IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 2013: Intracranial Vertebrobasilar Calcification in Patients with Ischemic Stroke is a Predictor of Recurrent Stroke, Vascular Disease, and Death: A Case-Control Study

IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 2013: Intracranial Vertebrobasilar Calcification in Patients with Ischemic Stroke is a Predictor of Recurrent Stroke, Vascular Disease, and Death: A Case-Control Study International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph17062013 Authors: Magdič Cmor Kaube Hojs Fabjan Hauer Sellner Pikija Intracranial artery calcification can be detected on nonenhanced brain computer tomography (NECT) and is a predictor of early vascular events. Here, we assessed the impact of vertebrobasilar artery calcification (VBC) on the long-term risk for recurrent stroke and vascular events. We performed a case-control trial of all consecutive stroke patients admitted to the University Hospital of Maribor, Slovenia over a period of 14 months. VBC was defined as presence of a hyperdense area within vertebrobasilar arteries that exceeds > 90 Hounsfield units as seen on NECT. Clinical follow-up information was obtained from the hospital documentation system and mortality registry of the district and included recurrent stroke, subsequent vascular events (myocardial infarction, heart failure, peripheral arterial occlusive disease), and death. We followed a total of 448 patients for a median of 1505 days (interquartile range, IQR 188-2479). Evidence for VBC was present in 243 (54.2%) patients. Median age was 76 years, recurrent stroke occurred in 33 (7.4%), any vascular events in 71 (15.8%), and death in 276 (61.6%)...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research