Carotid Intima-media Thickness in Japan Statin Treatment Against Recurrent Stroke(J-STARS Echo)

Effect of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A(HMG-CoA) Reductase Inhibitor Upon Carotid Intima-media Complex Thickness in the Post-ischemic Patients With Hyperlipidemia During the Prospective Study of J-STARS.

Carotid ultrasound can reveal the intima-media complex thickness(IMT), that has been reported to be a marker of atherosclerosis as well as a risk of cardiovascular events, and to be attenuated by 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) . This substudy of J-STARS will observe the temporal profile of carotid IMT prospectively in the patients with prescription of pravastatin and the control.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ischemic stroke except for cardiogenic embolism, from 1 month to 3 years after onset
• Hyperlipidemia and total cholesterol level of 180-240mg/dl without the prescription of statin within previous 30 days
• Able to visit outpatient department
• Informed consent on the form.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Ischemic stroke of other determined cause according to the TOAST classification
• Ischemic heart disease and necessary to use statin
• Hemorrhagic disorders
• Platelet count <=100,000/ul within 3 months prior to study start
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST)>= 100IU/L within 3 months prior to study start
• Serum creatinine >=2.0mg/dl within 3 months prior to study start
• A scheduled operation
• The presence of malignant disorder
• Patients whom carotid ultrasound cannot examine because of neck tumor or torticollis
• Patients after carotid endarterectomy or radiation therapy to neck
• Patients whose carotid ultrasound cannot be examined because of neck tumor or torticollis
• Patients after carotid endarterectomy or radiation therapy to neck