Carotid Plaque and Mortality in Heart Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Christina Petersen, Patricia B Peçanha, Lucia Venneri, Emilio Pasanisi, Lorenza Pratali, Eugenio Picano
Primary Institution: CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy
Hypothesis
Carotid plaque geometry and morphology can predict mortality in hospitalized cardiological patients.
Conclusion
Carotid plaque presence and morphology assessed by ultrasound are independent predictors of death in hospitalized cardiological patients.
Supporting Evidence
- 83 all-cause deaths occurred during the follow-up period, representing 15% of the total population.
- Patients with heterogeneous plaques had a higher risk of death compared to those with homogeneous plaques.
- Age and the presence of heterogeneous plaque were identified as independent predictors of death.
Takeaway
Doctors can use ultrasound to look at the shape and type of plaque in the neck arteries to help predict if heart patients might die from their condition.
Methodology
The study involved 541 hospitalized patients who underwent ultrasound Duplex carotid scans and were followed for a median of 34 months.
Potential Biases
The visual assessment of plaque morphology is operator-dependent and may introduce variability.
Limitations
The study relied on subjective ultrasound assessments, which can vary between operators.
Participant Demographics
The average age of participants was 66 years, with 411 men and a variety of heart conditions.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.000
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.03–1.09
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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