Introduction: Vertebral basilar (VB) insufficiency or vertebral basilar ischemia refers to temporary complex of symptoms caused by the reduced blood flow in posterior blood circulation of the brain. Common tests needed to be done are basic laboratory blood tests: lipid status, cholesterol, urea, creatinine, mineral panel, blood sugar, coagulation time. A Transcranial Doppler Sonography (TCD) is a non invasive ultrasound method which enables the insight into the circulation state of the intracranial portion of the posterior vertebral basilar basin. Aim: To determine the correlation between vertebral basilar insufficiency and clinical findings with special emphasis on duration of dizziness and a correlation of mean blood velocity (MBV) and laboratory findings. Material and methods: The survey was conducted at the Neurology Clinic, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo as a prospective study of hospitalized and ambulatory treated patients in the period from February 1 2007 until May 31 2007. It included 100 patients, 56 females and 44 males with dizziness mean duration of 30 days. A specially designed questionnaire was used in the study. For all patients included in the study we obtained: history (with a special emphasis on dizziness, vomiting impulse, double vision and balance disturbance), risk factors, laboratory findings: blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides. The TCD was performed by TRANS SCAN 3D, made by NIKOLET, with a 2 MHz transducer. Results: 58% of patients were 51-70 years old. 12% had elevated blood sugar, 39% elevated cholesterol and 30 had elevated triglycerides. Mean blood velocity in vertebral arteries bilaterally and in basilar artery were significantly lowered. In the case of males, the results show that there is statistically significant correlation between MBV in RVA (lowered values) and increased values of cholesterol and triglycerides. In females, there is a connection of reduced MBV and LVA with lowered values of cholesterol and triglycerides. Conclusion: Our survey showed a significant correlation between lowered values of MBV in arteries of VB basin with elevated values of laboratory parameters such as: blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol. The sensitivity of the TCD as a diagnostic tool in the VB insufficiency was 72% in our study.
Key words: MBV, arteries of VB basin, sensitivity of TCD
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