[The role of blood lipids in the different aetiologies of cerebral infarction]. / Papel de los lípidos sanguíneos en las distintas etiologías del infarto cerebral.

INTRODUCTION: In order to determine the role lipids play in cerebral infarction (CI), the different aetiological subgroups of this disease should first be separated. AIMS AND METHOD: We conducted case control studies to identify whether there is a relation between blood lipid levels and the occurrence of cerebral infarction caused by atheromatosis (CIA). Our study involved a total of 98 patients with cerebral infarction of an atherothrombotic or lacunar aetiopathogenesis that were included in the CIA category. Two control groups were set up: one consisted of 23 patients with non atheromatous cerebral infarction (NACI), which included other aetiologies (cardioembolic, unusual and unspecified), and the other was made up of 101 healthy subjects who had not had a stroke. RESULTS: The group of patients with CIA presented higher average cholesterol rates than the group of subjects with NACI (p= 0.005). Nevertheless, compared to the control group they had higher average levels of cholesterol (p= 0.003), triglycerides (p= 0.011), VLDL (p= 0.028) and LDL (p= 0.000), as well as a higher average atherogenic index (p= 0.028). Furthermore, the average levels of LDL (p= 0.030) and the atherogenic index (p= 0.008) were seen to be statistically higher in the group of subjects with NACI than in the control group. Lastly, it must be pointed out that no differences in the average HDL levels were found between the three groups studied (p= 0.500). The presence of high blood pressure and a history of ischemic heart disease in patients with CI did not modify the variations that were observed in the lipids. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CIA have a more atherogenic lipid profile than healthy individuals, while subjects with NACI are situated midway between the two groups

Papel de los lípidos sanguíneos en las distintas etiologías del infarto cerebral / The role of blood lipids in the different aetiologies of cerebral infarction

Introducción. Para determinar el papel que desempeñan los lípidos en el infarto cerebral (IC) deberían separarse los distintos subgrupos etiológicos de esta enfermedad. Objetivo y métodos. Para identificar si existe relación entre los valores lipídicos en sangre y el infarto cerebral de causa ateromatosa (ICA), realizamos un estudio de casos y controles. Se estudiaron 98 pacientes con infarto cerebral de etiopatogenia aterotrombótica o lacunar, que se incluyeron dentro de la categoría ICA. Se conformaron dos grupos controles: uno de ellos formado por 23 pacientes con infarto cerebral de causa no ateromatosa (ICNA), que incluyó otras etiologías (cardioembólica, inhabituales e indeterminada), y el otro por 101 individuos sanos sin ictus. Resultados. El grupo de pacientes con ICA presenta índices medios de colesterol más elevados que el grupo de individuos con ICNA (p= 0,005); sin embargo, respecto al grupo control sin ictus tiene valores medios más elevados de colesterol (p= 0,003), de triglicéridos (p= 0,011), de VLDL (p= 0,028), de LDL (p= 0,000) y de índice aterogénico (p= 0,028). Por otro lado, el grupo de individuos con ICNA muestra índices medios de las LDL (p= 0,030) y de índice aterogénico (p= 0,008), estadísticamente más elevados que el grupo control. Por último, hay que destacar que no encontramos diferencias en los índices medios de HDL entre los tres grupos estudiados (p= 0,500). La presencia de hipertensión arterial y los antecedentes de cardiopatía isquémica en los pacientes con IC no modificó las variaciones observadas de los lípidos. Conclusiones. Los pacientes con ICA tienen un perfil lipídico más aterogénico que los individuos sanos, en tanto que los pacientes con ICNA mantienen una posición intermedia entre ambos (AU)

Introduction. In order to determine the role lipids play in cerebral infarction (CI), the different aetiological subgroups of this disease should first be separated. Aims and methods. We conducted case-control studies to identify whether there is a relation between blood lipid levels and the occurrence of cerebral infarction caused by atheromatosis (CIA). Our study involved a total of 98 patients with cerebral infarction of an atherothrombotic or lacunar aetiopathogenesis that were included in the CIA category. Two control groups were set up: one consisted of 23 patients with non-atheromatous cerebral infarction (NACI), which included other aetiologies (cardioembolic, unusual and unspecified), and the other was made up of 101 healthy subjects who had not had a stroke. Results. The group of patients with CIA presented higher average cholesterol rates than the group of subjects with NACI (p= 0.005). Nevertheless, compared to the control group they had higher average levels of cholesterol (p= 0.003), triglycerides (p= 0.011), VLDL (p= 0.028) and LDL (p= 0.000), as well as a higher average atherogenic index (p= 0.028). Furthermore, the average levels of LDL (p= 0.030) and the atherogenic index (p= 0.008) were seen to be statistically higher in the group of subjects with NACI than in the control group. Lastly, it must be pointed out that no differences in the average HDL levels were found between the three groups studied (p= 0.500). The presence of high blood pressure and a history of ischemic heart disease in patients with CI did not modify the variations that were observed in the lipids. Conclusions. Patients with CIA have a more atherogenic lipid profile than healthy individuals, while subjects with NACI are situated midway between the two groups (AU)