Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis Research Articles

LncRNA ZEB1-AS1 facilitates ox-LDL-induced damage of HCtAEC cells and the oxidative stress and inflammatory events of THP-1 cells via miR-942/HMGB1 signaling

AimsThe role of long noncoding RNA ZEB1 antisense 1 (lncRNA ZEB1-AS1) in carotid artery atherosclerosis remains barely explored. Materials and methodsThe viability and apoptosis of HCtAEC cells were measured by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), Caspase-3 activity detection assay and flow cytometry. The oxidative stress status and inflammation of THP-1 cells were detected by oxidative stress indicator detection kit and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The abundance of ZEB1-AS1, miR-942 and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was measured by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The targets of ZEB1-AS1 and miR-942 in HCtAEC and THP-1 cells were predicted by DIANA tool, and the combination was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay and RNA-pull down assay. Western blot was conducted to examine the protein expression of HMGB1. Key findingsZEB1-AS1 promoted ox-LDL-mediated injury in HCtAEC and THP-1 cells. MiR-942 was a direct target of ZEB1-AS1, and it was negatively modulated by ZEB1-AS1 in HCtAEC and THP-1 cells. HMGB1 could bind to miR-942, and it was regulated by ZEB1-AS1/miR-942 axis in HCtAEC and THP-1 cells. HMGB1 overexpression or miR-942 depletion reversed the inhibitory effects of ZEB1-AS1 intervention on the injury and apoptosis of HCtAEC cells and the oxidative stress and inflammation of THP-1 cells. SignificanceLncRNA ZEB1-AS1 contributed to ox-LDL-mediated injury and apoptosis of HCtAEC cells and the oxidative stress and inflammation of THP-1 cells through up-regulating HMGB1 via sponging miR-942. ZEB1-AS1/miR-942/HMGB1 axis might provide a new direction to treatment carotid artery atherosclerosis.

Proteinuria is Associated with Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in Non-Albuminuric Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The association of specific urinary proteins other than albumin with cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been shown. In this respect, CV outcomes may differ in non-albuminuric T2D patients who were considered as a low risk group, according to the presence of proteinuria. We investigated the association between proteinuria and atherosclerosis assessed by carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in non-albuminuric T2D patients. 2047 T2D patients whose urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was below 30 mg/g were recruited and classified into a non-proteinuria (NP, uPCR < 150 mg/g, n = 1865) group and a non-albuminuric proteinuria (NAP, uPCR ≥ 150 mg/g, n = 182) group. CIMT was compared between the two groups and logistic regression analysis was conducted to verify whether proteinuria could predict deteriorated CIMT status. In this cross-sectional study, mean CIMT of the NAP group were significantly thicker than those of the NP group (0.73 ± 0.16 vs. 0.70 ± 0.14, p = 0.016). The presence of proteinuria is associated with deteriorated CIMT after the adjustment for conventional risk factors (odds ratio, 2.342; 95% confidence interval, 1.082–5.070, p = 0.030) in regression analysis. We postulated that the measurement of urinary protein in conjunction with albumin might be helpful for predicting atherosclerosis, especially for non-albuminuric patients.

Association of lipoprotein (a) with ischemic stroke and stenotic carotid atherosclerosis

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a genetically determined risk factor of coronary heart disease and its complications. Meanwhile data about the role of Lp(a) in development of ischemic stroke are controversial. To investigate the association of Lp(a) with atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and stenotic (≥50%) atherosclerosis of carotid arteries. The study included 490 patients (mean age 60 years, 53% male). The first group comprised 157 patients with ischemic stroke, the second group 68 patients with isolated stenotic atherosclerosis of carotid arteries, but without significant lesion of coronary and low limbs arteries. The control group included 265 patients without stroke, myocardial infarction, stenotic atherosclerosis of coronary, carotid and low limbs arteries according to instrumental examinations. The levels of Lp(a) and lipids were measured in blood serum of all patients. Lp(a) concentration was significantly higher in patients of the first and second groups in comparison with the control group (median [interquartile range]): 24 [9; 48], 20 [8; 55] vs 13 [5; 27] mg/dl, respectively (p<0,05 in both cases). Hyperlipoproteinemia(a) (Lp(a) ≥30 mg/dl) was more frequent in the group with stroke, stenotic atherosclerosis of carotid arteries, than in the control group: 43%, 40% vs 22% (p<0.01 in all cases). In patients with hyperlipoproteinemia(a), odds ratio (OR) for ischemic stroke was 2.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7-4.1), and OR for stenotic atherosclerosis of carotid arteries was 2.3 (95% CI 1.3-4.0) compared to the patients with Lp(a) level <30 mg/dl (p<0.01 in both cases). In logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, smoking and Lp(a) concentration, the hyperlipoproteinemia(a) was associated with ischemic stroke and isolated stenotic carotid atherosclerosis. In the group with severe carotid atherosclerosis, 16 patients (24%) had ischemic stroke. Lp(a) concentration in these patients was higher 36 [20; 59] mg/dl, than in the patients with isolated carotid atherosclerosis without stroke 15 [7; 54] mg/dl (p=0.04). Other risk factors of atherosclerosis did not differ in patients with or without ischemic stroke. The study shows the association of elevated level of Lp(a) with ischemic stroke and isolated stenotic atherosclerosis of carotid arteries. In the presence of isolated stenotic carotid atherosclerosis, the median of Lp(a) concentration was significantly higher in patients with ischemic stroke than in patients without stroke.

Are Persistent Organic Pollutants Linked to Lipid Abnormalities, Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Disease? A Review.

The term persistent organic pollutants (POPs) denotes chemicals with known or suspected adverse health effects in animals or humans and with chemical properties that make them accumulate in the environment, including animals or humans. Lipid-soluble POPs, like dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides are transported by lipoproteins and accumulate in adipose tissue. High levels of these compounds in the circulation have been associated with elevated cholesterol and triglycerides in cross-sectional studies and with an increase in mainly low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in a longitudinal study. Also, non-lipid-soluble POPs, such as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) compounds have been associated with increased total cholesterol levels. Carotid artery atherosclerosis has been related to elevated levels of mainly highly chlorinated PCBs and to highly fluorinated PFASs, but in this case only in women. Both cross-sectional and prospective studies have shown dioxins, PCBs, as well as PFASs to be linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. In conclusion, as highlighted in this review, several lines of evidence support the view that POPs of different chemical classes could be linked to lipid abnormalities, carotid atherosclerosis and overt CVD like myocardial infarction and stroke.

Determination of association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and carotid artery atherosclerosis among nondiabetic individuals.

Background:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition characterized by the infiltration of fat in the liver cells. High levels of fat in the liver associated with increased risk of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome.Aim and Objective:To determine the association between NAFLD and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) among nondiabetic individuals.Materials and Methods:A total of 90 in-patients and outpatients (45 NAFL subjects and 45 patients with the normal liver as controls) with NAFL on abdomen ultrasound scan from Bangalore Baptist Hospital were included in our study. All the participants were subjected to a doppler study for carotid intima thickness and a blood sample (4 ml) was collected from all the subjects.Results:In this study, there is an elevated level of BMI, weight, dyslipidemia in NAFLD compared with controls. The present study suggests that cardiovascular risk factors such as increased carotid intima-media thickness occur more frequently among NAFLD patients compared to healthy individuals.Conclusion:We can conclude that NAFL has a significant association with higher cardiovascular risk in terms of carotid intima-media thickness, dyslipidemia, and hypoalphalipidemia. Lifestyle changes include weight loss, dietary changes, reduction of sedentary habits and physical exercise are recommended in the NAFL disease subjects with higher BMI and weight.

A promising tool to tackle the risk of cerebral vascular disease, the emergence of novel carotid wall imaging.

