Sequoia 512 scanner

The lower limb ultrasonographic examinations were conducted according to the standard protocols which were well performed in our previous studies [22 (link)–24 (link)]. Briefly, after the patients remained in the supine position for 5 min, the 5-13-MHz linear array transducer was successively placed on seven locations of bilateral lower limb arteries including common femoral artery, profunda femoris artery, superficial femoral artery, popliteal artery, anterior tibial artery, posterior tibial artery, and peroneal artery to measure and record atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis using an Acuson Sequoia 512 scanner [23 (link), 24 (link)].

All patients underwent coronary angiography or CTA to make a definitive diagnosis, and the culprit vessels were treated by oral medications, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass graft (1 (link), 12 (link)). The echocardiography was performed by experienced ultrasonographers, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was recorded via an Acuson Sequoia 512 scanner with a probe of 5-13-MHz following a standard protocol. The data regarding Killip class, revascularization (percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft), medications at discharge, and in-hospital deaths were obtained from their discharge summaries. After the discharge from hospital, a regular clinical follow-up was conducted through telephone or office visits annually.