ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Most recurrent cervical artery dissection (CeAD) events occur shortly after the acute first CeAD. This study compared the characteristics of recurrent and first CeAD events and searched for associations between subsequent events of an individual person. METHODS: Cervical artery dissection patients with a new CeAD event occurring during a 3-6 month follow-up were retrospectively selected in seven specialized stroke centers. Clinical and vascular characteristics of the initial and the recurrent CeADs were compared. RESULTS: The study sample included 76 patients. Recurrent CeADs were occlusive in one (1.3%) patient, caused cerebral ischaemia in 13 (17.1%) and were asymptomatic in 39 (51.3%) patients, compared to 29 (38.2%) occlusive, 42 (55.3%) ischaemic and no asymptomatic first CeAD events. In 52 (68.4%) patients, recurrent dissections affected both internal carotid arteries or both vertebral arteries, whilst 24 (31.6%) patients had subsequent dissections in both types of artery. Twelve (28.6%) of 42 patients with an ischaemic first dissection had ischaemic symptoms due to the recurrent CeADs, too. However, only one (1.3%) of 34 patients with a non-ischaemic first CeAD suffered ischaemia upon recurrence. CONCLUSION: Recurrent CeAD typically affects the same site of artery. It causes ischaemic events less often than the first CeAD. The risk that patients who presented with solely non-ischaemic symptoms of a first CeAD will have ischaemic symptoms in the case of a recurrent CeAD seems very small.
Subject(s)
Vertebral Artery Dissection , Arteries , Carotid Artery, Internal, Dissection/epidemiology , Dissection , Humans , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Stroke/epidemiology , Vertebral Artery Dissection/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Congenital malformations, tumors and aortic infections are rare and mostly asymptomatic. Unspecific clinical symptoms may cause delayed verification of the underlying disease. Contrast enhanced computer tomography- and magnetic resonance angiography are important sectional imaging methods for diagnostic completion. Consistent guidelines concerning diagnosis and therapy of rare aortic diseases are non-existent. Aortic tumors must be resected by open surgery, aortic infections in general require medical treatment and anomalies, if indicated, are treated more and more by endovascular or hybrid procedures. Therefore, it is recommended to treat these entities in an interdisciplinary approach in specialized aortic centers.
