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| E-Tracking technique in assessment of carotid elasticity of the patients withhead and neck tumor after radiotherapy |
| YANG Xiu-yan, LIN Ping, LUO Xiao-ling |
| The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian Liaoning 116027, China |
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Abstract Objective: To explore the clinical value of E-Tracking technique in assessment of carotid elasticity of the patients with head and neck tumor after radiotherapy. Methods: Seventy-five cases of head and neck tumor patients after radiotherapy(radiation group) and 65 cases of healthy volunteers(control group) were enrolled in this study and the parameters of the carotid artery of two groups were compared. For radiation group, the carotid artery parameters of 39 patients were compared before and after radiotherapy. E-Tracking parameters including carotid artery stiffness parameters(β), pressure-strain elastic modulus(Eρ), compliance(AC), pulse wave velocity(PWVβ) and carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) were measured and recorded by E-Tracking technique． And the injury factors of carotid artery after radiotherapy were analyzed too. Results: Compared with control group, β, Eρ, PWVβ, IMT in radiation group increased, AC decreased, the differences had the statistical significance(all P<0．05). After radiotherapy, β, Eρ, PWVβ increased, AC decreased(P<0．05) compared with before radiotherapy in the radiation group, but IMT had no statistical significance(P>0．05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age(>60 years), time interval of radiotherapy(>5 years) were the risk factors of carotid artery injury in patients with head and neck tumor. Conclusion: The carotid elasticity after radiotherapy in patients with head and neck tumor decreased compared with healthy subjects. E-Tracking parameters can reflect early the abnormal changes of carotid elasticity. Age, time interval of radiotherapy are the risk factors of carotid artery injury after radiotherapy for head and neck tumor patients.
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Received: 29 December 2014
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2015, Vol. 26 
