Correlation between Carotid Plaque Type and Visfatin in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid artery plaque of different characteristics and visfatin in patients with cerebral infarction,and to explore the action of visfatin in atherosclerosis and the development of cerebral infarction. Methods Totally 113 patients with acute cerebral infarction and 31 healthy persons were enrolled. According to the characteristics of carotid artery ultra- sonography the patients were sub- divided as no- plaque( NP)( n = 39),stable plaque( SP)( n =34) and variable plaque( VP)( n = 40) groups. The serum visfatin levels of all the subjects were measured with ELISA within 48 hours of onset and the 14th day,and the correlation between visfatin and carotid artery plaque was analyzed. Results The serum level of visfatin within 48 hours of onset was significantly higher in the VP group than those in the rest 3 groups( P 0. 05),and the visfatin level was higher in the SP group than those in the NP and control groups,and the 14th day was significantly higher than NP and control groups( P 0. 01). The serum visfatin level was correlated positively with the body mass index( r =0. 190) and the level of fasting blood glucose( r =0. 215). Conclusion Visfatin may play a critical role in the development of carotid atherosclerosis,plaque and cerebral infarction.