Correlation between stenosis or occlusion of vertebral-basilar artery and the location of infarctions in pontine / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the correlation between stenosis or occlusion of vertebralbasilar artery and the location of infarctions in pontine. Methods All 139 patients with acute pontine infarction who were admitted to the Department of Neurology,Xuanwu Hospital,Beijing,during February,2005 and September,2007 were studied. All patients received the examinations of head MRI and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Patients with possible cardiac embolism were excluded from the study. All the cases were then divided into four groups A( paracentral artery group); B (short rotary artery group); C (long rotary artery group) and D (combined group). Results In all 139 cases,78 cases (56. 1% ) were in A group,3 (2. 2% ) in B group,7 (5.0%) in C group and 51 (36.7%) in D group. Fifty-six cases (40. 3% ) have occlusion in vertebral artery,60 cases (43.2%) have stenosis of vertebral artery. Cases having stenosis or occlusion in basilar artery are 14 cases (10. 1% ) each. Sixteen cases (11.5%) have unimpaired vertebral-basilar artery. A group is related to occlusion of vertebral artery and basilar artery and unimpaired artery ( x2 =3. 945,6. 824,4. 485 ,P = 0. 043,0. 021,0. 041 respectively). D group is related to occlusion of basilar artery ( x2 = 10. 952,P = 0. 006). Logistic binary analysis found that A group is more related with occlusion of vertebral artery ( OR = 2. 261 ),while D group is more related to occlusion of basilar artery ( OR = 15. 750). Conclusions There is a significant correlation between stenosis or occlusion of vertebral-basilar artery and the locations of infarctions in pontine. The physicians are suggested to perform the examinations on cerebral vessels such as brain MRI or DSA in patients with infarctions in pontine.