Geometry of the left ventricle and structure of the common carotid artery in persons with chronic non-infectious diseases

Aim of study. To analyze the state of the left ventricular geometry and structural features of the common carotid artery in men and women with chronic noncommunicable diseases. Material and methods. Clinical and instrumental data of 475 patients with chronic non-communicable diseases were used. The average age of the participants was 52.3±13.4 years, all patients underwent general clinical examination. The frequency of various structural changes in the left ventricular (LV) myocardium and the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA) were analyzed. Patients were divided into subgroups of men (n=237) and women (n=238). Results. In the examined men, the levels of creatinine, cystatin C, and the LV myocardial mass index were significantly higher, while the glomerular filtration rate was significantly lower. In the subgroup of women, hemoglobin concentration and the number of erythrocytes were significantly lower, whereas the number of platelets was significantly higher. In individuals with chronic non-communicable diseases, structural LV changes were represented as follows: normal geometry (68.0%), concentric remodeling (6.1%), LV hypertrophy (25.8%), including concentric LVH (41.5%) and eccentric LVH (58.5%). Concentric remodeling was observed in 8.0% of men and 4.2% of women. The frequency of LVH was significantly higher in women (31.0%) compared to men (20.6%). Initial atherosclerotic changes were detected in 23.8% of patients, while atherosclerotic lesions of the CCA were found in 33.3%. In men, the frequency of CCA atherosclerotic lesions was significantly higher (41.3%) than in women (25.2%). In the subgroup of women with atherosclerotic lesions of the CCA, the incidence of LVH was significantly higher than in women without CCA lesions. Cystatin C positively correlated with the LV myocardial mass index (r=0.41143; p<0.005), relative LV wall thickness (r=0.27340; p<0.05), and CCA intima-media thickness (r=0.3027; p<0.05). Conclusion. Left ventricular hypertrophy, especially the eccentric type, is frequently detected in patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, predominantly in women. Structural changes of the CCA are significantly more often detected in men. As the intima-media thickness of the CCA increases, the incidence of LVH also increases. Cystatin C concentration is associated with structural changes in the LV myocardium and CCA.