Value of carotid artery sonography in screening for the high-risk population of stroke and risk factors for stroke

Abstract:

Objective：To investigate the value of carotid artery sonography in screening for the high-risk population of stroke. Methods：A total of 500 patients at a high risk of stroke who were admitted to our hospital from March 2015 to March 2017 were enrolled as subjects，and their medical history was recorded. Carotid artery color Doppler ultrasound was performed for all patients，and risk factors for carotid plaque or stenosis in the high-risk population of stroke were analyzed，as well as the influence of age on the incidence rates of carotid plaque and stenosis. Results：The results of carotid artery sonography showed that among the 500 patients at a high risk of stroke，180（36.00%） had carotid intima-media thickening and 141（28.20%） had the formation of carotid plaque. The proportion of patients with carotid intima-media thickening，formation of carotid plaque，and carotid stenosis significantly increased with age（P<0.05）. There was a significant difference in the proportion of patients with the formation of carotid plaque between male and female patients（P<0.05）. The logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension，hyperlipidemia，lack of exercise，and a family his－tory of stroke were risk factors for high risk of stroke or carotid intima-media thickening. Conclusion：In the population at a high risk of stroke，the incidence rates of carotid intima-media thickening and atherosclerotic plaques tend to increase with age. Carotid artery color Doppler ultrasound has a high value in the risk assessment of stroke and thus holds promise for clinical application.