title: Impact of low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein ratio on aortic arch atherosclerosis in unexplained stroke.
abstract: The ratio of low- (LDL-C) to high- (HDL-C) density lipoprotein cholesterol serves as a positive predictor of atherosclerosis including coronary artery disease. We assessed the contribution of the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio to atheromatous aortic plaques (AAPs) in patients with unexplained ischemic stroke. One hundred thirty-seven patients (age, 65±14years; 87 male) with ischemic stroke underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and enrolled to the study. Patients were classified based on TEE findings: (1) AAPs<4mm in thickness; (2) AAPs≥4mm; and (3) mobile or ulcerated aortic plaques (MUAPs). We assessed clinical characteristics and biochemical findings, and investigated the relationship between AAPs and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio of stroke patients. 84 (61%) patients had AAPs<4mm, 29 (21%) had AAPs≥4mm, and 24 (18%) had MUAPs. Older age (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.30; p=0.001), and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (OR: 2.94; 95% CI: 1.10 to 7.87; p=0.032) were significantly associated with MUAPs. The incidence of MUAPs substantially increased in patients with LDL-C/HDL-C ratios of >2.23 (p<0.001) when the ratios were divided into quartiles. The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was closely associated with MUAPs. An elevated LDL-C/HDL-C ratio could be a positive predictor of aortogenic brain embolism.
authors: Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors: Ayami
authors: A
authors: Okuzumi
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Ueno
authors: Yoshiaki
authors: Y
authors: Shimada
authors: Yasutaka
authors: Y
authors: Tanaka
authors: Nobukazu
authors: N
authors: Miyamoto
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Yamashiro
authors: Ryota
authors: R
authors: Tanaka
authors: Nobutaka
authors: N
authors: Hattori
authors: Takao
authors: T
authors: Urabe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL