Abstract
Ischemic stroke has various etiologies, and its pathogenesis is influenced by a range of factors. In addition to systemic factors, such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, blood flow and blood viscosity are also known to contribute to the development of ischemic stroke. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the impact of blood viscosity on ischemic stroke, according to subtypes. The medical records of 298 patients admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital with acute ischemic stroke between January 2020 and May 2022 were analyzed. Comprehensive diagnostic procedures, including blood viscosity tests, brain imaging, and etiology workups, were conducted and reviewed. Clinical and laboratory factors, including diastolic blood viscosity, were compared among patients with different subtypes of ischemic stroke. Factors associated with diastolic blood viscosity were identified. The average age of the patients was 68.6 ± 13.4 years, and there was a higher proportion of females (54.7%). Diastolic blood viscosity was higher in patients with small vessel disease and those with old lacunar infarctions or cerebral microbleeds than in those with white matter hyperintense lesions or significant stenosis. However, multivariable analysis revealed no significant associations between diastolic blood viscosity and stroke subtype of index stroke or any imaging markers. Instead, diastolic blood viscosity was independently associated with hypertension and high levels of C-reactive protein. In patients with acute stroke, diastolic blood viscosity showed a statistically significant relation with hypertension and C-reactive protein and also tended to be associated with old lacunar infarction and cerebral microbleeds.