ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#We aimed to evaluate the combined effects of a high body shape index (ABSI) and a high serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level on the incidence of ischemic stroke in a Mongolian population in China.@*METHODS@#A prospective cohort study was conducted among 2,589 participants from June 2002 to July 2012 in Inner Mongolia, China. The participants were categorized into 4 groups according to their level of ABSI and CRP. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ischemic stroke among all groups.@*RESULTS@#The multivariate adjusted HRs (95% CI) of ischemic stroke for high ABSI and high CRP level were 1.46 (0.89-2.39) and 1.63 (0.95-2.79), respectively. Compared with the low ABSI/low CRP level group, the multivariate adjusted HRs (95% CI) of ischemic stroke in the low ABSI/high CRP, high ABSI/low CRP, and high ABSI/high CRP groups were 1.04 (0.46-2.35), 1.06 (0.58-1.95) and 2.52 (1.27-5.00), respectively. The HR of ischemic stroke for the high ABSI/high CRP level group was the highest and most statistically significant.@*CONCLUSION@#We found that participants with simultaneously high ABSI and high CRP levels had the highest risk of ischemic stroke in the Mongolian population. Our findings suggest that the combination of high ABSI and high CRP levels may increase the risk of ischemic stroke.