Severity of spontaneous echo contrast in the jugular vein associated with ischemic stroke.
This study evaluated the relationship between spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in the internal jugular vein (JV), atherosclerotic markers and ischemic stroke. One hundred twenty patients with acute ischemic stroke and 120 controls were recruited. SEC score correlated with plasma level of fibrinogen (coefficient: 0.105, p = 0.022), hemoglobin (coefficient: 0.122, p = 0.008) and presence of JV reflux (coefficient: 0.314, p < 0.001) and peak flow velocity (coefficient: -0.244, p < 0.001) in the corresponding JV, but did not correlate with carotid plaque score (coefficient: 0.042, p = 0.358) or intima-media thickness (coefficient: 0.067, p = 0.303). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that fibrinogen level, SEC score, intima-media thickness, plaque score and history of coronary artery disease were associated with acute ischemic stroke. In conclusion, the severity of SEC in the JV might represent the tendency toward thrombogenesis in diseased cerebral circulation possibly through mechanisms other than arterial atherosclerosis.
Department of Neurology, Tungs' Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China; Department of Neurology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China. Electronic address: Hungyihsu@gmail.com.
Hung-Yi
HY
Hsu
Department of Neurology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yu-Shan
YS
Lee
Department of Hematology, Tungs' Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Ming-Che
MC
Ou
School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China; Neurologic Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chih-Ping
CP
Chung
Department of Neurology, Tungs' Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Su-Yi
SY
Chen
Department of Neurology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yu-Ping
YP
Ho
School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China; Neurologic Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Han-Hwa
HH
Hu
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
Carotid artery; Ischemic stroke; Jugular vein; Spontaneous echo contrast; Ultrasonography