ABSTR AC TThe updated version of the EFSUMB guidelines on the application of non-hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) deals with the use of microbubble ultrasound contrast outside the liver in the many established and emerging applications.

The updated version of the EFSUMB guidelines on the application of non-hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) deals with the use of microbubble ultrasound contrast outside the liver in the many established and emerging applications.

Cervical artery dissection (CeAD), a mural hematoma in a carotid or vertebral artery, is a major cause of ischemic stroke in young adults although relatively uncommon in the general population (incidence of 2.6/100,000 per year)1. Minor cervical traumas, infection, migraine and hypertension are putative risk factors1–3, and inverse associations with obesity and hypercholesterolemia are described3,4. No confirmed genetic susceptibility factors have been identified using candidate gene approaches5. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 1,393 CeAD cases and 14,416 controls. The rs9349379[G] allele (PHACTR1) was associated with lower CeAD risk (odds ratio (OR) = 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.69–0.82; P = 4.46 × 10−10), with confirmation in independent follow-up samples (659 CeAD cases and 2,648 controls; P = 3.91 × 10−3; combined P = 1.00 × 10−11). The rs9349379[G] allele was previously shown to be associated with lower risk of migraine and increased risk of myocardial infarction6–9. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying this pleiotropy might provide important information on the biological underpinnings of these disabling conditions.

Background and Purpose-Glycohemoglobin (hemoglobin A 1c [HbA 1c ]) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are risk indicators for atherosclerosis. Limited information exists regarding the combined effects of inflammation and hyperglycemia. We investigated the joint effects of both parameters on early carotid atherosclerosis progression and major vascular events in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. Methods-We analyzed the data of INVADE (Intervention Project on Cerebrovascular Diseases and Dementia in the Community of Ebersberg, Bavaria), a prospective, population-based study conducted in 3534 subjects (mean age, 69 years). In addition to common risk factors, measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), hsCRP, and HbA 1c were performed at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up. Results-For the entire population, IMT progression was significantly related to HbA 1c (Pϭ0.003) but not to hsCRP (Pϭ0.06) after risk factor adjustment. The interaction hsCRPϫHbA 1c was highly significant (Pϭ0.001), and the most pronounced IMT progression was seen in subjects with both parameters in the fourth quartiles compared with subjects with both parameters in the first quartiles (0.

Extracranial vertebral artery dissections can be diagnosed noninvasively with duplex color-flow imaging. It is therefore a useful method for early diagnosis and follow-up examination.