BURDEN OF CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE IN ISCHEMIC STROKE PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DIABETES MELLITUS

Objective: To determine the burden of carotid artery disease among the patients of ischemic stroke and to analyze the relationship of associated socio demographic factors including the diabetes mellitus (DM). Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from 10th May 2017 to 10th Nov 2017. Material and Methods: The sample population comprised of 190 patients of ischemic stroke presenting at a tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. CT-scan brain was performed to confirm the presence of acute ischemic stroke. Ultrasound Doppler was done by a consultant radiologist to assess the presence of clinically significant carotid artery stenosis. Relationship of age, gender, diabetes mellitus and duration of disease, education status, dyslipidemias and tobacco smoking was assessed with the presence of carotid artery stenosis among the patients of ischemic stroke. Results: Out of 190 patients of stroke assessed through ultrasound doppler, 53.7% showed the presence of significant carotid artery stenosis while 46.3% had no clinically significant stenosis. Hundred patients were nsuffering from DM. After applying the logistic regression we found that presence of DM and long duration of DM had significant association with the presence of carotid artery stenosis among the patients of ischemic stroke. Conclusion: This study showed a high frequency of carotid artery stenosis among the patients of ischemic stroke in Pakistan. Special attention should be paid to the patients who have been suffering from a metabolic disorder like DM. Long duration of DM also emerged as independent risk factor for carotid artery stenosis in our study population