[Neurosonological studies in patients over 80 years old]

The link between cardiovascular risk factors and carotid atheromatosis has been shown to be more important in middle aged subjects than in the elderly.

Our aim was to study the frequency of carotid and intracranial atheromatosis in a population over the age of 80 and to compare the presence of neurosonological anomalies depending on whether the patients have suffered a stroke or not. We also wished to compare the findings according to the sex of the patient.

Patients over the age of 80 were studied at our Neurosonology laboratory using carotid and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. The patients were analysed according to whether they had suffered an ischemic stroke or not. With regard to the carotid, a distinction was made between normal, non-significant atheromatosis and significant atheromatosis (stenosis > 50%). Intracranially, both the middle cerebral artery (normal, stenosis, microangiopathy and post-stenosis) and the basilar artery (normal, stenosis, microangiopathy and hyperdynamics) were studied.

We recorded data concerning 832 patients: 342 males (44.1%), mean age 83.63 +/- 3.25 years, and 527 (63.3%) with stroke. The carotid study was pathological, with a higher frequency in stroke patients (32.1% compared with 41.9%; p = 0.002). The presence of atheromatosis was significantly linked to a higher risk of suffering a stroke and more intensely to its being more severe. Carotid studies were pathological with a higher frequency among males (28.7% compared with 40%; p < 0.001). No significant differences were found intracranially in any of the parameters analysed.

There is a high frequency of carotid atheromatosis in patients over 80 years of age. Regardless of the age, carotid atheromatosis appears even more frequently in patients who have suffered a stroke and in males, and is significantly associated to the risk of suffering a stroke. Intracranially, no differences were found.