@article {1331, title = {Carotid intima-media thickness, electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, and incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage.}, journal = {Stroke}, volume = {42}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Nov}, pages = {3075-9}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carotid intima-media thickness and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy are 2 subclinical cardiovascular disease measures associated with increased risk of total and ischemic strokes. Increased intima-media thickness and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy also may reflect end-organ hypertensive effects. Information is scant on the associations of these subclinical measures with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We hypothesized that greater carotid intima-media thickness and the presence of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy would be independently associated with increased ICH incidence.

METHODS: Among 18,155 participants initially free of stroke in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), we assessed carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque, and electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. Over a median of 18 years of follow-up, 162 incident ICH events occurred.

RESULTS: After adjustment for other ICH risk factors, carotid intima-media thickness was associated positively with incidence of ICH in both ARIC and CHS. The risk was lowest in study-specific Quartile 1, elevated 1.6- to 2.6-fold in Quartiles 2 to 3, and elevated 2.5 to 3.7-fold in Quartile 4 (P<0.05 for both studies). In CHS, having a carotid plaque was associated with a 2-fold (95\% CI, 1.1-3.4) greater ICH risk than having no plaque, but only 1.2-fold (95\% CI, 0.76-2.0) greater ICH risk in ARIC. Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy carried a hazard ratio of ICH of 1.7 (95\% CI, 0.77-3.7) in CHS and 2.8 (95\% CI, 1.2-6.4) in ARIC.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that people with carotid atherosclerosis and possibly left ventricular hypertrophy are at increased risk not only of ischemic stroke, but also of ICH.

}, keywords = {Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Cerebral Hemorrhage, Cohort Studies, Electrocardiography, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular, Incidence, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors}, issn = {1524-4628}, doi = {10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.623157}, author = {Folsom, Aaron R and Yatsuya, Hiroshi and Psaty, Bruce M and Shahar, Eyal and Longstreth, W T} }