Aim: The overarching aim of the thesis was to explore the occurrence and clinical importance of two manifestations of myocardial injury; unrecognized myocardial injury (UMI) and altered levels of cardiac biochemical markers in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: A prospective multicenter cohort study investigated the prevalence, localization, size, and prognostic implication of UMI in 235 patients with stable CAD. Late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) imaging and coronary angiography were used. The relationship between UMI and severe CAD and cardiac biochemical markers was explored. In a substudy the short- and longterm individual variation in cardiac troponins I and T (cTnI, cTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were investigated. Results: The prevalence of UMI was 25%. Subjects with severe CAD were significantly more likely to exhibit UMI than subjects without CAD. There was a strong association between stenosis ≥70% and presence of UMI in the myocardial segments downstream. The presence of UMI was associated with a significant threefold risk of adverse events during follow up. After adjustments UMI was associated with a nonsignificant numerically doubled risk. The levels of cTnI, NT-proBNP, and Galacin-3 were associated with the presence of UMI in univariate analyses. The association between levels of cTnI and presence of UMI remained significant after adjustment. The individual variation in cTnI, cTnT, and NT-proBNP in subjects with stable CAD appeared similar to the biological variation in healthy individuals. Conclusions: UMI is common and is associated with significant CAD, levels of biochemical markers, and an increased risk for adverse events. A change of >50% is required for a reliable short-term change in cardiac troponins, and a rise of >76% or a fall of >43% is required to detect a long-term reliable change in NT-proBNP.

La procédure de Ross: Propriétés biomécaniques de l'artère pulmonaire en fonction du phénotype valvulaire aortique Pierre Olivier Dionne, Evan Wener, Alexander Emmott, Raymond Cartier, Rosaire Mongrain, Richard Leask et Ismail El-Hamamsy OBJECTIFS: Le but de cette étude est de déterminer si les propriétés des artères pulmonaires des patients bénéficiant d'une procédure de Ross ayant une valve aortique bicuspide sont différentes que celles des patients ayant une valve aortique tricuspide. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Trente-deux artères pulmonaires et 20 aortes ont été prélevées chez des patients subissant une procédure de Ross au moment de la chirurgie, dans une cohorte de 32 patients. L'analyse histologique et l'étude tensile equi-biaxiale ex-vivo complétées dans les 8 heures suivant le prélèvement furent utilisées afin d'évaluer les différences entre les groupes de patients et entre les artères pulmonaires et les aortes ascendantes. RÉSULTATS: Il n'y avait aucune différence d'épaisseur au niveau des artères pulmonaires lorsque comparées en fonction du phénotype valvulaire aortique (P = 0.94). Il n'y avait aucune différence au niveau des propriétés tensiles parmi les aortes et les artères pulmonaires lorsque comparées en fonction du phénotype valvulaire. Lorsque comparées en fonction de leur indication chirurgicale, les artères pulmonaires de patients ayant une régurgitation aortique pure étaient moins rigides que leur contre-partie (P = 0.002). Il n'y avait aucune différence au niveau du nombre de lamelles élastiques entre les spécimens d'artère pulmonaire en fonction du phénotype valvulaire aortique (Tricuspide, bicuspide ou unicuspide), ni entre les spécimens aortiques. CONCLUSION: Aucune différence significative ne fut observée au niveau des propriétés biomécaniques des artères pulmonaires lorsque comparées selon leur phénotype valvulaire aortique associé. / The Ross procedure: biomechanical properties of the pulmonary artery according to aortic valve phenotype Pierre Olivier Dionne, Evan Wener, Alexander Emmott, Raymond Cartier, Rosaire Mongrain, Richard Leask and Ismail El-Hamamsy OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to determine whether patients undergoing the Ross procedure with bicuspid aortic valves have different pulmonary artery biomechanical properties from those with tricuspid valves. METHODS: Thirty-two pulmonary arteries and 20 aortas were obtained from patients undergoing the Ross procedure at the time of surgery, from a cohort of 32 patients. Histological analysis and ex vivo equi-biaxial tensile testing completed within 8 hours of surgery were used to evaluate differences in patient groups and between the pulmonary artery and the ascending aorta. RESULTS: There was no difference in thickness among pulmonary arteries when compared according to aortic valve phenotype (P = 0.94). There was no difference in the tensile tissue properties among aortas and pulmonary arteries when compared according to aortic valve phenotype, in either the circumferential or longitudinal axis. When compared according to the main surgical indication, pulmonary artery walls from patients with pure aortic regurgitation were less stiff than their counterparts (P = 0.002). There was no difference in the number of elastic lamellae in pulmonary artery specimens from the three different aortic valve phenotypes (Tricuspid, bicuspid or unicuspid), as well as in the aortic specimens. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed in the biomechanical properties of pulmonary arteries when compared according to aortic valve phenotype.

