Carotid Artery Plaque Progression: Proposal of a New Predictive Score and Role of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness

Nicoletta Brunelli, Claudia Altamura, Carmelina Maria Costa, Riccardo Altavilla, Paola Palazzo, Paola Maggio, Marilena Marcosano and Fabrizio Vernieri
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Nicoletta Brunelli: Headache and Neurosonology Unit, Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Claudia Altamura: Headache and Neurosonology Unit, Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Carmelina Maria Costa: Headache and Neurosonology Unit, Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Riccardo Altavilla: Neurology and Stroke Unit Department, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, 20142 Milan, Italy
Paola Palazzo: Department of Neurology, Lausanne University Hospital, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Paola Maggio: Neurology Unit, ASST Bergamo Est, 24068 Bergamo, Italy
Marilena Marcosano: Headache and Neurosonology Unit, Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Fabrizio Vernieri: Headache and Neurosonology Unit, Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 2, 1-8

Abstract: Background: We aimed to investigate if the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) at baseline and the HAD 2 S score, composed of the sum of single risk factors (hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking), were predictive of plaque progression. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis on real-life prospectively collected data from patients with any detectable carotid plaque at follow up. The plaque score, calculated at baseline (T0) and at a median follow up of 36.6 months (IQR 39.6–34.3) (T3), was defined as 0: no plaque or stenosis < 30%; 1: stenosis in the range 30–49%; 2: in the range 50–69%; 3: in the range 70–99% and 4: occlusion. Carotid IMT was measured at T0 and T3; HAD 2 S score was calculated at baseline. Results: We included 340 patients with a mean age of 69.9 (9.1) years and 25.3% subjects had plaque progression. Individuals with progression had a median HAD 2 S score of 3 (1) while those without progression had 2 (1). Patients with progression had a mean baseline IMT of 0.86 (0.17) while those without progression had 0.77 (0.18) ( p < 0.0001). A correlation between progression and baseline IMT was found ( p = 0.002). Conclusion: Baseline IMT could be considered a predictor of progression. Patients with progression had an HAD 2 S score higher than those without evolution.

Keywords: carotid plaque progression; carotid intima-media thickness; cerebrovascular disease; HAD 2 S score (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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