Stroke is a heterogeneous vascular disease. Carotid artery atherosclerosis is associated with almost one-quarter of ischemic strokes. Moreover, a large percentage of preventable strokes are currently attributed to carotid atherosclerosis. Over the past three decades, the management of carotid artery disease has evolved. The benefits of carotid revascularization alongside medical therapy have early been recognized. Nonetheless, the debate regarding the optimal strategy is still ongoing, particularly in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease. One of the challenges is the use of luminal stenosis to quantify the severity of the carotid artery disease and to guide decision-making regarding invasive revascularization. Characterizing carotid atherosclerotic plaque is a promising tool to identify vulnerable plaque. Certain features such as large lipid core have already been linked to acute vascular events, not only at the plaque level but also to predict systemic cardiovascular events. Recently, a quantitative T2 mapping magnetic resonance imaging technique was developed and validated against histology. The ability to accurately quantify plaque lipid content using this technique opens several new opportunities. In this review articles, we will discuss the current challenges in the management of carotid artery disease and the future roles of T2 mapping to aid therapeutic options. These roles may include how to determine the mode of invasive carotid revascularization in symptomatic patients. Moreover, there may be a rational to use T2 mapping as a risk stratification tool in asymptomatic patients with carotid artery stenosis. It may also provide an opportunity to stage atherosclerosis and identify patients with coronary atherosclerosis who may benefit maximally from intensive lipid interventions.

Bilateral central retinal artery occlusion as a premonitory presentation in giant cell arteritis

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an ophthalmologic emergency. Carotid artery atherosclerosis, cardiogenic emboli, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are the contributing risk factors for CRAO. It is imperative to rule out GCA in patients aged above 50 years as it can cause severe visual loss involving both eyes, if not treated promptly, making diagnosis critical. Elevated C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate with a raised platelet count favor GCA as a probable diagnosis. Typical granulomatous inflammation on temporal artery biopsy confirms the diagnosis. The vision loss is permanent, but early steroid therapy is effective in preventing further visual loss.

The Correlation between Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Internal Carotid Atherosclerosis Investigated by Carniocervial CTA

Objective: To investigate the relationship between hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage and internal carotid atherosclerosis and its risk factors by CTA (Computed tomography angiography). Methods: The clinical materials of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage patients with carniocervial CTA from January 2018 to August 2019 in Puren Hospital of Wuhan were analyzed retrospectively. The correlation and risk factors between hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage and internal carotid atherosclerosis were studied by logistic regression and descriptive analysis, at the same time, the application value of carniocervial CTA in patients with cerebral hemorrhage was evaluated. Results: There was a correlation between hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage and internal carotid atherosclerosis (χ2 = 5.319, P = 0.021 1), which indicated that internal carotid atherosclerosis was the risk factor of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage, and there was no significant correlation between the location of internal carotid atherosclerosis, multiple atherosclerosis of internal carotid artery and hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage. Monofactor analysis showed that the risk factors of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage with internal carotid atherosclerosis were sex, age, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. According to the logistic regression analysis, hyperlipidemia and diabetes were independent risk factors for hypertensive. Conclusion: The occurrence of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage is related to internal carotid atherosclerosis and is affected by many factors. Carniocervial CTA is helpful to the diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage.

New possibilities of antithrombotic therapy improving prognosis in patients with stenosing atherosclerosis of carotid arteries

