Ultrasonographic measurement of carotid artery resistive index and diastolic function of the heart in gout patients

The aim of the study was to establish the functional disorder in the blood circulation of gout patients with a method that shows early damage of the heart and vascular structures. A total of 117 patients were examined cross-sectionally by a complex multimodal ultrasonography and were divided into four groups: 37 healthy controls, 24 asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 36 gout without tophi and 20 gouty tophi. With pulsed Doppler, common carotid artery resistive index (CCARI) and parameters of the transmitral blood flow were determined: the ratio between maximal early and late flow velocities (E/A ratio) and deceleration time (DT). With tissue Doppler imaging, mitral annular peak velocity (Em) was obtained. In the examined ultrasonographic parameters between healthy controls and the three patient groups, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Comparing asymptomatic hyperuricemia and gout without tophi, no significant difference in CCARI (p = 0.656), E/A ratio (p = 0.472), DT (p = 0.990) and Em (p = 0.488) was found. Gouty tophi in comparison with gout without tophi and asymptomatic hyperuricemia had significantly lower Em (mean ± SD 0.07 ± 0.02 vs 0.09 ± 0.03 vs 0.13 ± 0.17) and significantly higher CCARI (mean ± SD 0.74 ± 0.05 vs 0.70 ± 0.05 vs 0.69 ± 0.05). Further multiple logistic regression revealed that tophi increased subject’s likelihood of having category of CCARI ≥ 0.7 with an OR = 10.91 (95 % CI 1.80–66.14, p = 0.009), while the category of Em < 0.08 m/s was influenced by renal insufficiency with an OR = 3.07 (95 % CI 1.17–8.02, p = 0.022). Gouty tophi are associated with progression of arteriosclerotic-type vessel changes. Worsening of diastolic dysfunction of the heart is independently associated with renal insufficiency. In terms of CV risk, tophi are an indicator of its increase.