Carotid Intima Media Thickness as a Reflection of Generalized Atherosclerosis is Related to Body Mass Index in Ischemic Stroke Patients

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery intima media thickness reflects the ongoing process of atherosclerosis in the body. The pathologic process occurring in the obese patients in the vascular system is atherosclerosis which is an important cause of ischemic stroke. Body mass index is an indirect measure of obesity in general population. AIM: The study was to assess the role of carotid artery intima media thickness as a marker of atherosclerosis and its relation with body mass index in ischemic stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Body mass index of the all stroke patients was calculated by using formula body mass in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. The patients were classified in four groups of body mass index according to Indian standards. Carotid sonography was done to assess the common carotid artery intima media thickness in millimeters by using high resolution 7.5 MHz sonography technique. RESULTS: The average Carotid intima media thickness in this study was 9.23mm. There was a significant association found between increasing carotid artery intima media thickness and groups of body mass index (P- <0.05) in ischemic stroke patients. CONCLUSIONS: Body mass index as an indicator of obesity and carotid intima media thickness both are very important risk factors for ischemic stroke and are associated with each other.