Aortic & peripheral vascular disease
Wall shear stress and oscillatory shear index are independently associated with complicated carotid artery plaques
Authors' conclusion
In patients with up to 80% ICA stenosis, male gender, elevated systolic WSS, and reduced OSI were independently associated with the presence of cCAP, with group differences noted for ICA/CCA ratio. Our findings highlight the importance of geometric and haemodynamic biomarkers for individual stroke risk stratification.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with 20–80% internal varotid artery (ICA) stenosis (NASCET criteria)recruited, complicated carotid artery plaques (cCAP) identified among 57/129 patients and in 64/220 included carotid arteries
- Participants
- 141 patients
- Exposure
- Imaging- and blood-based biomarkers associated with the presence of cCAP
- cCAPn = 57/129 patients (44.2%); 64/220 included carotid arteries (29.1%)
- Outcome
- Presence of cCAP
Methodological details3D high-resolution multi-contrast MR plaque imaging and 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging, blood biomarker profiling, multivariable logistic regression models
- 3D high-resolution multi-contrast MR plaque imaging and 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging
- Blood biomarker profiling
- Multivariable logistic regression models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
| Group | Value | Patients | Women | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cCAP | 29.1% included carotid arteries | 57/129 patients (44.2% | 30.2% | 72.8 ± 8.68 years |
cCAP
Value29.1% included carotid arteries
Patients57/129 patients (44.2%
Women30.2%
Age72.8 ± 8.68 years
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Systolic wall shear stress (WSS) and oscillatory shear index (OSI)
| OR | P value | |
|---|---|---|
| Increased systolic WSSIndependently correlated with cCAP after adjustment | 1.54 | P = 0.020 |
| Low OSIIndependently correlated with cCAP after adjustment | 0.67 | P = 0.044 |
| Outcome | OR | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Female gender and cCAPInversely associated with cCAP | 0.32 | P = 0.02 |
- Female gender and cCAP: adjusting for age, wall thickness, cardiovascular risk factors, and geometric and haemodynamic parameters
ICA-CCA ratio
- Patients with cCAP showed a lower ICA-CCA ratio
- P = 0.018
Blood biomarkers
- Blood biomarkers showed no significant correlation
Original publication
Wall shear stress and oscillatory shear index are independently associated with complicated carotid artery plaques. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. Published 24 December 2025. doi:10.
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