RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Both the carotid Crouse score and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels are commonly used to evaluate atherosclerosis and vascular inflammatory response. This study was to investigate the correlation between the Crouse score and hs-CRP and cerebral infarction (CI) in elderly diabetics. METHODS: We compared the carotid Crouse scores and hs-CRP levels between two groups of diabetic patients with and without CIs (n = 100 each) and the relationship between changes in these indices and CI. RESULTS: Between the four groups (control, diabetic with a large CI, diabetic with a small CI, and diabetic with a lacunar CI) there was a significant difference in the age, sex, Crouse scores and hs-CRP levels, as well as fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (all p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis with CI as the dependent variable showed that the age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.114, 95% confidence interval [CFI]: 1.063-1.167, p = 0.000), FBG (OR = 1.260, 95% CFI: 1.102-1.570, p = 0.039), HbA1c (OR = 2.036, 95% CFI: 1.348-3.703, p = 0.001), Crouse score (OR = 2.721, 95% CFI: 1.800-4.114, p = 0.000) and hs-CRP level (OR = 3.364, 95% CFI: 2.185-5.180, p = 0.000) were risk factors for a CI in combination with diabetes mellitus. Significant differences were found in age, diastolic blood pressure, Crouse scores and hs-CRP levels between the male diabetic-non-CI subgroup, female diabetic-non-CI subgroup, male diabetic-CI subgroup and female diabetic-CI subgroup (All p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The carotid Crouse score method has high reliability and reflects the severity of carotid atherosclerosis. The age, sex, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, Crouse score, an elevated hs-CRP level, and the occurrence of CI in elderly with diabetes mellitus are closely related.