The purpose of the COMPASS (Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies) trial was to evaluate a regimen of a two-way impact on thrombus formation in patients presenting with ischaemic heart disease and peripheral artery diseases. The study included a total of 1,919 patients with stenosis of carotid arteries and 1,032 patients with a history of stroke. Many patients with disease of peripheral arteries (including carotid arteries) enrolled into the COMPASS trial appeared to have additional risk factors for stroke such as, for instance, current or former smoking, diabetes mellitus, or ischaemic heart disease. An additionally carried out analysis for strokes revealed that supplementing rivaroxaban at a dose of 2.5 mg twice daily to acetylsalicylic acid decreased the risk for the development of ischaemic stroke by 49% (p<0.001), without increasing the risk for haemorrhagic transformation on the background of combined therapy (HR=0.35; 95% CI: 0.13-0.99; p=0.04), whereas the risk for haemorrhagic strokes remained at a low level and did not differ between the groups (HR=1.49; 95% CI: 0.67-3.31; p=0.33). The composite risk for major ischaemic and haemorrhagic events was significantly lower in the group of combined therapy. Adding rivaroxaban to acetylsalicylic acid appeared to result in a decrease in the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with ischaemic heart disease and peripheral artery disease by 18%. Thus, the addition of rivaroxaban at a dose of 2.5 mg twice daily to acetylsalicylic acid made it possible to decrease the risks of both primary and secondary strokes, and hence may be considered in patients with significant stenoses of carotid arteries for primary prevention, whereas in patients with endured ischaemic stroke - for secondary prevention, as well as after open endovascular reconstructive operations on carotid arteries.

Assessment of carotid atherosclerotic disease using three-dimensional cardiovascular magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging: comparison with digital subtraction angiography

BackgroundA three-dimensional (3D) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) vessel wall imaging (VWI) technique based on 3D T1 weighted (T1w) Sampling Perfection with Application-optimized Contrast using different flip angle Evolutions (SPACE) has recently been used as a promising CMR imaging modality for evaluating extra-cranial and intra-cranial vessel walls. However, this technique is yet to be validated against the current diagnostic imaging standard. We therefore aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 3D CMR VWI in characterizing carotid disease using intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as a reference.MethodsConsecutive patients with at least unilateral > 50% carotid stenosis on ultrasound were scheduled to undergo interventional therapy were invited to participate. The following metrics were measured using 3D CMR VWI and DSA: lumen diameter of the common carotid artery (CCA) and segments C1–C7, stenosis diameter, reference diameter, lesion length, stenosis degree, and ulceration. We assessed the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 3D CMR VWI, and used Cohen’s kappa, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman analyses to assess the diagnostic agreement between 3D CMR VWI and DSA.ResultsThe ICC (all ICCs ≥0.96) and Bland-Altman plots indicated excellent inter-reader agreement in all individual morphologic measurements by 3D CMR VWI. Excellent agreement in all individual morphologic measurements were also found between 3D CMR VWI and DSA. In addition, 3D CMR VWI had high sensitivity (98.4, 97.4, 80.0, 100.0%), specificity (100.0, 94.5, 99.1, 98.0%), and Cohen’s kappa (0.99, 0.89, 0.84, 0.96) for detecting stenosis > 50%, stenosis > 70%, ulceration, and total occlusion, respectively, using DSA as the standard. The AUC of 3D CMR VWI for predicting stenosis > 50 and > 70% were 0.998 and 0.999, respectively.ConclusionsThe 3D CMR VWI technique enables accurate diagnosis and luminal feature assessment of carotid artery atherosclerosis, suggesting that this imaging modality may be useful for routine imaging workups and provide comprehensive information for both the vessel wall and lumen.

Comparison of risk factors that play a role in extra-cranial carotid artery atherosclerosis

Objective: W hich risk factors are important in preventing or stabilizing possible extra-cranial carotid artery stenosis is unclear. We aimed to investigate risk factors that are associated with extra-cranial carotid artery stenosis in patients with ischemic stroke . Method: The records of 215 patients with ischemic stroke who were admitted to Taksim Research Hospital were screened. Patients who had been monitored with color Doppler ultrasonography were then categorized on the basis of the degree of stenosis in the carotid artery (group A: 0%–49%, group B: 50%–69%, group C: >70%). Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, ischemic heart disease, age, and sex were evaluated as risk factors. These risk factors were compared among the three groups by using SPSS version 17. Results: We found a significant relationship between high mean low-density lipoprotein and the severity of carotid stenosis (p<0.05). A similar relationship was found between sex and the severity of carotid stenosis (p<0.05). Conclusions: A high low-density lipoprotein level and male sex are important risk factors for having extra-cranial carotid artery stenosis. Therefore, use of more aggressive lipid-lowering treatments, recommending an appropriate diet, and encouraging physical activity in hyperlipidemic men are important in preventive medical practice.

