title: Association between asymptomatic carotid stenosis and cognitive function: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asymptomatic carotid stenosis (CS), traditionally considered clinically silent, may be an independent risk factor for a cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine whether an association exists between asymptomatic CS and cognitive function, we systematically reviewed the literature in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 8 cross-sectional studies and 2 community-based cohort studies were included, comprising 763 participants in the CS group and 6308 participants in the non-CS group. All but one study supported the association between asymptomatic CS and cognitive impairment. Pooled analysis identified older age (2 studies) and cerebral hypoperfusion (2 studies) as additional factors in patients with asymptomatic CS that may linked to cognitive decline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that rather than being clinically silent, asymptomatic CS may be associated with cognitive impairment, and this should be further investigated in high-quality studies.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinical Research Unit, Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hong-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Chun-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yan-Chao
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zi-Long
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Asymptomatic carotid stenosis; Cognitive function; Systematic review