Endothelium dysfunction in patients with ischemic stroke
A vasomotor endothelial function has been studied in 57 patients with ischemic stroke using ultrasound by the reaction of the brachial artery to reactive hyperemia. The duplex scanning of brachyocephalic arteries was conducted. Twenty-four patients had impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilatation. Endothelial dysfunction was associated with cholesterol blood level and smoking. Aging, positive family history and arterial hypertension did not affect this parameter. A level of vasomotor dysfunction correlated with intima-media correlation, the presence of plaques in the carotid arteries and internal carotid artery occlusion. Impaired endothelial-dependent vascular relaxation occurred more frequently in atherothrombotic than in lacunar stroke and in patients with a severe brain damage.