Durability of endovascular therapy for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis

Background and Purpose-Intracranial angioplasty and stenting are therapeutic options for patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenoses intractable to medical therapy. However, the long-term safety and clinical efficacy of these techniques are unknown. We sought to assess the long-term outcome and efficacy of these techniques. Methods-Procedural data and 30-day outcomes were collected from patients treated with coronary balloons and stents for >= 70% atherostenoses. Clinical and radiographic follow-up data were obtained at 30 days, 6 months, 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Results-Fifty-three patients (median age, 67 years; interquartile range [IQR], 58.75 to 75 years) with 69 arterial lesions were treated during a 7-year period. The technical success rate was 98.6% (68/69), with a reduction of the median percent stenosis from 85% (IQR, 70% to 95%) to 0% (IQR, 0% to 26%). In 76.8% (53/69) of the procedures, a stent was implanted. The 30-day death/stroke rate was 10.1% (7/69) with 1 death, and within a median follow-up of 24 months (IQR, 10.25 to 36.5 months), the transient ischemic attack or stroke rate reached 5.8% (4/69). Restenosis rate at 1 year was 15.9% (11/69) and was symptomatic in 18.2% (2/11). The restenosis rate was 50% for angioplasty (8/16) and 7.5% (4/53) for stenting (hazard ratio = 5.02; 95% CI, 1.22 to 20.68). Factors associated with restenosis were vessel size < 2.5 mm (hazard ratio = 4.78; 95% CI, 1.35 to 16.93) and interventions performed in the setting of an acute stroke (hazard ratio = 6.36; 95% CI, 1.78 to 22.56). Conclusions-Intracranial stenting may reduce the rate of recurrent ischemia in patients in whom medical therapy is unsuccessful and is probably more durable than angioplasty alone.