Risk Factors of Large Artery Atherosclerotic Ischemic Stroke Based on Carotid Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography

Abstract

Background Ischemic stroke is a serious public health issue with a continuously increasing incidence worldwide. This study explores the risk factors of large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) ischemic stroke based on carotid contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). Methods A total of 110 patients with LAA ischemic stroke and 34 patients without stroke were included. All participants underwent standard ultrasonography and CEUS, from which carotid artery plaque characteristics were obtained. The predicted performance of artery plaques was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and sensitivity and specificity at the optimal cut-off point. Results Subjects with LAA ischemic stroke were more likely to have a history of hypertension than the control group (P = 0.009). The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) for plaque echogenicity was 0.609 (95% CI, 0.524–0.689). With a cut-off value of ≤ class II (echolucent or predominantly hypoechogenic plaque), the sensitivity and specificity were 84.55% and 32.35%, respectively. The AUROC for plaque thickness was 0.676 (95% CI, 0.593–0.751). With a cut-off value of > 2.4 mm, the sensitivity and specificity were 41.82% and 88.24%, respectively. The AUROC for intraplaque neovascularization was 0.807 (95% CI, 0.733–0.868). With a cut-off value of > grade 2 (extensive appearance of bubbles within plaque), the sensitivity and specificity were 70.91% and 82.35%, respectively. Conclusions Hypertension, echolucent (or predominantly hypoechogenic) plaque, plaque thickness, and degree of intraplaque neovascularization are significantly relevant to LAA ischemic stroke in adults. These results may be helpful for clinical prediction of ischemic stroke risk.