Association Between Absolute Eosinophil Count and Complex Aortic Arch Plaque in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Eosinophil counts are thought to be associated with atherosclerosis and aortic arch plaques. However, whether these associations exist among patients with acute ischemic stroke remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association between absolute eosinophil count (AEC) and aortic arch plaques among these patients. Methods— Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography were retrospectively analyzed. Complex aortic arch plaques (CAPs) were defined as plaques ≥4 mm in thickness, with ulcer, or with mobile component. Results— A total of 430 patients (289 male, mean age 69.8±11.4 years) were enrolled. Patients with CAPs (n=169) showed higher mean AEC than those without (167±174/µL versus 127±127/µL;P =0.007). Multivariate analysis showed that increased AEC was independently associated with the presence of CAPs (odds ratio, 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–3.65).Conclusions— Among patients with acute ischemic stroke, increased AEC was independently associated with the presence of CAPs. Our results suggest that AEC may be a useful predictor for the presence of CAPs in these patients.