title: Carotid endarterectomy improves peripheral but not central arterial stiffness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) reduces the risk of cerebrovascular events due to the presence of atherosclerotic plaque in the internal carotid artery. Arterial stiffness is an indicator of cardiovascular risk and strongly associates with the development of atherosclerosis. This study aims to assess the short-term effect of CEA on arterial stiffness and haemodynamics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements of arterial stiffness and haemodynamics, including carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), carotid-radial PWV (crPWV), augmentation pressure, augmentation index, subendocardial viability ratio, central pressures and pulse pressure amplification, were performed pre- and 6 weeks post-CEA on both surgical and non-surgical sides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine patients completed the study (n = 46 men, age 68.9 ± 10.1 years). crPWV was decreased after CEA on the surgical (P = 0.01) and non-surgical side (P = 0.0008), AIx75 tended to decrease only on the surgical side (P = 0.06). cfPWV did not change significantly on either side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We assessed, for the first time, the short-term effect of CEA on arterial stiffness and haemodynamics. CEA improved peripheral but not central arterial stiffness. This study provides evidence for significant changes in certain arterial stiffness and haemodynamic parameters. Longer-term follow-up will assess whether these changes are sustained and whether CEA is associated with further haemodynamic benefits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gorgui
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Doonan
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Daskalopoulou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059289:Vascular Stiffness