Impact of the Total Number of Carotid Plaques on the Outcome of Ischemic Stroke Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Atrial fibrillation (AF) shares several risk factors with atherosclerosis. We investigated the association between total carotid plaque number (TPN) and long-term prognosis in ischemic stroke patients with AF. METHODS:A total of 392 ischemic stroke patients with AF who underwent carotid ultrasonography were enrolled. TPN was assessed using B-mode ultrasound. The patients were categorized into two groups according to best cutoff values for TPN (TPN ? 4 vs. TPN ? 5). The long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and mortality according to TPN was investigated using a Cox hazard model. RESULTS:After a mean follow-up of 2.42 years, 113 patients (28.8%) had developed MACE and 88 patients (22.4%) had died. MACE occurred more frequently in the TPN ? 5 group than in the TPN ? 4 group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-2.21; p < 0.05). Moreover, the TPN ? 5 group showed an increased risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.40-5.17; p < 0.05). TPN along with maximal plaque thickness and intima media thickness showed improved prognostic utility when added to the variables of the CHAD2DS2-VASc score. CONCLUSION:TPN can predict the long-term outcome of ischemic stroke patients with AF. Adding TPN to the CHAD2DS2-VASc score increases the predictability of outcome after stroke.
SUBMITTER: Park H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6912335 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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