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Francesco Bartolomucci, Marco Paterni, Carmela Morizzo, Michaela Kozakova, Nicoletta D'Allitto, Francesco Strippoli, Carlo Palombo, Giuseppe Maiorano, P-290: Early structural changes of carotid artery in familial hypercholesterolemia, American Journal of Hypertension, Volume 14, Issue S1, April 2001, Pages 125A–126A, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0895-7061(01)01461-3
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Abstract
Aim of the study was to investigate by ultrasonic texture analysis the early carotid artery involvement in young subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia (FHC) and without cardiovascular disease, before and 3 months after treatment with atorvastatin (10 mg/day).
12 young subjects (age 28±2 years,) with FHC (total cholesterol 291±21.9 mg/dl) and 12 healthy controls (NL, age 28±2 years) were compared. To assess carotid artery (CA) geometry, echo-duplex investigation of extracranial CA was performed and far wall intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured one cm proximal and distal to the flow-divider and at bulb. Mean and maximal IMT were assessed. In addition, ultrasonic texture of common CA was evaluated by grey level analysis (1 to 256 scale). Angular second moment (ASM) and entropy of intima-media complex were assessed as indexes of ultrasonic homogeneity/dyshomogeneity.
before treatment, in FHC as compared to NL mean IMT was higher (0.63±0.06 vs 0.59±0.05mm, p<0.05), and ultrasonic texture analysis showed significantly higher entropy and lower ASM values (entropy: NL 0.082±0.02 vs FHC 0.566±0.12 p<0.01; and ASM: NL 0.01±0.01 vs FHC 0.004±0.001 p<0.05). After treatment, total cholesterol lowered from 291±22.mg/dl to 211±32 mg/dl (p<0.05), mean IMT from 0.63±0.06 to 0.59±0.05 mm (p<0.01), maximal IMT from 0.72±0.10 to 0.66±0.09 mm (p<0.01). Entropy of intima-media complex decreased from 0.566±0.12 to 0.442±0.05 (p<0.01), while ASM increased from 0.004±0.001 to 0.0216±0.04 (p<0.05).
In young subjects with early FHC texture analysis of two-dimensional carotid artery images shows increased intima-media complex thickness and dyshomogeneity, suggestive of early medial infiltration. These alterations are reversed by atorvastatin.
