颈动脉支架植入术及药物治疗症状性颈动脉狭窄的临床研究

目的 探讨颈动脉支架植入术在症状性颈动脉狭窄治疗中的安全性、疗效及并发症,并与传统内科药物治疗进行比较. 方法 自2005年5月至2010年5月徐州医学院第二附属医院神经内科共对52例症状性颈动脉狭窄患者行颈动脉支架植入术治疗(支架组),同期63例症状性颈动脉狭窄患者行内科药物治疗(药物组).分别在发病后3个月、6个月、12个月、1年后比较两组患者狭窄血管相关性卒中及短暂性脑缺血发作(TIA)发生率、美国国立卫生院卒中量表神经功能缺损评分(NIHSS). 结果 支架组1例由于路径较差支架无法到位而手术终止;9例术中、术后出现颈动脉窦反射,2例术中出现血管痉挛,4例术中出现高灌注综合征,及时有效处理后均未造成严重后果.随访中,支架组1例手术失败者3个月时卒中复发,余患者12个月内无卒中及TIA事件发作,1年后1例复发;药物组发病后3个月、6个月、12个月、1年后分别有11例、9例、7例及12例卒中或TIA事件发作.支架组发病后3个月、6个月、12个月及1年后NIHSS评分均明显低于药物组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05). 结论 颈动脉支架植入术治疗症状性颈动脉狭窄安全、可行,与内科药物治疗相比较能更好地预防卒中复发,值得临床推广应用.     

International carotid stenting study: protocol for a randomised clinical trial comparing carotid stenting with endarterectomy in symptomatic carotid artery stenosis

BACKGROUND: Carotid stenting avoids general anaesthesia, cranial nerve injury and the discomforts of surgical treatment of carotid stenosis. A systematic review of the randomised trials showed no overall difference in the major risks of endovascular treatment for carotid stenosis compared with surgery, but the confidence intervals were wide and both methods carried a significant risk of stroke. The use of protection devices appears to improve the safety of endovascular treatment, but there are little randomised data available about long-term outcomes. We have therefore set up an international, multicentre, randomised, controlled, open, prospective clinical trial, namely the International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS), also known as CAVATAS-2. The objectives of the ICSS are to compare the risks, benefits and cost-effectiveness of a treatment policy of referral for carotid stenting compared with referral for carotid endarterectomy. METHODS: Centres are required to have a team with audited expertise in carotid endarterectomy and stenting procedures, including at least one neurologist or stroke physician, a surgeon and an interventionalist. Attendance at a carotid stenting training course is required. Centres with more limited experience can join the trial as probationary centres, but stenting must then be proctored by an experienced interventionalist. Symptomatic patients are included over the age of 40 years with atherosclerotic carotid stenosis, suitable for both stenting and surgery, and are randomised in equal proportions between carotid endarterectomy and stenting. Stents and other devices are chosen for use at the discretion of the interventionalists but must be approved by the devices committee. The protocol recommends that a cerebral protection system should be used whenever the operator thinks one can be safely deployed. The combination of aspirin and clopidogrel is recommended to cover stenting procedures. Standard or eversion endarterectomy is allowed using local or general anaesthesia, shunts or patches. All patients will receive best medical care. Patients will be followed up by neurologists at 30 days after treatment, 6 months after randomisation and then annually up to 5 years after randomisation. The primary outcome measure is the difference in the long-term rate of fatal or disabling stroke in any territory between patients randomised to stenting or surgery. Secondary outcome measures include any stroke, myocardial infarction or death within 30 days of treatment, treatment- related cranial nerve palsy or haematoma. Restenosis (>70%) on ultrasound follow-up, economic measures and quality of life will also be analysed. The sample size is estimated at 1,500 patients, which will provide 95% confidence intervals of +/- 3.0 percentage points for the outcome measure of 30-day disabling stroke and death rate and +/- 3.3 percentage points for the outcome measure of death or stroke during follow-up. The trial office monitors outcome events at individual centres and a rate of events above a given threshold triggers a blinded assessment of the events, submitted to the chairman of the data-monitoring committee. CONCLUSIONS: The ICSS protocol incorporates a number of novel features to ensure patient safety, including the concept of probationary centres, proctoring of inexperienced investigators and monitoring of individual centre results on an ongoing basis. The protocol is also designed to mirror routine clinical practice as far as possible, so that the results will be widely applicable and relevant to determining the place of carotid stenting in clinical practice in the future.     

Microembolic signals and carotid plaque morphology: a study of 71 patients with moderate or high grade carotid stenosis

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether particular carotid plaque features on ultrasound are more likely to produce microembolic signals (MES). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have reviewed 71 patients with moderate or high grade carotid stenosis established by ultrasound (30-99%). Plaque appearance was classified according to five subtypes. Transcranial monitoring of the middle cerebral arteries was performed on each patient. RESULTS: MES were more frequently encountered in patients with anechogenic/hypoechogenic plaques compared with isoechogenic/hyperechogenic lesions (P < 0.01). MES+ patients presented also more frequently an irregular surface of the plaque and more severe stenosis, however, the differences did not reach significance. There was no relationship between the presence of MES and a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). When considering the different above mentioned variables (logistic regression), only plaque morphology appeared to be a risk factor for the presence of MES. CONCLUSION: MES+ patients presented a significantly increased frequency of anechogenic/hypoechogenic plaques. As MES may be a marker of increased risk of stroke, the clinical significance of this particular association should be further investigated.     

