Abstract

The grey-scale median of the common carotid artery intima–media complex (IM-GSM) characterizes arterial wall composition, and a low IM-GSM is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in the elderly. We aimed to determine differences in the IM-GSM between a cohort with cerebrovascular disease and a healthy cohort. Eighty-two healthy individuals (control group: 63.2 ± 8.7 y) and 96 patients with either stroke or transient ischemic attacks (CRVD group: 68.6 ± 9.8 y) were studied. Common carotid artery intima–media thickness and IM-GSM obtained by ultrasound were analyzed using semi-automated edge-detection software. The IM-GSM was significantly lower in the CRVD group than in the control group (106 ± 24 vs. 124 ± 27 au, p < 0.001). The IM-GSM was similar for the infarct and non-infarct sides in CRVD. In the pooled cohort of all participants, the lower the quartile of IM-GSM, the greater were the carotid artery intima–media thickness and carotid artery remodeling. These results suggest the presence of an altered atherosclerotic phenotype in the intima–media complex of CRVD patients that can be detected by ultrasound.

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