Local turbulence and stroke risk in carotid artery stenosis

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09346
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56010:Neurosurgery-related
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Hidenori 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (90345976)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 頚動脈狭窄症 / 脳梗塞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Carotid artery stenosis remains an important cause of cerebral infarction, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been developed for the purpose of analyzing the pathology of cerebrovascular accidents. In this study, we objectively tried to quantify the shape irregularity of carotid artery stenosis using CFD, and to evaluate the risk of developing cerebral infarction in carotid artery stenosis. We developed new parameters that show the structural complexity and time-dependent fluctuation of blood flow three-dimensionally by CFD. However, at present they were insufficient as a risk assessment for the onset of cerebral infarction. On the other hand, it became clear that non-fasting triglyceride level may be involved in the shape irregularity and stenosis progression of carotid artery stenosis, and its application to the development of new therapeutic strategies for the suppression of cardiovascular events was expected.

Free Research Field

脳血管障害

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、従来は主観的に評価されていた頚動脈狭窄症内腔の形状不整を数値流体力学的解析を用いて客観的に評価することを可能とする新たなパラメーターを開発した。この新たなパラメーターと脳梗塞発症リスクとの関係は現時点では不明であるが、今後、多施設共同研究を実施する際には、頚動脈狭窄症内腔の形状不整を評価するための重要な指標になることが期待される。また随時中性脂肪高値が新たに頚動脈狭窄症の増悪因子であることが明らかとなり、今後、随時中性脂肪値のコントロールが脳梗塞予防戦略に加わることで、動脈硬化の進行や脳梗塞の発症リスクを下げることが期待される。