Abstract
Background
The role of calcification in carotid atherosclerosis before and after carotid artery stenting (CAS) is contradictory. This study assessed the relationship between the extent of calcification in target carotid plaque and the prognosis of patients with carotid stenosis undergoing carotid artery stenting.
Methods
A total of 293 subjects with carotid stenosis after CAS were consecutively and retrospectively recorded in this cohort. All subjects underwent outpatient and telephone follow-up using major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE). Finally, 211 subjects who completed 2-year follow-up were included. χ2 test, Student’s t-test and Wilcoxon test was used between MACE and no-MACE groups. Cox proportional hazard models were used to figure out the risk factor of calcification characteristics.
Result
Over a median follow-up period of 1.92 years, 14 composite endpoints were recorded. The symptom status (P = 0.0116), abuse of alcohol (P = 0.0091), the amount of total calcification clusters (P = 0.0428) and superficial calcification clusters (P = 0.0022) showed statistics significance in univariable Cox models. After adjusting for demographic characteristics and surgical-related factors, the amount of superficial calcification clusters maintained its statistical significance [P = 0.0232, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.694, 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.0744–2.6720].
Conclusion
The present study established that the amount of superficial calcification clusters independently serves as a prognostic risk factor in patients with carotid atherosclerosis underwent carotid artery stenting.