Carotid artery remodelling in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Aim. To assess the carotid artery (CA) remodelling, using the results of the duplex ultrasound and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (BPM) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Material and methods. In total, 131 participants (patients with COPD, patients with COPD and arterial hypertension (AH), patients with AH, and healthy volunteers) underwent an ultrasound examination (HD11XE scanner,Phillips,USA) and 24-hour BPM (Schiller,Switzerland). Results. Among patients with isolated COPD, 61,5% had ultrasound signs of carotid angiopathy (increased intima-media thickness, IMT), which was associated with a statistically significant increase in common carotid artery(CCA) dilatation, CA deformation and atherosclerotic plaques, left ventricular concentric hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. According to the 24-hour BPM results, patients with isolated COPD had increased nighttime hypertensive index and disturbed circadian BP profile (non-dipper or night peaker types). IMT was increased only in every second patient with COPD and AH, and in every third AH patient. Conclusion. Patients with COPD and AH, compared to participants with isolated AH, demonstrated lower daytime BP levels, disturbed circadian BP profile, increased nighttime hypertensive index, and normal values of BP variability.

Keywords

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• arterial hypertension
• echocardiography
• 24-hour blood pressure monitoring