Subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in patients with atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and in subjects without cerebrovascular disease

• Grant number: 14/03950-2
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2015 - September 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal researcher: Adriana Bastos Conforto
• Grantee: Adriana Bastos Conforto
• Home Institution: Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Cesar Higa Nomura ; Claudia da Costa Leite ; Danielle de Sá Boasquevisque ; Edson Bor-Seng-Shu ; Gisele Sampaio Silva ; Maria da Graça Morais Martin ; Raul Dias dos Santos Filho

Abstract

Vascular disease is the leading cause of death in Brazil. Myocardial infarction is caused by coronary atherosclerosis in almost 100% of the cases whereas ischemic stroke (IS) is caused by atherosclerosis in cervical (internal carotid and vertebral arteries) or intracranial arteries only in up to 20-40% of the patients. Patients with ischemic stroke affecting the cervical portion of the internal carotid artery often present subclinical coronary ischemic disease that significantly contributes to long-term mortality. However, there is limited information about the association between symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Agatston coronary calcium scores quantify calcified plaques in coronary arteries and hence, can noninvasively evaluate subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. The main goal of this project is to compare coronary calcium scores in three groups of patients without symptomatic coronary heart disease: with IS and cervical carotid atherosclerosis, with IS and intracranial atherosclerosis, and without IS. We expect to find significantly higher calcium scores in both groups of patients with IS, compared to those without IS. This project will set the stage for a line of investigation about the relation between coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, highly relevant to our country. (AU)