Clinical study of Huatan-Quzhuo decoction combined with western medicine routine therapy for the patients with carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque

Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of Huatan-Quzhuo decoction in combination with western medicine for the treatment of carotid atherosclerotic plaques. Methods A total of 194 patients with carotid atherosclerosis were selected were randomly divided into two groups, 97 in each group. The control group was treated with simvastatin. The observation group was treated with Huatan-Quzhuo decoction on the basis of the control group. The serum levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. The Sod, IMT, number of plaques, number of vulnerable plaques and area of plaques, carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), number of plaques, number of vulnerable plaques, and area of plaques were detected. Results After treatment, the levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (t were 4.546, 6.712, 4.872, P<0.01). After treatment, the IMT (0.85 ± 0.11 mm vs. 1.08 ± 0.13 mm, t=13.302), number of plaques (0.74 ± 0.36 vs. 1.02 ± 0.42, t=4.985), number of vulnerable plaques (0.24 ± 0.25 vs. 0.41 ± 0.27, t=4.550), and plaque area (50.06 ± 9.73 mm2vs. 68.52 ± 11.24 mm2, t=12.230) in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.01). The levels of IL-1, TNF-α and MDA in the observation group were significantly lower than the control group (t were 13.089, 4.769, 10.442, P<0.01). The level of SOD was observation group was significantly higher than the control group (t=11.636, P<0.01). Conclusions The combination of Huatan-Quzhuo decoction and western medicine in the treatment of carotid artery atherosclerosis can regulate the level of blood lipids, improve the degree of atherosclerosis, reduce the degree of inflammation and oxidative stress. Key words: Atherosclerosis; Huatan-Quzhuo decoction; Simvastatin; Syndrome of phlegm and blood stasis blocking collaterals

Filtering and Detection of Intima-media Thickness (IMT) for the risk of Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis

Ultrasound images of carotid artery in brightness mode (B-mode) are used to detect the probabilities of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. They are used to measure the intima-media thickness (IMT). Ultrasound images suffer from peculiar phenomena which creates speckle (a type of noise) on the image. The speckles present in the medical images detoriates the quality of the image. This paper presents a work which is used to remove the speckles by utilizing the local characteristics of the image in the filter named as local statistics mean variance (lsmv) filter. It is a preprocessing step of medical image processing. Conventional IMT was done by locating the far walls of the carotid artery. This can be changed by applying segmentation algorithm which could automatically detect the far walls and could measure the IMT. This paper approaches towards automatic edge detection method using Prewitt operator. The objective behind automatically calculating IMT of carotid artery is to reduce the human effort and at the same time would benefit the patient by diagnosing the patient condition. The work that is proposed is analyzed by calculating various parameters in case of despeckling (filtering) as well as segmentation method. The performance parameters show that the proposed method performs better and at the same time reduces the manual effort

Prevalence of Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis Plaque in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Hasan Sadikin Hospital Bandung in 2017-2018

Background. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease involving many organs including the cardiovascular system such as accelerated atherosclerosis or premature atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaque can cause coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and peripheral arterial disease, which are the main causes of death in the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of carotid artery atherosclerosis plaques in patients with SLE.&#x0D; Method. This research is a descriptive study with a cross-sectional design. Carotid artery atherosclerosis plaques in SLE patients were assessed by analysing results of carotid ultrasound examinations that were conducted in 2017-2018. The inclusion criteria of this study were SLE patients who had undergone carotid doppler ultrasound B mode examination on the carotid artery for the period of 2017-2018. The exclusion criteria in this study were SLE patients with a history of stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and significant coronary artery disease.&#x0D; Result. This study involved 88 SLE patients who met the inclusion criteria. Results showed that there were 10 SLE patients (11.4%) who had atherosclerotic plaques. SLE patients with atherosclerosis plaque were mostly in the age range of 35-44 years (16%) and 45-54 years (22.2%). There were 2 patients (15.3%) with atherosclerotic plaque from a total of 11 patients had high triglyceride levels (≥150 mg/dL). Chi square analysis of lipid profiles (cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) in patients with atheroclerotic plaque revealed not significant (p&gt;0.05). These findings could be caused by several factors, such as the small number of samples in this study and the non-traditional factors in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque as well as other traditional factors&#x0D; Conclusion. The prevalence of carotid artery atherosclerosis plaques in patients with SLE in Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in 2017-2018 is 11.4%.

