Association between patency of the circle of Willis and diabetes mellitus in patients with cerebral ischaemic stroke

Objective To examine patency of the cerebral anterior and posterior communicating arteries in patients with ischaemic stroke with or without diabetes mellitus. Methods This retrospective study included patients with acute ischaemic stroke treated between July 2011 and May 2016. Cerebral infarction was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. Anterior and posterior communicating-artery patency was determined using magnetic resonance angiography. Vessels were defined as patent or occluded. Results Out of 1 406 patients, incidence of vertebral basilar artery brain infarction and posterior cerebral artery brain infarction were significantly higher in patients with diabetes versus those without diabetes (35.5% versus 22.3% and 11.7% versus 6.8%, respectively). Among patients with posterior cerebral artery brain infarction, anterior and posterior communicating-artery patency rates were higher in patients with diabetes versus those without diabetes (66.7 versus 23.5% and 33.3% versus 5.9% [bilateral], respectively). Among patients with vertebral basilar artery infarction and posterior cerebral artery P1 segment infarction, patency rate of the anterior communicating artery was higher in patients with diabetes versus those without diabetes (55.7% versus 45.9%). Conclusion Among patients with ischaemic stroke, patency rate of the circle of Willis may be higher in patients with diabetes than those without diabetes.