Marie-Hélène Roy Cardinal(1), Madeleine Durand(2,3), Carl Chartrand-Lefebvre(4,5), Claude Fortin(6), Jean-Guy Baril(7), Benoit Trottier(7), Jean-Pierre Routy(8), Gilles Soulez(4,5,9), Cécile Tremblay(6,10), Guy Cloutier(1,5,9)
European Radiology, February 2020. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-06660-9

Keywords

HIV infections, Premature aging, Ultrasonography, Carotid arteries, Elasticity imaging techniques

Abstract

Objectives : Assess carotid artery strain and motion in people living with HIV as markers of premature aging using ultrasound noninvasive vascular elastography (NIVE).

Methods : Seventy-four HIV-infected and 75 age-matched control subjects were recruited from a prospective, controlled cohort study from October 2015 to October 2017 (mean age 56 years ± 8 years; 128 men). NIVE applied to longitudinal ultrasound images of common and internal carotid arteries quantified the cumulated axial strain, cumulated shear strain, cumulated axial translation, and cumulated lateral translations. The presence of plaque was also assessed. An association between elastography biomarkers and HIV status was evaluated with Mann–Whitney tests and multivariable linear regression models.

Results : A higher occurrence of carotid artery plaques was found in HIV-infected individuals (p = 0.011). Lower cumulated lateral translations were found in HIV-infected subjects on both common and internal carotid arteries (p = 0.037 and p = 0.026, respectively). These observations remained significant when considering multivariable models including common cardiovascular risk factors and clinical characteristics (p < 0.05). Lower cumulated axial strains were also observed in internal carotid arteries when considering both multivariable models (p < 0.05).

Conclusion : Lower translation and strain of the carotid artery wall in HIV-infected individuals indicates increased vessel wall stiffness. These new imaging biomarkers could be used to characterize premature atherosclerosis development.

How Our Software Was Used

Dragonfly was used for the ultrasound radiofrequency data processing and B-mode image segmentation.

Author Affiliation

(1) Laboratory of Biorheology and Medical Ultrasonics, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada.
(2) Department of Internal Medicine, University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), Montréal, QC H2X 0C1, Canada.
(3) Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
(4) Department of Radiology, University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), Montréal, QC H2X 0C1, Canada.
(5) Department of Radiology, Radio-Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada.
(6) Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectiology, University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), Montréal, QC H2X 0C1, Canada.
(7) Clinique Médicale Urbaine du Quartier Latin, Montréal, QC H2I 4E9, Canada.
(8) Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.
(9) Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada.
(10) Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada.