title: Triglycerides and carotid intima-media thickness in ischemic stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) is an established marker for atherosclerosis. The role of triglycerides in CCA-IMT remains controversial. We sought to determine if elevated fasting and post-challenge triglycerides are associated with CCA-IMT.
  
  
  METHODS
  All acute ischemic stroke patients who participated in the Berlin "Cream & Sugar" study in the Charité Virchow and Charité Mitte Campuses between January 2009 and January 2014 and underwent carotid artery ultrasound studies were eligible for inclusion. A combined oral glucose and triglyceride tolerance test was performed 3-7 days after first ever ischemic stroke. Patients were classified according to triglyceride metabolism-namely, (1) patients reaching a maximum triglyceride levels 3 h post-challenge ("fast metabolizers," n = 37), (2) patients with increasing triglycerides 4 (medium metabolizers, n = 64), and (3) 5 h post-challenge ("slow metabolizers," n = 44; 13 missing).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 158 patients (34% female; mean age 63 years, SD 14). Absolute non-fasting triglyceride levels were positively associated with CCA-IMT. A final multiple regression model revealed that older age, more severe strokes, and higher levels of fasting triglycerides were significantly and independently associated with higher mean CCA-IMT. Older age, higher waist-to-hip ratio, and higher levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone were independently associated with higher maximum CCA-IMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fasting triglycerides but not post-challenge triglycerides associate with CCA-IMT. An oral fat challenge may not add information on atherosclerotic status in ischemic stroke patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Berlin "Cream & Sugar" study is registered with EudraCT (2009-010356-97) and clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01378468).
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Batluk
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: christopher.leonards@charite.de.
authors.forename: Christopher O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Leonards
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Department for Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grittner
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristin Sophie
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Hochschulambulanz für Neurologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Klinik und Hochschulambulanz für Neurologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Excellence Cluster NeuroCure, Germany; German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Charité, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Endres
authors.affiliation: Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; Klinik und Hochschulambulanz für Neurologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebinger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D013972:Thyrotropin
keywords: Acute stroke; Glucose; Intima-media thickness; Triglycerides; Ultrasonography