Comparison of the risk factors for anterior circulation and posterior circulation ischemic stroke a retrospective case series study

Abstract

Objective To investigate the differences of the vascular risk factors for anterior circulation and posterior circulation ischernic stroke. Methods The unified diagnosis and treatment questionnaires of ischernic stroke in Qingdao city were developed. The data of 943 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke treated in the Departments of Neurology in 11 hospitals with hinging facilities such as computerized tomography （CT） or magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） in Qingiao city and its surrounding counties from June 2008 to February 2009 were retrospectively collected. The risk factors for anterior circulation and posterior circulation ischemic stroke were analyzed. Results Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in the age, sex, history of coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale （NIHSS） score between anterior circulation and posterior circulation ischemic stroke （all P 〈0. 05）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age （odds ratio [ OR] 1.025, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1. 009-1.042） and the baseline NIHSS score （OR 1.052, 95% CI 1.019-1.086） tended to the anterior circulation ischemic stroke, whereas coronary heart disease （OR 0. 512, 95% CI 0. 341-0. 768） and hyperlipidemia （OR 0. 585, 95% CI 0. 386- 0. 884） tended to posterior circulation ischemic stroke, and hyperlipidemia was an independent risk factors for posterior circulation ischemic stroke. Conclusions Vascular risk factors exerted different effects on anterior circulation and posterior circulation ischemic stroke. Key words: Stroke; Brain ischemia; Risk factors