Correlation of microembolism risk factors with age in the ischemic stroke recovery period

Abstract

Identification of the age-related features of interaction between the risk factors of microembolism can improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development of ischemic stroke (IS). The study was aimed to assess the effects of age and other risk factors of stroke on the biophysical characteristics of microembolic signals (MES) recorded during the ischemic stroke recovery period. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) involving microembolus detection (MED) was performed in 515 people, the data of 28 patients having a history of ischemic stroke, among them 9 women (32%) and 19 men (68%) aged 33–78 (average age 58 ± 13 years), were included in the study. Using the mixed-effects linear model it was found that age and interaction between age and atrial fibrillation affected the power of MES. The increase in the power of the recorded MES with age is observed, that is especially evident in patients with atrial fibrillation (р < 0.0005). As for cardioembolic IS variant, the power and duration of MES turn out to be significantly higher in elderly patients (p < 0.0005). The power of MES gradually increases with age in patients with no atherosclerosis and gradually decreases in patients with atherosclerosis, while MES power in patients with atherosclerosis in general (all age groups) is significantly higher (р < 0.0005) than that observed in patients with no atherosclerosis.