The smoking acute effect on the cyclic variation in blood echogenicity from the common carotid artery

The cyclic variation in echogenicity (CVE) was observed from the cross-sectional images of the common carotid artery using coded harmonic imaging of a GE ultrasound system. The objective of this research is to study the smoking acute effects on the amplitude of the CVE (Acve). A_cve was analyzed among the 28 smokers before and after 1-2 cigarettes were smoked. The smokers were optimally divided into two clusters with respect to the change in A_cve and the intrinsic characteristics of smokers (i.e., daily consumed cigarettes and smoking years) through a two-step cluster analysis (TSCA). The relative change of A_cve after smoking was significantly higher in the heavy smoker cluster compared with the light smoker cluster. However, there is no significant difference in the absolute value of A_cve between before and after smoking for both two clusters. The effect of tissue attenuation on A_cve was compensated with body mass index (BMI). The compensated parameter, A´_cve, is significantly increased in heavy smoker group after smoking (BS: 0.47±7.4; AS: 5.4±8.0; p<;0.05). It is in agreement with the analytical result of ΔA_cve. Furthermore, after smoking, A´_cve is significant higher in heavy smoker group (5.4±8.0), compared with light smoker group (-1.3±6.7; p<;0.05). It suggests that the compensation of A_cve is help to reduce the interference from tissue attenuation and is good for the comparison among individuals.