Study of carotid artery elasticity of the patients with alcoholic liver disease before and after abstinence from alcohol by ultrasonic E-Tracking imaging technology

Objective: To study the carotid artery elasticity of the patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) before and after abstinence from alcohol by ultrasonic E-Tracking imaging technology. Methods: 31 patients abstinence from alcohol and 106 patients who failed to abstinence from alcohol were included. Common carotid artery (CCA) was checked by routine ultrasonic imaging and IMT, D, RI, PI and S/D were measured. By E-Tracking imaging technology, parameters include stiffness pressure-strain elastic modulus (Eρ), stiffness parameters (β), arterial compliance (AC), augmentation index (AI), and pulse wave velocity (PWVp) were measured. Results: There were no significant differences in IMT, D, RI, PI, S/D and AI between the two groups (P > 0.05). In abstinence from alcohol group, Ep, (3, and PWVp were significantly lower (P < 0.01 or 0.05) and AC was significantly higher (P < 0.01) after the therapy. There were no significant differences of E-Tracking parameters in patients who failed to abstinence from alcohol. In abstinence from alcohol group, the differences of E-Tracking parameters were more significant in patients with AFL and AH than those with AC. Conclusion: The loss of elasticity, stiffness, diastolic function and the reinforce of compliance occurred in the patients with ALD abstinence from alcohol, especially in the patients with AFL and AH. E-Tracking technology is an accurate quantitative method for evaluating the curative effect on ALD patients. (authors)