Vascular ultrasound of the extracranial carotid arteries in COVID-19 convalescents
Keywords:
arteries, atherosclerosis, carotid arteries, COVID-19, risk factors, vascular ultrasonographyAbstract
Introduction: In patients with stroke and COVID-19, there is a high frequency of endoluminal thrombosis over atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid arteries.
Objective: To describe the extracranial carotid arteries in COVID-19 convalescents.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 168 COVID-19 convalescents using vascular ultrasound of the aforementioned arteries. Variables studied included sex, age, atherosclerotic risk factors, atherogenic index, intima-media thickness, and carotid axis stability. Mean comparison tests and the chi-square test were used.
Results: The mean values of the atherogenic index (2.36-4.24; standard deviation: 3.37-4.77) were increasing with statistically significant differences (p: 0.000-0.008) in convalescents aged ≥ 60 years, those with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, former smokers, and those with more atherosclerotic risk factors. The same was true for bilateral carotid intima-media thickness (0.63-0.74; standard deviation: 0.12-0.27) and in those over 60 years of age, hypertensive, diabetic, smokers, and convalescents with 4 to 5 atherosclerotic risk factors (p = 0.000-0.027). Stable carotid arteries predominated in women, right: 73 (43.5%; p = 0.032) and left: 65 (38.7%). In the absence of atherosclerotic risk factors such as age ≥ 60 years, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and smoking (60-35.7%-105-62.5%; p = 0.000-0.019), as well as the presence of 2 to 3 risk factors, both carotid arteries were stable (right: 49-29.2%-left: 47-28%; p = 0.000).
Conclusions: In COVID-19 convalescents, an increase in the atherogenic index and bicarotid intima-media thickness was observed in those with more atherosclerotic risk factors, and a lower number of these factors in patients with bilateral carotid stability.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nélida de la Caridad Carballo Jorge, Melvis González Méndez, Dayana Coutin Rondón, Claudia Hernández Pérez, Lesly Solís Alfonso, Yenisleidy Miranda Lorenzo, Narciso Argelio Jiménez Pérez
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