Prevalence and association of lifestyle factors with extracranial carotid atherosclerosis in non-cardioembolic anterior circulation strokes in adult males less than 50 years: One year cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Data is scarce on prevalence of extracranial carotid atherosclerosis (ECA) in strokes <50 years and its association with lifestyle factors.

OBJECTIVE

Study role of (a) ECA in non-cardio-embolic anterior circulation young strokes, and (b) smoking and alcohol in ECA.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Cardiovascular risk factors and evidence of ECA on carotid doppler ultrasound (CDUS) was evaluated in an one-year preliminary cross-sectional study of consecutive strokes between 20 years and 49 years. Females were excluded.

RESULTS

There were 46 male strokes (mean age 38.26 yrs), 17.39% had hypertension, 2.23% had coronary artery disease; none was diabetic. Tobacco users and alcohol consumers were 24/46 (52.17%) cases each. ECA was found in 14/46 (30.44%) cases. Seven of these 14 (50%) i.e., 7/46 cases (15.21%) had carotid occlusion, four had <50%, three had >70% stenosis. 'Smoking and smokeless tobacco use' was found in 71.42% (10/14) symptomatic carotid lesions compared to 43.75% (14/32) strokes without carotid lesions. Prevalence odds ratio for tobacco use and ECA was 3.21 (95% CI: 0.83-12.44) while that of alcohol and ECA was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.38-4.72).

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of ECA in strokes <50 years was high due to lifestyle factors which predispose to atherosclerosis at younger age.