Correlation between serum inflammatory markers and carotid plaque and its stability in patients with acute ischemic stroke / 国际脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory markers and carotid plaque and its stability in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods:Patients with AIS admitted to Liaocheng Third People’s Hospital from June 2021 to April 2022 were prospectively enrolled. The demographic and relevant clinical data were collected. Color Doppler ultrasound was used to detect carotid artery plaques. The patients were divided into unstable plaque group, stable plaque group and non-plaque group according to plaque characteristics. The levels of serum hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA) and interleukin (IL) -6 were detected and compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for carotid plaque and its stability. Results:A total of 201 patients with AIS were enrolled, including 87 patients (43.30%) in the non-plaque group, 57 (28.35%) in the stable plaque group, and 57 (28.35%) in the unstable plaque group. The proportion of patients with hypertension and previous stroke history, and hs-CRP, SAA and IL-6 levels in the unstable plaque group was significantly higher than those in the stable plaque group and the non-plaque group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for other confounding factors, the increased IL-6 level (odds ratio [ OR] 1.174, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.049-1.314; P=0.005) was an independent risk factor for the existence of stable plaques, while the previous stroke history ( OR 3.172, 95% CI 1.123-8.957; P=0.029) and the increased IL-6 level ( OR 1.367, 95% CI 1.107-1.687; P=0.004) were the independent risk factors for the existence of unstable plaques. Conclusion:The serum IL-6 level in patients with AIS increase significantly, which is closely associated with the formation and stability of carotid plaques.