Association of carotid plaque echogenicity with recurrence of ischemic stroke.
BACKGROUND
Atherosclerosis is related to various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events like cerebral infarction. Recurrence of ischemic stroke is specifically related to atherosclerotic load as determined by the presence of carotid atheromatous plaques and its echogenicity.


OBJECTIVE
This study was to evaluate the association of recurrence of stroke with echogenic characteristics of carotid plaque in ischemic stroke patients.


METHODS
Carotid sonography using high-resolution 7.5 MHz along with gray-scale technique was done in each ischemic stroke patient to find the occurrence of plaque and its echogenicity according to Mannheim Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Consensus (2004-2006). Followup of patient done to know the recurrence of stroke during 6-month duration and its association with plaque echogenicity.


RESULTS
A significant association found between the presence of plaque and known cerebrovascular risk factors. Also significant association found between recurrence of stroke and echolucent character of carotid plaque in bivariate analysis (P = 0.0028).


CONCLUSIONS
Recurrence of stroke is related to advanced stage of atherosclerosis that is specified by carotid plaque and its characteristics. It will help us to identify groups of patients at different risk for stroke and planning better strategies to prevent such events.
Department of Medicine, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Amit Shankar
AS
Singh
Virendra
V
Atam
Nirdesh
N
Jain
Besthanahalli Errapa
BE
Yathish
Malagouda R
MR
Patil
Liza
L
Das
Carotid ultrsonography; Cerebrovascular diseases; Echogenic plaque; Ischemic stroke