Mohammed Ali Al-Huthi*, Dhaifullah Jayed, Hadi Mujlli, Abdulsalam Almkdad
Background: Stroke defined as an abrupt onset of neurologic deficit due to vascular cause. It is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity all over the world making early diagnosis and treatment inevitable. Lesions of extra cranial carotid arteries are implicated in majority of cases of acute ischemic stroke. Early detection of the athermanous changes in the carotid artery will reduce the stroke related morbidity and mortality. Carotid Doppler is a non-invasive imaging technique, with sensitivity approaching that of angiography. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the role of carotid Doppler nosography in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke and find association between carotid artery stenosis and the risk factors of cerebrovascular diseases in, Dhamar city, Yemen. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months (October. 2021– April. 2022) among patients with confirmed ischemic stroke and who underwent carotid Doppler ultrasonography in Doppler units at AL-Ryadah International Hospital and Taiba Consultative Hospital, Dhamar city, Dhamar Governorate, Yemen. A pre-designated interview sheets was used for data collection by interviewing patients and their family members, and by extracting information from their medical files and carotid Doppler reports. The sheet was divided into four parts: the first part consisted of socio-demographic data, the second consisted of stroke side and it’s relation to the side of carotid stenosis. The third part consisted of risk factors and the final part consisted of carotid doppler findings. Data analysis was done by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program version 25. Results: Eighty-four patient were included in our study, among them, there were 54 patients (64.3%) were males and 30 (35.7%) were females. Their ages ranged from 22 to 100 years with mean age 64.9±1.70. Carotid stenosis was founded in 53.6% of participated patients, among those more than one-third (35.5%) had severe stenosis. The proximal part of internal carotid artery was most common location of plaque formation. Hypertension, smoking and diabetes were the most prevalent risk factors for cerebral ischemic stroke. Out of total 84 patients, 57 (67.9%) had hypertension, 28 (33.3%) had diabetes and 16 (19%) had previous stroke history. Conclusion: Carotid artery Doppler demonstrated atherosclerotic plaques and carotid stenosis in more than half of studied patients. Increasing age >50 years, male sex, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were associated with an increased rate of atherosclerosis, carotid stenosis in patients with ischemic stroke. Patients with risk factors of stroke should be scanned with Doppler sonography as early as possible.
KeywordsStroke; Carotid artery; Doppler Sonography; Dhamar; Yemen
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