Abstract:

Objective To detect serum levels of C1q/ tumor necrosis factor-related protein-12 (CTRP12) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI), and to analyze their relationship with carotid atherosclerosis. Methods From April 2022 to April 2025, 172 ACI patients admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Pingdingshan were selected. After excluding 7 dropouts, a total of 165 patients were included. According to the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, ACI patients were divided into the normal intima group (50 cases), the thickened intima group (54 cases), and the plaque group (61 cases). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation of serum levels of CTRP12 and Lp-PLA2 with carotid atherosclerosis in ACI patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to evaluate the predictive value. Results The lowest serum CTRP12 was detected in the plaque group, followed by the thickened intima group and normal intima group. The highest serum Lp-PLA2 was detected in the plaque group, followed by the thickened intima group and normal intima group (P<0.05). The degree of carotid atherosclerosis in ACI patients was negatively correlated with serum CTRP12 and positively correlated with serum Lp-PLA2 (P<0.05). By ROC analysis, the areas under the curve for evaluating plaque formation in ACI patients by serum CTRP12 and Lp-PLA2 levels alone and in combination were 0.859, 0.809, and 0.911; the sensitivities were 0.852, 0.803, and 0.885; and the specificities were 0.817, 0.788, and 0.865, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum CTRP12 and Lp-PLA2 in ACI patients are closely related to their carotid atherosclerosis, and the two indicators can be used as biological indicators for evaluating plaque formation.

Key words: acute cerebral infarction, carotid atherosclerosis, C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein-12, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, relevance