Characteristics of peripheral blood cells are independently related to major adverse cardiovascular events after carotid endarterectomy

•Patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have a 13% residual risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after CEA.•Inflammatory processes leading up to MACE after CEA are not fully understood.•Blood cell characteristics were examined in relation to MACE to identify those associated with increased risk.•Red blood cell distribution width, mean neutrophil size (NAMN), and mean corpuscular volume were related to MACE after CEA.•NAMN was also related to intraplaque hemorrhage, indicating its potential role as a marker of plaque instability.