The association of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and stroke: A cross sectional study

Objective: To examine the carotid vessels in stroke and non stroke patients using carotid duplex ultrasonography. Methods: The author used a cross-sectional approach among 259 patients who were divided into 2 groups: stroke and non-stroke patients. Noninvasive measurements of the intima and media of the common carotid artery were performed with high-resolution ultrasonography to all the patients in both groups. Results: 259 patients, with age ranging from 31 to 75 years old, were divided into the Stroke group (n = 131) and Non-Stroke group (n = 128). The author found abnormal IMT in both groups, with an occurrence of 130 patients in the Stroke group, and 46 in the Non-Stroke group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Increased intima and media thickness of the common carotid artery, measured noninvasively by ultrasonography, are associated with cerebrovascular disease manifested as stroke.