@article{3082277,
    title = "The impact of the carotid plaque type on restenosis and future
cardiovascular events: A 12-year prospective study",
    author = "Liapis, CD and Kakisis, JD and Dimitroulis, DA and Kostakis, AG",
    journal = "European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery",
    year = "2002",
    volume = "24",
    number = "3",
    pages = "239-244",
    publisher = "W B SAUNDERS CO LTD",
    issn = "1078-5884, 1532-2165",
    doi = "10.1053/ejvs.2002.1714",
    keywords = "carotid plaques; myocardial infarction; restenosis; risk factors;
stroke; ultrasonography",
    abstract = "Objectives: to evaluate the impact of the carotid plaque type on
recurrent carotid stenosis, future cardiovascular events and patients’
survival.
Design: open prospective study.
Patients and methods: three hundred and eight patients who underwent a
total of 338 carotid endarterectomies were included in the study. All of
the patients were evaluated postoperatively with clinical examination
and colour duplex 1 month after the operation and every 6 months
thereafter. Mean duration of follow-up was 63 months (range: 12-144).
Eight patients (3%) were lost to follow-up. Restenoses, cardiovascular
events and deaths were recorded and analysed with regard to the
traditional risk factors and the ultrasonographic characteristics of the
plaques. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier
method, the log rank test and Cox regression analysis.
Results: cumulative restenosis rate at 10 years of follow-up was 21%
and was associated with coronary artery disease (p = 0.01) and
echolucent plaques (p = 0.02). Life-table analysis showed a 10-year
survival rate of 64% and a 10-year rate of cardiovascular events of
41%. Hypertension (p = 0.003), coronary artery disease (p = 0.002) and
echolucent plaques (p = 0.01) were associated with a higher incidence of
cardiovascular events."
}