Spectrum of carotid arterial Doppler abnormalities among stroke patients at a tertiary care centre in North West Nigeria

Abstract Background: Stroke is the second most common cause of death worldwide. It also represents one of the most common causes of disability, affecting both children and adults. The identification of risk factors for stroke is critical in preventing its occurrence. Carotid atherosclerosis is one of the most significant risk factors of stroke, yet it is not routinely evaluated in these patients. Materials and Methods: We prospectively recruited 119 patients aged ≥18 years with stroke confirmed by computed tomography scan. The risk factors for stroke in these patients were identified, and carotid artery Doppler was performed to identify those with atherosclerosis. Results: Eighty-one (68%) of the 119 subjects showed abnormalities in the carotid arteries in the form of increased IMT or atheromatous plaque. The mean ± SD IMT of the right common carotid artery (CCA) was 1.07 ± 0.25 mm and 1.08 ± 0.26 mm for the left CCA. The IMT mean ± SD of the right and left ICA were 0.99 ± 0.18 mm and 0.99 ± 0.17 mm, respectively. There were 36 patients (30.2%) with atheromatous plaques, of which 57.8% were unstable and liable to rupture. The carotid bulbs were the most common sites for plaques, accounting for 47.2% of cases. No abnormalities in velocimetric indices were recorded. Conclusion: Carotid atherosclerosis is common in stroke patients and is a major risk factor. The evaluation of stroke patients for carotid atherosclerosis is rarely done, as most of the subjects examined only had it for the first time in this study after development of stroke.