Symptomatic patients have similar outcomes compared with asymptomatic patients after carotid artery stenting with emboli protection

In a single-center cohort of 174 consecutive patients, we sought to evaluate whether the use of emboli protection devices (EPDs) results in equivalent rates of adverse events in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients after carotid artery stenting (CAS) with EPDs. Death or stroke occurred in 3.3% in the symptomatic group and in 3.5% of the asymptomatic group at 30 days (p = NS). At 6 months, there was also no significant difference in the rate of stroke or death between the groups. Unlike surgical revascularization, symptomatic patients did not have a greater risk for stroke and death compared with asymptomotic-patients after CAS with EPDs. (C) 2005 by Excerpta Medica Inc.