Research study links carotid atherosclerosis to coronary artery disease

A prospective cohort study conducted at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland has investigated the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque and functionally relevant coronary artery disease (fCAD).

Analyzing 430 patients, the study found that those with confirmed fCAD more frequently exhibited carotid plaques. The research utilized carotid ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound to assess plaque presence, burden, stenosis severity, and intraplaque neovascularization. The findings aim to determine if carotid plaque characteristics can serve as accessible markers for systemic atherosclerotic burden and future major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).