Objective To analyze the relationships of carotid plaque characteristics and hemorheology with disease classification and severity in elderly patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods A total of 240 elderly patients with ischemic stroke were selected as observation group, and were further divided into different groups based on disease classification complete anterior circulation infarction (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarction (PACI), posterior circulation infarction (POCI), lacunar infarction (LACI) and severity of the disease (mild, moderate, and severe); another 60 elderly healthy individuals with physical examinations were selected as control group. The characteristics of carotid artery plaques carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), number of plaques, maximum length of plaques, and nature of plaquesas well as hemorheology indexeserythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hematocrit (HCT), plasma fibrinogen (Fib), plasma viscosity, and whole blood viscositywere measured in all the cases, and the relationships of carotid plaque characteristics and hemorheology with disease classification and severity were analyzed.

Results The IMT, the number of plaques, maximum diameter of plaques, ESR, HCT, Fib, plasma viscosity, and whole blood viscosity in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the IMT, the number of plaques, and maximum diameter of plaques in the LACI group were significantly lower than those in the TACI, PACI, and POCI groups, while the ratios of stable plaques were significantly higher (P < 0.05); the ESR, HCT, Fib, plasma viscosity, and whole blood viscosity in the LACI group were significantly lower than those in the TACI, PACI, and POCI groups (P < 0.05); the IMT, the number of plaques, and maximum diameter of plaques in the mild group were significantly lower than those in the moderate and severe groups, the ratio of stable plaques was significantly higher than that in the moderate and severe groups, the IMT, the number of plaques, and maximum diameter of plaques in the moderate group were significantly lower than those in the severe group (P < 0.05); the ESR, HCT, Fib, plasma viscosity, and whole blood viscosity in the mild group were significantly lower than those in the moderate and severe groups, and the above indicators in the moderate group were significantly lower than those in the severe group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The characteristics of carotid artery plaques and hemorheology in elderly patients with ischemic stroke are related to the classification and severity of the disease, and the status of carotid artery plaques and hemorheological abnormalities in elderly patients with TACI, PACI, and POCI types of ischemic stroke are more severe than those of patients with LACI type.