Detailed analysis of periprocedural strokes in patients undergoing intracranial stenting in Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS)

Predictors for recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with watershed infarct induced by intracranial artery stenosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis (sICAS) is strongly associated with an elevated risk of recurrent ischemic stroke, yet the underlying risk factors remain elusive. In this present study, we aimed to investigate the risk factors and predictive value of imaging features for recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with watershed infarction caused by ICAS.

METHODS

We prospectively collected clinical information and imaging data from patients with watershed infarction caused by ICAS. The primary outcome was recurrent ischemic cerebrovascular events in the same territory within 1 year. The original magnetic resonance images (MRI) were post-processed by the Fast-processing of ischemic stroke (F-Stroke) software to compute the perfusion parameters. The assessment of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) was performed in accordance with the Fazekas scale. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association of imaging characteristics and recurrent ischemic stroke. Subsequently, we performed ROC curve analyses to determine their discriminatory capacity for ischemic stroke recurrence.

RESULTS

A total of 139 patients were successfully enrolled in the present study. The recurrence rate in the total population was 18.71 %. Compared with patients without recurrent ischemic stroke, those who experienced recurrence had a higher proportion of prior ischemic stroke history (25.66 % vs. 53.85 %) and severe WMH (30.77 % vs. 7.97 %), as well as higher baseline NIHSS scores and volume of Tmax > 4 s. Logistic regression analysis revealed that both the volume of Tmax > 4 s and severe WMH significantly influenced the risk of recurrent ischemic stroke occurrence. Furthermore, ROC curve analyses demonstrated that the discriminatory capacity of the volume of Tmax > 4 s (AUC = 0.64, 95 %CI = 0.51-0.77, P = 0.029) was marginally superior to WMH scores (AUC = 0.62, 95 %CI = 0.49-0.75, P = 0.066). Whereas, the combination of the volume of Tmax > 4 s and the WMH scores showed better discriminatory capacity (AUC = 0.73, 95 %CI = 0.61-0.85, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

MR-guiding cerebral hypoperfusion and severe WMH is susceptible to recurrence of ischemic stroke, thereby serving as valuable predictors for recurrence in patients with watershed infarction caused by ICAS.

Long-term outcomes of resolute Onyx Zotarolimus-eluting stents for symptomatic intracranial stenosis: A multicenter propensity score-matched comparison with stenting versus aggressive medical management for preventing recurrent stroke in intracranial stenosis trial

BackgroundIntracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a leading cause of ischemic stroke. The Medtronic Resolute Onyx Zotarolimus-eluting stents (RO-ZES) are promising in preventing stroke recurrence compared with medical management (MM) and percutaneous angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) at both 30-day and one-year follow-ups. We evaluated long-term outcomes for patients treated with RO-ZES, PTAS, or MM.MethodsA retrospective multicenter study was conducted including patients who underwent RO-ZES stenting for symptomatic ICAD between March 2018 and May 2023, with follow-up through October 2024. Propensity score-matched control groups, representing MM and PTAS, were derived from the SAMMPRIS trial. Primary outcomes included recurrence rates of transient ischemic attack, stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and mortality. Time-to-event after intervention was evaluated.ResultsPatients who underwent stenting with RO-ZES and two propensity-matched cohorts from the SAMMPRIS trial who underwent MM and PTAS were included. Mean follow-up was 27.9 ± 17.0 months. The RO-ZES group demonstrated significantly fewer recurrent strokes (11.3%) compared with MM (27.0%) and PTAS (27.8%) (p = .003). The MM group experienced the lowest recurrence rate of ICH (0.9%) (p = .018). Multivariable regression revealed that RO-ZES experienced lower odds of recurrent strokes (OR = .40, 95% CI [0.17-0.92], p = .031) than PTAS throughout follow-up. Multivariable Cox regression demonstrated that RO-ZES stenting lowered the hazard of recurrent strokes compared with PTAS (hazard ratio = .36, 95% CI [0.16-0.80], p = .012).ConclusionTreatment of severe, symptomatic ICAD using RO-ZES was associated with lower odds of recurrent strokes compared with PTAS in this long-term follow-up study. Further prospective trials comparing MM with novel stent technologies are necessary.

Endovascular Treatment in Patients with Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke of Different Mechanisms

INTRODUCTION

Acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) is mainly caused by in situ thrombosis (IST), artery-to-artery embolism (AAE), and cardioembolism (CE). The clinical characteristics and prognosis of each mechanism are unclear in a real-world scenario.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed patients with AIS-LVO who underwent endovascular treatment (EVT) between April 2023 and August 2024. Patients were classified according to three mechanisms. This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics, lab results, EVT procedural factors, and prognosis of patients with AIS-LVO with three different mechanisms. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months was the primary outcome, which was analyzed by ordinal logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among 162 patients included, IST (n = 81) was the most common mechanism, followed by CE (n = 41) and AAE (n = 40). Patients with CE showed more severe initial symptoms and the highest rate of intracranial hemorrhage. Patients with IST were associated with more rapid progression, more posterior circulation involvement, and higher inflammatory profile. Patients with AAE experienced a longer procedural time and had a higher rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Although patients with IST and AAE more often required stenting, no significant difference in the rate of successful recanalization was found. The rates of mRS distribution (p = 0.24), and favorable outcomes at 3 months (p = 0.36) did not differ among the three groups. However, a trend towards better outcomes in the CE group was noted. On multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio, 0.97, 95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.00), pre-EVT National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (odds ratio, 0.94, 95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.98), and sICH (odds ratio, 0.33, 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.95) could independently predict a favorable shift in mRS distribution. We failed to find that the mechanism was a predictor of the outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The functional outcomes of patients with AIS-LVO were similar among different mechanisms, despite the sICH being much higher in patients with AAE. The optimal management for AIS-LVO with different mechanisms requires further research.

Balloon-mounted versus self-expandable stent in failed neurothrombectomy: a post hoc analysis of the SAINT study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that when thrombectomy has failed, rescue intracranial stenting is associated with better clinical outcomes compared with failed reperfusion. However, comparative data regarding stent type are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the procedural and clinical outcomes of balloon-mounted stents (BMS) with those of self-expandable stents (SES).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database from the Stenting and Angioplasty in NeuroThrombectomy (SAINT) consortium. Patients were included if thrombectomy had failed and they then underwent rescue emergency stenting. Patients treated with SES or BMS were compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting. The primary outcome was the final reperfusion as measured by the modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) Scale. Safety measures included rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, procedural complications, and 90-day mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 328 patients were included. Baseline clinical and procedural characteristics were well balanced among both groups. The BMS group (n=127) had higher rates of successful reperfusion (94.5% vs 86.6%, aOR=4.23, 95% CI 1.57 to 11.37, P=0.004) and increased likelihood of higher degree of final reperfusion on the mTICI Scale (acOR=2.06, 95% CI 1.19 to 3.57, P=0.01) than the SES group (n=201). No difference in modified Rankin Scale shift (acOR=0.98, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.79, P=0.95), rates of mRS0-2 (26% vs 36%, aOR=0.93, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.88, P=0.83) and mRS0-3 (43% vs 50%, aOR=0.92, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.66, P=0.77) at 90 days were noted. Safety measures were comparable in both groups.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates higher reperfusion rates with BMS than with SES in failed thrombectomy procedures that involved rescue stenting. No differences in hemorrhagic complications or clinical outcomes were noted. Further larger controlled studies are warranted.

Stenting versus medical treatment alone for symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis: a preplanned pooled individual patient data analysis

BACKGROUND

Whether the safety and efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) is significantly different from that of medical treatment alone for symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) is debatable. A study was undertaken to determine the safety and efficacy of both treatments for symptomatic ICAS.

METHODS

This preplanned pooled individual patient data analysis included 400 participants treated with PTAS and 409 treated with medical treatment alone in two large multicenter randomized clinical trials (SAMMPRIS and CASSISS). Patients were treated with PTAS using a self-expanding stent or medical treatment alone. The primary outcome was stroke or death within 30 days, or ischemic stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery more than 30 days after enrollment.

RESULTS

Individual data were obtained for 809 patients, 451 from SAMMPRIS and 358 from CASSISS. 400 participants were randomly assigned to the PTAS group and 409 to the medical group. The risk of the primary outcome was not significant between the PTAS and medical groups (17.5% vs 13.2%; HR 1.37 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.95), P=0.08). However, the risk of stroke or death within 30 days was higher in the PTAS group (10.5% vs 4.2%; HR 2.62 (95% CI 1.49 to 4.61), P<0.001). Patients of white ethnicity (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.31) and those with hyperlipidemia (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.26) or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.08 to 4.45) were at higher risk for PTAS.

CONCLUSIONS

PTAS poses an increased risk of short-term stroke/death and therefore is not advised as primary treatment for symptomatic ICAS. A balance exists between stroke risks and revascularization benefits. For patients with asymptomatic ICAS of white ethnicity and those with hyperlipidemia or a history of TIA, a thorough assessment is warranted before considering PTAS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00576693, NCT01763320.

Thrombectomy Outcomes in Acute Basilar Artery Occlusions Due to Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) large vessel occlusion (LVO) is responsible for up to 30% of LVO. In this study, we aimed to determine the likelihood of favorable functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale 0-3) in acute ICAD-LVO basilar occlusion compared with embolic basilar occlusion.

METHODS

This is an analysis of the Posterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke Evaluation: Analyzing Radiographic and Intraprocedural Predictors for Mechanical Thrombectomy Registry in which patients with acute basilar artery occlusions from 8 comprehensive stroke centers were included from 2015 to 2021. Patients were dichotomized into with (ICAD-LVO) or without underlying ICAD (embolic). Descriptive statistics for each group and multivariate logistic analysis were performed on the primary outcome.

RESULTS

Three hundred forty-six patients were included. There were 215 patients with embolic (62%) and 131 patients with ICAD-LVO (38%). Baseline demographics were equivalent between the 2 groups except for sex (male 47% vs 67%; P < .001), history of stroke (12% vs 25%; P = .002), and atrial fibrillation (31% vs 17%; P = .003). At 90 days, patients in the ICAD-LVO cohort were less likely to achieve favorable functional outcomes (odds ratio [OR] 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.72; P = .003) after adjusting for potentially confounding factors. In addition, ICAD-LVO strokes were less likely to achieve thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥2b (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14-0.57; P < .001). ICAD-LVO lesions were more likely to require stent placement (OR 14.94, 95% CI 4.91-45.49; P < .001). Subgroup analysis demonstrated favorable functional outcomes in patients who underwent stenting and angioplasty compared with failed recanalization cohort (OR 4.96, 95% CI 1.68-14.64; P < .004).

CONCLUSION

Patients with acute basilar ICAD-LVO have higher morbidity and mortality compared with patients with embolic source. Lower rates of successful recanalization in the ICAD-LVO cohort support this finding. Our subgroup analysis demonstrates that stenting should be considered in patients with recanalization failure. Rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were similar between the ICAD-LVO and embolic cohorts.

Predictors and Outcomes of Periprocedural Intracranial Hemorrhage after Stenting for Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Periprocedural intracranial hemorrhage is one of common complications after stent placement for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. This study was conducted to demonstrate predictors and long-term outcomes of periprocedural intracranial hemorrhage after stent placement for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis stent placement in a prospective cohort at a high-volume stroke center. Clinical, radiologic, and periprocedural characteristics and long-term outcomes were reviewed. Periprocedural intracranial hemorrhage was classified as procedure-related hemorrhage (PRH) and non-procedure-related hemorrhage (NPRH). The long-term outcomes were compared between patients with PRH and NPRH, and the predictors of NPRH were explored.

RESULTS

Among 1849 patients, 24 (1.3%) had periprocedural intracranial hemorrhage, including PRH (4) and NPRH (20). The postprocedural 30-day mRS was 0-2 in 9 (37.5%) cases, 3-5 in 5 (20.8%) cases, and 6 in 10 (41.7%) cases. For the 14 survivors, the long-term (median of 78 months) mRS were 0-2 in 10 (76.9%) cases and 3-5 in 3 (23.1%) cases. The proportion of poor long-term outcomes (mRS ≥3) in patients with NPRH was significantly higher than those with PRH (68.4% versus 0%, P = .024). Anterior circulation (P = .002), high preprocedural stenosis rate (P < .001), and cerebral infarction within 30 days (P = .006) were independent predictors of NPRH after stent placement.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with NPRH had worse outcomes than those with PRH after stent placement for symptomatic ICAS. Anterior circulation, severe preprocedural stenosis, and recent infarction are independent predictors of NPRH.

Balloon Angioplasty vs Medical Management for Intracranial Artery Stenosis: The BASIS Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Previous randomized clinical trials did not demonstrate the superiority of endovascular stenting over aggressive medical management for patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (sICAS). However, balloon angioplasty has not been investigated in a randomized clinical trial.

Objective

To determine whether balloon angioplasty plus aggressive medical management is superior to aggressive medical management alone for patients with sICAS.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A randomized, open-label, blinded end point clinical trial at 31 centers across China. Eligible patients aged 35 to 80 years with sICAS defined as recent transient ischemic attack (<90 days) or ischemic stroke (14-90 days) before enrollment attributed to a 70% to 99% atherosclerotic stenosis of a major intracranial artery receiving treatment with at least 1 antithrombotic drug and/or standard risk factor management were recruited between November 8, 2018, and April 2, 2022 (final follow-up: April 3, 2023).

Interventions

Submaximal balloon angioplasty plus aggressive medical management (n = 249) or aggressive medical management alone (n = 252). Aggressive medical management included dual antiplatelet therapy for the first 90 days and risk factor control.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was a composite of any stroke or death within 30 days after enrollment or after balloon angioplasty of the qualifying lesion or any ischemic stroke in the qualifying artery territory or revascularization of the qualifying artery after 30 days through 12 months after enrollment.

Results

Among 512 randomized patients, 501 were confirmed eligible (mean age, 58.0 years; 158 [31.5%] women) and completed the trial. The incidence of the primary outcome was lower in the balloon angioplasty group than the medical management group (4.4% vs 13.5%; hazard ratio, 0.32 [95% CI, 0.16-0.63]; P < .001). The respective rates of any stroke or all-cause death within 30 days were 3.2% and 1.6%. Beyond 30 days through 1 year after enrollment, the rates of any ischemic stroke in the qualifying artery territory were 0.4% and 7.5%, respectively, and revascularization of the qualifying artery occurred in 1.2% and 8.3%, respectively. The rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in the balloon angioplasty and medical management groups was 1.2% and 0.4%, respectively. In the balloon angioplasty group, procedural complications occurred in 17.4% of patients and arterial dissection occurred in 14.5% of patients.

Conclusions and Relevance

In patients with sICAS, balloon angioplasty plus aggressive medical management, compared with aggressive medical management alone, statistically significantly lowered the risk of a composite outcome of any stroke or death within 30 days or an ischemic stroke or revascularization of the qualifying artery after 30 days through 12 months. The findings suggest that balloon angioplasty plus aggressive medical management may be an effective treatment for sICAS, although the risk of stroke or death within 30 days of balloon angioplasty should be considered in clinical practice.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03703635.

Arterial Lesion Location and Outcomes of Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease

Intracranial atherosclerosis is a leading cause of stroke with a high recurrence rate despite treatment. Numerous factors are proposed to influence stroke recurrence due to intracranial atherosclerosis including lesion eccentricity, plaque characteristics, and computational fluid dynamic metrics, such as wall shear stress. An overlooked variable that intrinsically relates to intracranial atherosclerosis is the location of the arterial segment where the lesion occurs. Variations in cerebral blood flow, arterial anatomy, and flow dynamics are likely drivers of initial lesion development and thus likely to influence stroke recurrence. To date, treatment trials of intracranial atherosclerosis have not considered arterial segment lesion location as an independent variable, failing to account for variations in flow dynamics between each artery. There are limited available data on differences between arterial segments, confined to only post hoc analyses. In this review, we summarize available data on such differences between arterial segments. With the limited arterial segment data available, multiple differences in recurrence of stroke in territory of lesion were identified across trials.

Comparing the Impact of Stenting vs. Medical Therapy for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis : A Systematic Review and One-stage and Two-stage Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

PURPOSE

In the treatment of intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS), controversies remain regarding the optimal treatment strategy. Our study aims to conduct an individual patient-level data meta-analysis of existing RCTs comparing PTAS versus best medical therapy and to identify differences in outcomes such as incidence of ischemic stroke or death.

METHODS

Randomised controlled trials comparing the outcomes of stenting versus best medical therapy for patients who had symptomatic ICAS of >50%. Excluded studies included case reports, case series, reviews, observational studies,  letters or studies evaluating isolated angioplasty techniques without stenting. Data was extracted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

7 studies involving 1425 participants were included. There was an increased risk in the incidence of stroke and death within the first 30 days post-procedure for patients treated with PTAS over best medical therapy (RR = 2.22 [1.28-3.86], I² = 0%). Patients who underwent stenting also had a significantly higher risk of intracranial haemorrhage (RR = 12.66 [2.41-66.45], I² = 0%) and death (RR = 5.41 [1.20-24.28], I² = 0%).Under the shared frailty model, stenting when compared to medical therapy has a HR of 1.81 (95% CI:1.25-2.6) of stroke or death across 1 year. Under the parametric Royston-Parmar model, stenting has a significant decrease in the RMST(-0.83 months; 95% CI: -1.30-0.37). Stenting continued to show worse outcomes up to the 3 year mark with a HR of 1.60 (95% CI: 1.11-2.32).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

There is an increased risk of peri- and post-procedural stroke and death over best medical therapy in patients with symptomatic ICAS who undergo PTAS. Further work is required to refine patient selection and mitigate peri-procedural risks.

Association of Morphology of Lenticulostriate Arteries and Proximal Plaque Characteristics With Single Subcortical Infarction: A Whole-Brain High-Resolution Vessel Wall Imaging Study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the association of characteristics of lenticulostriate artery (LSA) morphology and parental atheromatous disease (PAD) with single subcortical infarction (SSI) and to explore whether the LSA morphology is correlated with proximal plaque features in asymptomatic PAD.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients with acute SSI were prospectively enrolled and classified as large- and small-SSI groups. The clinical data and imaging features of LSA morphology (branches, length, dilation, and tortuosity) and middle cerebral artery plaques (normalized wall index, remodeling index, enhancement degree, and hyperintense plaques) were evaluated. Logistic regression was performed to determine the association of large SSIs with morphologic features of LSAs and plaques. The Spearman correlation between the morphologic characteristics of LSAs and plaque features in asymptomatic PAD was analyzed. Of the 121 patients recruited with symptomatic PAD, 102 had coexisting asymptomatic contralateral PAD. The mean length of LSAs (odds ratio, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.73-0.95]; P=0.007), mean tortuosity of LSAs (odds ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.05-1.22]; P=0.002), dilated LSAs (odds ratio, 22.59 [95% CI, 2.46-207.74]; P=0.006), and normalized wall index (odds ratio, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.01-1.15]; P=0.022) were significantly associated with large SSIs. Moreover, the normalized wall index was negatively correlated with the mean length of LSAs (r=-0.348, P<0.001), and the remodeling index was negatively correlated with the mean tortuosity of LSAs (r=-0.348, P<0.001) in asymptomatic PAD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that mean length of LSAs, mean tortuosity of LSAs, dilated LSAs, and normalized wall index are associated with large SSIs. Moreover, plaque features in asymptomatic PAD are correlated with morphologic features of LSAs.

Differences in intracranial atherosclerosis plaque between posterior circulation and anterior circulation on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The clinical characteristics and mechanisms of stroke caused by anterior circulation atherosclerotic plaques (ACAPs) and posterior circulation atherosclerotic plaques (PCAPs) are distinct. We aimed to compare the differences in vulnerability, morphology, and distribution between ACAPs and PCAPs based on hign-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang database were retrieved from inception through May 2023. Meta-analysis was performed by R 4.2.1 software. The quality of the literature was assessed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore the heterogeneity of the pooled results.

RESULTS

There were a total of 13 articles, including 1194 ACAPs and 1037 PCAPs. The pooled estimates demonstrated that the incidence of intraplaque hemorrhage in the PCAPs was higher (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.35-2.18). The plaque length (SMD 0.23, 95%CI 0.06-0.39) and remodeling index (SMD 0.29, 95%CI 0.14-0.44) of PCAPs were larger than those in ACAPs. However, there were no evident differences in significant enhancement or stenosis degree between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

There were more unstable features in PCAPs, highlighting an elevated risk of recurrent ischemic stroke in the posterior circulation. Furthermore, PCAPs were prone to developing penetrating artery disease due to their wider distribution. Nevertheless, posterior circulation arteries exhibited a greater propensity for outward remodeling, which may lead treatment team to miss the optimal intervention stage by being overlooked on angiographic detection.

A bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited clinical articles in the research of intracranial artery stenosis and intracranial atherosclerosis

Background

Intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS), caused by intracranial atherosclerosis, is one of the major causes of ischemic stroke. This study identified the top 100 most-cited publications on ICAS through a bibliometric analysis.

Methods

Two independent authors conducted a search in the Web of Science database for clinical articles on ICAS published between 1993 and 2022. The top 100 most-cited articles were then extracted. For each article, the analysis covered the title, author, country of origin/affiliation, journal, total number of citations, number of citations per year, and type of study.

Results

The top 100 most-cited papers in the ICAS were authored by 565 authors from 12 countries and published in 29 journals. In terms of the 5-year trend, the largest number of papers were published between 2003 and 2007 (n = 31). The median number of citations for the 100 papers was 161 (range 109-1,115). The journal with the highest proportion of the 100 most published articles was Stroke, accounting for 41% of articles and 37% of the citations. According to country of origin, the United States of America accounted for the largest number of articles, followed by China, Japan, and South Korea, with these four countries together accounting for 81% of the total number of articles and 88% of the citations. Trends in the past five years included the use of terms such as acute ischemic stroke and mechanical thrombectomy.

Conclusion

The findings of this study provide novel insight into this field and will facilitate future research endeavors.

Future of Endovascular and Surgical Treatments of Atherosclerotic Intracranial Stenosis

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease and resultant intracranial stenosis is a global leading cause of stroke, and poses an ongoing treatment challenge. Among patients with intracranial stenosis, those with hemodynamic compromise are at high risk for recurrent stroke despite medical therapy and risk factor modification. Revascularization of the hypoperfused territory is the most plausible treatment strategy for these high-risk patients, yet surgical and endovascular therapies have not yet shown to be sufficiently safe and effective in randomized controlled trials. Advances in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies have led to a resurgence of interest in surgical and endovascular treatment strategies, with a growing body of evidence to support their further evaluation in the treatment of select patient populations. This review outlines the current and emerging endovascular and surgical treatments and highlights promising future management strategies.

Randomized Secondary Prevention Trials in Participants With Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis

Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis is a prevalent cause of ischemic stroke worldwide. Its association with silent cerebral infarcts and its contribution to cognitive impairment and dementia emphasize the critical need for disease prevention and effective management strategies. Despite extensive research on secondary stroke prevention treatment over the past several decades, intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis continues to exhibit a notably higher recurrent stroke rate compared with other causes. This review focuses on randomized secondary prevention trials involving antithrombotic therapy, endovascular treatment, open surgical therapy, and remote ischemic conditioning. It aims to provide an insightful overview of the major findings from each trial and their implications for future research efforts.

Risk prediction of CISS classification in endovascular treatment of basilar artery stenosis

Objective

To investigate the incidence of ischemic stroke complications after endovascular treatment for basilar artery stenosis used preoperative high-resolution magnetic resonance vascular wall imaging (HRMR/VWI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Methods

The clinical data of 47 patients with severe symptomatic basilar artery stenosis (stenosis rate ≥70 %) treated with endovascular therapy at the Neuro-interventional Center from December 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. High-resolution magnetic resonance angiography (HRMR VWI) and DWI were used to evaluate the location of atherosclerotic plaque at basilar artery stenosis and the distribution of cerebral infarction lesions in all patients before surgery.According to the CISS classification system for ischemic stroke, patients were divided into a perforation group and a hypoperfusion group, and the general situation, plaque distribution, and incidence of ischemic stroke complications 7 days after endovascular treatment in the two groups were analyzed.

Results

There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups. After 7 days of intravascular treatment, the incidence of ischemic stroke was higher in the perforation group (20.0 %) than in the hypoperfusion group (0.0 %), and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.027). A significant association was found between the perforation group and the hypoperfusion group for the incidence of ischemic stroke at 7 days (P = 0.003, OR = 2.347; 95 % CI = 2.056-4.268). There were a higher proportion of ventral plaques (74.1 %) and a lower proportion of dorsal plaques (33.3 %) in the hypoperfusion group, which were 15.0 % and 90.0 % in the perforation group, respectively (χ2 = 16.045, P < 0.001; χ2 = 15.092, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the proportion of left and right plaques between the two groups.

Conclusions

The risk of ischemic stroke is greater in patients with perforator artery obstruction undergoing endovascular therapy, and lower in patients with hypoperfusion/embolus removal.

Plaque features of the middle cerebral artery are associated with periprocedural complications of intracranial angioplasty and stenting

PURPOSE

The identification of plaque features in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) may help minimize periprocedural complications and select patients suitable for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS). However, relevant research is lacking.

METHODS

We retrospectively included patients with symptomatic MCA stenosis who received PTAS. All patients underwent intracranial vessel wall MRI (VWMRI) before surgery. Periprocedural complications (PC) included ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke within 30 days. Stenosis location, MCA shape, plaque eccentricity and distribution, plaque thickness and length, and enhancement ratio were compared between patients with and without PC.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients were included in the study, of which 12.1% (8/66) had PC. Of the eight patients with PC, seven (87.5%) had superior wall plaques. In the non-PC group (n = 58), nine (17%) patients had superior wall plaques. Compared with patients without PC, those with PC had more frequent superior wall plaques (17% vs 87.5%, p < 0.001) and s-shaped MCAs (19% vs 50%, p = 0.071), different stenosis locations (p = 0.012), thicker plaques (1.58 [1.35, 2.00] vs 1.98 [1.73, 2.43], p = 0.038), and less frequent inferior wall plaques (79.2% vs 12.5%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that only the presence of superior wall plaques (OR = 41.54 [2.31, 747.54]) was independently associated with PC.

CONCLUSION

MCA plaque features were highly correlated with PC in patients with symptomatic MCA stenosis who underwent PTAS.

Impact of smoking on one year functional outcomes after thrombectomy for young stroke patients

BACKGROUND

The incidence of stroke in young patients (20-50 years old) has increased in recent decades. Unlike the use of good functional outcomes to evaluate prognosis, excellent functional outcomes are a better indicator of return to work among younger patients. The rate of return to work increases with time after stroke. This study investigated the short term (3 months) and long term (1 year) predictors of excellent functional outcomes in young patients after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

METHODS

We included young patients who underwent EVT for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion within 6 hours after stroke onset between 2015 and 2021. Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage on pretreatment CT were excluded. The associations between clinical, imaging, and procedure variables, and excellent functional outcomes were analyzed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. An excellent functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≤1.

RESULTS

Of the 361 patients with AIS eligible for EVT, 55 young patients (aged 24-50 years) were included. Of these, 36.4% and 41.8% achieved excellent functional outcomes at 3 and 12 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking was the independent negative predictor of both 3 month (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.232, 95% CI 0.058 to 0.928; p=0.039) and 12 month (aOR 0.180, 95% CI 0.044 to 0.741; p=0.018) excellent functional outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Current or former smoking habit was an independent negative predictor of both short term and long term excellent functional outcomes in young adults with AIS.

Safety and efficacy of drug coated balloon angioplasty for intracranial atherosclerotic disease

BACKGROUND

Drug coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty can provide sustained anti-restenotic efficacy without the limitations of permanent vascular implantation and is presumably ideal for treating intracranial atherosclerotic disease. However, the safety of paclitaxel in the neurovasculature remains a concern.

METHODS

242 patients with angiographically verified symptomatic stenosis >70% in intracranial arteries treated with DCB angioplasty were reviewed divided into two groups: group A, patients with stenotic intracranial arteries; and group B, patients with acute, subacute, or chronic occluded intracranial arteries. The primary endpoint was any stroke or death within 30 days. The secondary endpoint was arterial restenosis of >50% during follow-up.

RESULTS

16 major and 12 minor complications occurred among 245 procedures (6.5% and 4.9%, respectively). Five patients died within 30 days after the procedure (2.1%, 5/242). 12 major and 12 minor complications occurred among 211 procedures in group A (5.7% and 5.7%). In group B, four major complications occurred among 34 procedures (11.8%). Hyperperfusion and perforator stroke accounted for half of all complications (53.6%, 15/28). Restenosis >50% was present in eight lesions during the follow-up period (4.8%, 8/167).

CONCLUSIONS

After treatment with DCB angioplasty, complications were no different from those after standard balloon angioplasty or stenting. This study suggests that DCB angioplasty may be a safe and effective procedure for intracranial arterial stenosis.

Novel technique of stent placement via gateway balloon in intracranial atherosclerosis-associated large vessel occlusion

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Neuroform Atlas stent can be deployed directly via gateway balloon for angioplasty and stent placement without the need for exchange maneuver required for Wingspan stent use. We present our initial experience of this strategy in intracranial atherosclerosis-associated large vessel occlusions.

METHODS

Patients were identified through mechanical thrombectomy (MT) database from January 2020 to June 2022 at our institutions. Due to reocclusion or impending occlusion, rescue angioplasty with stent placement was performed after initial standard MT. Primary outcomes were good angiographic recanalization with modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score of 2b-3, rate of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and favorable functional outcome at 3 months, that is, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-3.

RESULTS

We identified 22 patients treated using this technique. Among those, 11 were females with their average age at 66 years (range: 52-85). Initial median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score was 11 (range: 5-30) and all patients received loading doses of aspirin and P2Y₁₂ inhibitor. After performing submaximal angioplasty and Neuroform Atlas stent deployment through the gateway balloon, we achieved final mTICI of 2b-3 in 20 (90%) patients. One patient had ICH post-op that was asymptomatic. Eight (36%) patients had mRS of 0-3 at 90 days.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary experience suggests possible safety and feasibility of deploying Neuroform Atlas stent through a compatible Gateway balloon microcatheter without the need for ICH-associated microcatheter exchange. Further studies with long-term clinical and angiographic follow-up are warranted to corroborate our initial findings.

Stent retriever angioplasty for acute atherosclerotic occlusion of vertebral artery

The established effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy using a stent retriever or aspiration catheter for emergent large-vessel occlusion caused by cardiogenic embolic stroke is widely recognized. However, in cases of acute artery occlusion resulting from atherosclerotic disease, mechanical thrombectomy often encounters challenges in achieving consistent recanalization, and aggressive percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with a balloon and/or stenting can potentially lead to arterial dissection or additional perforator infarction. We present the case of an 88-year-old man who experienced sudden unconsciousness and tetra-paresis, diagnosed with cerebral infarction resulting from right vertebral artery occlusion. During the mechanical thrombectomy procedure, we identified atheromatous disease. Considering the circumstances, we made the decision to maintain the stent placement for 30 min following the loading of dual antiplatelet drugs. As a result, the right vertebral artery was successfully recanalized, although severe stenosis persisted. Two weeks after the initial procedure, we performed wingspan stent placement with a favorable outcome. Stent retriever angioplasty, using the deploy and re-sheath method, appears to be a viable option for managing acute atherosclerotic occlusion. This case highlights the challenges encountered in mechanical thrombectomy for atherosclerotic occlusion and demonstrates a potential approach to address this issue. By keeping the stent in place for a specific duration, combined with appropriate pharmacological intervention, recanalization was achieved, offering a promising therapeutic strategy for similar cases. Stent retriever angioplasty utilizing the deploy and re-sheath method emerges as a potential option for addressing acute atherosclerotic occlusion.

Safety and efficacy of enterprise stenting for symptomatic atherosclerotic severe posterior circulation stenosis

PURPOSE

To investigate the safety and efficacy of Enterprise stent angioplasty and risk factors for the prognoses in treating symptomatic severe posterior circulation atherosclerotic stenosis (SSPCAS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with SSPCAS who were treated with the Enterprise stent angioplasty were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical data, peri-procedural complications, postoperative residual stenosis, in-stent restenosis and recurrent stroke at follow-up were analyzed.

RESULTS

262 patients with 275 stenotic lesions treated with the Enterprise stent angioplasty were enrolled. The stenosis degree was reduced from 86.3 ± 6.2% before to 19.3 ± 5.4% after stenting. Complications occurred in 14 (5.3%) patients. Clinical follow-up was performed in 245 (93.51%) patients for 16.5 ± 7.3 months. During 1 year follow-up, 7 patients (2.9%) had recurrent symptoms, including 4 patients with stenting in the intracranial vertebral artery and 3 in the basilar artery. Imaging follow-up was conducted in 223 (85.11%) patients. In-stent restenosis was present in 35 patients (15.7%), with the restenosis rate of 26.4% (n = 23) in the intracranial vertebral artery, which was significantly (P < 0.001) greater than in the basilar artery (8.8%). Six patients (17.1%) with in-stent restenosis were symptomatic. The stenotic length was the only significant (P = 0.026 and 0.024, respectively) independent risk factor for 1 year stroke or death events and in-stent restenosis.

CONCLUSION

The Enterprise stent can be safely and efficaciously applied in the treatment of symptomatic severe posterior circulation atherosclerotic stenosis, with a relatively low rate of in-stent restenosis and recurrent stroke within 1 year. The stenotic length was the only significant independent risk factor for 1 year stroke or death events and in-stent restenosis.

Angioplasty And stenting For symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease: How I Do It

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a common cause of acute ischemic stroke. ICAD has a high rate of recurrent ischemic stroke despite recommended adequate medical treatment. Endovascular treatment of ICAD has been controversial due to high periprocedural complication in historic randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Recently, a multicenter prospective study of stent placement in patients with high grade intracranial stenosis that evaluated safety and efficacy of Balloon-mounted stents (BMS) in symptomatic ICAD showed low rates of periprocedural stroke (5.6%) than the SAMMPRIS (14.7%) and VISSIT (21.4%) trials. This review highlights the recent evolution of endovascular therapy for symptomatic ICAD.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting vs aggressive medical management on stroke or intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

There are currently two main treatment strategies mainly for high-risk patients: percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) and aggressive medical management (AMM). However, the choice between PTAS or AMM remains controversial for patients with stroke or intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). The investigators searched the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane library databases. Randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing PTAS and AMM for patients with stroke or ICAS were selected. RevMan 5.3 was used to analyze the results and assess risk of bias. The primary endpoints are stroke and death within 30 days after enrollment, or ischemic stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days, and entire follow-up endpoints. The secondary outcomes were the disabling or fatal stroke, and incidence of death within 3 years. Four studies, 989 patients were included in this article. The AMM group was superior in the entire follow-up endpoint (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.40, 0.79). The AMM also better in primary endpoint within 30 days (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.17, 0.61). There was no significant difference beyond 30 days (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.63, 1.86). The remaining outcomes, such as stroke and death, were not significantly different (P > 0.05). This meta-analysis shows AMM is significantly more effective than PTAS in subjects with ICAS due to the high rate of periprocedural stroke (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.17, 0.61) and stroke during the entire follow-up (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.40, 0.79) associated with PTAS. Furthermore, PTAS offers no additional benefits over AMM beyond 30 days (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.63, 1.86).

Clinical Relevance of Plaque Distribution for Basilar Artery Stenosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is no clear association between plaque distribution and postoperative complications in patients with basilar artery atherosclerotic stenosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether plaque distribution and postoperative complications after endovascular treatment for basilar artery stenosis are related.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study enrolled patients with severe basilar artery stenosis who were scanned with high-resolution MR imaging and followed by DSA before the intervention. According to high-resolution MR imaging, plaques can be classified as ventral, lateral, dorsal, or involved in 2 quadrants. Plaques affecting the proximal, distal, or junctional segments of the basilar artery were classified according to DSA. An experienced independent team assessed ischemic events after the intervention using MR imaging. Further analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between plaque distribution and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

A total of 140 eligible patients were included in the study, with a postoperative complication rate of 11.4%. These patients were an average age of 61.9 (SD, 7.7) years. Dorsal wall plaques accounted for 34.3% of all plaques, and plaques distal to the anterior-inferior cerebellar artery accounted for 60.7%. Postoperative complications of endovascular treatment were associated with plaques located at the lateral wall (OR = 4.00; 95% CI, 1.21-13.23; P = .023), junctional segment (OR = 8.75; 95% CI, 1.16-66.22; P = .036), and plaque burden (OR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06; P = .042).

CONCLUSIONS

Plaques with a large burden located at the junctional segment and lateral wall of the basilar artery may increase the likelihood of postoperative complications following endovascular therapy. A larger sample size is needed for future studies.

Optional or optimal? off-label stenting for intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis is a major cause of ischemic stroke. In addition to the Wingspan stent system, several self-expanding stents have been used off-label to treat intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis lesions. The purpose of this review is to assess the existing data on the off-label use of self-expanding stents in intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, to highlight methodological limitations in current study designs, and thus providing strategies and precautions for clinical practice.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for relevant articles published up to April 2022. In addition to the meta analysis of Enterprise, Neuroform EZ and closed cell stent respectively, we used a narrative synthesis to summarize and discuss the appropriate strategies and precautions for the use of each stent.

RESULTS

We identified 17 studies (1091 patients with 1124 lesions) reporting 6 types of off-label self-expanding stents. The most common endpoints reported were incidence of short-term complications (range: 0-15.8%, median: 3.8%), long-term complications (range: 0-12.0%, median: 0%). Potential risks include infeasibility of stenting hard lesions or tortuous vessels, stent migration, and in-stent thrombosis. Less is known about the conditions that are appropriate for an optimal stent (e.g., open-cell, close-cell, hybrid cell). There was considerable heterogeneity across studies with regards to study populations and study designs.

CONCLUSIONS

The potential risks and benefits should be carefully considered when using off-label stents for intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, particularly given the current evidence power. As a potential option for the Wingspan stent, based on device's approval only, a tailored approach with lesion-specific devices could be beneficial in certain patients.

Silent brain infarcts after carotid or vertebrobasilar artery stenting

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Stenting is an important treatment for preventing stroke. However, the effect of vertebrobasilar stenting (VBS) might be limited because of relatively high periprocedural risks. Silent brain infarcts (SBIs) are known as a predictor for future stroke. Because of anatomical differences, factors for SBIs might be different between carotid artery stenting (CAS) and VBS. We compared the characteristics of SBIs between VBS and CAS.

METHODS

We included patients who underwent elective VBS or CAS. Diffusion-weighted imaging was performed pre- and post-procedure to detect new SBIs. Clinical variables, occurrence of SBIs, and procedure-related factors were compared between CAS and VBS. Moreover, we investigated predictors of SBIs in each group separately.

RESULTS

Ninety-two (34.2%) out of 269 patients had SBIs. SBIs were more frequently observed in VBS (29 [56.6%] vs. 63 [28.9%], p<.001). The risk of SBIs outside the stent-inserted vascular territory was higher in VBS compared to CAS (14 [48.3%] vs. 8 [12.7%], p<.001). Larger-diameter stents (odds ratio: 1.28, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.54, p = .012) and prolonged procedure time (1.01, [1.00-1.03], p = .026) increased the risk of SBIs in CAS, whereas only age increased the risk of SBIs in VBS (1.08 [1.01-1.16], p = .036).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to CAS, VBS was associated with longer procedure time, more residual stenosis, and more SBIs, especially outside the stent-inserted vascular territory. The risk of SBIs after CAS was associated with stent size and procedural difficulty. Only age was associated with SBIs in VBS. The pathomechanism of SBIs after VBS and CAS may be different.

In-stent restenosis and stented-territory infarction after carotid and vertebrobasilar artery stenting

BACKGROUND

Prognosis after vertebrobasilar stenting (VBS) may differ from that after carotid artery stenting (CAS). Here, we directly compared the incidence and predictors of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory infarction after VBS and compared them with those of CAS.

METHODS

We enrolled patients who underwent VBS or CAS. Clinical variables and procedure-related factors were obtained. During the 3 years of follow-up, in-stent restenosis and infarction were investigated in each group. In-stent restenosis was defined as reduction in the lumen diameter > 50% compared with that after stenting. Factors associated with the occurrence of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory infarction in VBS and CAS were compared.

RESULTS

Among 417 stent insertions (93 VBS and 324 CAS), there was no statistical difference in in-stent restenosis between VBS and CAS (12.9% vs. 6.8%, P = 0.092). However, stented-territory infarction was more frequently observed in VBS than in CAS (22.6% vs. 10.8%; P = 0.006), especially a month after stent insertion. HbA1c level, clopidogrel resistance, and multiple stents in VBS and young age in CAS increased the risk of in-stent restenosis. Diabetes (3.82 [1.24-11.7]) and multiple stents (22.4 [2.4-206.4]) were associated with stented-territory infarction in VBS. However, in-stent restenosis (odds ratio: 15.1, 95% confidence interval: 3.17-72.2) was associated with stented-territory infarction in CAS.

CONCLUSIONS

Stented-territory infarction occurred more frequently in VBS, especially after the periprocedural period. In-stent restenosis was associated with stented-territory infarction after CAS, but not in VBS. The mechanism of stented-territory infarction after VBS may be different from that after CAS.

Comparative effect of stenting plus medical therapy vs medical therapy alone on the risk of stroke and death in patients with symptomatic intracranial stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of stenting plus medical therapy versus medical therapy alone have been successfully conducted for the treatment of patients with symptomatic intracranial stenosis. This study aimed to evaluate differences between these two therapies in the risk of stroke and death.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched to identify relevant studies published before August 24, 2022. Review Manager 5.3 software was used to assess the data. The risk ratio (RR) was analysed and calculated with a random effect model or a fixed effects model.

RESULTS

We pooled 921 participants from three RCTs. Compared to the medical therapy alone group, the stenting plus medical therapy group had a higher risk of 30-day death or stroke (RR = 2.69 [1.64-4.41], P < 0.0001, I² = 0%). When the follow-up period exceeded 1 year (≥ 1 year), there was no significant difference in the risk of stroke or death between these two groups. The subgroup analysis showed that if the time from stroke onset to implantation was extended, additional stenting would have no effect on the risk of stroke or death, whether within 30 days or within 1 year (P = 0.16 and 0.78).

CONCLUSION

Medical therapy alone has a lower risk of stroke and death in the short term than stenting plus medical therapy, while no difference exists in the long term. More studies are still needed to further explore the precision strategy of stent implantation for symptomatic intracranial stenosis patients.

Medical and Endovascular Treatments for Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis: A Network Meta-Analysis

Medical treatment and endovascular therapy are widely used for intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, but the best treatment strategy remains uncertain. The goal of this study was to compare the safety and effectiveness of medical treatment, stenting, and primary balloon angioplasty (PBA). We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE for trials comparing these three treatments for intracranial stenosis up to December 24, 2020. We performed a network meta-analysis with random-effects models. The primary outcome was any stroke or death during a long-term follow-up. Secondary outcomes included ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and death. This network meta-analysis included 14 trials with 1520 participants. No significant difference was found between the three groups in the primary outcome, while PBA was probably the best treatment according to the ranking plot. Medical treatment had significantly lower rate of any stroke or death (odds ratio (OR), 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17-0.56), ischemic stroke (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.23-0.81), and intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.71) within 30 days than stenting but did not differ from PBA. The ranking plot demonstrated that PBA was also most likely to rank the highest for ischemic stroke during the long-term follow-up and beyond 30 days, although no significant difference was identified. Medical treatment had lower risk of any stroke or death within 30 days than stenting but did not differ from PBA. All the treatments had similar effects on the prevention of long-term stroke, while PBA had the highest probability of being the most effective.

Where are we heading in post-China angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic intracranial severe stenosis era?

Symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is a globally challengeable disease. In the past 20 years, people have made a huge effort to deal with the problem including using endovascular technology and aggressive medical therapy. However, the efficacy of these methods seemed to be limited. The recent China angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic intracranial severe stenosis (CASSISS) did not support the addition of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting to medical therapy for the treatment of patients with symptomatic severe ICAD. So where are we heading in the post-CASSISS era?

The CASSISS Randomized Clinical Trial

The CASSISS trial (China Angioplasty & Stenting for Symptomatic Intracranial Severe Stenosis), recently published in JAMA, is the most recent of several randomized controlled trials that have failed to show a benefit of percutaneous angioplasty and stenting over medical therapy for the prevention of stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Current practice guidelines recommended that percutaneous angioplasty and stenting should not be performed routinely as a treatment for stroke prevention in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. The CASSISS trial reinforces those recommendations and will not change practice, but it may provide some important lessons for future trial design.

Significant improvement of procedural safety in stenting for basilar stenosis: A historically controlled study

The basilar artery has the most perioperative complications in stenting compared to the other intracranial arteries. We aim to study whether the procedural safety in stenting for basilar stenosis has improved. This study was a single-arm, non-randomized trial that included historically controlled patients for comparison. Between January 2012 and March 2019, 147 consecutive patients with symptomatic basilar stenoses receiving elective stenting treatment were included in current basilar artery stenting (BAS) group. The prospectively collected and registered 120 patients by the same interventional team from September 2001 to November 2011 were set as historical BAS group for control. A total of 267 individuals were included in this study, with a mean age of 59.5 ± 8.1 years. The proportion of patients with lesion length >15 mm was 26.5% (39/147) in the current BAS group versus 4.2% (5/120) in the historical BAS group. We found significant differences between these 2 groups in Mori A (17.7% vs 42.5%) and Mori C patients (42.9% vs 13.3%). The proportion of patients receiving preoperative high-resolution magnetic resonance (HRMRI) evaluation was 83.0% (122/147) in the current BAS group versus 20.8% (25/120) in the historical group (P < .05). Balloon-expendable stent (BES) (n = 1), Wingspan (n = 34), and Enterprise (n = 112) stents were placed in the current BAS group. In contrast, only balloon-expendable stent (BES) (n = 48) and Wingspan (n = 72) were deployed in the historical BAS group. The incidence of the safety endpoint (SE) was 4.1% (involving 6 patients) in the current BAS group versus 11.7% (involving 14 patients) in the historical BAS group (P < .05). In multivariate analysis, no risk factor was associated with the occurrence of the safety endpoint (SE). When BAS cases operated by the surgical team accumulated to 120 to 150, the incidence of complications decreased significantly. This is the largest sample size study to discuss the safety of BAS. The significantly decreased incidence of complications indicates that the improving technical measures and the accumulation of operation experience are necessary.

Long-term outcome and factors associated with restenosis after combination therapy of balloon angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic intracranial stenosis

BACKGROUND

The optimal treatment for intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS) has not been established. We retrospectively examined the initial and long-term outcomes associated with restenosis of a combination therapy of balloon angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic atherosclerotic ICAS.

METHODS

Consecutive patients who underwent balloon angioplasty and/or stenting for ≥ 70% ICAS between 2006 and 2020 were analyzed. Patients within 48 h of stroke onset were excluded. The following procedures were established as standards at our institution: (1) primary balloon angioplasty alone was initially performed; (2) stenting for insufficient dilatation, recoiling, or dissection was conducted; and (3) stenting was considered for restenosis. Intracranial ischemic and hemorrhagic complications within 30 days after treatment were used to evaluate periprocedural safety. Recurrent ischemic events, restenosis and restenosis related factors were used to be evaluate the long-term outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 160 patients were recruited. Initial treatment consisted of balloon angioplasty (n = 101) and stenting (n = 59). Intracranial complications within 30 days after treatment were ischemic in five (3.1%) and hemorrhagic in four patients (2.5%). The incidence of these complication was 3.1% in the stenting group and 2.5% in the balloon angioplasty group. The mean follow-up period was 53.9 months. Restenosis was found in 42 patients (26%). Recurrent ischemic events during follow-up were noted in 14 patients (8.8%), of which six patients had TIA and eight patients had ischemic stroke. Restenosis-associated factors included diabetes, coronary artery disease, percent stenosis after treatment, and balloon angioplasty in logistic univariate analysis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that diabetes (HR: 2.084, CI: 1.039-4.180, p = 0.0386), length of lesion (HR; 1.358, CI: 1.174-1.571, p < 0.0001), and balloon angioplasty (HR: 4.194, CI: 1.083-16.239, p = 0.0379) were independent predictors for restenosis.

CONCLUSION

Combination therapy of balloon angioplasty and stenting for symptomatic ICAS had a low perioperative stroke rate and may improve long-term outcome. Balloon angioplasty, diabetes, and length of lesion were significantly associated with restenosis.

The safety and efficacy of periprocedural intravenous anticoagulants for acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent endovascular treatment: Sub-analysis of the RESCUE-Japan Registry 2

The efficacy and safety of periprocedural anticoagulant therapy are still controversial. We investigated the effects of periprocedural anticoagulation on patients who underwent endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The patients were dichotomized into two groups according to the use of intravenous anticoagulant during or within 24 h after EVT (AC or non-AC group). Primary outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2 at 90 days. Safety outcomes were defined as any or symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH). Among 1278 enrolled patients, 740 patients (57.9%) were in the AC group and the remaining 538 patients (42.1%) were in the non-AC group. The median dose of heparin was 5000 units intraoperatively, and 10,000 units /day postoperatively. In the AC group, hypercholesterolemia, higher pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale score, non-cardiac embolism etiology, higher rate of anticoagulant premedication, non-administration of t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator), later admission, and longer procedure time were observed. The rate of primary outcomes was not significantly different between the AC and non-AC groups (40.1% vs. 43.9%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.96-1.73; p = 0.09). The incidence of any (26.2% vs. 25.7%; p = 0.80; adjusted odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.72-1.22) and symptomatic (4.3% vs. 5.0%; p = 0.52; adjusted OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.46-1.51) intracranial hemorrhage within 72 h were not significantly different between the groups. Periprocedural anticoagulant therapy after acute revascularization did not relate to prognosis and intracranial hemorrhage after EVT.

The effectiveness of enterprise stent use on the treatment of intracranial atherosclerosis disease

OBJECTIVE

To examine the clinical outcome of Enterprise stent in patients with severe and symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Twenty-five patients who underwent Enterprise stenting between January 2012 and March 2019 were included in this study. Exclusion criteria were previous intracranial stenting and inadequate follow-up. Technical success rates of the procedures were recorded. Clinical outcome was evaluated with pre- and post-treatment modified Rankin Scale scores. The patients were monitored for 18 months clinically and for 14.3 months radiologically.

RESULTS

The mean age of the 15 males and 10 females was 61.6 ± 8.19. Of these 25 patients, 6 (24%) were in the anterior system and 19 (76%) were in posterior system. The mean degree of pre-treatment stenosis was 86.4% ± 7 with the mean lesion length of 12.5 ± 7.5 mm. The residual stenosis rate was 23.8% ± 8.81. Technical success rate was 100%. There were two major complications within the first 30 days (8%). Late major complications (after 30 days) occurred in one case (4%). Stent restenosis was detected in two patients (8%). No intracranial bleeding or mortality was observed.

CONCLUSION

In this single-center study, we achieved high technical success and tolerable complication rates. Enterprise stent may be a good treatment alternative for severe intracranial stenosis especially in patients resistant to medical treatment when correct patient selection is made. However, further randomized controlled studies, including more cases should be carried out.

Recurrent stroke risk in intracranial atherosclerotic disease

Recurrent stroke risk secondary to intracranial atherosclerotic disease remains high despite aggressive medical treatment. This risk is further amplified in subgroups possessing biomarkers of hemodynamic insufficiency and potential for embolization, which have been shown to be independently and synergistically predictive of recurrent stroke. Luminal stenosis was predominantly used as entry criteria in major treatment trials, discounting the potential role of hemodynamics from primary analyses, limiting the strength of evidence and conclusions of these biomarkers to post-hoc analyses and other natural history studies. Future treatment trials should consider stratifying patients using a combination of these high-risk biomarkers. In the absence of trials, risk stratifying patients based on the presence of these markers may lend to more individualized clinical decisions. We aimed to summarize the studies that have investigated the relationship between biomarkers and their role in predicting recurrent stroke risk in intracranial atherosclerotic disease.

Comprehensive Risk Analysis of the Wingspan Stent in Relation to Target Vessels

Objective

To facilitate understanding for the safe use of the Wingspan stent, a comprehensive literature analysis was conducted, and incidence rates of 30-day stroke or death before and after the Stenting versus Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial were compared. We also investigated the associations between 30-day stroke or death rate and four lesion vessels, the internal carotid artery (ICA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), basilar artery (BA), and vertebral artery (VA).

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. The incidence rates of 30-day stroke or death in pre- and post-SAMMPRIS were compared using forest plots and funnel plots.

Results

Thirty studies (15 before and 15 after the SAMMPRIS) were identified, comprising 2071 patients. Post-SAMMPRIS studies showed lower incidence rates of 30-day stroke or death compared to the pre-SAMMPRIS studies (8.5% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.014). The odds ratio of 30-day stroke or death of the post-SAMMPRIS group compared to that of the pre-SAMMPRIS group was 0.64 (95% confidence interval: 0.45-0.92, p = 0.014). The average 30-day stroke or death rates of overall, pre-, and post-SAMMPIS studies were 1.1%, 1.1%, and 1.1% for ICA; 6.2%, 8.8%, and 5.3% for MCA; 0.9%, 6.0%, and 2.7% for VA; and 13.5%, 15.1%, and 12.5% for BA, respectively. The post-SAMMPRIS study group showed significantly lower event rates for the treatment of MCA and VA than the pre-SAMMPRIS group did (p = 0.003 and p = 0.006, respectively). The incidence rates of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke were 3.5% and 2.0%, respectively.

Conclusion

This systematic surveillance study indicated that the modification of the indications for use based on the results of the SAMMPRIS trial for the Wingspan stent was effective in reducing 30-day stroke or death.

Factors Influencing the Outcome of Symptomatic Intracranial Artery Stenosis With Hemodynamic Impairment After Short and Long-Term Stent Placement

Objective

Stent placement is a feasible approach worldwidely for patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis (sICAS) and hemodynamic impairment (HI) who are at high risk of recurrent stroke after medical treatment. Exploration of factors associated with poor outcomes after stent placement could help develop better individualized therapeutic strategies.

Methods

This study conducted a post-hoc analysis of a prospective, multicenter registry study of stent use for sICAS with HI in China. Patient and clinical demographics, and stenotic lesion images were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression to the time until any endpoints or the end of the follow-up period. The short-term endpoint included any transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, or death within 1 month after stent placement. The long-term endpoints included the short-term endpoints and any TIA or stroke in the region of the affected artery that occurred more than 1 month after stent placement.

Results

Two hundred and ninety two patients were included, with 13 short-term and 39 long-term endpoints. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that lesions at the arterial origin or bifurcation (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 7.52; 95% CI, 1.89-29.82; p = 0.004) were significantly associated with higher short-term risk. Baseline renal insufficiency reduced the risk (HR = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01-0.68; p = 0.021). Factors significantly associated with higher long-term risk included irregular or ulcerated plaques at the lesion (HR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.07-4.33; p = 0.031). Subgroup analyses indicated that higher risk occurred in the older age group (age>59 years, HR = 3.73, 95% CI: 1.27-10.97, p = 0.017), and not in the younger group (age≤59 years, HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.42-3.03, p = 0.822).

Conclusion

Irregular or ulcerated plaques in older patients and lesions at the arterial opening or bifurcation were more likely to result in adverse endpoints for stent placement during long or short -term follow-up. Investigation of these factors might facilitate the development of individualized therapeutic strategies for this population.

Clinical Trial Registration

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT01968122.

Endovascular Treatment of Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes Due to Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has become the gold-standard for patients with acute large vessel occlusion strokes (LVOS). MT is highly effective in the treatment of embolic occlusions; however, underlying intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) represents a therapeutic challenge, often requiring pharmacological and/or mechanical rescue treatment. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors have been suggested as the best initial approach, if reperfusion can be achieved after thrombectomy, with angioplasty and/or stenting being reserved for the more refractory cases. In this review, we focus on the therapeutic considerations surrounding the endovascular treatment of ICAD-related acute LVOS.

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease and acute ischaemic stroke: A review of diagnosis and management

Intracranial atherosclerotic disease is highly prevalent and a common cause of ischaemic stroke globally. With the increasing use of endovascular treatment for acute stroke management, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have become an essential part of patient selection. In this review, we present the typical imaging findings of intracranial atherosclerosis and an overview of management as relevant to diagnostic and interventional radiologists.

Treatment of basilar artery stenosis with an Apollo balloon-expandable stent: a single-centre experience with 61 consecutive cases

Stent placement for basilar artery (BA) stenosis remains a technical and clinical challenge. This retrospective study introduces the experience with the Apollo balloon-expandable stent (BES) for patients with symptomatic BA stenosis in a single centre in China. Sixty one patients who had undergone intervention for severe symptomatic BA stenosis between May 2012 and September 2018 were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent angioplasty and stenting with an Apollo BES and were followed-up continuously. The technical success rate was 100%. During the procedure, there was no vessel rupture or dissection. Two patients died due to perforator occlusion. One patient developed vasospasm with no symptoms. The rate of complications during the procedure was 4.91% (3/61). BA stent-related stroke or death rates were 4.9% at 30 days (3/61), 6.6% at 3 months (4/61), and 6.6% (4/61) at 6 months. One patient had stent occlusion at 6 months with no symptoms. Restenosis was found in five patients with degrees of restenosis greater than ≥ 50% without any symptoms. In this study, the Apollo BES appeared to be feasible for BA stenosis. Our experience may be valuable for reducing the number of complications. However, further study is needed.

Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease: Current Concepts in Medical and Surgical Management

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

This article reviews the current concepts in intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) as a common etiology of ischemic stroke; pathophysiologic mechanisms of ischemic stroke; diagnostic evaluation; and therapeutic modalities, including maximal medical therapy (MMT), percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS), and bypass surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS

Data from recent studies demonstrate that proper patient selection and timing of procedure and standardized PTAS techniques by experienced operators resulted in acceptably low periprocedural adverse events for patients who failed MMT.

SUMMARY

ICAD is a common cause of ischemic stroke. Complex pathology and high rates of recurrent and disabling ischemic strokes despite currently available treatments make ICAD the most challenging to treat of all ischemic stroke etiologies. Randomized trials previously showed that MMT, which involves the use of combinations of antiplatelet medications, targeted control of hypertension and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and adequate management of body weight through lifestyle modification, was superior to PTAS in decreasing rates of recurrent ischemic strokes from symptomatic ICAD. MMT performed better than expected, while periprocedural complications were significantly higher than expected in PTAS. Meanwhile, high rates of recurrent ischemic stroke despite MMT remain a great challenge. New clinical evidence continues to emerge on a safer application of PTAS, which is currently offered to a subset of patients who present with recurrent ischemic strokes despite MMT.

Risk factors associated with recurrence of ischemic stroke after intracranial stenting in china: a case-control study

Objectives: To investigate the factors affecting the risk of recurrent stroke after intracranial artery stenting.Methods: This is a subgroup analysis of a prospective single-arm registry study with 20 participating sites. Patients aged 18-85 years old with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis caused by 70-99% stenosis combined with poor collaterals were included in this study. The median follow-up in this study was 26.4 months.Results: A total of 260 patients were recruited in this study. Ischemic stroke related to target vessel occurred in 11 patients (4.2%) from 30 days to the last follow-up. The multivariate analysis revealed age ≥60 years old (OR: 11.991, 95% CI: 1.400-102.716; p = 0.023), no smoking (OR: 0.087, 95% CI: 0.010-0.787; p = 0.030), and Mori C type (OR: 5.129, 95% CI: 1.242-21.178; p = 0.024) retained significance in the model. There was no significant difference in the ischemic stroke based on medical history of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, baseline percent stenosis, length of stenosis, residual stenosis, and different stent types.Conclusions: Recurrence of ischemic stroke after intracranial stenting may be associated with elderly age, non-smoking, and Mori C type lesion. These factors will need to be monitored in future trials of intracranial stenting.Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01968122.

Intravenous Tirofiban Infusion After Angioplasty and Stenting in Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis-Related Stroke

[Figure: see text].