Association of subclinical atherosclerosis using carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque, and coronary calcium score with left ventricular dyssynchrony: The multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Issue 2 (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sharma, Ravi K.; Donekal, Sirisha; Rosen, Boaz D.; Tattersall, Matthew C.; Volpe, Gustavo J.; Ambale-Venkatesh, Bharath; Nasir, Khurram; Wu, Colin O.; Polak, Joseph F.; Korcarz, Claudia E.; Stein, James H.; Carr, James; Watson, Karol E.; Bluemke, David A.; Lima, João A.C.
• Is Part Of: Atherosclerosis. Volume 239:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 412
• Page End: 418
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: Left ventricular dyssynchrony -- Carotid IMT -- Coronary calcium score -- Atherosclerosis; LV left ventricular -- CMR cardiovascular magnetic resonance -- CCA common carotid artery -- ICA internal carotid artery -- IMT carotid intima-media thickness -- CAC coronary artery calcium -- CT computed tomography -- HF heart failure -- LBBB left bundle-branch block -- SD standard deviation -- SD-TPS SD time to peak strain -- Max–min maximum to minimum time to peak strain -- HDL high-density lipoprotein -- eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate; Arteriosclerosis -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.136
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2015.01.041
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9150

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The role of atherosclerosis in the progression of global left ventricular dysfunction and cardiovascular events has been well recognized. Left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony is a measure of regional myocardial dysfunction. Our objective was to investigate the relationship of subclinical atherosclerosis with mechanical LV dyssynchrony in a population-based asymptomatic multi-ethnic cohort. Methods and Results: Participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) at exam 5 were evaluated using 1.5T cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, carotid ultrasound (n = 2062) for common carotid artery (CCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) intima-media thickness (IMT), and cardiac computed tomography (n = 2039) for coronary artery calcium (CAC) assessment (Agatston method). Dyssynchrony indices were defined as the standard deviation of time to peak systolic circumferential strain (SD-TPS) and the difference between maximum and minimum (max-min) time to peak strain using harmonic phase imaging in 12 segments (3-slices × 4 segments). Multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess associations after adjusting for participant demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, LV mass, and ejection fraction. In multivariable analyses, SD-TPS was significantly related to measures of atherosclerosis, including CCA-IMT (8.7 ms/mm change in IMT, p = 0.020), ICA-IMT (19.2 ms/mm change in IMT, p < 0.001), carotid plaque score (1.2 ms/unit change in score, p < 0.001), and log transformed CAC+1 (0.66 ms/unit log-CAC+1, p = 0.018). These findings were consistent with other parameter of LV dyssynchrony i.e. max–min. Conclusion: In the MESA cohort, measures of atherosclerosis are associated with parameters of subclinical LV dyssynchrony in the absence of clinical coronary event and left-bundle-branch block. Highlights: Atherosclerotic markers such as carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque score, and coronary calcium score are related to subclinical left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. The atherosclerosis-LV dyssynchrony relationship is independent of the presence of myocardial scar and left bundle branch block. These findings are the first to exhibit the atherosclerosis – dyssynchrony correlation using cardiac MRI in a population-based cohort—way before the occurrence of global LV dysfunction. Of the atherosclerotic parameters, carotid plaque score was better correlated with subclinical LV dyssynchrony. These findings illustrate a potential role of atherosclerosis in inflicting subclinical myocardial damage and provide insights into the mechanisms of atherosclerosis-related incipient LV dysfunction.