title: [Ecodoppler evaluation on the progress of atherosclerotic disease in patients undergoing contralateral carotid endarterectomy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The clinical utility of monitoring by Doppler ultrasound patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy is not clearly established. Our goal is to evaluate by echo-Doppler the progress of contralateral stenosis in a real environment, in order to assess its usefulness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study with Doppler ultrasound monitoring in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for a period of 3 years. We included cases with Doppler echography before and at least one post-surgery. We excluded patients with contralateral thrombosis, contralateral stenosis, established surgical indication or prior carotid surgery. Analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves to estimate the rate of patients free of progression and / or surgery, as well as an analysis of risk factors for progression of contralateral stenosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 119 patients (41.2% symptomatic) age 68.3 +/- 8.41 years. The follow-up was 40.5 +/- 23.2 months, with a mean of 2.64 +/- 1.58 scans per patient. The likelihood of progression of contralateral carotid stenosis was estimated at 91, 86, 81 and 79% at one, two, three and four years respectively. The only significant risk factor for progression was the presence of moderate or greater contralateral stenosis (30% or more) at the time of surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evolution of the contralateral carotid atherosclerosis is relatively common. The degree of stenosis correlates with early progression, the study by echo-Doppler plays an important role in monitoring these patients.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Angiologia e Cirurgia Vascular do Hospital Clínico Universitário de Valladolid, Espanha.
authors.forename: José António
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Brizuela Sanz
authors.forename: José António
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: González Fajardo
authors.forename: Alvaro Revilla
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Calavia
authors.forename: Borja Merino
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arce
authors.forename: Ana Cristina Vieira
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaquero Puerta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D018450:Disease Progression; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional