Original scientific paper

Blood Lipids and Carotid Plaques

Marjan Zaletel
Bojana Žvan

Abstract

Increased lipids in the blood could be associated with an increased lipid core of atherosclerotic plaque and plaque echolucency on the B-mode image. The hypothesis that plasma levels of blood lipids predict the echolucency of carotid atherosclerotic plaques on B-mode imaging was tested. A total of 237 outpatients, mean age 62.9±10.2 years, were enrolled in the study. There were 189 symptomatic and 48 asymptomatic patients. All of them underwent duplex sonography of carotid arteries and lipidogram in the last year, and had plaques in common or internal carotid arteries. Other risk factors, i.e. arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, aging and gender, were also evaluated. In the model of logistic regression, the type of plaque (hypoechogenic, echogenic) was introduced as a dependent variable, with LDL, HDL and triglycerides as independent variables. The model fitted the data moderately well (r2=0.19, p<0.001). LDL and HDL appeared to be significant predictors (p<0.01). The association of plaque type with arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, aging and gender was tested by logistic regression. The model fitted the data moderately well (r2=0.24, p<0.001). Arterial hypertension and age were significant (p<0.01) predictors for echogenic plaques, whereas cigarette smoking was indicative of hypoechogenic plaques (p=0.01). In conclusion, LDL and HDL appeared to be associated with hypoechogenic plaques. LDL showed positive, and HDL negative association. Among other risk factors, aging and arterial hypertension showed positive association with echogenic plaques, whereas cigarette smoking showed positive association with hypoechogenic plaques.

Keywords

Arteriosclerosis, physiopathology; Arteriosclerosis, ultrasonography; Lipids, blood; Risk factors

Hrčak ID:

14703

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/14703

Publication date:

1.3.2002.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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