Cerebral atherosclerosis in selected chronic disease states

Abstract

The severity of atherosclerotic involvement of the intracranial cerebral arteries was assessed at autopsy in 3942 adult subjects. The values obtained in groups of subjects at various ages were correlated with the presence or absence of selected chronic disease states. The presence of clinical or pathological evidence of cerebral vascular disease, atherosclerotic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and, to a lesser degree, chronic renal disease was associated with a relative increase in the severity of cerebral atherosclerosis. In contrast, cerebral atherosclerosis was apparently less severe in groups of subjects with malignant neoplastic disease and peptic ulcer disease. In males with cirrhosis or alcoholism, there was a possible tendency toward less severe cerebral atherosclerosis.