title: Relationship between atherosclerotic risk factors and aortic plaques in patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aortic plaque is considered a risk factor of ischaemic stroke, and both ulceration and plaque thickness are considered important. However, the relative importance of aortic plaque and carotid plaque remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relation between aortic and carotid plaque lesions and atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 76 patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke, undergoing transoesophageal echocardiography, whose aetiology of ischaemic stroke was unknown. We divided the patients into two groups according to aortic plaque thickness, based on previous reports, i.e., a high-risk group (over 4mm) and a low-risk group (less than 4mm). We also examined several atherosclerotic risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age, gender and hypertension was not significantly different between the low-risk and high-risk group. HDL-cholesterol (P<0.01), LDL/HDL ratio (P<0.05), non-HDL-cholesterol (P<0.05), HbA1c (P<0.05) and eGFR (P<0.01) were significantly different between the two groups. Max plaque thickness in the carotid artery was correlated with aortic plaque lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple atherosclerotic risk factors are associated with greater aortic plaque lesions. Aortic plaque is important not only as an embolic source, but also as one of the atherosclerotic markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine. Electronic address: a-mizuma@is.icc.u-tokai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mizuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Chikage
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital.
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokuoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital.
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Shunya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takizawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001011:Aorta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: Aortogenic brain embolism; Artery-to-artery embolism; Carotid plaque; Chronic kidney disease; Transoesophageal echocardiography