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Role of the CHADS
Le-Yu Lin1,2, Lian-Wei Yang1,3, Yuan-Yuan Shang1
1The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health and the State and Shandong Province Joint Key Laboratory of Translational Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Insights
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) show altered carotid artery structure and function. The CHADS2 score may help predict the severity of carotid atherosclerosis in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia associated with increased risk of stroke.
- Carotid atherosclerosis is a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate carotid atherosclerosis characteristics in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
- To assess the feasibility and predictive value of the CHADS2 score for carotid atherosclerosis severity in AF patients.
Main Methods:
- 109 patients with nonvalvular AF (paroxysmal and persistent) and 50 healthy controls underwent carotid ultrasound and velocity vector imaging (VVI).
- Patients were categorized into paroxysmal AF, persistent AF, and control groups.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased intimal-medial thickness and plaque index were observed in both AF groups compared to controls.
- Velocity vector imaging (VVI) revealed decreased carotid artery longitudinal motion function in AF patients.
- The CHADS2 score demonstrated a correlation with carotid artery structure and function indicators.
Conclusions:
- Carotid artery structure and function are significantly altered in patients with AF.
- The extent of carotid atherosclerosis is influenced by AF duration.
- The CHADS2 score shows potential as a predictor for carotid atherosclerosis extent in AF patients.
Objective:
This study investigated the characteristics of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and determined the feasibility and significance of the CHADS2 score in predicting the degree of carotid atherosclerosis.
Methods:
Consecutive patients (n = 109) with nonvalvular AF were registered and classified into two groups, the paroxysmal AF group (n = 59) and persistent AF group (n = 50). Fifty healthy patients, matched by sex and age, were considered the control group. All patients were examined using carotid ultrasound and velocity vector imaging (VVI).
Results:
Compared with the control group, the mean intimal-medial thickness in the paroxysmal AF group (0.56 ± 0.11 versus 0.61 ± 0.10, respectively, P < 0.05) and the persistent AF group (0.56 ± 0.11 versus 0.64 ± 0.13, respectively, P < 0.001) was significantly increased. The plaque index (PI) in the persistent AF group was significantly higher than that observed in the paroxysmal AF group (1.05 ± 1.33 versus 1.42 ± 1.47, respectively, P < 0.001). Regarding the VVI indices, those reflecting the long-axis longitudinal motion function of carotid arteries were significantly decreased in both AF groups. Compared with the control group, a significantly lower total longitudinal displacement (tLoD) index was observed in the persistent AF group (0.73 ± 0.66 versus 0.31 ± 0.23, respectively, P < 0·0001) and the paroxysmal AF group (0.73 ± 0.66 versus 0.34 ± 0.17, P < 0·0001). The CHADS2 score was related to indicators reflecting the structure and function of the carotid artery.
Conclusions:
Carotid arterial structure and function were significantly altered in patients with AF. The degree of carotid atherosclerosis depended on the duration of AF. The CHADS2 score may be useful as a predictor of the extent of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with AF.
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