Risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with spontaneous extracranial vertebral artery dissection

Abstract

Objective To investigate the risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with spontaneous extracranial vertebral artery dissection. Methods From November 2013 to December 2019, patients with spontaneous extracranial vertebral artery dissection admitted to the Department of Neurology, Baotou Central Hospital were enrolled retrospectively. According to whether they had ischemic stroke or not, they were divided into ischemic stroke group and non-ischemic stroke group. The independent risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with spontaneous extracranial vertebral artery dissection were identified by binary logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 39 patients were enrolled, 25 were female (64.1%), 14 were males (35.9%), their age was 51.51±14.98 years old, 16 of them (41.0%) had ischemic stroke. The proportion of patients with double-lumen sign, intimal flap sign of occluded lumen (37% vs. 4%; P=0.013) and specific initial symptoms (56% vs. 9%; P=0.003) of the ischemic stroke group were significantly higher than those of the non-ischemic stroke group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that double-lumen sign and intimal flap sign of occluded lumen (odds ratio 47.951, 95% confidence interval 26.284-87.478; P<0.001), and specific initial symptoms (odds ratio 19.232, 95% confidence interval 10.695-34.587; P<0.001) were independently associated with ischemic stroke in patients with spontaneous extracranial vertebral artery dissection. Conclusions Double-lumen sign, intimal flap sign of occluded lumen and specific clinical symptoms are the independent risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with spontaneous extracranial vertebral artery dissection. Key words: Vertebral artery dissection; Stroke; Brain ischemia; Ultrasonography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Computed tomography angiography; Risk factors