Summary
This study aimed to investigate whether plaque morphology detected by a simple Duplex ultrasound score before carotid artery angioplasty and stenting (CAS) can be used as a predictor for in-stent restenosis (ISR). A nested case-control study was conducted using a database of 281 patients who underwent CAS for carotid artery stenosis.
The Total Plaque Risk Score (TPRS) was used to assess plaque morphology, and its diagnostic validity for ISR was evaluated. The results showed that neither individual parameters of the TPRS score nor the score as a whole were suitable as a diagnostic test for ISR development.
The study suggests that more advanced imaging approaches, such as ultrasound-based plaque perfusion imaging or CT-based plaque analysis, may be necessary in the future to assess the role of plaque morphology in ISR development.
