A Study Of Risk Factors For Carotid Artery Thrombus In Young Adult And Elderly Age Groups

ObjectiveTo explore the risk factors of young adult and elderly patients with carotid artery thrombosis, and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular disease.MethodsA total of 82 patients suffering from carotid artery thrombus were engaged in this study, diagnosised by color doppler ultrasound, accepting hospitalization (from Oct. 2012 to Oct.2014) in the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. Patients were separated into a younger group (22 patients) and an elderly group (60 patients). The young control group consisted of 34 healthy young men. The elderly control group consisted of 44 healthy older men. Vessel risk factors of the research object were carefully assessed.According to type of data, chi-square test,/test and logistic regression analysis were used to compare difference of risk factors between the young adults group and the elderly group with carotid artery thrombosis.Results1. Chi-square test showed that, there were significant differences in male gender (X2=8.230, P=0.004), smoking (X2=13.201, P<0.001), drinking (X2=12.215, P< 0.001), hypertension(X2=10.666, P=0.001) and neck trauma(X2=5.176, P=0.023) between the young adults group with carotid artery thrombosis and the young control group. Two sample t test showed that, there were significant differences in the levels of body mass index(t=6.519, P<0.001) and high density lipoprotein(t=-4.015, P< 0.001) between the young adults group with carotid artery thrombosis and the young control group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that drinking (OR 25.356,95% CI 1.761-365.108; P=0.018) and body mass index (OR 2.938,95% CI 1.473-5.682; P=0.002) were independent risk factors for carotid artery thrombosis in youth.2. Chi-square test showed that, there were significant differences in male gender (X2=8.801, P=0.003), smoking (X2=12.374, P=0.001), drinking (X2=4.477, P=0.03A), hypertension (X2=23.661, P=0.001) and diabetes (^2=5.763, P=0.016) between the elderly group with carotid artery thrombosis and the elderly control group. Two sample t test showed that, there was significant differences in the levels of high density lipoprotein (t=-3.808, P<0.001) between the elderly group with carotid artery thrombosis and the elderly control group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension (OR16.130.95%CI 4.686-55.552; P<0.001)and smoking(OR 6.418,95% CI 1.984～20.761; P=0.002) were independent risk factors for carotid artery thrombosis in elderly patients, and high density lipoprotein was a protective factor for carotid artery thrombosis in the elderly (OR 0.123,95%CI 0.020～0.758; P=0.024).ConclusionRisk factors of carotid artery thrombus are significantly different between youth and elderly groups with carotid artery thrombosis. Drinking and body mass index are the independent risk factors for carotid artery thrombosis in the youth group. Hypertension and smoking are found to be the independent risk factors for carotid artery thrombosis in the elderly group.High density lipoprotein is found to be a protective factor for carotid artery thrombosis in the elderly group. The major finding of this study is that in order to reduce or avoid carotid artery thrombus and cerebral vascular disease, different prevention and treatment measures should be taken by different high-risk age groups.