The association of vertebrobasilar calcification with etiological subtypes, stroke recurrence and outcome in acute brainstem ischemic stroke

Publication date: March 2018Source: Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska, Volume 52, Issue 2Author(s): Elif Gökçal, Elvin Niftaliyev, Tuğçe Özdemir, Mehmet Kolukısa, Talip AsilAbstractArterial calcification (AC), a frequent finding on imaging studies, has been reported as a risk factor for ischemic stroke. However few studies have explored the association of AC with etiological subtypes and prognostic implications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of AC with demograhics, risk factors and etiological subtypes and to determine whether it predicts stroke recurrence and functional outcome in patients with acute brainstem ischemic stroke. We analyzed our database consisting of patients who were diagnosed as acute brainstem ischemic stroke admitted within 24 hours of onset. Etiological classification of stroke was made based on The Trial of ORG in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) Classification. AC in vertebral and basilar arteries were assessed from baseline brain CT. AC degree was categorized according to calcification along the circumference in the densest calcified segment of each vessel (0 point if no calcification in any of the CT slices, 1 point if calcification <50% of circumference and 2 points if calcification ≥50% of circumference). Three AC categories were defined according to the total AC score as follows: no AC (0 point), mild AC (1–2 points), severe AC (≥3 points). Recurrent stroke within the first 3 months of follow up an...
Source: Polish Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery - Category: Neurosurgery Source Type: research