Correlation ties in cerebral atherosclerosis: results of ultrasound assessment of arterial morphological changes

Abstract

For revealing correlations between cerebral atherosclerosis and different forms of concomitant pathology, the following groups of patients were examined: arterial hypertension (n = 80), disorders of the autonomous nervous system (n = 212), endocrine pathology (n = 453), chronic liver diseases (n = 45), obesity (n = 35), syringomyelia (n = 97), cerebral atherosclerosis without comcomitant pathology (n = 51), persons with status dysraphicus (n = 35), and healthy controls (n = 50). Duplex scanning of the brachiocephal arteries was used. The initial atherosclerotic lesions were revealed in 32,7% of cases, stenosis <50% in 33,9%, and stenosis 50% in 18,2%. We found significant reverse relationships between age at onset of cerebral atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension (ρ = –0.73), obesity (ρ = –0.70), syringomyelia (ρ = – 0.90), status dysraphicus (ρ = –0.72), and liver disorders (ρ = –0.67). Correlations were revealed between atheroma evolution rate and presence of endocrine pathology (hormone levels in hypothyreosis), combination of cataract and diabetes, severity of arterial hypertension, combination of arterial hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, severity of status dysraphicus and trophic disturbances in syringomyelia. In patients with anatomic disconnection of the Willis circle, blood flow deficiency at the extracranial stenosis level occurred in the case of 40–50% stenosis, while in patients with normal collateral flows it occurred only in the case of 60–70% stenosis.