However, other potential mechanisms, including cytokine/chemokine release, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), circulating and local formation of trophic factors and of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) molecules, could also be involved, especially in the absence of obvious cerebrovascular disease.
Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation is associated with clinical outcome in various populations of cardiovascular patients, such as patients with coronary artery, peripheral artery, and cerebrovascular disease.
The contribution of the renin-angiotensin system to the pathogenesis of accelerated carotid artery atherosclerosis and particularly of cerebrovascular disease remains to be definitively proven.
These results suggest that renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity and genes contribute to cerebrovascular disease and poststroke vascular death in white patients.