Recurrent ischemic events and risk factors in patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis

P.-Q. Wang, J.-J. Liu, A.-P. Wang, G.-B. Zhang, Z.-H. Cao, P. Wang, P.-Y. Zhou

Department of Neurology, Xiangyang Hospital Affiliated to Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei, China. zgb1969@126.com

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• Neurology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the recurrent ischemic events and risk factors in patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with acute cerebral infarction or transient ischemia attach (TIA) and intracranial arterial stenosis confirmed through CTA examination, were enrolled from the Department of Neurology. All cases were followed-up regularly and divided into recurrent group and non-recurrent group according to occurrence of cerebrovascular events. Major observation index: (1) the occurrence of endpoint; (2) new stroke in responsible artery; (3) drug therapy compliance was used.

RESULTS: A total of 142 cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria, among them 121 cases (85.2%) completed the follow-up, and in 16 cases (13.2%) ischemic cerebrovascular stroke events occurred within one year, while among these vascular lesions recurred on the ipsilateral side in 12 cases (75%). Single factor analysis showed that difference between recurrent group and non-recurrent group on irregular use of statins (p = 0.017), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.017) and severe arterial stenosis (p = 0.030) were statistically significant. Logistic regression analysis showed that irregular use of statins (OR=3.719, p = 0.005), diabetes (OR=1.842. p = 029) and severe arterial stenosis (OR=1.503. p = 0.045) were correlated with the recurrence of symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis had a higher recurrence rate of stroke; whereas patients with irregular use of statins, diabetes and severe arterial stenosis had a higher recurrence risk of stroke.

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