| Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of integrated backscatter (IBS) technique for carotid artery atherosclerosis (AS) in hyperlipemia patients and the relationship between integrated backscatter of carotid artery and serum levels of matrix metalloprotease-9(MMP-9). To observe the effects of simvastatin on the IBS values of the carotid artery and serum levels ofMMP-9.Methods: 58 patients with hyperlipemia and 26 normal controls were enrolled in this study. Patients with hyperlipemia were divided randomly into two groups: simvastatin group (20mg/d) and control group. The corrected IBS values(C-IBS) in carotid arteries, the intima-media thickness (IMT), serum levels of MMP-9 were measured in normal controls and patients with hyperlipemia before and after statin therapy for 8 weeks.Results: The C-IBS in simvastatin group and control group were significantly lower than that in normal controls(-13.64±2.56dB vs -9.84±1.02dB and -13.54±2.33dB vs -9.84±1.02dB, p＜0.05 respectively), the IMT and MMP-9 were significantly higher than that in normal controls (0.81±0.05mm vs 0.53±0.04mm and 0.80±0.06mm vs 0.53±0.04mm, p＜0.05; 887.49±101.12ng/ml vs 369.97±27.97ng/ml and 864.83±85.20ng/ml vs 369.97±27.97ng/ml, P＜0.05, respectively). By correlation analysis, there was a negative relation between the C-IBS of carotid arteries in patients with hyperlipemia and the serum levels of MMP-9. After 8 weeks treament, the serum levels of MMP-9 was decreased in simvastatin group (887.49±101.12ng/ml vs 440.05±49.62ng/ml). But IBS values and IMT were not significantly changed in both the simvastatin group and the control group.Conclusion: The C-IBS of carotid arteries and the serum level of MMP-9 may be the early indicators of atherosclerosis in hyperlipemia patients. There was a negative relation between the C-IBS of carotid arteries in patients with hyperlipemia and the serum levels of MMP-9. The anti-atherosclerosis mechanisms of simvastatin may partly attribute to its lowering of serum MMP-9.
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