[Atherosclerotic plaque instability and ischemic stroke: the role of inflammatory and immunologic factors. Practical...

The majority of strokes (85-90%) result from cerebral ischemia. In most cases extra - and intracranial vessel atherosclerotic changes are considered to be responsible for cerebral ischemia. A sudden failure of cerebral circulation is usually combined with instability of atherosclerotic plaques. Pathologic studies demonstrate that atherosclerosis simultaneously involves the whole arterial vessel tree. The mechanism of atherosclerotic plaque formation is similar in different regions of the arterial system, including the brain supplying arteries. The essence of atherosclerosis appears to be an excessive inflammatory-fibroproliferative response to various forms of the arterial wall injury. The development of unstable plaques is closely related to the inflammatory process involving the arterial wall. Immunological factors seem to play an important role in the development of atherosclerotic changes and their destabilization. Imaging techniques for arteries supplying the brain are known. None of them gives a clear answer about plaque instability. Taking into account the role of the inflammatory process in the pathogenesis and instability of atherosclerotic changes, measurement of serologic markers of plaque instability seems to be complementary to imaging methods for diagnosis of unstable atherosclerotic plaques. The inflammatory aspect of atherosclerosis should be reflected in the prophylaxis of the central nervous system vascular disorders.