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Prevalence of asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis in high-risk patients

K S Wong1, P W Ng, A Tang

  • 1Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. ks-wong@cuhk.edu.hk

Neurology
|June 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Asymptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis is common in patients with vascular risk factors like hypertension and diabetes. The prevalence of this condition increases significantly with the number of risk factors present.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Vascular Medicine
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia are prevalent in the general population.
  • Cerebral artery stenosis can lead to serious neurological events.
  • Screening for asymptomatic stenosis is crucial for risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of middle cerebral artery stenosis in patients with vascular risk factors.
  • To identify factors associated with middle cerebral artery stenosis.
  • To analyze the relationship between the number of vascular risk factors and stenosis prevalence.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 3,057 patients with at least one vascular risk factor (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia) was screened.
  • Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound was used to assess for middle cerebral artery stenosis.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to identify associated factors and prevalence trends.

Main Results:

  • A total of 385 patients (12.6%) were found to have middle cerebral artery stenosis.
  • Advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with stenosis.
  • Stenosis prevalence showed a quadratic increase with the number of risk factors, rising from 7.2% (one factor) to 29.6% (four factors).

Conclusions:

  • Asymptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis is a common finding in patients with vascular risk factors.
  • The number of vascular risk factors is a strong predictor of stenosis prevalence.
  • These findings highlight the importance of screening and managing vascular risk factors to prevent potential cerebrovascular events.

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