BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An association between aortic arch atherosclerosis and vascular events has been demonstrated. However, few data exist regarding follow-up evaluation of this disease. METHODS: In this study, 183 patients with the diagnosis of aortic arch atherosclerosis were prospectively followed up. This diagnosis was made during an echocardiographic cross-sectional study. In 136 patients, raised plaques with thickness < 5 mm had been shown to exist, and in 47 patients complex plaques with thickness > or = 5 mm or plaques with mobile components had been demonstrated on the initial transesophageal echocardiography. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up period of 16 +/- 7 months, vascular events with a presumed embolic origin occurred in 15 patients. The incidence was 4.1 per 100 person-years in patients with raised plaques compared with 13.7 per 100 person-years in the group with complex plaques. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significantly higher rate of vascular events in patients who were found to have complex plaques (P < .01). In the Cox proportional hazards analysis, the finding of complex plaques (relative risk [RR], 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 12.0; P = .006), coronary artery disease (RR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.2 to 13.1; P = .02), and a history of previous embolism (RR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 14.4; P = .03) were independent predictors of vascular events. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with the finding of protruding plaques or plaques with mobile components have a high risk of subsequent vascular events.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An association between aortic arch atherosclerosis and vascular events has been demonstrated. However, few data exist regarding follow-up evaluation of this disease. METHODS: In this study, 183 patients with the diagnosis of aortic arch atherosclerosis were prospectively followed up. This diagnosis was made during an echocardiographic cross-sectional study. In 136 patients, raised plaques with thickness < 5 mm had been shown to exist, and in 47 patients complex plaques with thickness > or = 5 mm or plaques with mobile components had been demonstrated on the initial transesophageal echocardiography. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up period of 16 +/- 7 months, vascular events with a presumed embolic origin occurred in 15 patients. The incidence was 4.1 per 100 person-years in patients with raised plaques compared with 13.7 per 100 person-years in the group with complex plaques. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significantly higher rate of vascular events in patients who were found to have complex plaques (P < .01). In the Cox proportional hazards analysis, the finding of complex plaques (relative risk [RR], 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 12.0; P = .006), coronary artery disease (RR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.2 to 13.1; P = .02), and a history of previous embolism (RR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 14.4; P = .03) were independent predictors of vascular events. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with the finding of protruding plaques or plaques with mobile components have a high risk of subsequent vascular events.
Authors: Frederik F Strobl; Axel Rominger; Sarah Wolpers; Carsten Rist; Fabian Bamberg; Kolja M Thierfelder; Konstantin Nikolaou; Christopher Uebleis; Marcus Hacker; Maximilian F Reiser; Tobias Saam Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2013-08-24 Impact factor: 2.357
Authors: Pierre Amarenco; Joachim Röther; Patrik Michel; Steven M Davis; Geoffrey A Donnan Journal: Curr Atheroscler Rep Date: 2006-07 Impact factor: 5.113
Authors: Shinichi Iwata; Zhezhen Jin; Joseph E Schwartz; Shunichi Homma; Mitchell S V Elkind; Tatjana Rundek; Ralph L Sacco; Marco R Di Tullio Journal: Atherosclerosis Date: 2012-01-10 Impact factor: 5.162
Authors: Cesare Russo; Zhezhen Jin; Tatjana Rundek; Shunichi Homma; Ralph L Sacco; Marco R Di Tullio Journal: Stroke Date: 2009-06-04 Impact factor: 7.914
Authors: Marco R Di Tullio; Cesare Russo; Zhezhen Jin; Ralph L Sacco; J P Mohr; Shunichi Homma Journal: Circulation Date: 2009-04-20 Impact factor: 29.690