This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Belcaro, G. Articles by Nicolaides, A.N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Belcaro, G. Articles by Nicolaides, A.N. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Noninvasive Ultrasonic Biopsy: Evaluation of Early Arteriosclerotic Lesions Progression in Normal Asymptomatic, Hyperlipidemic, and Diabetic Subjects

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

G. Laurora

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

M.R. Cesarone

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

A. Barsotti

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

G.P. Trevi

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

S. Renton

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

M. Veller

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

C. Fisher

G. Gerulakos

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

A.N. Nicolaides

Irvine Laboratory for Cardiovascular Investigation and Research, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England, Cardiovascular Institute, G. D'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy

Noninvasive ultrasonic biopsy (UB) is a method of detecting early arteriosclerotic changes by high-resolution ultrasound scanning of the carotid and femoral bifurcation. Six UB classes (scoring 0 to 10) have been identified in 2000 asymptomatic subjects and 600 vascular patients followed up for four years. The incidence of silent coronary ischemia (tested by effort test) and the occurrence of symptomatic events in four years are increased in advanced classes and with increasing UB score.

The rate of progression (ROP) in four years to the next UB class has been defined in normal subjects (1.4% in class I, 3.1% in II, 10.7% in III, 17.9% in IV, and 79.2% in class V). In a group of 305 asymptomatic hyperlipidemic subjects and in a group of 269 diabetics the ROP (in four years) was significantly higher.

Therefore ultrasonic biopsy is useful to identify subjects at risk of coronary ischemia and cardiovascular events and to follow up noninvasively the progression of arteriosclerosis.

Angiology, Vol. 44, No. 2, 93-99 (1993)
DOI: 10.1177/000331979304400202


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?