A STUDY ON PREVALENCE OF CAROTID ARTERY STENOSIS IN PATIENTS OF STROKE USING DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN NORTH KERALA

Introduction: A stroke, also known as a cerebrovascular accident, is the sudden onset of a neurological deficit caused by a focal vascular cause. It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most cases of cerebrovascular disorders are caused by lesions of the extracranial carotid arteries, particularly the internal carotid artery near the bifurcation. To prevent or reduce morbidity and mortality from stroke, it is critical to provide early diagnosis and treatment. The primary reason for extracranial Doppler examination is stroke prevention. Colour Doppler sonography is a sensitive method for detecting atherosclerotic plaque and provides information on the extent and severity of the plaque as well as the resulting narrowing of the arterial lumen. Aim And Objectives: To evaluate the role of carotid Doppler ultrasonography in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke and to determine the association between carotid artery stenosis and risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking and age. Materials And Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 patients. MRI scan was done to diagnose acute ischemic stroke in patients who presented to emergency medicine with symptoms of acute ischemic stroke. Retrospectively CIMT and plaque characterization were done by gray scale ultrasound. Site and severity of stenosis were assessed on colour Doppler. All these findings were correlated with clinical presentation and risk factors. The collected data was statistically analyzed using SPSS 16.0 version software. Results: A total of 100 patients were examined by color Doppler sonography and out of these 58 showed carotid artery disease. 26 patients had unilateral involvement while 32 patients had bilateral involvement of carotid vasculature. In our study 42% patients had normal ipsilateral ICA on color Doppler imaging. 5% patients total occlusion of ipsilateral ICA. 32% patients had <50% stenosis, 13% patients had 50-69% stenosis and 7% patients had >70% stenosis of ipsilateral side ICA. Conclusion: Color Doppler examination is a non-invasive, cost-effective, safe, reproducible, and time-saving method of identifying the root cause of cerebrovascular insufficiency in the extracranial carotid artery system and will aid in determining the best management option.