Intraplaque hemorrhage: its significance in cerebrovascular disease.
Recently, carotid plaque factors, specifically intraplaque hemorrhage, have been studied with respect to the production of cerebrovascular symptoms. Ninety-five carotid endarterectomies were performed and the plaques that were removed were examined for intraplaque hemorrhage. Patients were separated into three groups: those with specific neurologic symptoms, those with nonlateralizing symptoms, and those who were asymptomatic. In the group of patients who presented with specific neurologic symptoms, correlation was made between the age of the intraplaque hemorrhage and the timing of symptoms. The vast majority of patients with specific neurologic symptoms exhibited carotid plaque hemorrhage, but patients with nonlateralizing symptoms and those who were asymptomatic also demonstrated an unexpectedly high percentage of intraplaque hemorrhage. Moreover, our results show a poor relationship between the timing of symptoms and the age of the intraplaque hemorrhage. These data do not refute the concept that intraplaque hemorrhage may play a role in the production of cerebrovascular symptoms, but they do refute the notion that the mere presence of hemorrhage causes specific neurologic symptoms and they also refute the previous report that demonstrates a good correlation between the timing of symptoms and the age of the intraplaque hemorrhage.
D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D004691:Endarterectomy; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors