title: Aortic root dilatation is associated with carotid intima-media thickness but not with carotid plaque in hypertensive men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of atherosclerosis-related processes in aortic root dilatation (ARD) has not been fully determined. The present study was to assess the relationship between carotid IMT, carotid plaque, and ARD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hypertensive men with ARD (n = 30) were compared with hypertensive men without ARD (n = 52) and normal control subjects (n = 29). Two-dimensional echocardiography was used to measure the aortic root at the aortic annulus, the sinus of Valsalva, the sinotubular junction and the proximal part of the ascending aorta. Carotid IMT and carotid plaque were also assessed by ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The measured mean carotid IMT was significantly increased in patients with ARD (1.37 +/- 0.80 mm) compared to the subjects without ARD (1.06 +/- 0.54 mm) and healthy control subjects (0.84 +/- 0.44 mm) (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences of the prevalence of carotid plaque were found in the three groups (P > 0.05). Aortic diameters at all levels except for the diameter of the supra-aortic ridge were significantly related to carotid IMT when the hypertensive population was considered (P < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between carotid plaque and aortic root dimension (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that carotid intima-media thickening, but not carotid atherosclerotic plaque, is positively associated with ARD. Further studies to explore the underlying mechanism are awaited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Taizhou Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xue-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Jiang
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Xian-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhao-Xia
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Tie-Long
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color