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 Del Corso, L. Articles by Baggiani, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Del Corso, L. Articles by Baggiani, G. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Tortuosity, Kinking, and Coiling of the Carotid Artery: Expression of Atherosclerosis or Aging?

Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontology Unit, Pisa, Italy.

Daniela Moruzzo, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontology Unit, Pisa, Italy.

Biagio Conte, MD

Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Angiology Unit, Santa Chiara Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

Maria Agelli, MD

Department of Rheumatology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Anna Maria Romanelli, BSci

CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Pisa, Italy.

Fabrizio Pastine, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontology Unit, Pisa, Italy.

Mariangela Protti, BSci

CNR, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Pisa, Italy.

Ferdinando Pentimone, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Gerontology Unit, Pisa, Italy.

Giovanni Baggiani, MD

Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Angiology Unit, Santa Chiara Hospital, Pisa, Italy.

The etiology of carotid abnormalities is both congenital than acquired. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of aging and atherosclerosis in the acquired cases, and the role of these abnormalities in hemodynamic alterations and neurologic symptoms.

Over a 1-year period the authors studied all the subjects undergoing carotid exami nation by continuous-wave and color-coded Doppler sonography at an Angiology Unit. They evaluated neurologic symptoms; risk factors for atherosclerosis; number, sites, and kinds of carotid abnormalities; atherosclerotic lesions; stenosis; hemodynamic alterations of the carotid; and other localizations of atherosclerotic diseases.

There were 469 subjects: 272 (58%) with abnormalities (group 1) and 197 (42%) without abnormalities (group 2). The total number of abnormalities was 479 (104 tortu osities, 262 kinkings, and 113 coilings). The abnormalities were more prevalent in the elderly (P<0.001) and in women (P< 0.001). In group 1 they found significant preva lences of hyperlipemia (P<0.001), hypertension (P<0.01), chronic cigarette smoking (P<0.01), and ischemic heart disease (P<0.05). (continued on next page) Carotid atherosclerotic lesions were more prevalent in group 1 than in group 2 (P<0.001); among the patients with atherosclerotic carotid lesions, those in group 1 were older than those in group 2 (P<0.001). Tortuosity seemed to be associated with fewer hemodynamic alterations.

The authors conclude that atherosclerosis, hypertension, and aging may play an important role in producing carotid abnormalities. The aging seemed more important than atherosclerosis.

Only a prospective study of patients with carotid abnormalities and no atherosclerotic lesion will clarify the role of hemodynamics and neurologic symptomatology.

Angiology, Vol. 49, No. 5, 361-371 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/000331979804900505


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