Evaluation of carotid artery elasticity in patients with uremia by echo tracking.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare the carotid artery wall elasticity between patients with uremia and controls using echo tracking (ET).

METHODS

Ninety-three patients with uremia and 35 control subjects (Group A) were enrolled in this study. In the ET mode, the carotid artery elasticity parameters including stiffness index (β), pressure-strain elasticity modulus (EP), arterial compliance (AC), and one-point pulse wave velocity (PWVβ) were measured, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured with B-mode ultrasonography. The patients were classified into three groups: Group B (normal IMT), Group C (thickened IMT), and Group D (one single atheroma plaque).

RESULTS

β, EP, and PWVβ were significantly higher in Group B, C, and D (especially in group D) than those of the control group (P < 0.05), and there were significant differences between Group A and Group B, while AC was lower than in controls, but there were no statistically significant differences among the four groups.

CONCLUSIONS

ET is a noninvasive method that can demonstrate a loss in carotid artery elasticity in uremia patients with normal IMT.