Four-dimensional ultrasonographic characterization of plaque surface motion in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In vitro studies of atherosclerotic plaque fracture mechanics suggest that analysis of local variations in surface deformability may provide information on relative vulnerability to plaque fissuring or rupture. We investigated plaque surface deformations in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid artery disease using 4-dimensional ultrasonography and techniques for measuring optical flow. METHODS: Four-dimensional ultrasound examinations of carotid artery plaques were performed in 23 asymptomatic and 22 symptomatic patients with 50% to 90% stenosis of the internal carotid artery. Plaque surface motion during 1 cardiac cycle was computed with a hierarchical model-based motion estimator. Results were compared with plaque echogenicity and surface structure. RESULTS: Of the 45 patients examined, plaque surface motion estimates were obtained for 18 asymptomatic and 13 symptomatic patients. There were no significant differences in echogenicity or surface structure of asymptomatic and symptomatic plaques (P>0.05). Results of motion estimation showed that asymptomatic plaques had surface motion vectors of equal orientation and magnitude to those of the internal carotid artery, whereas symptomatic plaques demonstrated evidence of inherent plaque movement. There was no significant difference in maximal plaque velocity between symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques (P<0.14). Maximal discrepant surface velocity (MDSV) in symptomatic plaques was 3.85+/-1.26 mm/s (mean+/-SD), which was significantly higher (P<0.001) than MDSV of asymptomatic plaques with 0.58+/-0.42 mm/s (mean+/-SD). CONCLUSIONS: ++MDSV of carotid artery plaques is significantly different in asymptomatic and symptomatic disease. Further studies are warranted to determine whether plaque surface motion patterns can identify vulnerable plaques in patients with carotid artery stenosis.     

颈动脉内膜切除术或联合导管取栓术治疗慢性症状性颈内动脉闭塞

目的 观察颈动脉内膜切除术(CEA)或联合应用Fogarty导管(2F)取栓术治疗慢性症状性颈内动脉闭塞的临床疗效.方法 回顾性纳入2008年4月至2013年12月单纯采用CEA或术中联合Fogarty导管(2F)取栓术治疗的12例慢性症状性颈内动脉闭塞患者,所有患者均为颈内动脉起始处节段性闭塞.7例患者采用单纯CEA手术,3例行CEA联合Fogarty导管(2F)取栓术,2例再通失败后行颈外动脉CEA+颈内动脉起始处缝扎术.评估其近期及远期临床疗效.结果 12例患者中,术中颈内动脉即刻通畅10例,再通成功的比例为10/12.术后3例出现过度灌注综合征,给予严格控制血压、适当脱水后症状逐步缓解;无脑出血、脑梗死、神经损伤等严重并发症的患者.术后随访5～ 64个月,无新发脑梗死患者;10例再通成功者均未出现再闭塞,1例出现轻度狭窄;2例偶有短暂性脑缺血发作(TIA),但持续时间较术前明显缩短.2例开通失败的患者,1例症状缓解,1例仍有TIA.结论 慢性症状性颈内动脉闭塞患者,CEA或联合Fogarty导管取栓术是安全有效的方法,但需要全面的术前评估及谨慎地选择患者.     

进展性脑卒中与血脂、颈内动脉斑块和狭窄及降脂治疗的关系

目的 探讨进展性脑卒中(PS)与血脂、颈内动脉斑块和狭窄及降脂治疗的关系.方法 对45例PS及45例非PS(NPS)患者进行血总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)和高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)水平检测,以及颈内动脉彩色超声多普勒检查.采用多因素Logistic回归分析其对PS的影响.结果 PS组患者LDL-C水平明显高于NPS组(P＜0.01).PS组有颈内动脉斑块和狭窄的比率(75.6％)显著高于NPS组(42.2％)(P＜0.01)；而降血脂治疗的比率(51.1％)显著低于NPS组(80.0％)(P＜0.05).Logistic回归分析显示,LDL-C(OR=5.035)、颈内动脉斑块和狭窄(OR=3.224)为PS的危险因素,降血脂治疗(OR =0.175)为PS的保护因素(P ＜0.05 ～0.01).结论 血LDL-C水平高及颈内动脉斑块和狭窄为PS发病的危险因素,降血脂治疗对PS具有预防作用.     

