The effect of craniocervical atherosclerotic stenosis on the occurence of neurologic deterioration of patients with small vessel occlusion stroke and their clinical outcomes

Abstract

Abstract Objective To explore the effect of craniocervical atherosclerotic stenosis (AS) on the occurrence of ND in SVO stroke patients and on the outcomes of patients with SVO stroke with ND (SVO-ND). Methods Patients with SVO stroke were consecutively enrolled. AS was defined as a craniocervical artery with a stenosis of ≥ 50% caused by atherosclerosis. Results The presence [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.25–6.07, p = 0.012] and the number of craniocervical AS (aOR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.33–3.49, p = 0.002) were associated with the occurrence of ND in patients with SVO stroke, respectively. Compared with those with none craniocervical AS, the risk of ND increased in SVO stroke patients with multiple AS (aOR = 6.56, 95% CI = 2.05–21.01, p = 0.002), and the risk of poor outcome increased in SVO-ND patients (aOR = 47.75, 95% CI = 1.66–375.17, p = 0.024). Conclusion An evaluation of the craniocervical AS number is a stratification of ND for SVO stroke patients, and a stratification of poststroke disability for SVO-ND patients.