Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Prevalence of carotid artery stenosis in Taiwanese patients with one ischemic stroke.

Tan TY, Chang KC, Liou CW, Schminke U

First Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123, Ta-Pei Road, Niao-Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan.

PURPOSE: Ethnic differences in the distribution of atherosclerosis in the brain-supplying vessels are well described. However, only scarce data exist on the prevalence of extracranial carotid artery stenosis in Taiwanese patients who have had a single ischemic stroke. METHODS: Color-coded duplex sonography was used to evaluate the carotid arteries in a hospital-based study on 276 consecutive first-time Taiwanese stroke patients. Significant atherosclerotic lesions of the internal carotid arteries (ICA) were defined as a stenosis of more than 50% or an occlusion. RESULTS: The prevalence of significant carotid lesions was 6% (35/552) in the entire cohort and 8% (17/224) in patients with hemispheric strokes. Among patients with large-artery atheroscleroses, according to criteria of the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment, only 27% had significant extracranial ICA disease whereas 69% had intracranial vessel stenoses. Older patients tended to have more severe ICA lesions, while other risk factors were not correlated with carotid stenosis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of more than 50% ICA stenosis was low in Taiwanese patients with first hemispheric ischemic strokes, indicating that it is not a major cause of ischemic stroke in this population.

Published 3 February 2005 in J Clin Ultrasound, 33(1): 1-4.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Stroke Research Today. All Rights Reserved.