The Role of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in the Detection of Carotid Intraplaque Neovascularization in Coronary Heart Disease and Its Relationship with the Expression of Serum Hcy

doi:10.7517/issn.1674-0475.220725

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigated the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the detection of carotid plaque neovascularization (IPN) in coronary artery disease and its relationship with the expression of serum homocysteine (Hcy) and blood lipids. A total of 167 patients with stable coronary heart disease (CAD) and carotid plaque (thickness ≥1.5 mm) were selected as the research subjects. IPN was examined by CEUS, and the patients were divided into IPN group (n=82) and non-IPN group (n=85). The baseline data, carotid ultrasound characteristics, blood lipid metabolism indexes, serum Hcy levels, and the incidence and occurrence time of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the maximum plaque thickness in the IPN group was higher than that in the non-IPN group [(3.23±1.07) mm vs (2.85±0.87) mm,P＜0.05]. There was no significant difference in TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C between the two groups (P>0.05). The serum Hcy level in the IPN group was higher than that in the non-IPN group (P＜0.05). The overall incidence of MACE was 7.19% (12/167). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve of patients’ MACE showed that the occurrence time of MACE in patients with IPN was earlier than in non-IPN group at follow-up (P＜0.05). This study suggests that IPN, maximum plaque thickness and serum Hcy levels may be predictors of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with coronary heart disease.

Key words: contrast-enhanced ultrasound, coronary heart disease, carotid intraplaque neovascularization, homocysteine, maximum plaque thickness

SUN Xiang, TAN Jie. The Role of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in the Detection of Carotid Intraplaque Neovascularization in Coronary Heart Disease and Its Relationship with the Expression of Serum Hcy[J]. IMAGING SCIENCE AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY, 2022, 40(6): 1402-1406.

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