Midterm Outcomes of Endovascular Treatment for Intracranial Atherosclerosis: High-Volume Versus Low-Volume Centres

• Published in: Clinical and translational neuroscience Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 6
• Main Authors: Abualhasan, Ahmed, Pero, Guglielmo, Quilici, Luca, Piano, Mariangela, Valvassori, Luca, Sobh, Khaled, Mansour, Ossama, Elbassiony, Ahmed, El-Serafy, Omar, Boccardi, Edoardo, Abd-Allah, Foad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 22.01.2025
• Subjects: angioplasty; atherosclerosis; intracranial stenosis; intracranial stenting; stent; stroke
• ISSN: 2514-183X; 2514-183X
• DOI: 10.3390/ctn9010006

Background: Intracranial stenting is still feasible, but its effectiveness is still investigational. Our study investigated outcomes of endovascular treatment in high-volume and low-volume centres. Methods: We retrospectively recruited 36 patients with intracranial atherosclerosis who underwent endovascular treatment from January 2014 to June 2016 at three low-volume centres (n = 18), and a single high-volume centre (n = 18). Detailed periprocedural records, as well as clinical and radiological follow-up data, were revised through at least one-year post-procedure. The outcome parameters included successful revascularization, occurrence of any death, stroke, and/or Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) after intervention or during the follow-up period, and restenosis (≥50%). Results: The successful revascularization rate was 97.2%. The 30-day rate of any death, stroke, and/or TIA was 13.9%. At a median clinical follow-up of 18 months, the rate of any death, stroke, and/or TIA was 27.8%. Rates of any death, stroke, and/or TIA at 30 days and 18 months were higher among patients treated in low-volume centres versus those treated in high-volume centres but without reaching statistical significance (22.2% versus 5.6%, p = 0.188; and 38.9% versus 16.7%, p = 0.137, respectively). Conclusions: Although not statistically significant, our study showed a higher incidence of death, stroke and/or TIA among patients treated in the low-volume centre compared to those treated in the high-volume centre.