Investigation of endothelial shear rate in patients with atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries

Abstract

Aim. To study the endothelial shear rate among the patients with atherosclerosis of carotids at the area of common carotid artery and the distant vascular region which brachial artery is. Material and methods. In research took part 71 patient aged from 40 to 75years. They were devoted into two groups depending on the availability of verified atherosclerosis carotid arteries. All patients were examined lipid metabolism, glycated hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, antithrombin activity and von Willebr and factor. Also duplex scanning of carotid arteries and reactive hyperemia in DS Celermajer followed by calculation of shear rate endothelium was held. Results. In the group of patients with carotid atherosclerosis endothelial shear rate values were significantly lower- 413 ± 122 s¹ and 518 ± 106 s¹, in the first and second groups accordingly (p - 0.007). In the area of the brachial artery shear rate was significantly lower in the initial state (p = 0.006), and 180 second period of reactive hyperemia, reflecting local blood flow recovery period after undergoing compression and return parameters to the original (p - 0.014). The low shear rate in the carotid artery associated with high total carotid stenosis (r = 0.435; p < 0.01), the sum of the areas of all atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries (r = 0.399№ p < 0.05) and Plaque Score (r- 0.342; p < 0.05), but apart from that- with elevated hsCRP (r = 0.372; p <0.01) and low HDL-cholesterol values (r- 0.485; p <0.01). Conclusions. Patients with atherosclerotic carotid arteries had significantly lower values of endothelial shear rate as at the intact section of the carotid artery, and the brachial artery segment at rest, as well as the period of 180 seconds of reactive hyperemia. The low values of the shear rate in the brachial artery correlated with indicators of the 2 severity of the atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries as total carotid stenosis and the sum of the areas of all atheroscleroticplaques in the carotid arteries.