The smoking acute effect on the cyclic variation in blood echogenicity from the common carotid artery

摘要

The cyclic variation in echogenicity (CVE) was observed from the cross-sectional images of the common carotid artery using coded harmonic imaging of a GE ultrasound system. The objective of this research is to study the smoking acute effects on the amplitude of the CVE (Acve). Acve was analyzed among the 28 smokers before and after 1–2 cigarettes were smoked. The smokers were optimally divided into two clusters with respect to the change in Acve and the intrinsic characteristics of smokers (i.e., daily consumed cigarettes and smoking years) through a two-step cluster analysis (TSCA). The relative change of Acve after smoking was significantly higher in the heavy smoker cluster compared with the light smoker cluster. However, there is no significant difference in the absolute value of Acve between before and after smoking for both two clusters. The effect of tissue attenuation on Acve was compensated with body mass index (BMI). The compensated parameter, A''cve, is significantly increased in heavy smoker group after smoking (BS: 0.47±7.4; AS: 5.4±8.0; p<0.05). It is in agreement with the analytical result of AAcve. Furthermore, after smoking, A''cve is significant higher in heavy smoker group (5.4±8.0), compared with light smoker group (−1.3±6.7; p<0.05). It suggests that the compensation of Acve is help to reduce the interference from tissue attenuation and is good for the comparison among individuals.