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Carotid adventitial vasa vasorum and intima-media thickness in a primary prevention population

Uchechukwu K A Sampson1, Frank E Harrell, Sergio Fazio

  • 1Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, VUMC, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, VUMC, Nashville, Tennessee.

Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.)
|June 17, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Vasa vasorum ratio and intima-media thickness are independently linked to diabetes, but not directly related to each other in this primary prevention cohort. Further research is needed to clarify their complex relationship in atherosclerosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Vascular Biology
  • Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

  • Vasa vasorum (VV) are implicated in atherosclerosis development.
  • Assessing carotid VV, intima-media thickness (CIMT), and risk factors is crucial for primary prevention.
  • This study investigates these markers in a primary prevention population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the relationship between carotid vasa vasorum (VV) ratio, intima-media thickness (CIMT), and patient risk factors.
  • To assess these markers in a primary prevention population, including diabetics and non-diabetics.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized multivariable linear models to analyze associations.
  • Evaluated baseline covariates, carotid VV ratio, and CIMT.
  • Included 324 diabetic and 141 non-diabetic participants.

Main Results:

  • Diabetes was significantly associated with higher VV ratio (36%) and CIMT (31%).
  • Increased age and systolic blood pressure correlated with higher CIMT.
  • Female sex was associated with lower CIMT; BMI correlated with VV ratio.

Conclusions:

  • VV ratio and CIMT were independently associated with diabetes but not directly related to each other.
  • These findings highlight diabetes as a key factor influencing both VV ratio and CIMT.
  • Further large-scale studies are warranted to explore the VV ratio-CIMT relationship across various atherosclerotic states.
Abstract

Keywords:
atherosclerosiscardiovascular riskcontrast-enhanced ultrasoundin vivo imagingneovascularizationnoninvasive imagingvasa vasorum

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