[Risk factors and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with transient ischaemic attack]. / Cimbenici rizika i karotidna ateroskleroza u bolesnika s tranzitornom ishemijskom atakom.

ABSTRACT

In order to identify association between serum lipid levels, hypertension, smoking, diabetes and the severity of carotid atherosclerosis, ultrasonography of extracranial arteries was performed in 56 male patients (age x = 62.9 years, S.D.= 9.4) with transient ischaemic attack. According to color Doppler criteria, patients were divided into two groups--Group I < 50%, Group II > or = 50% stenosis of the carotid artery. In Group I, there were 36 (64.3%), and in Group II 20 (35.7%) patients. No significant differences between those two groups were found regarding mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides (normolipemic levels were found in both groups). Two groups were compared also concerning the incidence of hypertension, diabetes and smoking, and no significant difference was found, as well. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that only age significantly increased the risk of severe carotid atherosclerosis (odds ratio 2.0, 95% CI 1-4.3). These results show the influence of age in pathogenesis of carotid atherosclerosis.