Aortic root dilatation is associated with carotid intima-media thickness but not with carotid plaque in hypertensive men.
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.
Jiang
Jian-Jun
JJ
Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Taizhou Zhejiang, China.
Chen
Xiao-Feng
XF
Liu
Xue-Ming
XM
Tang
Li-Jiang
LJ
Lin
Xian-Fang
XF
Pu
Zhao-Xia
ZX
Chen
Tie-Long
TL
Zhang
Yu
Y
Wang
Ya-Ping
YP
Wang
Jian-An
JA
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