Abstract A hypothesis is created that an association between androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and serious cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarction and fatal ischaemic heart disease has been reported, but the mechanism explaining this association has remained unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between insulin resistance, (coronary) artery disease and AGA. Moreover, a hypothesis on the role of electromagnetic cell adhesion in the development of AGA is presented. In the present series of men aged 19–50 years (n = 154) with early (<  35 years of age), significant AGA of at least grade 3 (vertex) in the Hamilton classification modified by Norwood (Norwood 1975) was hyperinsulinaemia encountered twice as often as on age-matched controls. Other signs of the insulin resistance syndrome, such as obesity, lipid lowering and antihypertensive drugs were also found to correlate with early AGA. In a population-based case-control study, male patients living a small rural town who had undergone an urgent or elective coronary revascularization procedure (n =  85) and their age-matched controls were analysed after stratification by age at operation and hair status. The findings showed AGA to be more common coronary artery disease and early AGA as those with early coronary artery disease. In a population aged 63 years (n = 541, 217 men), neck circumference was found to correlate with the conventional anthropometric indicators of insulin resistance and with elevated serum insulin in both genders, which means that neck circumference is a simple anthropometric indicator of android type obesity and insulin resistance. In the same female population other factors of insulin resistance (whr, waist circumference, serum insulin level and microalbuminuria) were associated with marked (grade 2 or 3 on a modified Ludwig scale) hair loss. Paternal heredity was clearly characteristic of AGA in both genders, particularly of early AGA in men. We present a hypothesis that the overactive androgen state inhibits cell mitosis in the dermal papilla of the hair follicle and contributes to a weaker electromagnetic attraction between the undifferentiated germ cells and the dermal papilla and also to a shortened anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. Insulin resistance has an additional pathogenic role in the excessive miniaturization of the hair follicle. As a conclusion, along with android obesity, early alopecia can be considered a sign of insulin resistance and a possible risk factor for an early onset of coronary artery disease. Timely intervention in the risk factors may help to slow down or prevent the development of arterial disease and possibly also to alleviate the cosmetic and psychosocial consequences of hair loss. / Tiivistelmä Insuliiniresistenssin, (sepel)valtimotaudin ja AGA:n välillä on yhteyksiä. Taustalla olevat patomekanismit ovat kuitenkin epäselviä. Tässä väitöskirjatyössä tutkittiin insuliiniresistenssin ja (sepel)valtimotaudin suhdetta AGA:an. Lisäksi luotiin hypoteesi sähkömagneettisen soluadheesion roolista AGA:n kehittymisessä. Aineiston 19–50-vuotiailla miehillä (n = 154), joilla oli varhainen (< 35 v), merkittävä, vähintään kolmannen (vertex) asteen AGA Norwoodin modifioiman Hamiltonin luokituksen mukaan (Norwood 1975) seerumin insuliinipitoisuus oli suurentunut liki kaksi kertaa useammin kuin samanikäisillä verrokeilla. Myös muiden insuliiniresistenssioireyhtymään liitettyjen vaaratekijöiden, kuten ylipainon, havaittiin liittyvän varhaiseen AGA:an. Pienen maaseutukaupungin kaikki sepelvaltimoiden revaskularisaatioon joutuneet miehet (n = 85) analysoitiin toimenpiteeseen joutumisiän ja hiusstatuksen mukaan. Tulokset osoittavat AGA:n olevan yhteydessä sepelvaltimotautiin ja varhaisen AGA:n varhaiseen sepelvaltimotautiin. Aineiston 63-vuotiailla (n = 541, miehiä 217) kaulan ympärysmitan todettiin korreloivan selvästi antropometrisiin, insuliiniresistenssiä kuvaaviin mittoihin