Association study between carotid artery bruit and carotid stenosis in cerebral arterial thrombosis

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the value of carotid artery bruit in predicting carotid stenosis in patients with cerebral arterial thrombosis. Methods Two hundred cerebral arterial thrombosis patients were divided into bruit group and no bruit group according to carotid artery auscultation,with 100 cases in each group. The patients with cardiac murmur, vein sound and thyroid noise were excluded from bruit group. The examination of carotid artery auscultation (transcranial Doppler sonography ) was managed in all the patients,and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) about aortic arch and the whole brain were perfomed. The carotid stenosis rate, site, degree were compared and the relationship between carotid bruit grade and carotid stenosis degree were evaluated. Results The carotid stenosis rate in bruit group [67% (67/100)] was higher than that in no bruit group [29%(29/100)](P＜ 0.01 ). There was significant difference in the carotid stenosis site and degree between two groups (P ＜0.05). Carotid bruit were significantly associated with stenosis near carotid bifurcation or serious stenosis (P ＜ 0.05). The carotid bruit grade was positively related with the carotid stenosis degree (P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusions Carotid bruit is associated with site and degree of carotid stenosis. Carotid bruit is valuable in screening for carotid stenosis in patients with cerebral arterial thrombosis. Key words: Carotid stenosis; Cerebrovascular accident; Ultrasonography