Plaque echolucency and stroke risk in asymptomatic carotid stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Ultrasonographic plaque echolucency has been studied as a stroke risk marker in carotid atherosclerotic disease. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the association between ultrasound-determined carotid plaque echolucency and future ipsilateral stroke risk.

Methods

We searched the medical literature for studies evaluating the association between carotid plaque echolucency and future stroke in asymptomatic patients. We included prospective observational studies with stroke outcome ascertainment after baseline carotid plaque echolucency assessment. We performed a meta-analysis and assessed study heterogeneity and publication bias. We also performed subgroup analyses limited to patients with stenosis ≥50%, studies in which plaq

SUBMITTER: Gupta A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4280234 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature