Evaluation of the effect on stroke mechanism, stroke recurrence and clinical outcome in stroke patients with basilar artery atherosclerosis: A single centre retrospective observational study.

Abstract

Objectives: Basilar artery atherosclerotic plaque is the predominant cause of stroke in the posterior circulation. İscheamic stroke caused basilar artery atherosclerosis faces a high risk of recurrence despite optimal medical treatment, which might lie in the less than ideal recognition of underlying stroke mechanism and lack of individualized treatment for strokes of different mechanisms. We aim in this study to investigate the effect on stroke mechanism, stroke recurrence and clinical outcome in stroke patients with basilar artery atherosclerosis.

Methods: In this study, 107 ischaemic stroke patients with atherosclerotic stenosis in the BA who were followed up in Uludag University Faculty of Medicine between 1 January 2019 and 1 January 2022. The study was conducted retrospectively and observationally.

Results: According to the results of our study, the degree of stenosis in atherosclerotic stenosis of the symptomatic basilar artery was found to be an independent risk factor for stroke recurrence. Independent risk factors for unfavourable clinical outcomes in these patients were determined as female gender, stenosis being in the proximal segment, stroke mechanism being from artery to artery embolism, and congestive heart failure.

Conclusion: The most striking result of our study is that clinical outcome was found to be closely related to the female gender, the stroke mechanism being artery-to-artery embolism, and the stenosis is in the proximal segment. If stroke mechanisms were evaluated more clearly, it would likely help provide individualised treatments.