Treatment with betablockers is associated with higher grey-scale median in carotid plaques

Summary, in English

Background: The presence of echolucent carotid plaques as defined by low ultrasound grey-scale median (GSM) is associated with a higher risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. Betablockers have shown possible anti-atherosclerotic effects. The aim of the present study was to determine if there is an association between carotid plaque GSM and treatment with betablockers. Methods: The GSM of the carotid plaques of 350 patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic (n = 113) or symptomatic (n = 237) carotid disease was measured. Patients were divided in two groups based on the absence/presence of an on-going long-term (i.e. at least 6 months) oral treatment with betablockers at the time of CEA. Results: The prevalence and type of preoperative neurological symptoms were similar in the two groups. Patients with betablockers had more frequently arterial hypertension (P < .0001), diabetes (P = .035) and a higher BMI (P = .0004), while patients without betablockers were most frequently smokers (P = .017). Patients with betablockers revealed to have higher GSM (37.79 +/- 25 vs 32.61 +/- 23.50 P = .036). Echogenic plaques (i.e. with GSM > 30) showed to be more frequent in patients with betablockers also after correction for age, gender, the occurrence of preoperative symptoms, diabetes, hypertension, smoking and statins use (P = .024). Conclusions: These results suggest the use of standardized ultrasound techniques as an important tool in evaluating the effect of anti-atherosclerotic medications and underline the need of. further prospective randomized studies on larger patient cohorts in order to confirm these results.

• Author: Giuseppe Asciutto; Nuno Dias; Ana Persson; Jan Nilsson; Isabel Goncalves
• Department/s: EXODIAB: Excellence of Diabetes Research in Sweden; EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health; Cardiovascular Research - Immunity and Atherosclerosis; Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö; Cardiovascular Research - Translational Studies
• Publishing year: 2014
• Language: English
• Publication/Series: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
• Volume: 14
• Full text: - 240 kB; Download statistics
• Links: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25175336?dopt=Abstract; http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2261-14-111
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: BioMed Central (BMC)
• Topic: Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems
• Keywords: Betablockers; Grey-scale median; Carotid artery; Carotid plaque
• Status: Published
• Research group: Cardiovascular Research - Immunity and Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular Research - Translational Studies
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1471-2261