Journal of Biomedical Research  2014;15(2):68-71

Association between carotid intima-media thickness and Ankle-Brachial Index in patients with ischemic stroke.

Young Mi YOON 1 ; Hyung Suk LEE ; Shin Hye BAEK ; Hye Lim LEE ; Minju YEO ; Seo Young CHOI ; Ji Seon KIM ; Sung Hyun LEE ; Sang Soo LEE ; Dong Ick SHIN

Affiliations

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Keywords

ischemic stroke; carotid; intima media thickness; ankle brachial index; atherosclerosis

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) is the ratio of blood pressure in the lower legs to that in the arms. The intima-media thickness (IMT) of extracranial carotid arteries determined by B-mode ultrasound is a measurable index of the presence of atherosclerosis. A low ABI and a high carotid IMT are independently related to increased risk of cardiovascular events. This study examined the association between carotid IMT and ABI in patients with ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospectively, 116 hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke were recruited. Using a pulse wave velocity ABI device along with carotid duplex sonography, we measured carotid IMT and ABI and investigated the correlation between average values. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in carotid IMT between the normal and abnormal ABI groups (P=0.0262). The group with an abnormal ABI was more than five times as likely to have increased carotid IMT as the group with a normal ABI (age, sex-adjusted OR 5.67 (95% CI 1.85~17.38)). The ABI and carotid IMT showed a weak inverse linear correlation in patients with ischemic stroke (correlation coefficient -0.378 after adjusting for age and sex). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that an abnormal ABI is associated with a high carotid IMT in patients with ischemic stroke.