Symptomatic carotid ischaemic events: safest and most cost effective way of selecting patients for angiography,before carotid endarterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safest, least costly, and most effective way to select patients with symptomatic carotid ischaemic events for carotid angiography before carotid endarterectomy. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: University departments of clinical neurosciences and clinical neurology. PATIENTS: 485 Patients with carotid territory transient ischaemic attacks of the brain (n = 224) or eye (n = 162) or retinal infarction (n = 99) were referred to a single neurologist between 1976 and 1986. INTERVENTIONS: Clinical examination by auscultation over the precordium, supraclavicular fossae, and neck vessels (all patients). Cerebral angiography of patients suitable for carotid endarterectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Financial cost and number of disabling strokes after angiography. RESULTS: 296 Patients were investigated by cerebral angiography. Ischaemic symptoms had occurred in the distribution of 298 internal carotid arteries (symptomatic) that were imaged, two patients having bilateral symptoms. The presence or absence of a carotid bruit and the maximum percentage diameter stenosis of the origin of the symptomatic internal carotid artery were correlated. The prevalence of mild disease (diameter stenosis greater than or equal to 25%) of the symptomatic internal carotid artery was 57%, and if an ipsilateral carotid bruit was heard the probability of mild stenosis rose to 92%. The prevalence of moderate disease of the symptomatic internal carotid artery (stenosis greater than or equal to 50%) was 39%, and if a bruit was heard the probability doubled to 78%. The prevalence of severe internal carotid disease (stenosis greater than or equal to 75%) was 22%, and if a bruit was heard the probability was more than double, at 49%. The direct cost to both the NHS and the private health sector of investigating patients with symptomatic carotid ischaemia was estimated for several strategies of carotid artery imaging and expressed in terms of financial cost and number of strokes after angiography incurred in detecting all patients with diameter stenosis of the symptomatic internal carotid artery of greater than or equal to 25%, 50%, or 75%. To detect diameter stenosis of the internal carotid artery of greater than or equal to 25% it is most cost effective to proceed directly to cerebral angiography in patients with a carotid bruit over the symptomatic carotid bifurcation and to screen patients without a carotid bruit by duplex carotid ultrasonography; patients in whom duplex ultrasonography discloses stenosis of greater than or equal to 25% are then referred for cerebral angiography. To detect only more severe internal carotid disease (stenosis of greater than or equal to 50%) the same policy applies, unless the local duplex ultrasonographic service is particularly efficient and reliable, when it is probably most cost effective and safer to screen all patients by this method irrespective of the findings on cervical auscultation. To detect stenosis of 75% or greater it is most cost effective to screen all patients with duplex ultrasonography, whether a carotid bruit is present or not, because this approach reduces the number of angiograms required, is the least expensive, and results in the least number of strokes after angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Patients selection for cerebral angiography before carotid endarterectomy needs to be appropriate and cost effective. Sound clinical evaluation and duplex carotid ultrasound are required. The findings of this study should not be applied to other medical centres without first considering possible differences in the prevalence of carotid artery disease, the efficiency and reliability of duplex ultrasonography, the local complication rates of cerebral angiography, and the local costs of the imaging procedures.     

Carotid Doppler evaluation in cerebrovascular disease.

The Doppler technique has proven to be a useful noninvasive technique for evaluating the patency of the carotid artery in patients at risk of stroke. The data obtained from 246 carotid Doppler examinations were compared with the angiographic findings in the same patients. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were high when the degree of stenosis was greater than 50%, but occlusions were less reliably detected, with 8 (33%) of the 24 being misdiagnosed as high-grade stenoses. Carotid Doppler evaluation guides and accelerates decisions regarding further investigations, such as cerebral angiography. It helps one decide whether a neck bruit is of arterial origin and aids assessment following cerebrovascular surgery. It is not a substitute for cerebral angiography because it poorly visualizes both the posterior and the intracranial circulations and cannot accurately detect low-grade (less than 50%) stenoses or ulcerated arterial plaques. Detection of stenosis in a carotid artery in an otherwise uncertain case is an indication for cerebral angiography, so the Doppler technique will probably increase the number of angiograms performed. However, this technique is also useful in follow-up, being without hazard, and should, therefore, reduce the likelihood of unnecessary angiographic examinations.     

Indications for angiography and surgery in carotid artery disease.

The results of angiographic investigation of 211 patients suffering from transient cerebral ischaemic attacks in the carotid territory have been reviewed. The greatest proportion of patients with carotid stenosis and who were referred for endarterectomy were those with a neck bruit ipsilateral to the affected hemisphere. Ocular involvement (amaurosis fugax) was associated with a still higher prevalence of angiographic abnormality, and carotid occlusion was commonest in this group. The implications for the management of patients with transient ischaemic attacks are discussed.     

Relevance of duration of transient ischaemic attacks in carotid territory.

A retrospective review of the clinical and angiographic features of 116 patients who had had one or more transient ischaemic attacks in the carotid territory showed that stenosis of ther cervical portion of the internal carotid artery was significantly more prevalent among patients whose attacks had been brief, with full recovery in under one hour. This information may be helpful in selecting patients for angiography.     

Digital Subtraction Angiography Imaging Characteristics of Patients with Extra–Intracranial Atherosclerosis and Its Relationship to Stroke

To investigate the angiographic characteristics and clinical features in patients with suspected extra–intracranial atherosclerosis in a large cohort of Chinese population. On the basis of digital subtraction angiography characteristics, pathological morphology of extra–intracranial atherosclerosis was divided into tortuosity, kinking, coiling, and stenosis in 2,218 individuals aged 45–89 years. The degree of stenosis was further divided into low-grade (<30 %), intermediate-grade (30–69 %), and high-grade stenosis (≥70 %). Clinical manifestations were divided into transient ischemic attack, cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage. The prevalence of tortuosity and stenosis were significantly higher in the extracranial arterial system than that of intracranial arterial system. The prevalence of tortuosity and kinking were significantly higher on the left side than the right side. The prevalence of mild and moderate stenosis in the internal carotid artery was significantly higher in the left side than the right side. The incidence of cerebral infarction was significantly higher in the internal carotid arterial (ICA) system than the vertebrobasilar arterial (VBA) system. Tortuosity is a common carotid abnormality in the Chinese population. The prevalence of ICA tortuosity is higher than that of VBA. The incidence of cerebral infarction in each atherosclerosis group was significantly higher in ICA than that of VBA. The prevalence of stroke is higher in the ICA system than the VBA system. Kinkings and coilings may not have a clinical significance if these lesions are not associated with atheromatous plaques or carotid stenosis.     

Angiographic appearance of carotid bifurcation in pateints with completed stroke,transient ischaemic attacks,and cerebral tumour.

The angiographic appearance of the carotid bifurcation was compared in groups of patients aged 50-59 suffering from transient ischaemic attacks (40 cases), cerebral infarction with completed stroke (44 cases), and cerebral hemisphere tumour (66 cases). Carotid occlusion was found in 14% of those with infarcts and 5% of those with transient ischaemic attacks. Carotid stenosis was found in 40% of those with ischaemic attacks and 14% of those with infarcts. Minor irregularity of the carotid arterial wall was equally common in all three groups.     

螺旋CT头颈部血管成像对急性脑梗死患者颈动脉狭窄的诊断价值

目的:探讨螺旋CT头颈部血管成像对急性脑梗死患者颈动脉狭窄的诊断价值。方法:选取2014年1月至2016年1月期间来我院就诊的60例急性脑梗死患者作为观察组,另选同期来我院就诊的非急性脑梗死患者60例作为对照组。两组患者均进行螺旋CT头颈部血管成像检查,比较两组患者的颈动脉狭窄程度及各段血管斑块分布情况,并根据检查结果评价螺旋CT头颈部血管成像对急性脑梗死患者颈动脉狭窄的诊断价值。结果:观察组轻度狭窄与中度狭窄检出率均显著高于对照组(P0.05),重度狭窄与闭塞检出率与对照组比较无统计学差异(P0.05),观察组总检出狭窄率高于对照组(P0.05)。观察组与对照组在颈动脉分叉处、颈总动脉、颈内动脉及颈外动脉均有斑块检出,观察组斑块总检出率为69.4%,显著高于对照组的41.2%(P0.05)。结论:临床上应用128层螺旋CT头颈部血管成像技术对急性脑梗死患者颈动脉狭窄情况可进行有效评估,该方法对患者轻、中度狭窄以及双侧颈动脉斑块检出率更高,在临床诊断及预后防治中具有应用推广价值。     

Obscure gastrointestinal haemorrhage of small-bowel origin.

The records of 37 patients investigated for obscure gastrointestinal haemorrhage originating from the small bowel were reviewed retrospectively. Bleeding was caused by Meckel''s diverticula in eight cases, smooth muscle tumours in seven cases, vascular anomalies in 14 cases, and other single lesions in eight cases. The lesions were identified by angiography in 18 patients, operation in 17, and barium follow through examination in two. Only one patient under 50 years of age had a lesion that would not have been found by careful laparotomy. Early laparotomy is advisable in patients aged under 50 with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding; expert selective angiography is recommended before operation in patients aged over 50 and those who have already undergone a laparotomy yielding negative results.     

Clinical and angiographic predictors of stroke and death from carotid endarterectomy: systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for operative stroke and death from carotid endarterectomy. DESIGN: Systematic review of all studies published since 1980 which related risk of stroke and death to various preoperative clinical and angiographic characteristics, including unpublished data on 1729 patients from the European carotid surgery trial. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Operative risk of stroke and death. RESULTS: Thirty six published studies fulfilled our criteria. The effect of 14 potential risk factors was examined. The odds of stroke and death were decreased in patients with ocular ischaemia alone (amaurosis fugax or retinal artery occlusion) compared with those with cerebral transient ischaemic attack or stroke (seven studies; odds ratio 0.49; 95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.66; P < 0.00001). The odds were increased in women (seven studies; 1.44; 1.14 to 1.83; P < 0.005), subjects aged > or = 75 years (10 studies: 1.36; 1.09 to 1.71; P < 0.01), and with systolic blood pressure > 180 mm Hg (four studies; 1.82; 1.37 to 2.41; P < 0.0001), peripheral vascular disease (one study; 2.19; 1.40 to 3.60; P < 0.0005), occlusion of the contralateral internal carotid artery (14 studies; 1.91; 1.35 to 2.69; P < 0.0001), stenosis of the ipsilateral internal carotid siphon (five studies; 1.56; 1.03 to 2.36; P = 0.02), and stenosis of the ipsilateral external carotid artery (one study; 1.61; 1.05 to 2.47; P = 0.03). Operative risk was not significantly related to presentation with cerebral transient ischaemic attack versus stroke, diabetes, angina, recent myocardial infarction, current cigarette smoking, or plaque surface irregularity at angiography. Multiple regression analysis of data from the European carotid surgery trial identified cerebral versus ocular events at presentation, female sex, systolic hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease as independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of stroke and death from carotid endarterectomy is related to several clinical and angiographic characteristics. These observations may help clinicians to estimate operative risks for individual patients and will also facilitate more meaningful comparison of the operative risks of different surgeons or at different institutions by allowing some adjustment for differences in case mix.     

Elderly and younger patients selected to undergo coronary angiography.

OBJECTIVE--To establish and compare the characteristics of older (greater than or equal to 70 years) and younger patients with chest pain selected to undergo coronary angiography and by analysis of their subsequent management to assess the value of coronary angiography for older patients with chest pain. DESIGN--Retrospective analysis of clinical case notes and coronary angiography reports. SETTING--Cardiology department with referral population of one million in an Edinburgh hospital. PATIENTS--134 consecutive patients with chest pain aged 70 years or over investigated by coronary angiography between 1978 and 1988; 134 randomly selected patients aged under 70 investigated over the same period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Clinical and angiographic features at time of angiography and management after angiography. RESULTS--Older patients represented a small, but increasing, proportion of those investigated. Older patients had more severe symptoms at the time of angiography, were taking more antianginal drugs, and had had their symptoms for longer than younger patients. At angiography more older patients had triple vessel coronary disease, left main stem stenosis, or left ventricular impairment. After angiography similar proportions of older and younger patients underwent coronary artery surgery, with more elderly patients requiring urgent operation; although operative mortality was higher for elderly patients, symptomatic benefit was similar to that in younger patients. CONCLUSIONS--Older patients with angina selected to undergo coronary angiography and subsequent coronary surgery have more severe symptoms and underlying cardiac disease. Earlier referral and investigation might yield a population with lower operative risk. Selection of patients for coronary angiography and coronary artery surgery should be based on the potential for benefit and should avoid "agism."     

UNILATERAL PARALYSIS OF EYE MUSCLES ASSOCIATED WITH INTRACRANIAL SACCULAR ANEURYSMS

Unexplained unilateral paralysis of eye muscles with or without evidence of altered function of other cranial nerves, or of the presence of intracranial bruit, is strong positive diagnostic evidence of saccular aneurysm of the intracranial internal carotid or of the circle of Willis. If pulsating exophthalmos is present the lesion probably is an arteriovenous fistula.The presence of such clinical signs strongly indicates the desirability of cerebral angiography. Once demonstrated, the lesion can usually be treated successfully by ligation of the contributing vascular connections.     

Prevalence and outcome of symptomatic carotid lesions in young adults. National Research Council Study Group.

OBJECTIVE--To estimate the prevalence and outcome of symptomatic internal carotid artery lesions in young adults. DESIGN--Multicentre hospital based observational study with five year follow up. SETTING--Seven neurological departments in northern and central Italy. SUBJECTS--240 patients (115 men) aged 15-44 with a recent transient ischaemic attack or stroke in the carotid territory. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--(a) Prevalence of symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion detected by continuous wave Doppler ultrasonography at entry; (b) incidence rates of cerebral, cardiac, and non-vascular death; non-fatal stroke; and non-fatal myocardial infarction. RESULTS--Carotid stenoses of 50-99% and occlusions were found in 38 patients (15.8%). Both conditions were significantly more frequent in patients aged over 35 and in those with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and stroke at entry. The standardised mortality ratio at five years was 10.5 (95% confidence interval 5.0 to 19.3). Survival of patients with stenoses of 0-49% and occlusions was significantly better than that of patients with stenoses of 50-99%. Carotid stenosis of 50-99% was an independent predictor of death (hazard ratio 7.9; 95% confidence interval 2.2 to 29) and non-fatal stroke (hazard ratio 7.4; 1.5 to 37.4). CONCLUSIONS--The prevalence of carotid stenosis or occlusion in young adults after a cerebrovascular event is low. Though patients with high grade symptomatic carotid stenosis are at risk of non-fetal and fetal events, patients with internal artery occlusion apparently have a benign prognosis.     

Cerebrovascular Occlusive Disease—Experience with Panarteriography in 300 Consecutive Cases

Three hundred patients with cerebrovascular occlusive disease have had cerebral angiographic examination at the Veterans Administration Hospital, San Francisco, in the last five years. The present technique consists of preliminary visualization of the aortic arch and the major extracranial branches, followed by selective study of the subclavian and carotid arteries as necessary for evaluation of the intracranial circulation.Nine major complications occurred (an over-all incidence of 3 per cent). Two patients died after angiography and seven had major neurologic deficits persisting for more than 24 hours. Three of these patients had permanent damage, but four recovered completely.One-third of the patients had extracranial disease and one-third had intracranial disease. No significant lesion was found in the remainder. In the 212 patients with lesions, multiple lesions were common, the average number being three. Six patients had brain tumors and five had aneurysms.The mechanism of the stroke could be ascertained readily in most of the patients, but the extent of the disease and the resulting symptoms varied considerably. Several patients with occlusion of most of the cerebral vessels had minimal symptoms, while others had catastrophic symptoms but only minimal findings at arteriography.     

多层螺旋CT 血管造影在脑动脉瘤中应用

目的:观察多层螺旋CT血管造影对脑动脉瘤的诊断价值.方法:对16例脑动脉瘤患者的多层螺旋CT血管造影结果进行总结分析.结果:多层螺旋CT血管造影的诊断准确性与DSA无明显差异;多层螺旋CT血管造影显示动脉瘤的部位、大小、动脉瘤颈结构及其与周围血管的关系等与手术结果基本符合.结论:多层螺旋CT血管造影对脑动脉瘤的诊断准确率高,具备十分重要的临床应用价值.     

Strokes in Young Adults

Occlusion of the internal carotid or middle cerebral artery was seen in 44 young adults of both sexes from a rural population in Ceylon over a period of four years. None had hypertension, diabetes, prediabetes, or hypercholesterolaemia. There were 19 men with internal carotid occlusions, most being due to atherosclerotic thrombosis. The high incidence of atherosclerosis in these patients on a marginal diet remains an enigma, and we suggest that carbohydrate-induced hyperlipidaemia might be an important aetiological factor. There were 13 men with middle cerebral occlusions, the aetiology of which remains obscure. Occult embolism or atherothrombosis are suggested as possible causative factors. Of the 12 women five had middle cerebral artery occlusions in the last trimester of pregnancy and two had internal carotid artery occlusions in the puerperium. The pattern of ischaemic strokes in women aged 15-45 was similar to that observed in Western countries, though our patients differed ethnologically and in dietary habits.     

Role of the vascular laboratory in the diagnosis of aortic arch occlusive disease: Screening of 2000 patients

A significant difference in bilateral systolic brachial artery pressures and the presence of systolic bruit over a subclavian artery suggests occlusive disease in the innominate or subclavian arteries. Two thousand patients with these signs underwent ultrasonography of the carotid, subclavian, and brachial arteries in our laboratory. Doppler recordings of a vertebral artery, with hyperemia testing of the ipsilateral arm, identified those with a subclavian steal syndrome. In each case, angiography confirmed the laboratory diagnosis. The effectiveness of corrective surgery was evaluated noninvasively. Illustrative cases are presented and discussed.     

颈动脉斑块LRNC特征可诊断2型糖尿病患者急性脑梗死的风险

2型糖尿病可能加重颈动脉斑块的易损性并增加缺血性中风的风险,关于2型糖尿病患者伴有颈动脉斑块特征的急性中风亚型鲜有研究报道。本研究旨在探讨2型糖尿病患者颈动脉斑块特征与MRI确定的急性脑梗死病变特征之间的关系。本研究以颈内动脉区急性脑血管病患者为研究对象,所有患者分为2型糖尿病组和非2型糖尿病组,分别行颈动脉和脑部MRI扫描,测定同侧颈动脉斑块的形态和特征,以及颅内和颅外颈动脉狭窄。基于中风亚型和急性脑梗塞病变模式对患者进行评估。研究结果表明,与非2型糖尿病患者相比,2型糖尿病患者颈动脉型IV-VI病变的患病率更高,斑块负荷更大,以及富脂质坏死核(LRNC)更大。在有症状的颈动脉LRNC患者中,与非2型糖尿病组相比,2型糖尿病组颈内动脉区出现较多的伴有大穿孔动脉梗塞形态和较大的急性脑梗塞。LRNC%>23.5%的颈动脉斑块是2型糖尿病患者存在颈动脉狭窄的急性脑梗塞病变的独立危险因素。颈动脉斑块特征的量化,尤其是MRI诊断的富脂质坏死核对中风风险具有潜在应用价值。     

Cerebrovascular Diseases in West Central India

Cerebral angiographic findings in ischaemic stroke are described and discussed in detail. Though the Indian patients studied had altogether different social customs, living standards, and dietary habits from Western people, the relative incidence of various cerebral vascular lesions did not differ significantly. Irrespective of the poor nutritional status of the patients, thrombosis associated with atherosclerosis was chiefly responsible for a non-embolic cerebral infarction. Atherothrombosis in the young normotensive persons not showing any evidence of arteritis, diabetes mellitus, or hypercholesterolaemia was also identified.The grave risks involved in cerebral angiography in cases of acute stroke are re-emphasized.As to prognosis, the nutritional status, the type and territory of an ictal lesion, and the blood levels of sugar and cholesterol had no significant influence on the immediate survival-after a non-embolic cerebral infarction. However, a significantly greater number of deaths were encountered in the hypertensive patients. Female patients and patients with a large cerebral infarction had a poor prognosis.     

MRI Plaque Imaging Detects Carotid Plaques with a High Risk for Future Cerebrovascular Events in Asymptomatic Patients

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate prospectively whether MRI plaque imaging can identify patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis who have an increased risk for future cerebral events. MRI plaque imaging allows categorization of carotid stenosis into different lesion types (I–VIII). Within these lesion types, lesion types IV–V and VI are regarded as rupture-prone plaques, whereas the other lesion types represent stable ones.

Methods

Eighty-three consecutive patients (45 male (54.2%); age 54–88 years (mean 73.2 years)) presenting with an asymptomatic carotid stenosis of 50–99% according to ECST-criteria were recruited. Patients were imaged with a 1.5-T scanner. T1-, T2-, time-of-flight-, and proton-density weighted studies were performed. The carotid plaques were classified as lesion type I–VIII. Clinical endpoints were ischemic stroke, TIA or amaurosis fugax. Survival analysis and log rank test were used to ascertain statistical significance.

Results

Six out of 83 patients (7.2%) were excluded: 4 patients had insufficient MR image quality; 1 patient was lost-to-follow-up; 1 patient died shortly after the baseline MRI plaque imaging. The following results were obtained by analyzing the remaining 77 patients. The mean time of follow-up was 41.1 months.During follow-up, n = 9 (11.7%) ipsilateral ischemic cerebrovascular events occurred. Only patients presenting with the high-risk lesion types IV–V and VI developed an ipsilateral cerebrovascular event versus none of the patients presenting with the stable lesion types III, VII, and VIII (n = 9 (11.7%) vs. n = 0 (0%) during follow-up). Event-free survival was higher among patients with the MRI-defined stable lesion types (III, VII, and VIII) than in patients with the high-risk lesion types (IV–V and VI) (log rank test P<0.0001).

Conclusions

MRI plaque imaging has the potential to identify patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis who are particularly at risk of developing future cerebral ischemia. MRI could improve selection criteria for invasive therapy in the future.     

Fatal ischaemic brain oedema after early thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator in acute stroke.

Two patients with acute major, disabling cerebral infarction with presumed middle cerebral artery occlusion were treated with the clot specific thrombolytic agent tissue plasminogen activator roughly three and a half hours after the onset of symptoms. Both patients had a normal computed tomography (CT) scan before treatment. No appreciable systemic bleeding complications occurred, apart from bruising. One patient had bleeding into the subarachnoid space from a microscopic angioma, which was found at necropsy. Haematological monitoring of the two patients showed pronounced fibrinogenolysis and alpha 2 antiplasmin consumption in one. One patient showed transient improvement during the infusion. In both cases extensive infarction, partly haemorrhagic in one, with massive concomitant oedema was found on repeated CT. Both patients deteriorated and eventually died as a consequence of transtentorial herniation. In the one patient who came to necropsy a moderate, probably pre-existing smooth stenosis of the ipsilateral carotid artery was found, all cerebral vessels being patent. It is concluded that thrombolytic treatment with a clot specific agent such as tissue plasminogen activator started three to four hours after a major ischaemic stroke may be hazardous, not because of haemorrhagic transformation of the original ischaemia but because early reperfusion may promote massive, potentially fatal cerebral oedema.