Clinical features and stroke etiology in 10 patients with bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle infarctions: a preliminary study / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To characterize clinical and neuroimaging features, etiologies, and mechanisms of bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) infarctions.Methods:Consecutive patients with bilateral MCP infarctions treated in the Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University between January 1, 2020 and April 30, 2022 were enrolled in this retrospective study. The demographic data, vascular risk factors, clincial manifestations and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores were collected. Brain diffusion-weighted imaging was used to assess the regions of cerebral infarction, and the extracranial and intracranial segments of the vertebrobasilar artery were evaluated using magnetic resonance angiography, or computed tomography angiography. The stroke etiology and underlying mechanism were evaluated according to the Chinese Ischemic Stroke Subclassification.Results:Ten patients with bilateral MCP infarctions (8 men and 2 women) were analyzed ultimately. The onset age were 51.0-86.0 (64.8±11.4) years. NIHSS scores were 2.0-12.0 (4.9±2.9) points at admission. All patients had vascular risk factors, most of which were hypertension (10 cases) and dyslipoproteinemia (8 cases). The most common clinical manifestations were vertigo (10 cases), followed by ataxia (9 cases) and dysarthria (8 cases). Four cases were isolated bilateral MCP infarctions, while 6 patients were combined with other vertebrobasilar artery infarctions, 4 of which were combined with cerebellar hemisphere infarctions, consistent with the clinical symptoms. The etiology in all patients was large atherosclerosis (severe stenosis or occlusion of V4 segment of vertebral artery and anterior inferior cerebellar artery; 9 cases). Five patients were classified as hypoperfusion/impaired emboli clearance, while 4 patients were considered as artery-to-artery embolism, and 1 was considered as the parent artery (plaque or thrombosis) occluding penetrating artery.Conclusions:Bilateral MCP infarctions are an extremely rare cerebrovascular disease characterized by vertigo, ataxia, and dysarthria. Cerebral infarction can be isolated or often combined with cerebellar hemisphere infarction. The etiology was mostly stenosis or occlusion of V4 segment of vertebral artery and anterior inferior cerebellar artery.