ja seerumin insuliinipitoisuuden kasvuun sekä miehillä että naisilla. Kaulan ympärysmitta soveltuu siten käytettäväksi antropometrisena mittana androidityyppisen ylipainon ja insuliiniresistenssin selvittämisessä. Saman väestöotoksen naisilla tehdyssä tutkimuksessa havaittiin muiden insuliiniresistenssin osatekijöiden (vyötärö-lantiosuhteen, vyötärön ympärysmitan, seerumin insuliinipitoisuuden ja mikroalbuminurian) liittyvän huomattavaan hiustenlähtöön (asteet II ja III modifioidulla Ludwigin skaalalla). AGA:ssa isän suvun perimän vaikutus oli selvä molemmilla sukupuolilla. Se oli voimakas erityisesti miesten varhaisessa AGA:ssa. Laatimamme hypoteesin mukaan suuri androgeenipitoisuus estää dermaalipapillan solujen mitoosia ja heikentää sähkömagneettista vetovoimaa. Tällöin hiusfollikkelin solujen määrää vähenee ja hiuksen kasvuvaihe lyhenee haittaavasti. Insuliiniresistenssillä on hypoteesin mukaan toissijainen rooli hiusfollikkelin pienenemisprosessissa. Aikaista hiustenlähtöä androidin ylipainon ohella voidaan pitää insuliiniresistenssin merkkinä ja riskinä sepelvaltimotaudin tavanomaista aiempaan ilmaantumiseen. Puuttumalla ajoissa vaaratekijöihin valtimotaudin kehittymistä voidaan hidastaa tai estää ja ehkä myös vähentää kosmeettisesti ja psykososiaalisesti haittaavaa hiusten menetystä.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology) / It is an accepted fact that the incidence of coronary heart disease has reached endemic proportions in South Africa. One of the fastest growing clinical populations in this domain is that of the coronary artery bypass patient. As a result the facilities catering to the biomedical needs of this population are amongst the most sophisticated in the world. However, facilities for the effective psychosocial rehabilitation of these patients are relatively scarce. When they are addressed they tend to focus essentially on secondary emotional factors impeding reintegration back into society. A sadly neglected psychosocial factor and independent risk factor is that of the Type A behaviour pattern. Extensive research in this area has not only found this behaviour pattern to be detrimental to effective rehabilitation but has also found it to be instrumental in the reocclusion of grafted blood vessels resulting in an elevated re-operation rate as well as putting these patients at risk for a potentially fatal coronary event. In an attempt to address this problem a rehabilitation group intervention program adapted for South African conditions was launched. This program was based on the Recurrent Coronary Prone Prevention Project intended for the treatment of post-myocardial infarct patients in San Francisco. Essentially the aim of the project was to ascertain whether this intervention could be applied effectively to the coronary artery bypass population and whether its duration could significantly shortened so as to be more economically viable given the limited economic resources characteristic of the health care services in this country. The modified programme was administered to a group of 13 post-coronary artery bypass graft patients at two local cardiac rehabilitation centres. A second group of 10 patients at these same centres served as a no-treatment waiting list control group, while simultaneously undergoing an aerobic exercise and cardiovascular counselling programme. Results of the study indicate the modified programme to be highly successful in modifying Type A behaviour and its components within the South African context in the post coronary artery bypass patient samples exposed to it. Comparisons of the experimental and control groups after the intervention showed statistically significant differences on the majority of measures. Thus it was- concluded that the modified programme has the potential to be an invaluable aid in the treatment of .this population in South Africa. Presently, however, this sample is being monitored longitudinally in order to ensure that the treatment benefits remain.

