Aims. High-risk carotid plaque remains an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We sought to evaluate the characteristics of carotid plaque and to find out the predictors for high-risk carotid plaque in asymptomatic Koreans. Methods. Subjects () without a history of ASCVD from 12 university hospitals in Korea underwent carotid ultrasound. The images were standardized at core laboratory. Morphologic characteristics of plaque were analyzed with laboratory and clinical characteristics. High-risk carotid plaque features included the highest quartile of carotid plaque score (cPS), irregular plaque surface, and hypoechoic and ulcerated plaque. Results. The carotid plaque prevalence was 22.1% (177/801 persons, 293 plaques). The plaque was increased with age () and conventional ASCVD risk estimator () and the most frequently found in bulb (, 64.8%). The number of the highest quartile of cPS was 44/177 (24.9%). Irregular plaque was seen in 20.8% out of total plaque (61/293) and was more frequent in the high-risk 10-year ASCVD risk group than in the low-risk group (36.1% vs. 15.8%, ). Hypoechoic and ulcerated plaques were seen in 14.3% (42/293) and 2% (6/293), respectively. The independent predictors for high-risk plaque were age (, ), HbA1c (, ), male (, ), hypertension (, ), and multiple plaques (OR: 4.810 (two plaques) and 8.621 (three plaques), all ). Conclusions. This study suggests that high-risk carotid plaque was seen in 12.4% (99/801). The high-risk plaque was associated with diabetes control status reflected by the HbA1c level as well as traditional risk factors in asymptomatic Korean population.

中文翻译：

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韩国无症状人群中高危颈动脉斑块的预测因子

目标。高危颈动脉斑块仍然是动脉粥样硬化性心血管疾病 (ASCVD) 的重要危险因素。我们试图评估颈动脉斑块的特征，并找出无症状韩国人高危颈动脉斑块的预测因子。方法。主题（)没有 ASCVD 病史的韩国 12 家大学医院接受了颈动脉超声检查。图像在核心实验室进行标准化。结合实验室和临床特征分析斑块的形态学特征。高危颈动脉斑块特征包括颈动脉斑块评分（cPS）的最高四分位数、斑块表面不规则以及低回声和溃疡斑块。结果。颈动脉斑块患病率为 22.1%（177/801 人，293 个斑块）。斑块随着年龄的增长而增加（)和传统的 ASCVD 风险估计器 ()和最常见于灯泡 (, 64.8%)。cPS 最高四分位数为 44/177 (24.9%)。不规则斑块占总斑块的 20.8% (61/293)，并且在 10 年 ASCVD 高危组中比低危组更常见（36.1% 对 15.8%，）。低回声斑块和溃疡斑块的发生率分别为 14.3% (42/293) 和 2% (6/293)。高危斑块的独立预测因子是年龄（, ), HbA1c (, ),男 (, ),高血压 (, ）和多个斑块（OR：4.810（两个斑块）和 8.621（三个斑块），所有）。 结论。这项研究表明高危颈动脉斑块见于 12.4% (99/801)。高危斑块与 HbA1c 水平所反映的糖尿病控制状态以及无症状韩国人群的传统危险因素有关。