Baseline characteristics of the study population
| Patients | Men | Women | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | 406 | 242 (60%) | 164 (40%) | |
| Age (mean ± SD, yr) | 62 ± 14 | 62 ± 13 | 62 ± 14 | .57 |
| Symptomatic artery | ||||
| Carotid | 351 (86%) | 212 (88%) | 139 (85%) | .41 |
| Vertebrobasilar | 55 (14%) | 30 (12%) | 25 (15%) | |
| Cerebrovascular symptoms | ||||
| Amaurosis fugax | 84 (21%) | 50 (21%) | 34 (21%) | .99 |
| TIA | 122 (30%) | 72 (30%) | 50 (30%) | .87 |
| Minor stroke | 200 (49%) | 120 (50%) | 80 (49%) | .87 |
| Risk factors | ||||
| Smoking | 197 (49%) | 136 (56%) | 61 (37%) | <.01 |
| Hypertension | 290 (71%) | 177 (73%) | 113 (69%) | .35 |
| Diabetes | 61 (15%) | 38 (16%) | 23 (14%) | .64 |
| Hypercholesterolemia | 319 (79%) | 177 (73%) | 142 (87%) | <.01 |
| History of cardiac disease | 107 (26%) | 73 (30%) | 34 (21%) | .03 |
| History of cerebrovascular disease | 105 (26%) | 70 (29%) | 35 (21%) | .09 |
| Calcifications | ||||
| Presence | 263 (65%) | 171 (71%) | 92 (56%) | <.01 |
| Volume (mm3) | 53 ± 114 | 66 ± 124 | 33 ± 49 | <.01 |
Note:—TIA indicates transient ischemic attack.