title: Carotid Intima-Media Thickness is Inversely Related to Bone Density in Female but not in Male Patients with Acute Stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerosis and osteoporosis are two major public health problems. It is still uncertain whether an abnormal carotid ultrasonography, either increased intima-media thickness (IMT) or plaque thickness, is associated with osteoporosis in acute ischemic stroke patients. To investigate the possible relationships between osteoporosis and carotid atherosclerosis, we evaluated the correlation between carotid IMT/plaque thickness and bone mineral density (BMD) in acute ischemic stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients having their first ischemic stroke within seven days were screened for the study. The IMT was scanned approximately 10 mm proximal to the beginning of the dilatation of the carotid bulb. The plaques were measured in both common and internal carotid arteries. The BMD was measured at total hip and lumbar spine in the anterior-posterior projection, using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 155 patients were enrolled in the study and the mean age was 68.3 ± 10.34 years. Multiple linear regression analysis reveals that age (P < .001), smoking (P = .016), and osteoporosis (P = .001) were significantly associated with increased carotid IMT/plaque thickness. Old age, current smoking, and osteoporosis were significantly related to increased IMT/plaque thickness in acute ischemic stroke patients. In women, IMT/plaque thickness was significantly related to age (P = .01) and osteoporosis (P = .025). In men, though there was no significant relationship, a trend toward old age and having osteoporosis was observed in increased IMT/plaque thickness (P = .051, P = .086).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that carotid IMT/plaque thickness was inversely related to the BMD in female but not in male patients with acute ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Shi Nae
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Department of Research Affairs, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwa Reung
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Sam
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Baik
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hyeon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
keywords: Atherosclerosis; bone mineral density (BMD); intima-media thickness (IMT); stroke