Risk factors of early neurological deterioration in patients with cerebral infarction induced by symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis

Abstract

Objective To investigate the risk factors of early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with cerebral infarction induced by symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis. Methods One hundred and eighty-nine cerebral infarction patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis were collected. According to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at 72 h of admission minus baseline NIHSS scores, these patients were divided into END group (n=51, ≥2) and non-END group (n=138, <2). Clinical data and laboratory results were retrospectively collected. Univariate Logistic regressionwas used to analyze the differences of above data between the two groups, and multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of END in patients with cerebral infarction induced by symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis. Results There were significant differences between the END group and the non- END group in age ([69.1±10.6] years vs. [65.8±10.4] years), baseline NIHSS scores (10.6±4.6 vs. 5.1±4.1), intracranial artery stenosis site (anterior circulation, 82.4%% vs. 66.7%), intracranial artery stenosis degree (occlusion, 66.7% vs. 44.2%), cholesterol level ([6.7±1.0] mmol/L vs. [4.8±0.8] mmol/L) and lymphocyte count ([2.3±2.2] ×109/L vs. [1.5±0.6] ×109/L, P< 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=2.411, 95%C1: 1.102-5.273, P= 0.028), intracranial artery occlusion (OR=122, 95%CI: 3.635-4102, P=0.007) and baseline NIHSS scores (OR=2.464, 95%CI: 1.189-5.105, P=0.015) were risk factors for END. Conclusion Patients with symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis induced cerebral infarction, especially those with old age, intracranial artery occlusion or low baseline NIHSS scores, need more attention to avoid END. Key words: Cerebral infarction; Intracranial artery stenosis; Early neurological deterioration; Risk factor