Abstract
PURPOSE: This study explores the correlation between carotid plaques and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). METHOD: A total of 167 patients were divided into CSVD (n = 119) and Non-CSVD (n = 48) groups. Various clinical variables, including body mass index (BMI), coronary artery disease, hypertension, and carotid plaque echo characteristics, were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that carotid isoechoic plaques (OR = 2.139, 95% CI 1.421-3.219, P < 0.001) and hypoechoic plaques (OR = 1.687, 95% CI 1.206-2.359, P = 0.002) are independent risk factors for CSVD. Other variables such as BMI, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The presence of carotid isoechoic and hypoechoic plaques significantly increases the risk of CSVD, highlighting the importance of carotid imaging in assessing stroke risk and guiding clinical management.