Vascular 131I-low-density lipoprotein imaging in patients with hypertension and early atherosclerotic lesions in the carotid artery.

BACKGROUND

The reinjection of autologous 131I-labelled low-density lipoprotein (LDL) followed by vascular scintigraphy has been used to investigate lipid-containing plaques, but no information is available on the early stages of plaques in hypertensives. Vascular scintigraphy after re-injection of autologous 131I-labelled LDL was used to investigate early atherosclerotic lesions visualized by sonography in the carotid arteries of patients with hypertension.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

10 male patients (4 smokers; mean age 56 +/- 8 years;) with early carotid atherosclerosis (mono- or bilateral; intima-media-thickness ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 mm) as shown by sonography were studied. All these normolipemic patients suffered from primary hypertension and were treated with diuretics. As controls 6 healthy male subjects (3 smokers; mean age 54 +/- 9 years;), with normal blood pressure and lipid pattern were recruited.

RESULTS

Hot spots appeared in the areas with early atherosclerosis in 7 patients, while none were seen in controls. Positive kinetic curves were observed in 4 patients. No significant differences emerged in the target/non-target ratios.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular lipoprotein uptake in hypertensive patients is apparently late and rather limited; the uptake pattern may depend on plaque composition.