Amaurosis fugax as a symptom of carotid artery stenosis. Its relationship with ulcerated plaque.

Amaurosis fugax has frequently been related to carotid artery disease. In order to determine the relationship between amaurosis fugax and significant carotid artery stenosis, we prospectively studied 81 consecutive patients presenting to an ophthalmologist with this symptom. Neurologic and vascular evaluation with PPG and Duplex-scan were performed. A stenosis of greater than 70% was regarded as significant. DSA was performed in patients with significant stenosis (55 of 81). The presence of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, tobacco and hyperlipidemia was considered. Mean age was 64.96 years. There was a high prevalence of hypertension, smoking and previous CVA/TIAs. Patients with significant carotid stenosis were endarterectomized. Carotid atheromata plaques were classified in three groups: hemorrhagic plaque (5), dystrophic calcification (8) and ulcerated plaque (42). There was a high correlation (0.87) between ulcerated plaque and amaurosis fugax. We conclude that amaurosis fugax is an important symptom to allocate patients with high risk of carotid disease, specially carotid stenosis complicated with ulcerated plaque. Carotid duplex scan must be done if this symptom is present.