Analysis of risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction. Methods A total of 180 patients with cerebral infarction were divided into no-plaque group (38 cases) and plaque group (142 cases) on the results of Color ultrasonography. Plaque group was further divided into stable plaque subgroup (46 patients) and no-stable plaque subgroup (96 patients). Total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), fibrinogen (FIB) and oxidized low density lipoprotein cholesterol (OXLDL) were recorded. The risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction were analyzed. Results The percentage of hypertension, diabetes, stroke history, smoking were 88.7%(126/142), 43.7%(62/142), 53.5%(76/142), 50.7% (72/142) in plaque group and 52.6%(20/38), 21.1%(8/38),31.6%(12/38),13.2%(5/38) in no-plaque group. The percentage of hypertension, diabetes, stroke history, smoking in plaque group were higher than those in no-plaque group, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05). The age, TC, LDL-C, OXLDL, FIB were (65±10) years old,(5.3±0.8) mmol/L,(3.4±0.8) mmol/L, (0.75±0.34) mmol/L, (4.8±1.1) g/L in plaque group, and (56±7) years old, (4.6±0.7) mmol/L, (2.8±0.7) mmol/L, (0.45±0.21) mmol/L, (3.8±0.9) g/L in no-plaque group. The age, TC, LDL-C, OXLDL, FIB in plaque group were higher than those in no-plaque group, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05). The percentage of diabetes, stroke history, smoking and LDL-C, OXLDL were 50.0%(48/96), 62.5%(60/96), 56.2%(54/96), (3.7±0.9) mmol/L, (0.84±0.36) mmol/L in no-stable plaque subgroup, and 30.4%(14/46), 34.8%(16/46), 39.1%(18/46), (3.1±0.7) mmol/L, (0.60±0.32) mmol/L in stable plaque subgroup. The percentage of diabetes, stroke history, smoking and LDL-C, OXLDL in no-stable plaque subgroup were higher than those in stable plaque subgroup, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that LDL-C (OR = 1.724,95% CI 1.326-2.285), OXLDL (OR = 2.464,95% CI 1.502-5.676) and diabetes (OR = 1.484, 95% CI 1.005-1.739) were the independent risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction. Conclusion LDL-C, OXLDL and diabetes are the independent risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction. Key words: Carotid artery diseases; Atherosclerosis; Brain infarction; Risk factors; Oxidized low density lipoprotein