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The association between gallstone disease and plaque in the abdominopelvic arteries
Halil İbrahim Serin1, Yunus Keser Yilmaz2, Yaşar Turan3
1Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey.
Insights
Gallstone disease (GD) is linked to more abdominopelvic atherosclerosis, indicating a higher cardiovascular risk. This study found a direct relationship between GD and atheromatous plaque in arteries, a key cardiac risk marker.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Medicine
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Gallstone disease (GD) is prevalent, and its association with cardiovascular risk markers requires further investigation.
- Atheromatous plaque in abdominopelvic arteries serves as a potential indicator of cardiac risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate atheromatous plaque in abdominopelvic arteries as a marker of cardiac risk in patients with and without gallstone disease.
- To determine the relationship between gallstone disease and the prevalence and severity of abdominopelvic atherosclerosis.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 136 patients (48 with GD, 88 without).
- Gallstone presence assessed via abdominal ultrasonography.
- Abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scans evaluated vascular risk factors including plaque formation, intima-media thickness, calcification, mural thrombus, stenosis, aneurysm, and inflammation.
- Quantification of atheromatous plaque coverage on the abdominopelvic aorta surface.
Main Results:
- Patients with GD showed higher rates of diabetes mellitus, increased body mass index (BMI), and elevated cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels.
- Significantly higher prevalence of vascular risk factors (intima-media thickness, plaque, calcification, aneurysm, mural thrombosis, stenosis, inflammation) were observed in patients with GD across most abdominal arterial segments.
- Severe atheromatous plaques were more common in the abdominal aorta, common iliac, external iliac, and common femoral arteries (CFA) in patients with GD.
- Age, BMI, and blood pressure correlated with atheromatous plaque severity in patients with GD.
Conclusions:
- A direct relationship between gallstone disease and abdominopelvic atheromatous plaque was established, identifying it as a marker for increased cardiovascular risk.
- Patients with gallstone disease exhibit a greater burden of abdominopelvic atherosclerosis.
- This suggests that individuals with gallstone disease may have an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.
Background:
The aim of this study was to assess the atheromatous plaque, in the abdominopelvic arteries as a marker of cardiac risk in patients with or without gallstone disease (GD).
Materials And Methods:
A total of 136 patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Forty-eight patients had GD and the remaining 88 patients did not. The presence or absence of gallstones was noted during abdominal ultrasonography while vascular risk factors such as plaque formation, intima-media thickness, plaque calcification, mural thrombus, stenosis, aneurysm, and inflammation were recorded during an abdominopelvic computed tomography scan. In addition, percentage of the abdominopelvic aorta surface covered by atheromatous plaque was calculated.
Results:
The mean age of patients with GD and without GD was 50.81 ± 16.20 and 50.40 ± 12.43, respectively. Patients with GD were more likely to have diabetes mellitus, a higher body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001), and higher cholesterol (P < 0.01), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P < 0.02) levels. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding other atherosclerotic risk factors. Patients with GD had significantly higher rates of the vascular risk factors as intima-media thickness, plaque formation, calcification, aneurysm, mural thrombosis, stenosis, and inflammation in all abdominal arterial segments other than aneurysm in the femoral arteries. In addition, patients with GD had severe atheromatous plaques in the abdominal aorta, common iliac, external iliac, and common femoral artery (CFA). In patients with GD, parameters of age, BMI, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were all correlated with the severity of the atheromatous plaque in abdominal aorta, common iliac, external iliac, and CFA.
Conclusion:
We demonstrated a direct relationship between GD and abdominopelvic atheromatous plaque, which is a marker for increased cardiovascular risk, for the first time in the literature. Patients with GD exhibit greater abdominopelvic atherosclerosis and therefore, have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
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