Abstract:

AIM: To study the relationship between leukotriene B4, carotid plaque and progressive ischemic stroke.  METHODS: Eighty patients with progressive ischemic stroke treated in our hospital from January 2014 to January 2016 were enrolled in this study as the progress group. Eighty non-progressive ischemic patients were selected according to the random number table as the non-progress group. Another 80 cases of non-stroke patients were selected as the control group. Level of leukotriene B4 at different stages were detected and compared between and within the three groups. Indicators with statistical significance were analyzed with logistic regression analysis to investigate the risk factors associated with progressive ischemic stroke. RESULTS: The level of LTB4 in the progress group was higher than that in the non-progress group and the control group at admission time and after admission (P<0.05). In the carotid atherosclerosis subgroup, the percentage of unstable plaques in the progress group was significantly higher than that in the non-progress group and the control group (P<0.05), and the LTB4 level in the unstable plaque group was higher than that in the stable plaque group (P<0.05). In the progress group, LTB4 expression was significantly higher in the moderate to severe progression group than that in the mild progression group at admission, hospitalization day 3 and hospitalization day 7 (P<0.05). Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal serum LTB4 levels and unstable carotid plaques were associated with the progressive stroke (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Carotid plaques can affect the development of progressive ischemic stroke, which is a risk factor for progressive ischemic stroke, and leukotriene B4 concentration and unstable carotid artery plaque maybe early predictors of ischemic stroke.

Key words: leukotriene B4, atherosclerotic plaques, progressive ischemic stroke