Wall sheer stress in carotid artery and its role in the development of atherosclerosis

Czech version

Authors: E. Chytilová; J. Malík
Authors‘ workplace: III. interní klinika 1. lékařské fakulty UK a VFN Praha, přednosta prof. MUDr. Štěpán Svačina, DrSc., MBA
Published in: Vnitř Lék 2007; 53(4): 377-381
Category: Reviews

Overview

Atherosclerosis is associated with systemic risk factors such as arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking. Yet it is a focal disease, predominantly affecting predisposed areas. The principal local hemodynamic factor is wall shear stress, i.e. the frictional force acting tangentially on the endothelial cell surface. The effect of wall shear stress on the endothelium depends on its magnitude and direction, as well as on the local vessel geometry and blood flow characteristics. Wall shear stress is an important determinant of endothelial function and phenotype. The article deals with the influence of wall shear stress on endothelial cell function, atherosclerotic plaque formation, and vascular remodelling in the common carotid artery.

Key words:
wall shear stress – endothelium – atherosclerosis – common carotid artery

Sources

1. Zarins CK, Giddens DP, Bharadvaj BK et al. Carotid bifurcation atherosclerosis Quantitative correlation of plaque localization with flow velocity profiles and wall shear stress. Circ Res 1953; 53: 502-514.

2. Levy BI, Tedgui A. Biology of the arterial wall. Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer academic publishers.

3. Perktold K, Thurner E, Kenner T. Flow and stress characteristics in rigid walled and compliant carotid artery bifurcation models. Med Biol Eng Comput 1994; 32: 19-26.

4. Dewey CF, Bussolari SR, Gimbrone MA The dynamic response of vascular endothelial cells to fluid shear stress. J Biomech Eng 1981; 103: 177-185.

5. Ballerman BJ, Dardik A, Eng E et al. Shear stress and the endothelium. Kidney Int(Suppl) 1998; 67: S100-S108.

6. Paszkowiak JJ, Dardik A. Arterial wall shear stress: Observations from bench to bedside. Vasc Endovasc Surg 2003; 37: 47-57.

7. Lipowski HH, Kovalcheck S, Zweifach BW. The distribution of blood rheological parameters in the microcirculation of cat mesentery. Circ Res 1978; 43: 738-749.

8. Lipowski HH, Usami S, Chien S In vivo measurement of hematocrit and apparent viscosity in the microvasculature of cat mesentery. Microvasc Res 1980; 19: 297-319.

9. Papaioannou TG, Karatzis NE, Vavuranakis M et al. Assesment of vascular wall shear stress and implications for atherosclerotic disease. Int J Cardiol 2006; 113: 12-18.

10. Oshinski JN, Ku DN, Mukundan S jr et al. Determination of wall shear stress in the aorta with the use of MR phase velocity mapping. J Magn Reson Imaging 1995; 5: 640-647.

11. Hoeks AP, Samijo SK, Brands PJ et al. Assesment of wall shear rate in humans: an ultrasound study. J Vasc Invest 1995; 1: 108-117.

12. Gnasso A, Carallo C, Irace C et al. Association between intima-media thickness and wall shear stress in common carotid arteries in healthy male subjects. Circulation 1996; 94: 3257-3262.

13. Samijo SK, Wiligers JM, Brands PJ et al. Reproducibility of shear rate and shear stress assesment by means of ultrasound in the common carotid artery of young human males and females. Ultrasound Med Biol 1997; 23: 583-590.

14. Kornet L, Lambregts JAC, Hoeks AP et al. Differences in near-wall shear rate in the carotid artery within subjects are asssociated with different intima-media thickenesses. Arterioscl Thromb Vasc Biol 1998; 18: 1877-1884.

15. Dammers R, Stifft F, Tordoir JH et al. Shear stress depends on vascular territory: comparison between common carotid artery and brachial artery. J Appl Physiol 2003; 95: 485-489.

16. Malek A, Alper SL, Izumo S. Hemodynamic shear stress and its role in atherosclerosis. JAMA 1999; 282: 2035-2042.

17. Born GV, Schvartz CJ. Vascular endothelium. Physiology, Pathology and Therapeutic Opportunities. Stuttgart - New York: Schauttauer 1997.

18. Touboul PJ, Hennerici MG, Meairs S et al. Mannheim carotid intima-media thickness concensus (2004-2006). Cerebrovasc Dis 2007; 23: 75-80.

19. Bots ML, Hoes AW, Koudstaal PJ et al Common carotid intima-media thickness and risk of stroke and myocardial infarction: The Rotterdam Study. Circulation 1997; 96: 1432-1437.

20. Chambless LE, Heiss G, Folsom AR et al. Association of coronary heart disease incidence with carotid arterial wall thickness and major risk factors. The Atherosclerosis Risk in communities (ARIC) study. Am J Epidemiol 1997; 146: 483-494.

21. Holaj R, Spacil J, Petrasek J et al. Intima-media thickness OF the common carotid artery is the significant predictor of angiographically proven coronary artery disease. Can J Cardiol 2003; 19: 670-676.

22. Ebrahim S, Papacosta O, Whincup P et al. Carotid Plaque, Intima-media thickness, cardiovascular risk factors, and prevalent cardiovascular disease in men and women: The British Regional Heart Study. Stroke 1999; 30: 841-850.

23. Bots ML, Hofman A, Grobbee DE. Increased common carotid intima-media thickness. Adaptive response or reflection of atherosclerosis? Findings from the Rotterdam Study. Stroke 1997; 28: 2442-2447.

24. Irace C, Gnasso A, Cirillo F et al. Arterial remodelling of the common artery after aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis. Stroke 2002; 33: 2446-2450.

25. Henry MA, Piet JK, Dekker JM et al. Carotid arterial remodelling: A maladaptive phenomen in type 2 diabetes but not in impaired glucose metabolism: The Hoorn Study. Stroke 2004; 35: 671-676.

26. Cunningham KS, Gotlieb AI. The role of shear stress in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Lb Invest 2005; 85: 9-23.

27. Gnasso A, Irace C, Carralo C et al. In vivo association between low wall shear stress and plaque in subjects with asymmetrical carotid atherosclerosis. Stroke 1997; 28: 993-998.

28. Carallo C, Lucca FL, Ciamei M et al. Wall shear stress is lower in the carotid artery responsible for unilateral stroke. Atherosclerosis 2006; 185: 108-113.

29. Mast H, Thompson JL, Lin IF et al. Cigarette smoking as a determinant of high-grade stenosis in Hispanic, black, and white patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack. Stroke 1998; 29: 908-912.

30. Polak JF, Shemanski L, Oĺeary DH et al. Hypoechoic plaque at US of the carotid artery: An independent risk factor for incident stroke in adults aged 65 years and older. Cardiovascular Health study. Radiology 1998; 208: 649-654.

31. Mathiesen EB, Bonaa KH, Joakimsen O. Hypoechoic plaques are associated with high risk of ischemic cerebrovascular events in carotid stenosis: The trombo study. Circulation 2001; 103: 2171-2175.

32. Devuyst G, Ruchat P, Karapanayiotides T Ultrasound measurement of the fibrous cap in symptomatic and asymptomatic atheromatous carotid plaque. Circulation 2005; 111: 2776-2782.