Association of uric acid with stenosis of intracranial and extracranial arteries in elderly patients with cerebral infarction.

BACKGROUND

To determine whether uric acid (UA) and intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis stenosis of elderly patients suffering from ischaemic stroke are inter-related.

METHODS

Elderly patients with ischaemic stroke underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) were enrolled between October 2015 and December 2017. We collected clinical assessment, image data, and laboratory tests, and divided patients into four groups: (1) intracranial stenosis atherosclerosis (ICAS) group, (2) combined intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis stenosis (COAS) group, (3) extracranial carotid stenosis atherosclerosis (ECAS) group, and (4) non-cerebral stenosis atherosclerosis (NCAS) group. We used univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses to explore potential predictors.

RESULTS

We included 408 patients in this study, then divided them into elder group (n = 196) and young- and middle-aged group (n = 212). In old stroke patients, 72 cases (36.73%) were classified as the ICAS group, 45 cases (22.96%) as the COAS group, 21 cases (10.71%) as the ECAS group, and 58 cases (29.59%) as the NCAS group. The level of UA was comparatively higher (p = 0.033) in ICAS than in NCAS. Compared with the group which had only one stenosis artery, UA was substantially increased in patients with more than one stenosis intracranial artery (p < 0.001). With a multivariable analysis, UA was an independent predictor for intracranial stenosis of elderly patients (OR = 1.003, p = 0.042), but the relationship between extracranial artery stenosis and uric acid was negative.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperuricaemia is a risk factor of intracranial artery stenosis rather than of ECAS in elderly patients with cerebral infarction.