The Relation Between Carotid Plaque Echogenicity and Oxidative Stress Marker 8-iso-Prostaglandin F2α

Echolucent plaques are associated with high risk of ischemic cerebrovascular events. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the process of atherosclerotic plaque development from initiation to progression. We assessed the relation between carotid plaque echogenicity and urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, as an index of oxidative stress. This cross-sectional study was conducted prospectively on 290 consecutive outpatients. Each patient was evaluated for carotid plaque echogenicity using the gray-scale median at the maximal thickness plaque and urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. By Pearson correlation analysis, we found significant negative linear relation between gray-scale median values and the urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α levels (r = −0.133, p = 0.023). This correlation remained significant after adjustment for atherosclerotic risk factors, thickness of the maximal plaque and medication use (β = −0.137, p = 0.031). We herein show that higher levels of urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α is associated with lower plaque echogenicity.