Clinical and imaging features of vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia combined with posterior circulation infarction: A retrospective case series study

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) 2018-11, Vol.97 (48), p.e13166-e13166
• Main Authors: Wang, Feng, Hu, Xiao-Yun, Wang, Tao, Fang, Xiang-Ming, Dai, Zheng, Guo, Dao-liu, Mao, Xu-Qiang, Cui, Zhi-Ming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Basilar Artery - anatomy & histology; Body Mass Index; Brain Infarction - diagnostic imaging; Brain Infarction - epidemiology; Brain Infarction - physiopathology; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - epidemiology; Hypertension - epidemiology; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis - epidemiology; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Middle Aged; Observational Study; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Smoking - epidemiology; Socioeconomic Factors; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency - diagnostic imaging; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency - epidemiology; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000013166

This study aims to analyze the clinical and imaging features of vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) combined with posterior circulation infarction, and to explore risk factors for the occurrence of posterior circulation infarction in VBD patients.VBD patients were divided into 2 groups, according to the results of the imaging examination: posterior circulation infarction group and nonposterior circulation infarction group. The demographics, vascular risk factors, imaging, and other clinical data of the VBD patients were collected and retrospectively compared, and the risk factors for the occurrence of posterior circulation infarction in VBD patients were analyzed. The relationship between imaging features of the VBD blood supply artery and the infarct site was also analyzed.A total of 56 VBD patients were included into the analysis. Among these patients, 26 patients had posterior circulation infarction. Infarction occurred in the blood supply area of the posterior cerebral artery in 14 patients. The difference in the height of the basilar artery bifurcation between patients with vertebrobasilar artery blood supply area infarction and patients with posterior cerebral artery supply area infarction was statistically significant. Hypertension and posterior circulation intracranial atherosclerosis were the risk factors for posterior circulation infarction in VBD patients.Elevated basilar artery bifurcation is a risk factor for infarction in the posterior cerebral artery supply area in VBD patients. Posterior circulation infarction in VBD may be the comprehensive result of multiple factors, such as congenital defects of the basilar artery wall, hypertension, and atherosclerotic lesions.