Correlation of calcified carotid plaques detected by panoramic radiograph with risk factors for stroke development.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to evaluate whether patients with calcifications in the carotid region detectable by panoramic radiograph differ in the prevalence of risk factors for stroke development compared with those without calcifications.


METHODS
Forty consecutive individuals suffering from proven carotid artery atherosclerotic occlusive disease were submitted to carotid endarterectomy. Seventeen patients were symptomatic at the time of referral, having suffered at least 1 episode of ischemic cerebral event during the preceding 6 months, mainly transient ischemic attacks or amaurosis fugax, and the remaining 23 patients were asymptomatic and the diagnosis was reached during a thorough investigation of coexisting coronary or peripheral vascular disease. Preoperatively, all patients had undergone panoramic radiograph examination, as the presurgical protocol commanded. Based on the panoramic radiograph results, patients in whom calcifications were detected either unilaterally (n = 10) or bilaterally (n = 18) constituted group A (n = 28) and patients in whom no calcifications were detected constituted group B (n = 12) of this study.


RESULTS
Univariate analysis among several risk factors for stroke development between the 2 groups of patients disclosed a stastistically significant lower incidence of diabetes mellitus (P = .005) but a higher incidence of symptomatic plaques (P < .030) in the group of patients with detectable calcifications in the panoramic radiograph.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with calcified carotid plaques detectable by panoramic radiography are more likely to have suffered cerebrovascular events. Therefore, patients with detectable carotid plaque in panoramic radiographs require referral to their physician for further investigation.
Griniatsos
John
J
First Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Laiko Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. johngriniatsos@yahoo.com
Damaskos
Spyros
S
Tsekouras
Nikolaos
N
Klonaris
Chris
C
Georgopoulos
Sotirios
S
D000368:Aged; D020757:Amaurosis Fugax / Q000150:complications; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*