RELATIONS BETWEEN TOTAL LEUCOCYTE COUNT AND INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN POST ISCHEMIC STROKE PATIENT

Abstract

Backgrounds : Atherosclerosis is one cause of stroke, currently is understood as condition of vascular inflammation. Leucocyte is a marker of inflammation , play an important role in initiation and propagation of the atherosclerosis. Intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotic artery is a marker for early atherosclerosis and reflects generalized atherosclerosis the artery. Objective : To prove correlation between total leucocyte count and atherosclerosis which is measured with intima-media thickness of internal carotid artery in post-ischemic stroke patients. Methods : This was a cross-sectional study. The subjects were 35 post-ischemic stroke patients who control to Neurology outpatient clinic at dr. Kariadi Hospital Semarang. Leucocyte count was examined using Hematology analiser IMT measurement of internal carotid artery was done by duplex carotid USG. Data were analyzed wich Spearman’rho and Chi-square test. Results : Thirty-five post-ischemic stroke patients consisted of 23 males (65.7%) and 12 females (34.3%). Atherosclerosis (IMT > 0.9 mm) was found in 11 subjects (31.4%). Spearman’s rho test showed positive correlation of leucocyte counts and intima-media thickness of internal carotid artery, with coefficient correlation = 0.621 (p<0.001). Total leucocyte count was 7300 cells/mm3, had sensitivity of 81.8% and specifity of 58.1% for a marker atherosclerosis. Conclusion : This study proved positive correlation between total leucocyte count and atherosclerosis of internal carotid artery in post-ischemic stroke patients. Keywords : Total leucocyte count, intima-media thickness of internal carotid artery, ischemic stroke *Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine Diponegoro University / Dr Kariadi Hospital Semarang Create PDF