Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Am J Hypertens. 2013 Jun;26(6):770-7. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpt027. Epub 2013 Mar 11.
Carotid arterial stiffness measured by techniques of speckle tracking echocardiography is helpful to assess vascular wall deformation. We conducted a study to investigate the relationship between vascular deformation of the carotid artery and ischemic stroke in the elderly.
We recruited 89 consecutive individuals aged ≥60 years (mean age = 72±6 years; 31 men) from a community health survey program. Ten (11%) had a history of ischemic stroke. Carotid B-mode images were acquired using a high-resolution vascular probe equipped on an echocardiographic system. Circumferential strain (CS) and strain rate (CSR) were obtained by speckle tracking techniques with a region of interest covering the entire depth of the common carotid arterial wall.
Both CS and CSR were significantly correlated with beta index and distensibility but not with carotid intima-medial thickness and pulse wave velocity. In the comparison between patients with or without history of stroke, carotid CS (1.46% ± 0.54% vs. 2.75% ± 1.23%; P = 0.002) and CSR (0.30±0.13 1/s vs. 0.47±0.18 1/s; P = 0.007) were significantly lower in patients with stroke. Multivariable analysis showed that both carotid CS and CSR were independent factors associated with previous strokes.
Carotid wall deformation indices are useful for assessment of local carotid arterial stiffness. CS and CSR of carotid artery measured by speckle tracking techniques were associated with previous ischemic stroke in the elderly.
应用斑点追踪超声心动图技术测量颈动脉动脉僵硬度有助于评估血管壁变形。我们进行了一项研究，旨在探讨颈动脉血管变形与老年人缺血性脑卒中之间的关系。
我们从社区健康调查项目中招募了 89 名连续的年龄≥60 岁的个体（平均年龄=72±6 岁；31 名男性）。其中 10 人（11%）有缺血性脑卒中病史。使用配备在超声心动图系统上的高分辨率血管探头获取颈动脉 B 型图像。通过斑点追踪技术获得圆周应变（CS）和应变率（CSR），感兴趣区覆盖整个颈总动脉壁的深度。
CS 和 CSR 均与β指数和可扩展性显著相关，但与颈动脉内膜中层厚度和脉搏波速度无关。在有或无脑卒中病史的患者之间的比较中，脑卒中患者的颈动脉 CS（1.46%±0.54%比 2.75%±1.23%；P=0.002）和 CSR（0.30±0.13 1/s 比 0.47±0.18 1/s；P=0.007）显著较低。多变量分析显示，颈动脉 CS 和 CSR 均是与既往脑卒中相关的独立因素。
颈动脉壁变形指数有助于评估局部颈动脉僵硬度。斑点追踪技术测量的颈动脉 CS 和 CSR 与老年人既往缺血性脑卒中相关。
