Relationship between atherosclerosis of the common carotid artery and ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Objective To study the relationship between atherosclerosis of the common carotid artery and ischemic cerebrovascular disease.Methods Color Doppler ultrasonography of the carotid arteries was performed on 130 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular diseases. The maximum IMT of the posterial wall at distal common carotid artery and plaques in 130 patients were measured and compared with 73 healthy controls.Results IMT were significantly increased in CI group and TIA group versus control subjects (P0.01). The abnormal appearances of carotid arteries such as atherosclerosis,intima-media thickening and plaque formation were found in 112 of 130 patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and the rate of total lesion detection was 86.15%. Nineteen cases with intima-media thickening and soft plaque formation were detected in the control group and the rate of lesion detection was 26%. There was significant difference between the two groups (P 0.01).The most common site of plaque formation is the bulb of the common carotid artery,and than proximal internal carotid artery. There was no difference of occurrence rate between right and left.Conclusion The severity of atherosclerosis of carotid artery in CI group and TIA group is higher than control group. One cause of cerebral infarction is from soft plaque broken in carotid artery. Color Doppler ultrasonography is an important technique in detecting atherosclerosis of the carotid artery,assessing potential occurrence of ischemic cerebral disease and evaluating the effect of treatment with medication or surgery.