Association between internal carotid artery kinking and ischemic stroke: A population-based cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Vascular Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Internal carotid artery (ICA) kinking association with ischemic stroke remains debated.
• Understanding ICA tortuosity's role in stroke subtypes is crucial for risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between ICA kinking and ischemic stroke risk.
• To examine the relationship between ICA kinking and specific ischemic stroke subtypes: large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) and small artery occlusion (SAO).

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 419 outpatients.
• ICA kinking assessed using head and neck computed tomography angiography (CTA).
• Ischemic stroke risk evaluated via Essen Stroke Risk Score (ESRS); subtypes (LAA, SAO) determined by head MRI.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of ICA kinking was 31.5%.
• ICA kinking correlated with increased ESRS scores, particularly in patients over 50.
• ICA kinking significantly elevated the risk of small artery occlusion (SAO) by 10.34-fold.

Conclusions:

• Findings support ICA kinking's role in ischemic stroke.
• Early screening and management of carotid artery tortuosity may be a viable stroke prevention strategy.