Six-month follow-up study in patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis

Ischaemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerosis is estimated to comprise 8-12% of all ischaemic strokes. It is known that the risk of recurrence is extremely high in patients with ischaemic stroke caused by intracranial stenosis. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological findings over a 6-month follow-up period in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis. Prospective data for the ischaemic stroke patients admitted to our clinic between 2001 and 2004 were collected. The localization of stenosis/occlusion detected by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was recorded and patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of one or more arterial stenoses on MRA. The patients were followed up for 6 months at regular intervals and stroke recurrence and deaths were noted. Of the 47 patients, 11 had posterior circulation stenosis and 36 had anterior circulation stenosis. Thirty-three patients had only one intracranial artery stenosis, whereas 14 had more than one intracranial artery stenosis. Of the 38 patients who completed the 6-month follow-up period, 13 had recurrent stroke, and 10 died. The rate of stroke recurrence in patients with intracranial artery stenosis may be higher than in patients with stroke due to other aetiologies, and stenosis of multiple intracranial arteries increases the rate of recurrence.