Asymptomatic stenosis of carotid arteries: novel view on the problem

Abstract

For the assessment of factors promoting progression of atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries (CA), we performed a detailed clinical-laboratory and instrumental comparison of the two groups of patients – with asymptomatic CA stenosis and with ischemic stroke resulted from stenosis of the CA. Progression of atherosclerotic damage of the CA was shown to be related with the following factors: а) severity of hemorheologic changes (including iatrogenic resistance to antiagregating drugs); b) presence of endothelial dysfunction; c) increase of the level of immunohistochemical markers of angiogenesis (molecules of intercellular adhesion sICAM21 and sРЕCAM21); d) the state of central hemodynamics and cerebral perfusion. The obtained data help to individualize medical and prophylactic procedures, select a group of patients with the high risk of ischemic stroke and clarify indications to reconstructive angioneurosurgical operations.

Keywords

• carotid arteries
• asymptomatic stenosis
• atherosclerotic plaque
• hemorheology
• central and cerebral hemodynamics
• endothelial dysfunction