Abstract
The present study assessed changes in carotid plaque neovascularization following long-term atorvastatin therapy (20 mg/day) using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). In this prospective case series, seven males (mean age, 68±9 years) and three females (mean age, 67±10 years) with a total of 13 carotid plaques underwent standard ultrasonography and CEUS at baseline, as well as after 1 and 2 years of atorvastatin treatment. The same plaques were then examined using real-time CEUS. The results of the enhanced intensity of plaque neovascularization at baseline were compared with results obtained during follow-up to examine the effects of long-term atorvastatin therapy. Standard ultrasonography revealed that 7 of the 13 carotid plaques were uniformly echolucent, whereas 6 carotid plaques were predominantly echolucent. CEUS revealed an enhanced intensity of 10.5±2.1 decibels (dB) prior to treatment, which decreased significantly to 7.3±2.6 dB following 2 years atorvastatin therapy (P<0.001). The ratio of enhanced intensity in the carotid artery lumen to that in the plaque was 3.10±1.10 at baseline and this value significantly increased to 4.96±2.98 following treatment for 2 years (P<0.001). The current pilot study therefore indicates that two-year atorvastatin therapy (20 mg/day) may reduce plaque neovascularization in the Chinese population.