Correction to: Segment-specific progression of carotid artery atherosclerosis: a magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging study

The above article was published online with incorrect presentation of author name. Mingming is the given name and Lu isthe family name. The presentation of the author name has been corrected above.

Interleukin-4, hemopexin, and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 are significantly increased in patients with unstable carotid plaque

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the plasma levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), hemopexin (Hpx), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in patients with carotid artery atherosclerosis based on neurological symptoms and plaque histopathology and to find association between plaque stability and neurological symptoms. This single-center study included patients treated surgically for significant stenosis of the internal carotid artery. Serum levels of biomarkers were determined, and a histopathological analysis of the carotid plaques was performed. Within 70 patients, 40 asymptomatic and 30 symptomatic; 38 patients (54.3%) were diagnosed with unstable carotid plaque and 32 patients (45.7%) had a stable carotid plaque. Significantly higher incidence of unstable carotid plaque was detected in symptomatic patients (p &lt;0.001). Compared to asymptomatic patients, higher expression of Lp-PLA2 (285.30 ± 2.05 μg/l), Hpx (0.38 ± 0.01 ng/l), and IL-4 (65.77 ± 3.78 ng/l) in plasma were detected in symptomatic patients. Subsequently, higher expression of Lp-PLA2 (297.34 ± 2.3 μg/l), Hpx (0.41 ± 0.02 ng/l), and IL-4 (64.74 ± 4.47 ng/l) in plasma was observed in patients with unstable plaques (n=38). Statistically significant (p &lt;0.001) differences in expression of Lp-PLA2, Hpx, and IL-4 between patients with unstable and stable plaques were detected. Moreover, only the differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in the expression of Lp-PLA2 and IL-4 in plasma were statistically significant (p &lt;0.001). This study showed that Lp-PLA2, IL-4, and Hpx levels are significantly increased in patients with an unstable carotid plaque.

Genetic linkage of oxidative stress with cardiometabolic traits in an intercross derived from hyperlipidemic mouse strains

Background and aimsOxidative stress is associated with cardiometabolic traits in observational studies, yet the underlying causal relationship remains unclear. Apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe−/−) mice develop significant hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia on a Western diet. Here we conducted linkage analysis to investigate genetic connections between cardiometabolic traits and oxidative stress. Methods266 female F2 mice were generated from an intercross between C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/c (BALB) Apoe−/− mice and fed 12 weeks of Western diet. Plasma levels of HDL, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and malondialdehyde (MDA) and atherosclerosis in aortic root and left carotid artery were measured. 127 microsatellite markers across the genome were genotyped. ResultsOne significant locus at 78.3 cM on chromosome (Chr) 1 (LOD score: 3.85), named Mda1, and two suggestive loci near 60.3 cM on Chr1 (LOD score: 2.32, named Mda2 due to replication in a separate cross) and 19.6 cM on Chr4 (LOD score: 2.34) were identified for MDA levels. Mda1 coincided precisely with loci for LDL, triglyceride, glucose, and body weight and overlapped with a locus for atherosclerosis in the aortic root. Plasma LDL, triglyceride, and glucose explained 25.5, 19.2, and 24.2% of the variation in MDA levels of F2 mice, respectively. After correction for triglyceride or LDL, QTLs for MDA on Chr1 and Chr4 disappeared. QTLs on Chr1 disappeared, remained on Chr4, and additional QTLs on Chr12 and Chr13 were detected after correction for glucose. The QTL on Chr12, named Mda3, had a significant LOD score of 8.034 and peaked 62.22 at cM. ConclusionsWe demonstrated a causative role for cardiometabolic traits in oxidative stress and identified hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia as a major driver of oxidative stress.

Impact of continuous positive airway pressure or oral appliance on pulse wave velocity and carotid artery atherosclerosis for the patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a prospective observational study for five years

Impact of continuous positive airway pressure or oral appliance on pulse wave velocity and carotid artery atherosclerosis for the patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a prospective observational study for five years

Molecular imaging of carotid artery atherosclerosis with PET: a systematic review.

To conduct a systematic review of articles on PET imaging of carotid atherosclerosis with emphasis on clinical usefulness and comparison with other imaging modalities. Research articles reporting carotid artery PET imaging with different radiotracers until 30 November 2018 were systematically searched for in Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library. Duplicates were removed, and editorials, case studies, and investigations on feasibility or reproducibility of PET imaging and of patients with end-stage diseases or immunosuppressive medications were omitted. After quality assessment of included articles using Joanna Briggs Institute checklists, all eligible articles were reviewed. Of 1718 primary hits, 53 studies comprising 4472 patients, aged 47-91years (78.8% males), were included and grouped under the following headlines: diagnostic performance, risk factors, laboratory findings, imaging modalities, and treatment. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) (49/53) and 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) (5/53) were the most utilized tracers to visualize carotid wall inflammation and microcalcification, respectively. Higher carotid FDG uptake was demonstrated in patients with than without symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Normal carotid arteries presented with the lowest FDG uptake. In symptomatic atherosclerosis, carotid arteries ipsilateral to a cerebrovascular event had higher FDG uptake than the contralateral carotid artery. FDG uptake was significantly associated with age, male gender, and body mass index in healthy individuals, and in addition with arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus in patients. Histological assessment indicated a strong correlation between microcalcification and NaF uptake in symptomatic patients. Histological evidence of calcification correlated inversely with FDG uptake, which was associated with increased macrophage and CD68 count, both accounting for increased local inflammatory response. FDG-PET visualizes the inflammatory part of carotid atherosclerosis enabling risk stratification to a certain degree, whereas NaF-PET seems to indicate long-term consequences of ongoing inflammation by demonstrating microcalcification allowing discrimination of atherosclerotic from normal arteries and suggesting clinically significant carotid atherosclerosis.

Carotid Atherosclerosis in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

This review aims to explore the relationship between AF and carotid atherosclerosis, and the impact on the outcomes of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Also, our aim is to critically review current knowledge and delineate future directions for effective treatment or prevention as well as strategies for improvement of the quality of life and survival. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia, increasing the risk of stroke and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality representing a significant worldwide public health problem. On the other hand, carotid artery atherosclerosis can also significantly increase the risk of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and death. Firstly, we report epidemiological data on AF patients in different countries and regions having carotid artery abnormalities such as carotid artery plaque formation, atherosclerotic, and even stenosis. Despite geographical variations, these abnormalities were more frequent in AF patients and correlated with the duration of AF and the value of CHA2DS2-VASc score. Moreover, it is evident that AF patients with carotid artery abnormalities have significantly increased risk of adverse outcomes from the heart and brain. According to the CHA(2)DS2 (-VASc) score, AF patients are managed with anticoagulation therapy. Reviewing existing data on the treatment for stroke prevention in patients with AF, carotid artery disease, or both, we found that antiplatelet therapy could be combined with anticoagulant therapy appropriately in certain circumstances. In addition, some emerging technologies, such as the percutaneous permanent carotid filter, may be used safely and effectively to prevent the occurrence of stroke in patients both with AF and carotid artery atherosclerosis.