Magister Scientiae (Medical Bioscience) - MSc(MBS) / Stroke is the third leading cause of death in South Africa, killing about 240 people a day and leaving survivors with residual disabilities. There is no clinically approved neuroprotective agent for stroke at the moment but the consumption of plant polyphenols has been suggested to offer neuroprotection against stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of long term consumption of fermented rooibos herbal tea (FRHT) on ischemia reperfusion brain injury (I-RBI) in rats. Male adult Wistar rats were fed FRHT ad libitum for 7 weeks prior to the induction of ischemic injury by the transient bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (BCCAO) for 20 minutes followed by 24 hours, 4 and 7 days of reperfusion respectively. Rats were then evaluated for neurologic deficits before sacrifice and brains harvested for assessment of brain oedema, blood-brain-barrier (BBB) integrity through Evans blue extravasation (EBE), immunohistochemical studies of apoptosis and lipid peroxidation. Oxygen radical antioxidant capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays were also conducted to assess total antioxidant capacity after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Notably, the long term consumption of fermented rooibos herbal tea prevented brain oedema by reducing cerebral swelling induced by I-RBI. We also observed that fermented rooibos herbal tea offered neuroprotection against damage to the BBB and delayed neuronal death associated with BCCAO as fewer apoptotic cells were identified 7 days post BCCAO reperfusion. Significantly reduced levels of lipid peroxidation and increased levels of total antioxidant capacity were also observed in brain specimens of rats treated with FRHT. Rats treated with FRHT also showed improved neurologic outcomes when compared with the untreated animals. Our results show that FRHT has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can provide neuroprotective effects against neuronal cell loss, cerebral swelling, BBB disruption, lipid peroxidation and neurologic deficits following I-RBI. The use of FRHT is therefore highly recommended for patients with conditions that predispose them to stroke.

Non invasive in vivo imaging will lead to better understanding of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor’s (AT1R) role in disease progression and may guide therapy in cardiovascular patients. Two models were used in this project: 5/6 nephrectomy and transient left anterior descending (LAD) ligation. Rats were scanned with [13N]ammonia and [11C]methyl-candesartan, both of which are Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracers, at 8 weeks (nephrectomy) and 2 weeks (LAD ligation) after surgery. Western blot analysis was used to corroborate PET data. Nephrectomy: Renal AT1R image analysis displayed a 40% decrease in kidney AT1R in nephrectomized animals compared to sham (p<0.05) which was confirmed with Western blot and biodistribution. LAD ligation: Left Ventricle AT1R Western blot analysis exhibited a 60% increase in 20min ligation (p<0.05) with maintained myocardial blood flow. In conclusion, changes in renal AT1R were successfully imaged using [11C]methyl-candesartan in nephrectomized animals, and 20min LAD ligation/reperfusion is an appropriate model to image an increase in cardiac AT1R following ischemic injury.

The potential that telemedicine interventions may have in effectively delivering remote specialized cardiovascular care to large numbers of patients with heart diseases has recently come under question. In the first phase of this thesis, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to compare the impact of a basic form of telemedicine that is regular patient follow-up by telephone, with usual care for individuals with coronary artery disease following their discharge. In the second phase of this thesis, a network meta-analysis, using Bayesian methods for multiple treatment comparisons, was conducted to compare the more complex forms of telemedicine for patients with heart failure. In the third and final phase of this thesis, a randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the impact of two forms of telemedicine, identified in the earlier two phases as being the most promising, on clinical outcomes, cardiac risk factors and patient reported outcomes.

Une augmentation de l’activité de la protéine de transfert des esters de cholestérol (CETP) est retrouvée associée à une élévation du développement de l’athérosclérose. L’apolipoprotéine C1 est l’inhibiteur physiologique de la CETP. Ses propriétés électrostatiques jouent un rôle important dans sa capacité d’inhibition de l’activité CETP. Aucune étude de ce potentiel inhibiteur de l’apoC1 n’a été réalisée chez des patients à haut risque cardio-vasculaire ou dyslipidémiques. Nous avons souhaité étudier la fonctionnalité de l’apoC1 par rapport à la CETP chez des patients coronariens normolipidémiques et hyperlipidémiques d’une part et chez des patients diabétiques de type 1 et de type 2 en comparaison à des sujets sains normolipidémiques d’autre part. Nous avons confirmé que l’apoC1 était un inhibiteur physiologique de la CETP chez l’homme normolipidémique. Nous avons montré pour la première fois la perte de cette capacité d’inhibition en cas d’hyperlipidémie chez des sujets coronariens et en cas de diabète de type 1 ou de type 2.En cas d’hyperlipidémie, l’hypertriglycéridémie joue un rôle important en stimulant la réaction de transfert des esters de cholestérol. La possible modification de répartition de l’apoC1 entre HDL et VLDL secondaire à l’hyperlipidémie est probablement également impliquée dans cette perte de fonctionnalité. Au cours du diabète, notamment de type 1, nous avons démontré que l’hyperglycémie, à l’origine du phénomène de glycation, participe, au moins en partie, à cette perte de potentiel inhibiteur. Nous avons également mis en évidence que la glycation in vitro de l’apoC1 