[Carotid artery disease in patients with ischemic stroke. Results of year-long observation conducted within the framework of prospective epidemiological studies, Warsaw, 1991-1992].

A cohort of 297 patients with ischaemic stroke were followed for one year. Doppler ultrasonography, done in 219 patients (109 women and 110 men), aged 68.0 +/- 12.6, revealed a concomitant carotid artery occlusive disease (CAD) in 76 patients (34.7%), 34 women and 42 men, aged 66.5 +/- 11.1, 45 of them had high grade stenosis (> 75%) or occlusion. Claudication, myocardial infarction and hypercholesterolaemia diagnosed before the onset of stroke was found more often in patients with CAD, 11.1%, 22.2% and 4.4% was versus 2.8%, 12.3% and 1.4% in patients without CAD. Prevalence of other stroke risk factors, hypertension, diabetes, angina in both groups of patients was similar. Severe stenosis or occlusion was diagnosed more often among men (58%) and among smokers (55%), in the group of patients without CAD than 48% and 42% respectively. The onset of stroke was preceded more often by TIA--24% in group with CAD, versus 17% in patients without CAD. Neurological state on admission, test by Stroke Severity Scale and Weakness Score according to SDB, was similar in both groups of patients but prognosis was worst among patients with CAD, 13.5% of them developed recurrent stroke versus 7% in group without CAD. In Kaplan-Meier analysis one year cumulative survival rates were lower in the group of the patients with severe stenosis or occlusion.