020]). There were no interactions between EFT2 and any covariates, including age or heart groups, sex, BMI, or presence of hypertension, diabetes, or coronary heart disease, in relation to left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Conclusions

EFT2 was negatively and independently associated with e′ mean, which suggests that more attention to this type of adipose fat is required for cardiovascular disease therapy.

Relation between Blood Pressure Variability within a Single Visit and Stroke

Blood pressure variability (BPV) has been identified as an important risk factor for cardiovascular events. The white coat effect (WCE), which is measured as the first systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurement minus the mean of the second and third measurements, is a BPV indicator within a single visit. In total, 2,972 participants who had three measurements of BP within a single visit were included. The participants were divided into three groups based on their WCE percentiles: Group 1 (WCE_2.5-97.5, 2.5–97.5th percentiles of WCE), Group 2 (WCE_2.5, 0–2.4th percentiles of WCE), and Group 3 (WCE_97.5, 97.6–100th percentiles of WCE). A multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between WCE and stroke after adjusting for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Compared with the WCE_2.5-97.5 group, the OR for stroke in the WCE_2.5 group was 2.78 (95% CI: 1.22, 6.36, p=0.015). After adjusting for cardiovascular factors, OR increased to 3.12 (95% CI: 1.22, 7.96, p=0.017). The OR of WCE for stroke was 0.93 (95%CI: 0.87, 0.99, p=0.036). BPV within a single visit is associated with stroke. The value and direction of the change may be important as well.

Carotid artery intima-media thickness can predict the response of patients with erectile dysfunction to phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors

This study investigated the role of carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) as a morphological marker of the response of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) patients to tadalafil, one of the phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor (PDE5-I). Through March-December 2016, 51 men with vasculogenic ED aged over 30 years were enrolled in this prospective study. Vasculogenic ED was accepted as a normal testosterone level, with penile colour Doppler ultrasonography showing arteriogenic ED, venogenic ED or mixed arteriogenic and venogenic ED. All patients underwent biochemical and hormonal blood tests, ultrasonographic evaluation of the common carotid artery (CCA) IMT and penile colour Doppler ultrasonography. On-demand tadalafil (10 mg or 20 mg in cases of a non-response to 10 mg) was administered to each patient for 2 months. ED was assessed using the short form of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) before and after the drug therapy. According to the patients' responses to the medication, they were grouped as non-responders or responders. Thirty-one of the 51 patients responded to tadalafil. The mean CCA IMT of the non-responders and responders was 0.9 ± 0.2 mm and 0.6 ± 0.2 mm, respectively (P = 0.000). The IMT of 90% of the non-responders was >0.67 mm, whereas it was >0.67 mm in 40% of the responders. The data were analysed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Chi-square test, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. Measurement of CCA IMT may offer an alternative and simple method to predict the response of vasculogenic ED patients to PDE5-Is.

Correlating the relationship between interarm systolic blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk factors

Interarm systolic blood pressure difference (IASBPD) can predict cardiovascular disease. To investigate the relationship between IASBPD and cardiovascular disease risk factors, a total of 1426 individuals were studied. Blood pressure was assessed simultaneously and IASBPD was expressed as the absolute difference value (|R-L|). Cardiovascular disease risk factors were compared between the high IASBPD group (IASBPD ≥10 mm Hg) and the normal IASBPD group (IASBPD <10 mm Hg). An increased prevalence of hypertension, body mass index, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed in the high IASBPD group (P<.05), associated with the enhanced mean values of intima-media thickness and maximum intima-media thickness (P<.05). Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was increased, while ankle-brachial index was lower in the high IASBPD group (P<.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that IASBPD ≥10 mm Hg was positively associated with body mass index (odds ratio, 1.077; P=.002) and systolic blood pressure (odds ratio, 1.032; P<.001), and negatively associated with ankle-brachial index (odds ratio, 0.038; P<.001).

Cardiovascular, diabetes, and cancer strips: evidences, mechanisms, and classifications

OBJECTIVES

To report and name firstly that there are cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus (DM) and cancers (CDC) strips; and disclose their mechanisms, classifications, and clinical significances.

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative and systematic review study and interpretive analysis.

METHODS

DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION

to collect and present related evidences on CDC strips from evidence-based, open-access, both Chinese- and English-language literatures in recent 10 years on clinical trials from PubMed according to keywords "CVD, DM and cancers" as well as authors' extensive clinical experience with the treatment of more than fifty thousands of patients with CVD, diabetes and cancers over the past decades, and analyze their related mechanisms and categories which based on authors' previous works.