modifiait sa charge électrostatique, facteur déterminant de son potentiel inhibiteur. / High cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity was found to accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein C1 (apoC1) is a potent physiological inhibitor of CETP. ApoC1 operates as CETP inhibitor through its ability to modify the electrostatic charge at the lipoprotein surface. The inhibitory potential of apoC1 has never been studied in high risk patients or in patients with hyperlipidemia. Our aim was to address the functionality of apoC1 as CETP inhibitor in normo- and hyperlipidemic patients with documented coronary artery disease and in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in comparison with normolipidemic-normoglycemic healthy subjects. We confirmed that apoC1 is a physiological inhibitor of CETP in normolipidemic subjects. We showed for the first time that this inhibitory potential is lost in hyperlipidemic patients with coronary artery disease and in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. During hyperlipidemia, abundant triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, as preferential acceptors of HDL cholesteryl ester, probably drive the CETP-mediated cholesteryl ester transfer reaction. The modified distribution of apoC1 between HDL and VLDL might play a role in this loss of inhibitory property. During diabetes, especially in type 1, we showed that hyperglycemia, responsible for glycation, is involved, at least in part, in this loss of CETP inhibitory ability of apoC1. We also showed that in vitro glycation of apoC1 changed its electrostatic properties, which is recognized as a major determinant of its inhibitory ability.

Resumo: Doença cardiovascular (DCV) está entre as principais causas de morbimortalidade e obesidade é um de seus fatores de risco. O melhor prognóstico de pacientes obesos gerou um paradoxo e a investigação de outros indicadores de obesidade como preditores de doença arterial coronariana (DAC). A associação de razão cintura-quadril e circunferência da cintura, marcadores de obesidade central, com doença coronariana determinada angiograficamente ainda não respondeu essa questão adequadamente. Além disso, a associação com circunferência do pescoço, marcador de obesidade visceral, não foi avaliada. Nesse estudo, avaliou-se a associação de obesidade – central, visceral e geral - com gravidade e extensão da doença coronariana. Métodos e Resultados: Estudo caso-controle foi conduzido em 376 pacientes, com 40 anos ou mais, com doença coronariana crônica, submetidos à cineangiocoronariografia eletiva. Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), circunferência cintura, razão cintura-quadril (RCQ) e circunferência do pescoço foram aferidos. Doença coronariana significativa foi definida na presença de pelo menos 50% de estenose coronariana em um dos vasos epicárdicos (casos). Controles foram selecionados entre aqueles sem doença coronariana significativa. Foram identificados 155 casos e 221 controles e calculada odds ratio e IC 95%, com e sem controle para fatores de confusão. Houve predomínio de homens entre os casos, assim como idade entre 50-59 e mais de 70 anos. Razão cintura-quadril foi o principal preditor independente de DAC, seguido de circunferência do pescoço. Razão cintura-quadril associou-se fortemente com DAC nas análises univariada (OR= 3,7; IC 95%1,4-10,1 p=0,02) e o efeito tornou-se mais evidente na multivariada (OR= 4,0 IC 95% 1,3-12,1 p=0,03). Circunferência do pescoço só tornou-se significativamente associada no modelo multivariado (OR= 2,4 IC 95% 1,1-5,3 p= 0,04), assim como a categoria de obesidade do índice de massa corporal. Conclusões: Obesidade central, determinada por RCQ, é fator de risco independente para doença coronariana significativa, assim como circunferência do pescoço. / Introduction: Cardiovascular Disease is one of the main causes of morbimortality while the obesity is one of its risk factors. The best prognosis of obese patients has led to a paradox and the investigation of other obesity indicators as the coronary artery disease predictors (CAD). The association of waist-hip ratio and waist circumference, which are markers of central obesity with angiographically determined coronary disease has not yet answered that question adequately. In addition to that, the association with neck circumference as a marker of visceral obesity has not been evaluated. In this study, we have evaluated the association of central, visceral and general obesity with severity and extent of coronary artery disease. Methods and Results: A case-control study was conducted in 376 patients, aged 40 years or more, with chronic coronary disease, undergoing the elective cineangiography. Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), and neck circumference have been measured. Significant coronary disease was defined in the presence of at least 50% of coronary stenosis in one of the epicardial vessels or their branches, with diameter greater than three mm (cases). Controls have been selected among those without significant coronary disease. At the enrolment, 155 cases and 221 controls were identified. Odds ratios and the confidence intervals of 95% (95%CI) were calculated in the crude and multivariate analysis. There was a predominance of men in the cases, as well as aged 50-59 and over 70 years. The WHR was the main independent predictor of CAD, followed by the neck circumference. The waist-hip ratio was strongly associated with CAD in univariate analysis (OR= 3.7; 95%CI 1.4-10.1; P=0.02) and the effect became more evident controlling for confounding factors (OR = 4.0 95%CI 1.3-12.1; P=0.03). The neck circumference became significantly associated with CAD in the multivariate model (OR = 2.4 95% CI 1.1-5.3; P = 0.04), as well as obesity, in the category of BMI. Conclusions: Central obesity, as determined by WHR, was an independent risk factor for significant coronary disease, as well as the neck circumference.

