Italian multicenter study of reversible cerebral ischemic attacks. Part 5. Risk factors and cerebral atherosclerosis.

As part of a prospective study, the influence of several premorbid and environmental factors on the presence, extent and severity of cerebral vessel atherosclerosis was studied in 462 patients with clinical diagnosis of RIA who underwent cerebral angiography. The extent and severity of atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels was quantified using extracranial and intracranial cerebrovascular scores (ECS, ICS) based on the number and severity of the lesions in 11 extracranial and 21 intracranial arterial segments. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses indicate that the presence of atherosclerotic changes of cerebral vessels, as shown by angiography, was strongly related with age in both sexes. The lesions were more frequent in males, in particular under age 55. Elevated cholesterol was associated with a higher incidence of atherosclerotic lesions. Smoking was associated with a higher incidence of extracranial lesions. Age, smoking and history of hypertension were the best predictors of the extent and severity of cerebral vessel atherosclerosis.