De Waard D et al. – In this article prognostic value of preoperative plaque echolucency for future stroke and cardiovascular death in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA)was evaluated in Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial (ACST–1). The results from the trial suggested that carotid plaque echolucency assessment failed to offer a predictive value with respect to perioperative or long–term stroke risk or of cardiovascular (non–stroke) death in patients undergoing CEA.

Methods

• A total of 894 patients with visual echolucency were monitored for both periprocedural (i.e., within 30 days) death, stroke, or myocardial infarction (MI), and for long–term risk of stroke or cardiovascular death.

Results

• In all, 51% of patients were rated as echolucent and the peri–procedural risk of death, stroke, or MI in these patients was not significantly higher when compared with non–echolucent plaques.
• There was no significant difference in the 10–year risk of any stroke or cardiovascular death (non–stroke).