[Incidence of atherosclerotic lesions in internal carotid arteries and leg arteries of patients with ischemic stroke].

UNLABELLED: Atherosclerosis is a chronic process developing in all arteries. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the frequency of coexistence of atherosclerotic lesions in internal carotid arteries (ICA) and in the arteries in the lower extremities (LEA) in patients with cerebrovascular disease. Doppler examination of ICA and LEA was performed in 168 patients. The extension and character of pathological changes in ICA was estimated by of colour duplex ultrasonography, the grade of disorders of blood flow in LEA was according to the values of ankle:arm index (a:a ind.). Changes in LEA correlated proportionally to the size and extent of the pathology in ICA. In 46 patients with normal blood flow in ICA, 93.4% had normal blood flow in LEA. In 61 patients with small atherosclerotic changes in ICA, in 47.5% a decrease of blood flow in LEA (a:a ind. < 0.90) was found. In the group of 42 patients with severe stenosis of ICA, abnormal blood flow (a:a ind. < 0.70) in LEA in 40.5% was observed.

CONCLUSION

1. Atherosclerotic changes in the arteries of the patients with ischaemic stroke are generalised. 2. Normal blood flow in ICA is usually associated with normal blood flow in LEA and atherosclerotic changes in ICA are usually associated with disturbances of blood flow in LEA.