Orientador: Marcio Ajudarte Lopes / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-28T00:44:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LucenaMarkman_Renata_M.pdf: 960885 bytes, checksum: 639bd2b482bba1e49ed3111595f8f4da (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Estudos sugerem que o tratamento radioterápico em região de cabeça e pescoço possa ser considerado um importante fator desencadeador da formação de calcificações em carótida. No entanto, evidências científicas para tal comprovação são limitadas. Portanto, os objetivos deste estudo foram identificar através de radiografias panorâmicas a prevalência de ateromas calcificados da carótida numa população com câncer de cabeça e pescoço antes e depois de serem submetidos à radioterapia e correlacionar com os aspectos sócio-demográficos e comorbidades destes pacientes. Foram selecionados, de forma retrospectiva, 180 pacientes tratados por radioterapia que tinham radiografias panorâmicas realizadas antes e após o término deste tratamento. Os dados clínicos foram coletados dos prontuários médicos. A análise das radiografias panorâmicas mostrou que 35% dos pacientes apresentaram ateromas calcificados da carótida. Não foi encontrada diferença significativa na prevalência de ateromas antes e após a radioterapia. Com relação aos achados clínicos, houve maior prevalência de acidentes vasculares cerebrais em pacientes com ateromas quando comparados aos pacientes que não apresentaram ateromas (p<0,05). Não foram observadas outras diferenças significativas com relação à idade, gênero, hipertensão arterial, diabetes mellitus, infarto agudo do miocárdio, localização do tumor e dose de radiação recebida. Sendo assim, podemos concluir que apesar da radioterapia não ter modificado a prevalência de ateromas calcificados da carótida nesta população estudada, esta alteração é frequentemente encontrada em pacientes com câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Portanto, é importante que os cirurgiões-dentistas fiquem atentos quanto à presença de ateromas em radiografias panorâmicas de pacientes com câncer de cabeça e pescoço / Abstract: Studies suggest that radiotherapy to the head and neck may be an important triggering factor for calcified carotid artery atheromas. However, scientific evidences to prove this matter are limited. Therefore, this essay aimed to identify the prevalence of calcified carotid artery atheromas observed by panoramic radiograph in a head and neck cancer population before and after radiotherapy and to correlate them with the sociodemographic features and comorbidities of these patients. For this research, 180 patients submitted to radiotherapy that had panoramic radiographs before and after this treatment, were selected retrospectively. Clinical data from these patients were collected from their medical records. The panoramic radiographs were examined and 35% of the patients demonstrated calcified carotid artery atheromas. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of atheromas before and after radiotherapy. According to clinical data, there was a greater prevalence of strokes in patients with calcified carotid artery atheromas when compared to patients who did not have atheromas (p<0.05). Differences related to age, gender, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarctation, tumor location and radiotherapy dose were not observed. Thus, we can conclude that although radiotherapy did not alter the prevalence of calcified carotid artery atheromas in the studied population, this alteration is commonly found in head and neck cancer patients. Therefore, it is important that dentists be aware to the presence of calcified carotid artery atheromas in panoramic radiographs of head and neck cancer patients / Mestrado / Estomatopatologia / Mestra em Estomatopatologia