J Stroke.  2013 May;15(2):122-125. 10.5853/jos.2013.15.2.122.

Association of Aortic Knob Calcification with Intracranial Stenosis in Ischemic Stroke Patients

• Kim YS
• Park HY
• Yun KH
• Park H
• Cheong JS
• Ha YS

• KMID: 1824948
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5853/jos.2013.15.2.122

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Aortic knob calcification (AC) is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. We evaluated the clinical importance of AC in ischemic stroke patients with intracranial (IC) stenosis using simple, non-invasive and routine chest radiography.
METHODS
The presence of AC was assessed in a chest posteroanterior view in 307 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted from May 2009 to April 2010, and who underwent magnetic resonance angiography or distal subtraction angiography. The association of AC with IC stenosis was analyzed.
RESULTS
Patient age (68.3+/-8.7 vs. 65.9+/-8.27 years, P=0.04), and the prevalence of IC stenosis (70.7 vs. 41.3%, P<0.01) were higher in patients with AC than in patients without calcification. After adjusting for age, gender and vascular risk factors, logistic regression analysis showed that AC (Odds ratio, 3.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.90 to 6.61, P<0.01) and age (Odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 3.19; P=0.04) were independent factors affecting IC stenosis.
CONCLUSIONS
AC appears to be a reliable predictor for IC stenosis, an important mechanism of ischemic stroke.

Keyword

Aortic knob calcification; Ischemic stroke; Atherosclerosis

MeSH Terms

Angiography
Atherosclerosis
Constriction, Pathologic
Humans
Logistic Models
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Stroke
Thorax