View clinical trials related to Carotid Artery Plaque.
Filter by:Broad Goal: To demonstrate that focused vascular ultrasound (FOVUS) can accurately risk stratify patients with chest pain in the emergency department (ED). Background and Rationale: Traditional risk assessment focuses on characteristics of the pain, known Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), risk factors, electrocardiogram (ECG), and blood tests to identify active ischemia. Identifying clinically significant CAD remains one of the most challenging tasks in the ED. Current clinical decision rules err on the side of over investigation and admission. To address this limitation, the Investigators have developed a point-of-care carotid ultrasound test predictive of CAD. The Investigators have shown that carotid plaque is strongly associated with significant angiographic CAD in a population referred for angiogram. Research Aims: Primary - To determine the association between carotid plaque measured by a dedicated sonographer and 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including MI, reperfusion, or death in patients presenting to the ED with suspected cardiac ischemia. Secondary - To determine the agreement sonographer and emergency physician FOVUS results. Methodology: The Investigators propose a prospective cohort study to assess the prognostic value of a novel point-of-care carotid ultrasound plaque quantification protocol in the ED of Kingston General Hospital. We will enroll 500 consecutive patients presenting with a chief complaint of chest pain prompting at least one 12-lead ECG and troponin measurement. Patients will undergo carotid scan by a dedicated sonographer and emergency physician. Patients will be followed for MACE for 30 days. Those performing scans will be blinded to clinician's impression and care plans while clinicians will be blinded to FOVUS findings. The primary analysis will involve determination of the sensitivity, sensitivity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and likelihood ratios associated with FOVUS for 30-day MACE. Expected Outcomes: The study will provide evidence to determine whether FOVUS may be a useful prognostic tool for emergency physicians assessing patients with suspected ischemic chest pain. The secondary analysis will provide evidence to determine whether emergency physicians can be trained to measure carotid plaque height accurately when compared to the gold standard ultrasonographer measurement. Significance: If FOVUS can reliably identify very low risk patients, implementation of this novel tool could reduce ED length of stay, monitoring, and overcrowding.
OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Intraplaque neovascularization is one of the most important risk factors for unstable carotid plaque. This study was designed to evaluate whether carotid intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) can be accurately assessed by contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). METHODS: Preoperative CEUS analysis of 50 carotid artery stenosis patients would be compared to histopathology performed on their plaques excised by carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with CD34 and MMP9 staining.
Carotid plaque can lead to ischemic stroke. Treatment of asymptomatic carotid plaque, based on degree stenosis, is still controversial. Beyond the degree of stenosis, the composition of the plaque could reflect the vulnerability and the risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke. Identification of new predictive factor of ipsilateral ischemic stroke in patients with carotid plaque could help to screen high risk patients and to guide the treatment. The aim of the study is to assess 18F-sodium fluoride uptake among carotid plaque in recently symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Investigators conduct a pilot case-control study. Twelve patients (6 recently symptomatic and 6 asymptomatic) with carotid stenosis (≥50% NASCET) will have a 18F-sodium fluoride PET/MR. Standardized uptake value (SUV) and tissue-to-background ratio (TBR) will be measured among carotid plaques.
This was a single-center, single-dose, study comprising a Proof of Concept (PoC) part and a subsequent Phase II part. The study was being done to assess the ability of the radiotracer 99mTc-rhAnnexin V-128 to image atherosclerotic plaque that might rupture and break off artery walls. This is caused by apoptosis or cell death in the plaque. These ruptured plaques can block blood circulation in the arteries causing a lack of oxygen to the tissues. Atherosclerotic plaques can build up on any artery in the body.
Aim of the study is to determine whether endovascular systemic cooling to a target temperature of 34-35°C initiated before, and maintained during Carotid EndoArterectomy (CEA), is feasible and safe
The purpose of the research is to understand structural plaque abnormalities that make a carotid plaque unstable and brake off (embolize) which would help to predict and treat individuals who are likely to suffer not only classic episodic major strokes but also cognitive impairment.
Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of stroke. The aims of the project are to compare the visual and digital analysis of sonographic images of atherosclerotic plaque in carotids in vivo, in vitro and with a histological composition of the plaque obtained from patients indicated to carotid endarterectomy, to compare the characteristics of symptomatic and asymptomatic atherosclerotic plaques and, subsequently to verify a hypothesis that ultrasound can identify the sonographic plaque characteristics associated with an increased risk of plaque progression and of ischemic stroke (unstable plaque) in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Identifying of the sonographic characteristics of unstable plaque will allow to improve indication criteria for carotid endarterectomy or stenting and also potential changing of a drug therapy in patients with unstable plaque in the future. Cost efficiency and availability of duplex ultrasound equipment may enable to improve diagnosis of unstable plaque using this new plaque characteristics evaluation in the majority of patients with carotid plaques.
Hypothesis: Identification of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques (with or without neovascularization) using carotid CEUS is an independent predictor of MACE (over clinical risk factors, stress echo wall motion results, and carotid ultrasound two-dimensional speckle tracking strain indices). Primary Aims: 1. Evaluate the diagnostic role of carotid CEUS and two-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging for detection of carotid plaque: - To determine the feasibility and safety of Carotid CEUS and Two-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging SE . - To determine if carotid CEUS and two-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging findings are associated with coronary angiographic results in those patients undergoing clinically indicated cardiac catheterization. - To determine the diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in identifying a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque and neovascularization compared to carotid MRI, in a subset of patients. 2. Evaluate the prognostic role of carotid CEUS and two-dimensional speckle tracking strain imaging for prediction of MACE: - To determine if plaque identification (with or without neovascularization) on Carotid CEUS SE can improve the overall prediction of MACE over stress echo results alone - To determine if Carotid ultrasound two-dimensional speckle tracking strain indices can improve the overall prediction of MACE over stress echo results alone. - To determine if the detection of plaque neovascularization by Carotid CEUS is an independent predictor of MACE (over clinical risk factors, stress echo wall motion results, and carotid ultrasound two-dimensional speckle tracking strain indices).
Patients with rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The reason(s) for this have not been well investigated, but there is a general understanding that systemic inflammation plays a part in the increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In spite of the increased risk in these patients, they have not been included as a high risk patient group in cardiovascular prevention guidelines. The investigators have carried out a cardiovascular study of RA and AS patients, as well as patients with arthritis for the first time. The investigators have demonstrated cholesterol plaques in the carotid artery in some of these patients. Plaques in the carotid artery represent a risk for development of cerebral stroke and are significantly associated with myocardial infarction. These plaques, which are asymptomatic and do not cause haemodynamically significant narrowing, diameter reduction (i.e. operation is not indicated), are vascular atheromatous disease. Therefore, according to prevailing cardiovascular guidelines (SCORE 2007), these patients shall have secondary prevention with a lipid lowering agent with the LDL-cholesterol goal of 1.8 mmol/L and HDL-cholesterol > 1.0 mmol/L for men and > 1.1 mmol/L for women. Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs, and have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease significantly. In addition, reduction in the size of coronary plaques has been induced by statins, when the LDL has been reduced to 1.6-1.8 mmol/l. Plaques in the carotid or coronary arteries have not previously been treated and characterized in patients with RA, AS and other inflammatory forms of arthritis. The aim of this study is to treat patients with cholesterol plaques in the carotid artery with cholesterol-lowering medication, in the form of Rosuvastatin for 18 months, and characterize the effects on the plaques in the carotid and coronary arteries. In addition, the investigators want to clarify the connection between plaques in the carotid and coronary arteries in patients with RA, AS and other inflammatory forms of arthritis.
Objectives: - Primary: To evaluate the effect of rimonabant 20-mg once daily in comparison with placebo, on the quantitative progression of atherosclerosis as assessed by carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) - Secondary: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of the above rimonabant regimen in the study population of atherosclerosis patients.