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Background and Purpose: Because atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, presence and composition on 1 location may relate to ischemic events in distant locations. We examined whether carotid atherosclerotic wall thickness, stenosis, and plaque composition are related to history of ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD)., Methods: From the population-based Rotterdam Study, 1731 asymptomatic participants (mean age, 72.4±9.1 years; 55% males) underwent magnetic resonance imaging of both carotid arteries. We assessed carotid wall thickness, stenosis and plaque composition, that is presence of intraplaque hemorrhage, lipid, and calcification. History of ischemic stroke and CHD was assessed until date of magnetic resonance imaging. The study was approved by the institutional review board, and all participants gave informed consent. Logistic regression analyses adjusted for age and traditional cardiovascular risk factors were used to study sex-specific associations between plaque characteristics and clinical events., Results: We found that both carotid stenosis and intraplaque hemorrhage were associated with ischemic stroke in men but not in women (men: odds ratio [OR] for stenosis [per 10% increase]: 1.17 [95% CI, 1.06-1.30] and for intraplaque hemorrhage 2.39 [95% CI, 1.32-4.35]). In both men and women, carotid stenosis was associated with CHD (men: OR per 10% increase 1.12 [95% CI, 1.04-1.21] and women: OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.03-1.34]) and carotid wall thickness was associated with CHD (men: OR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.03-1.39] and women: OR, 1.21 [95% CI, 0.88-1.65]). None of the plaque components was associated with CHD., Conclusions: Whereas carotid plaque thickness and stenosis are associated with the history of ischemic stroke and CHD, carotid intraplaque hemorrhage is associated with ischemic stroke, but not with CHD, providing novel insights into the pathogenesis of cardiovascular events., (© 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background and Purpose: Ischemic stroke is more often diagnosed in the left hemisphere than in the right. It is unknown whether this asymmetrical prevalence relates to differences in carotid atherosclerosis. We compared atherosclerotic plaque prevalence, severity, and composition between left and right carotid arteries., Methods: In a population-based cohort, carotid MRI scanning was performed in 1414 stroke-free participants (≥45 years). Using a multisequence MRI protocol, we assessed the prevalence, stenosis, and thickness of the plaque and its predominant component (ie, lipid core, intraplaque hemorrhage, calcification, or fibrous tissue in each carotid artery). Differences between left and right side were tested using paired t tests, McNemar test and Generalized Estimating Equation analyses., Results: The majority (85%) of the participants had bilateral carotid plaques. Unilateral plaques were twice more prevalent on the left than on the right side (67% versus 33%; P<0.001). Plaque thickness was also greater on the left (3.1±1.2 versus 2.9±1.3 mm; P<0.001); degree of stenosis did not differ. Intraplaque hemorrhage and fibrous tissue were more prevalent on the left (9.1 versus 5.9%; P<0.001 and 45.0 versus 38.5%; P<0.001), whereas calcification occurred more often on the right (37.4 versus 31.6% at the left; P<0.001). Lipid was equally distributed., Conclusions: Carotid atherosclerotic plaque size and composition are not symmetrically distributed. Predominance of intraplaque hemorrhage in left-sided carotid plaques suggests a greater vulnerability as opposed to right-sided plaques, which are more calcified and therefore considered more stable., (© 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Objective: The relation between arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis, and specifically the influence of arterial stiffness on plaque composition, is largely unknown. In a population-based study, we investigated the association between arterial stiffness and the presence and composition of carotid atherosclerotic plaques., Approach and Results: Arterial stiffness was measured in 6527 participants (67.0±8.6 years) using aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). Presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques was assessed with ultrasound. Subsequently, 1059 subjects with carotid plaques (>2.5 mm) underwent MRI to assess plaque composition (presence of intraplaque hemorrhage, lipid, and calcification). Generalized estimation equation analyses adjusted for age, sex, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, carotid wall thickening, pulse pressure, and traditional cardiovascular risk factors were used to study the association between PWV and the presence and composition of carotid atherosclerotic plaques. In multivariable analysis, higher PWV was independently related to higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque on ultrasound (odds ratio for highest quartile of PWV compared with lowest quartile, 1.24 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.51]). Furthermore, higher PWV was associated with intraplaque hemorrhage (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio per SD increase in PWV, 1.20 [1.04-1.38] and calcification, 1.18 [1.03-1.35]), but not with lipid. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, PWV remained significantly associated with intraplaque hemorrhage (1.20 [1.01-1.43]). Additional adjustment for pulse pressure did not materially affect the effect estimate (1.19 [1.00-1.42])., Conclusions: Higher PWV is associated with presence and composition of carotid atherosclerotic plaques, in particular with intraplaque hemorrhage. These findings provide further clues for understanding the development of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque.