Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Although blood lipids and lipoproteins are strongly related to coronary atherosclerosis, their association with cerebrovascular atherosclerosis is less clear. A review of more than 20 publications in which a relation was sought between plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis leads to the general conclusion that such a relation exists and that it is stronger in older than in younger individuals. ⋯ Interstudy variations in lipoprotein fraction analyzed, methodology for the analysis of lipids and lipoproteins, arterial segment examined, population sampled, control selection in case-control studies, statistical analytic approach taken, and methodology for the assessment of arterial disease preclude pooled analyses. There is a clear need for further evaluation of this relation using standardized and up-to-date methodologies both for analyses of lipids and lipoproteins and for assessment of cerebrovascular disease in symptom-free volunteers as well as in symptomatic patients.