Correlation Between Hemorheologic Parameters and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Stroke

Abstract

An evaluation of the hemorheologic parameters and an ultrasonographic study of the extracranial carotid tract were performed on 48 patients, age range: sixty to seventy-five years, affected by acute stroke, 23 of whom had hypertension, while 27 were smokers. None of them was suffering from hyperli pidemia, diabetes mellitus, or symptomatic coronary heart or peripheral artery disease. The echotomographic analysis, using B-mode real-time echotomography re vealed atherosclerotic lesions in 26 patients. The hemorheologic pattern (hema tocrit, fibrinogen, whole blood filterability, whole blood and plasma viscosity) was determined in all the patients three months after the clinical event. Statistical analysis of the results indicates a possible link between athero sclerotic lesions of the extracranial carotid tract and age, fibrinogen levels, and whole blood filterability.