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Plaque echolucency and stroke risk in asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: Ultrasonographic plaque echolucency has been studied as a stroke risk marker in carotid atherosclerotic disease. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the association between ultrasound-determined carotid plaque echolucency and future ipsilateral stroke risk.We searched the medical literature for studies evaluating the association between carotid plaque echolucency and future stroke in asymptomatic patients. We included prospective observational studies with stroke outcome ascertainment after baseline carotid plaque echolucency assessment. We performed a meta-analysis and assessed study heterogeneity and publication bias. We also performed subgroup analyses limited to patients with stenosis ?50%, studies in which plaque echolucency was determined via subjective visual interpretation, studies with a relatively lower risk of bias, and studies published after the year 2000.We analyzed data from 7 studies on 7557 subjects with a mean follow-up of 37.2 months. We found a significant positive relationship between predominantly echolucent (compared with predominantly echogenic) plaques and the risk of future ipsilateral stroke across all stenosis severities (0% to 99%; relative risk, 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-3.39; P<0.001) and in subjects with ?50% stenosis (relative risk, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.47-4.63; P=0.001). A statistically significant increased relative risk for future stroke was preserved in all additional subgroup analyses. No statistically significant heterogeneity or publication bias was present in any of the meta-analyses.The presence of ultrasound-determined carotid plaque echolucency provides predictive information in asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis beyond luminal stenosis. However, the magnitude of the increased risk is not sufficient on its own to iden tify patients likely to benefit from surgical revascularization.

SUBMITTER: Gupta A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4280234 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Plaque echolucency and stroke risk in asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Gupta Ajay A Kesavabhotla Kartik K Baradaran Hediyeh H Kamel Hooman H Pandya Ankur A Giambrone Ashley E AE Wright Drew D Pain Kevin J KJ Mtui Edward E EE Suri Jasjit S JS Sanelli Pina C PC Mushlin Alvin I AI

Stroke 20141118 1

<h4>Background and purpose</h4>Ultrasonographic plaque echolucency has been studied as a stroke risk marker in carotid atherosclerotic disease. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the association between ultrasound-determined carotid plaque echolucency and future ipsilateral stroke risk.<h4>Methods</h4>We searched the medical literature for studies evaluating the association between carotid plaque echolucency and future stroke in asymptomatic patients. We included pro ...[more]

PMID: 25406150

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Project description:ImportanceThere is an ongoing debate regarding the management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Previous studies have reported imaging features of high-risk plaques that could help to optimize the risk-benefit ratio of revascularization. However, such studies have not provided an accurate estimate of the prevalence of high-risk plaques and the associated annual incidence of ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events to inform the design of clinical trials using a risk-oriented selection of patients before randomization.ObjectiveTo assess the relevance and feasibility of risk-oriented selection of patients for revascularization.Data sourcesA systematic search of PubMed and Ovid Embase from database inception to July 31, 2019, was performed.Study selectionProspective observational studies that reported prevalence of high-risk plaques and incidence of ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events were included.Data extraction and synthesisAggregated data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Data were analyzed from December 16, 2019, to January 15, 2020.Main outcomes and measuresPrevalence of high-risk plaques and annual incidence of ipsilateral ischemic events.ResultsOverall, 64 studies enrolling 20 751 participants aged 29 to 95 years (mean age range, 55.0-76.5 years; proportion of men, 45%-87%) were included in the meta-analysis. Among all participants, the pooled prevalence of high-risk plaques was 26.5% (95% CI, 22.9%-30.3%). The most prevalent high-risk plaque features were neovascularization (43.4%; 95% CI, 31.4%-55.8%) in 785 participants, echolucency (42.3%; 95% CI, 32.2%-52.8%) in 12 364 participants, and lipid-rich necrotic core (36.3%; 95% CI, 27.7%-45.2%) in 3728 participants. The overall incidence of ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events was 3.2 events per 100 person-years (22 cohorts with 10 381 participants; mean follow-up period, 2.8 years; range, 0.7-6.5 years). The incidence of ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events was higher in patients with high-risk plaques (4.3 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 2.5-6.5 events per 100 person-years) than in those without high-risk plaques (1.2 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 0.6-1.8 events per 100 person-years), with an odds ratio of 3.0 (95% CI, 2.1-4.3; I2 = 48.8%). In studies focusing on severe stenosis (9 cohorts with 2128 participants; mean follow-up period, 2.8 years; range, 1.4-6.5 years), the incidence of ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events was 3.7 events per 100 person-years (95% CI, 1.9-6.0 events per 100 person-years). The incidence of ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events was also higher in patients with high-risk plaques (7.3 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 2.0-15.0 events per 100 person-years) than in those without high-risk plaques (1.7 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 0.6-3.3 events per 100 person-years), with an odds ratio of 3.2 (95% CI, 1.7-5.9; I2 = 39.6%).Conclusions and relevanceHigh-risk plaques are common in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis, and the associated risk of an ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular event is higher than the currently accepted estimates. Extension of routine assessment of asymptomatic carotid stenosis beyond the grade of stenosis may help improve risk stratification and optimize therapy.

Dataset Information

Plaque echolucency and stroke risk in asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Publications

Plaque echolucency and stroke risk in asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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