Abstract

Introduction: A stroke or cerebrovascular accident is defined as an abrupt onset of a neurologic deficit that is attributable to a focal vascular cause due to cerebral ischemia or intracranial haemorrhage. Atherosclerosis and carotid artery stenosis are the major causes of stroke. Carotid Intimamedial thickness is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. So the measurement of CIMT is of major concern in high risk individuals.

Aim: To measure the carotid wall thickness (CIMT) using B-mode ultrasound of both right and left carotid artery and to establish association between CIMT and stroke.

Methodology: A Hospital based prospective, cross-sectional study concluded 100 diagnosed cases of stroke of which 50 ischemic stroke and 50 hemorrhagic stroke. All these patients underwent clinical evaluation CT Scan and MRI Scan of Brain, CIMT and blood investigation including complete hemogram, lipid profile , fasting blood glucose.

Results: Mean age for presentation of stroke was 68.68 with maximum number of patients belonging to 61-80 years of age group with lowest age taken was 39 and the highest was 92. 49 (98%) patients with hemorrhagic stroke and 30 (60%) patients with ischemic stroke had hypertension. The CIMT was measured using B-mode USG probe correlated with the type of Stroke. The minimum value of Right CIMT in Hemorrhagic Stroke was 0.6 with maximum value 1.1; the mean was 0.788 + 0.1305 (mean + SD). The minimum value of Right CIMT in Ischemic stroke was 0.6 with maximum value 1.2; the mean was 0.93 + 0.1258 (mean + SD). Independent T-Test was performed, and 95% confidence interval was between: 0.0931 to 0.1909 and p-value was <0.0001.

Conclusion:  There was positive correlation between the CIMT and type of stroke. Between Right CIMT and type of stroke, the p-value was <0.0001 which is highly significant. Between Left CIMT and type of stroke, the p-value was also <0.0001 which is highly significant.

Keyword: CIMT, Hemorrhagic Stroke, Ischemic Stroke, B-mode Ultrasounds