DATA EXTRACTION

data were mainly extracted from 48 articles which are listed in the reference section of this review. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed data were included, narratively and systematically reviewed.

RESULTS

With several conceptual and technical breakthrough, authors present related evidences on CDC strips, these are, CVD and DM, DM and cancers, cancers and CVD linked, respectively; And "Bad SEED" +/- "bad soil" theory or doctrine may explain this phenomenon due to "internal environmental injure, abnormal or unbalance" in human body resulting from the role of risk factors (RFs) related multi-pathways and multi-targets, which including organ & tissue (e.g., vascular-specific), cell and gene-based mechanisms. Their classifications include main strips/type B, and Branches/type A as showed by tables and figures in this article.

CONCLUSIONS

There are CDC strips and related mechanisms and classifications. CDC strips may help us to understand, prevent, and control related common non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as well as these high risk strips.

The relationship between carotid blood pressure reactivity to mental stress and carotid intima-media thickness

BACKGROUND

Brachial blood pressure (BP) reactivity to stress predicts large artery damage and future cardiovascular (CV) events. Central BP is an emerging risk factor associated with target organ damage (TOD). Currently, little is known about the central BP response to mental stress and its association to TOD.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Twenty-five healthy, non-obese adults completed a computerized mental stress test. Brachial and carotid systolic (S)BP reactivity to stress were calculated as SBP during stress minus resting SBP. Resting carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was also measured. Carotid SBP reactivity to stress was significantly associated with carotid IMT, independent of age, sex, body mass index, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol and brachial SBP reactivity to stress (r = 0.386, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The relationship between carotid SBP reactivity and carotid IMT suggests that the central BP response to stress may prove to be an early risk marker for potential subclinical TOD.

Associations of cholesterol and glucose with cardiovascular dysfunction in black Africans: the SABPA study

The aim was to determine whether blood glucose or cholesterol is the more prominent contributor to cardiovascular dysfunction in 101 African men and 99 African women. We measured ambulatory daytime blood pressure (BP), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and determined blood glucose and lipids in serum. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) (p = 0.002) and HDL: total cholesterol (HDL:TC) (p ≤ 0.001) were significantly lower, while serum glucose (p ≤ 0.001) was significantly higher in men. In single, partial, and multiple regression analysis, BP correlated positively with blood glucose in men. Furthermore, CIMT (B = -0.50; p = 0.009) correlated negatively with HDL:TC in men. While in women CIMT (B = 0.346; p = 0.015) correlated positively with glucose. In conclusion, subclinical atherosclerosis is significantly related to an unfavorable HDL profile in men, whereas in women, this link is stronger with fasting glucose.

Carotid intima-media thickness as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease in diabetes

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is increasingly used as a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis. Its use relies on its ability to predict future clinical cardiovascular end points.

METHODS

This review examines the evidence linking CIMT as a surrogate marker of vascular complications in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We have also reviewed the various treatment strategies which have been shown to influence CIMT.

CONCLUSIONS

CIMT measurement is an effective, noninvasive tool which can assist in identifying people with diabetes who are at higher risk of developing microvascular and macrovascular complications. It may also help to evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment strategies used to treat people with diabetes.

A state of the art review on intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement and wall segmentation techniques for carotid ultrasound

Last 10 years have witnessed the growth of many computer applications for the segmentation of the vessel wall in ultrasound imaging. Epidemiological studies showed that the thickness of the major arteries is an early and effective marker of onset of cardiovascular diseases. Ultrasound imaging, being real-time, economic, reliable, safe, and now seems to become a standard in vascular assessment methodology. This review is an attempt to discuss the most performing methodologies that have been developed so far to perform computer-based segmentation and intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement of the carotid arteries in ultrasound images. First we will present the rationale and the clinical relevance of computer-based measurements in clinical practice, followed by the challenges that one has to face when approaching the segmentation of ultrasound vascular images. The core of the paper is the presentation, discussion, benchmarking and evaluation of different segmentation techniques, including: edge-detection, active contours, dynamic programming, local statistics, Hough transform, statistical modeling, and integration of these approaches. Also, we will discuss and compare the different performance metrics that have been proposed and used to perform the validation. Best performing user-dependent techniques show an average IMT measurement error of about 1μm when compared to human tracings [57], whereas completely automated techniques show errors of about 10μm. The review ends with a discussion about the current standards in carotid wall segmentation and in an overview of the future perspectives, which may include the adoption of advanced and intelligent strategies to let the computer technique measure the IMT in the image portion where measurement is more reliable.