Differentiation of Atherosclerotic Carotid Plaque Components With Dual-Energy Computed Tomography.

Objectives: Carotid plaque vulnerability is a strong predictor of recurrent ipsilateral stroke, but differentiation of plaque components using conventional computed tomography (CT) is suboptimal. The aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of dual-energy CT (DECT) to characterize atherosclerotic carotid plaque components based on the effective atomic number and effective electron density using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and, where possible, histology as the reference standard.

Materials And Methods: Patients with recent cerebral ischemia and a ≥2-mm carotid plaque underwent computed tomography angiography and MRI.

Symptomatic Carotid Plaques Demonstrate Less Leaky Plaque Microvasculature Compared With the Contralateral Side: A Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Background Rupture of a vulnerable carotid atherosclerotic plaque is an important underlying cause of ischemic stroke. Increased leaky plaque microvasculature may contribute to plaque vulnerability. These immature microvessels may facilitate entrance of inflammatory cells into the plaque.

Ischemic Stroke Patients Demonstrate Increased Carotid Plaque Microvasculature Compared to (Ocular) Transient Ischemic Attack Patients.

Background: Patients with a recent ischemic stroke have a higher risk of recurrent stroke compared to (ocular) transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients. Plaque microvasculature is considered as a feature of plaque vulnerability and can be quantified with carotid dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the association between plaque microvasculature and the type of recent cerebrovascular events in symptomatic patients with mild-to-moderate carotid stenosis.

Postprandial hypotension in clinical geriatric patients and healthy elderly: prevalence related to patient selection and diagnostic criteria.

The aims of this study were to find out whether Postprandial hypotension (PPH) occurs more frequently in patients admitted to a geriatric ward than in healthy elderly individuals, what the optimal interval between blood pressure measurements is in order to diagnose PPH and how often it is associated with symptoms.The result of this study indicates that PPH is present in a high number of frail elderly, but also in a few healthy older persons. Measuring blood pressure at least every 10 minutes for 60 minutes after breakfast will adequately diagnose PPH, defined as >20 mmHg systolic fall, in most patients.

The effect of intraduodenal glucose on muscle sympathetic nerve activity in healthy young and older subjects.

Objective: The cardiovascular response to a meal is modulated by gastric distension and the interaction of nutrients, particularly carbohydrate, within the small intestine. We tested the hypothesis that the depressor effect of small intestinal glucose is greater in older than in young subjects, because the reflex increase in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is blunted by age.

Methods: The effects of intraduodenal glucose infusion (IDGI) on blood pressure, heart rate and MSNA were evaluated in eight healthy young subjects (4 women; mean age +/- SEM: 28.

Subtle involvement of the parasympathetic nervous system in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

This study comprises assessment of autonomic function in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, focusing on meal-related changes. In 18 IBS patients (4 males, mean age 45+/-3.0 [SEM] years) and 19 healthy volunteers (6 males, mean age 41+/-3.