Prevalence of atherosclerosis and association with 5-year outcome: The Norwegian Stroke in the Young Study

OBJECTIVES: We studied the prevalence of atherosclerosis among ischaemic stroke patients ≤60 years and controls at the time of the index stroke, and its association with occurrence of new cardiovascular events (CVEs) and mortality at a 5-year follow-up. METHODS: Prevalent atherosclerosis was assessed for 385 patients and 260 controls in seven vascular areas by electrocardiogram (ECG), ankle–arm index (AAI) and measurement of right and left carotid and femoral intima-media thickness (cIMT and fIMT) and abdominal aorta plaques (AAP). Clinical end-points were any new CVE (stroke, angina, myocardial infarction or peripheral arterial disease) or death from any cause at 5-year follow-up. All results were sex- and age-adjusted; logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were applied. RESULTS: Young patients ≤49 years had prevalent atherosclerosis in 1/2 of males and 1/3 of females. Compared with controls, young female patients showed significantly higher prevalent atherosclerosis, p = 0.024. Ischaemic ECG and mean cIMT were higher in young and middle-aged female patients (p = 0.044, p = 0.020, p = 0.023 and p <0.001, respectively). Mean fIMT was higher in middle-aged female patients (p <0.001). Cardiovascular events were associated with ischaemic ECG; AAI ≤0.9, fIMT ≥0.9 mm and increased number of areas with atherosclerosis (NAA) among patients, and with AAP, cIMT ≥0.9 mm, fIMT ≥0.9 mm and NAA among controls. Mortality was associated with higher age, ischaemic ECG and NAA among patients, and cIMT ≥0.9 mm among controls. CONCLUSION: Atherosclerosis is highly prevalent even in young stroke patients. Some areas and increasing NAA are associated with CVEs and death.