Abstract
Objectives Carotid bodies (CBs) play an important role in regulating sympathetic nervous system activity. Thus, they are likely to be enlarged in patients with certain cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The aim of this case-control study was to verify this hypothesis using computed tomography angiography (CTA). Methods We retrospectively analysed 141 CTAs including 16 controls, 96 patients with only hypertension (HT), 12 with HT and previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 9 with HT and heart failure (HF), and 8 with HT and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We assessed the data using analysis of variance, with p < 0.05 indicating significance. Results CB average areas in the controls were 2.31 mm2 (right side (RS)) vs. 2.34 mm2 (left side (LS)). CB size was significantly enlarged in patients with HT: 3.07 mm2 (RS) (p=0.019) vs. 2.91 mm2 (LS) (p=0.002). If AMI (RS: 3.5 mm2; LS: 3.44 mm2) or HF (RS: 4.01 mm2; LS: 4.55 mm2) was associated with HT, the CB size was even more enlarged. COPD did not affect CB size (RS: 2.40 mm2; LS: 2.29 mm2). Conclusions Our data showed that certain diseases with increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system were associated with significantly enlarged CBs.
Highlights
Carotid bodies (CBs) are small, paired organs that contain peripheral chemoreceptors and chromaffin cells
HT alone was identified in 96 patients, HT associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 12 patients, heart failure (HF) and HT in 9 patients, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with HT in 8 patients
Successful identification of CBs was the primary criteria in the evaluation of the measured data. e identification was considered successful only if CBs were found on two separate occasions. e measured data were recorded and evaluated rigorously on both the right side (RS) and the left side (LS)
Summary
Carotid bodies (CBs) are small, paired organs that contain peripheral chemoreceptors and chromaffin cells. Supplied by blood vessels, CBs are located above the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. Erefore, if the arterial partial O2 pressure decreases, the central nervous system is informed, resulting in the ventilation being stimulated. Baroreceptors and thermoreceptors are present, and some studies suggest that they play a role in glucose homeostasis as well. CBs are essential to regulating respiration and the blood circulation [5,6,7,8]. With their chromaffin cells, CBs take part in relevant processes of the sympathetic nervous system. By producing adrenaline and noradrenaline, they compensate the hypoxaemia-induced direct vasodilatation effect, promoting better adaptation [9, 10]
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