The association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level and carotid plaque vulnerability has been rarely studied by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The present study of MRI-identified carotid atherosclerotic lesions in hypertensive patients with acute stroke therefore sought to determine the associations between HbA1c level and plaque morphological and compositional characteristics and acute cer...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS In a large stroke-free population, we sought to identify cardiovascular risk factors and carotid plaque components associated with carotid plaque burden, lumen volume and stenosis. METHODS The carotid arteries of 1562 stroke-free participants from The Rotterdam Study were imaged on a 1.5-Tesla MRI scanner. Inner and outer wall of the carotid arteries were automatically seg...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Carotid plaque rupture depends on the various types of mechanical stresses. Our objective was to determine the multiaxial mechanical characteristics of atherosclerotic plaque and adjacent segment of the common carotid artery. METHODS A novel noninvasive echotracking system was used to measure intima-media thickness, diameter, pulsatile strain, and distensibility at 128 ...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether an association exists between the presence of rheumatoid nodules and thickening of the intima-media and plaque of the carotid artery, which is evidence of atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Observational, cross-sectional study of 124 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from a University Hospital clinic from 2005 to 2006. We divided the patients into 2 groups,...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Carotid ultrasound atherosclerosis measurements, including those of the arterial wall and plaque, provide a way to monitor patients at risk of vascular events. Our objective was to examine carotid ultrasound plaque texture measurements and the change in carotid plaque texture during 1 year in patients at risk of events and to compare these with measurements of plaque volu...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Serial in vivo imaging of atherosclerosis is important for understanding plaque progression and is potentially useful in predicting cardiovascular events and monitoring treatment efficacy. This prospective study aims to quantify temporal changes in carotid atherosclerotic plaque volume and plaque composition using MDCTA. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 109 patients with TIA or...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Carotid plaque area measured by ultrasound (cross-sectional area of longitudinal views of all plaques seen) was studied as a way of identifying patients at increased risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death. METHODS Patients from an atherosclerosis prevention clinic were followed up annually for up to 5 years (mean, 2.5+/-1.3 years) with baseline and fo...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess the association of vitamin D deficiency and indices of mineral metabolism with subclinical carotid markers that predict cardiovascular events. METHODS Two hundred three community-dwelling adults (Northern Manhattan Study; age, 68 ± 11; age range, 50 to 93 years) had serum measurements (calcium, phosphorus, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,2...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Chlamydia pneumoniae has repeatedly been associated with atherosclerotic disease. Our study was designed to clarify whether this association is based on C pneumoniae-induced transformation of a stable into an unstable atherosclerotic plaque or on stimulation of hypercoagulability leading to increased thrombotic arterial occlusions by C pneumoniae infection. Transcranial D...