A four year clinical and echographic follow-up of asymptomatic carotid plaque

Eighty-five patients with asymptomatic carotid plaque--a diagnosis revealed by B-mode high-resolution echotomography--were followed up for four years; the echoplaque changes were compared with the clinical history. Eight patients died (2 from stroke, 4 from myocardial infarction, and 2 from lung tumor) and were excluded from the follow-up. Three patients underwent carotid thromboendarterectomy (TEA) (1 bilateral), and these 4 carotids were not considered in the total series. At the first echo Doppler evaluation of 150 carotids, plaques were observed in 112; 38 vessels were free of lesions. Of the 150 carotids, 8 revealed a new plaques. In regard to the echogenic pattern, 95 of the 112 plaques (84.8%) remained unchanged, 16 (14.3%) progressed, and regression of a small homogeneous plaque was observed in 1 patient (0.9%). An increase of the degree of vascular stenosis, was observed in 23 of the 150 carotids (15.3%). Cerebral ischemic symptoms occurred in 5 patients. In 1 patient who suffered from stroke, a new, soft, dyshomogeneous plaque in the carotid of the side of the lesion was observed. In 3 patients (2 with strokes, 1 with transient ischemic attack) the occlusion of a previous severe stenosis was observed. The fifth patient had a stroke on the side of an unchanged, ulcerated hemodynamic lesion. A valid criterion for identifying a risky plaque should be the joint evaluation of the echostructural characteristics and the degree of stenosis.