Predictive value of ABCD2 score for vertebrobasilar artery patients with posterior circulation transient ischenfic attack： a retrospective case series study

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between ABCD2 scores and vertebrobasilar artery stenosis in patients with posterior circulation transient ischemic attack （TIA）. Methods The patients with posterior circulation TIA who performed cerebral angiography were enrolled in the study, and their ABCD2 scores and imaging data were analyzed. Results A total of 108 patients with posterior circulation TIA were enrolled. There were significant differences in the main trunk stenosis degree of vertebrobasilar artery with different ABCD2 scores in patients with posterior circulation TIA （P = 0. 005）. The overall degree of stenosis increased with the increase of ABCD2 score （P = 0. 000）. After adjustment for other vascular risk factors, ABCD2 score had significant predictive ability for whether had posterior circulation stenosis （odds ratio E OR] 1. 771, 95% confidence interval E CIJ 1. 234 -2. 542; P =0. 002） and moderate to severe stenosis （OR 2. 083, 95% CI 1. 336 - 3. 176; P = 0. 001 ）. Its receiver operating characteristic area under the curve was 0. 693 （95% CI O. 586 -0. 800） and 0. 755 （95% CI O. 661 -0. 849） respectively. When the ABCD2 score was ≥3, the sensitivity and specificity of predicting posterior circulation stenosis were 62. 6% （95% C1 53.4% - 71.7% ） and 70. 6% （95% C1 62. 0% - 79. 1% ） respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity of predicting posterior circulation stenosis 〉 50% were 78. 7% （95% CI 70. 9% - 86.4%） and 67. 5% （95% CI 58. 7% - 76. 3% ） respectively. Conelusiom In patients with posterior circulation TIA, the stenosis degree of vertebrobasilar arterial trunk increases with the increase of ABCD2 score. In a certain extent, ABCD2 score may predict whether the main trunk of the posterior circulation has stenosis and whether has moderate to severe stenosis. Key words: Ischemic Attack, Transient; Stroke; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis; Vertebral Artery; Basilar Artery; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Angiography, Digital Subtraction