|
KMID : 0858420070090010051
|
|
Korean Journal of Stroke
2007 Volume.9 No. 1 p.51 ~ p.55
|
|
|
Carotid Artery Tortuosity Correlates with Cerebral White Matter Changes in Hypertensive Stroke Patients
|
|
Seo Hee-Jung
Yu Kyung-Ho
Oh Mee-Sun
Shin Joon-Hyun
Lee Ju-Hun
Jung San
Kim Min-Ho
Kim Ji-Young
Kwak Jae-Gyu
Lee Byung-Chul
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Background: Vascular pathologies in longstanding hypertension are characterized by tortuosity of the arteries. We hypothesized that the geometrical deformities in the extracranial large artery, such as tortuosity of internal carotid artery (ICA), may be related to intracranial microangiopathies in longstanding hypertension. Therefore, we examined the relationship between ICA tortuosity and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in hypertensive stroke patients.
Methods: We quantified tortuosity of the ICA in 73 hypertensive stroke patients using a three dimensional path tracking method from a reformat image of magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. The degree of tortuosity was expressed as tortuosity index, which denoted the ratio of total length of winding arterial paths relative to the direct distance from the bifurcation to cavernous portion of ICA. We graded WMHs quantitatively using visual rating scales of Scheltens, and dichotomized them to high (n=39) and low grade WMHs group (n=34) by 50 percentiles of subjects by Schletens’ scale. The ICA tortuosity, demographic features and vascular risk factors were compared between two groups.
Results: ICA tortuosity in hypertensive stroke patients significantly, but modestly correlated with WMHs (Spearman correlation coefficients r=0.403, P<0.001). Age (59.5±12.5 vs. 68.4±7.8, P=0.001) and ICA tortuosity index (1.363±0.153 vs. 1.503±0.135, P<0.001) were significantly different between high and low grade WMHs groups. In multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, and other vascular risk factors, the ICA tortuosity index remained significantly (multiple logistic regression, P=0.005).
Conclusion: The geometrical deformities of extracranial artery such as ICA tortuosity in hypertensive stroke patients correlate with WMHs on MR imaging. (Korean Journal of Stroke 2007;9:51-55)
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Carotid artery tortuosity, White matter, Hypertension, Cerebral infarction
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
  
|
|