title: Application of speckle-tracking in the evaluation of carotid artery function in subjects with hypertension and diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Speckle-tracking enables direct tracking of carotid arterial wall motion. Timing intervals determined with carotid speckle-tracking and slopes calculated from carotid artery area versus cardiac cycle curves may provide further information on arterial function and stiffness. The proposed arterial stiffness parameters were examined in healthy controls (n = 20), nondiabetic patients with hypertension (n = 20), and patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 21).
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilateral electrocardiographically gated ultrasonograms of the distal common carotid artery were acquired using a 12-MHz vascular probe. Four timing intervals were derived from speckle-tracked carotid arterial strain curves: (1) carotid predistension period, (2) peak carotid arterial strain time, (3) arterial distension period, and (4) arterial diastolic time. In addition, carotid artery area curves were recorded over the cardiac cycle and subdivided into four segments, S1 to S4, relating to arterial distention and contraction periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean far wall predistension period and peak carotid arterial strain time were more delayed in patients with diabetes and hypertension than in controls. Global mean arterial distension period was prolonged and arterial diastolic time was shorter in patients with hypertension and diabetes than in controls. Slopes of segments S2 and S4 were markedly steeper in the combined group of patients with hypertension and diabetes compared with healthy controls (P = .03 and P = .02, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Speckle-tracking-based measures of arterial stiffness may provide potential additive value in assessing vascular function in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Eric Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Hisham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dokainish
authors.forename: Craig J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Taffet
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lakkis
authors.forename: Addison A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Arunima
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Misra
authors.forename: Marti L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Morrisett
authors.forename: Salim S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Virani
authors.forename: Christie M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ballantyne
authors.forename: Sherif F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Nagueh
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nambi
mesh_terms: D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
keywords: ADP; AUC; Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve; Arterial distension period; Arterial stiffness; CA; CAA; CAS; Carotid arterial strain; Carotid artery; Carotid artery area; DM; Diabetes mellitus; PDP; Predistension period; Speckle-tracking