Systematic comparison of the early outcome of angioplasty and endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid artery disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endoluminal treatment is being increasingly used for carotid artery disease. The aim of this study was to compare the stroke and death risk within 30 days of endovascular treatment or endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid artery disease. METHODS: systematic comparison of the 30-day outcome of angioplasty with or without stenting and endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid artery disease reported in single-center studies, published since 1990, was performed. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies (13 angioplasty and 20 carotid endarterectomy) were included in this analysis. Carotid stents were deployed in 44% of angioplasty patients. Mortality within 30 days of angioplasty was 0.8% compared with 1.2% after endarterectomy (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.05; P=0.6). The stroke rate was 7.1% for angioplasty and 3.3% for endarterectomy (OR 2.22, CI 1.62 to 3.04; P<0.001), while the risk of fatal or disabling stroke was 3.2% and 1.6%, respectively (OR 2.09, CI 1.3 to 3.33; P<0.01). The risk of stroke or death was 7.8% for angioplasty and 4% for endarterectomy (OR 2.02, CI 1.49 to 2.75; P<0.001), while disabling stroke or death was 3.9% after angioplasty and 2.2% after endarterectomy (OR 1.86, CI 1.22 to 2.84; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of symptomatic carotid artery disease, the risk of stroke is significantly greater with angioplasty than carotid endarterectomy. At present, carotid angioplasty is not recommended for the majority of patients with symptomatic carotid artery disease.     

Small, unruptured intracranial aneurysms and management of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial Group

Of the 2885 patients participating in the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial, 90 (3.1%) had unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA), of which 96% had a diameter of less than 10 mm. During an average 5-year follow-up, only one patient had subarachnoid hemorrhage 6 days after carotid endarterectomy (CE). For patients with unrepaired UIA, the 5-year stroke risk was 10% after CE and 22.7% with best medical care. Both risks are similar to those of patients without UIA. The decision regarding CE probably should not be influenced by the presence of a small UIA.     

Interrelation between plaque surface morphology and degree of stenosis on carotid angiograms and the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis. On behalf of the European Carotid Surgery Trialists' Collaborative Group

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The risk of ischemic stroke distal to an atherothrombotic carotid stenosis increases with the degree of stenosis. The main mechanism of stroke is thought to be embolism from fissured or ruptured plaque, but there are few published data on the relationship between plaque morphology and severity of stenosis and their independent effects on the risk of ischemic stroke. We sought to determine the interrelation between plaque surface morphology, degree of carotid stenosis, and the risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke. METHODS: Severity of stenosis and plaque surface morphology were assessed on angiograms of the symptomatic carotid artery in 3007 patients in the European Carotid Surgery Trial and were related to baseline clinical characteristics, pathological characteristics of plaques examined at endarterectomy, and the risks of carotid territory ipsilateral ischemic stroke and other vascular events on follow-up. RESULTS: The early risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke on medical treatment was closely related to the degree of carotid stenosis. However, the initial degree of carotid stenosis was not predictive of strokes occurring >2 years after randomization. Angiographic plaque surface irregularity and plaque surface thrombus at endarterectomy increased in frequency as the degree of stenosis increased (both P<0.0001). However, the degree of stenosis was still predictive of the 2-year risk of stroke on medical treatment after correction for plaque surface irregularity. Angiographic plaque surface irregularity was an independent predictor of ipsilateral ischemic stroke on medical treatment at all degrees of stenosis (hazard ratio=1.80; 95% CI, 1. 14 to 2.83; P=0.01). This relationship was maintained when the analysis was confined to strokes occurring >2 years after randomization (hazard ratio=2.75; 95% CI, 1.30 to 5.80; P=0.01). Neither the degree of stenosis nor plaque surface irregularity was predictive of the "background" stroke risk after endarterectomy or the risk of nonstroke vascular events. CONCLUSIONS: Angiographic plaque surface irregularity is associated with an increased risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke on medical treatment at all degrees of stenosis. The increase in stroke risk with degree of stenosis is partly accounted for by the parallel increase in plaque surface irregularity and thrombus formation, but the degree of narrowing of the vessel lumen is still an independent predictor of ischemic stroke within 2 years of presentation.     

Internal borderzone infarction: a marker for severe stenosis in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery disease. For the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy (NASCET) Group

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Among subcortical infarctions, internal borderzone infarcts (IBI) are considered to be separate entities from perforating artery infarcts (PAI). The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between the presence of IBI and the degree of angiographically defined internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis in symptomatic patients. METHODS: A review of 1253 brain CTs from patients recruited by the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial was performed, using templates for the identification of subcortical and cortical vascular territories. RESULTS: A total of 413 patients had visible ischemic lesions on the side ipsilateral to their symptomatic ICA. Of these, 138 had PAI, 108 had IBI, 122 had cortical infarcts, and 45 had a combination of different lesions. Mean (+/-SD) lesion diameter was larger for IBI (11.0+/-5.9 mm) than for PAI (7.1+/-4.7 mm) (P<0.001 for comparing 2 means). IBI was associated with higher degrees of ICA stenosis (P<0. 001). Sixty-three percent of the patients with IBI had severe (70% to 99%) ICA stenosis compared with 42% of patients with PAI; 18% of the IBI patients had stenosis of 90% or more compared with 8% of the patients with PAI. Multiple logistic regression did not identify any patient characteristics as confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Among subcortical infarctions, IBI are associated with higher degrees of ICA stenosis in symptomatic patients. Differentiating between internal borderzone and perforating artery infarcts is important, because each may arise from different mechanisms, namely, carotid disease and small-vessel disease, respectively.