The relationship between the risk factors of arteriosclerosis and carotid stenosis as well as ischemic stroke

Objective To study the relationship between the risk factors of carotid stenosis, the degree of stenosis, the characteristics of plaques and the occurrence of ischemic stroke. Methods Color doppler flow imaging CDFI was used to study the morphology, structure, and hemodynamic of bilateral carotid arteries in 1603 initial examined patients, emphasizing the degree of stenosis, echo-character of plaques; the data of the risk factors of atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke occurrence were recorded. The patients were divided into A and B groups according to the degree of stenosis (≤50% or 50% and occlusion). Results Carotid stenosis was found in 277 patients (17. 3%); old age, male, hypertension, ischemic cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus were in close relation with carotid stenosis (r=0. 024、0. 777、0. 827、0. 762、0. 750). The stroke incidence in the group A was higher than the group B, 37. 2% (103/277) and 21. 6% (287/1326) respectively, P0.001. In the group A, the stroke incidence of CAS between 51%-69% was 30. 4% (38/125); while CAS greater than 70% or occlusion was 42. 8% (65/152). Plaques incidence was 64. 4% (1032/1603), in which irregular, heterogeneous plaque happened in a higher ratio in patients with stroke and TIA. Conclusion Old age, male, hypertension, cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus were risk factors of carotid stenosis; the stroke incidence increase with the increment of degree of stenosis; irregular and heterogeneous plaque had relation with ischemic stroke.