title: Prognosis of asymptomatic carotid occlusion.
abstract: Ninety-four asymptomatic patients with internal carotid artery occlusion were followed for a mean of 44 months, 16% suffered strokes and 11.7% reported transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The annual stroke and TIA rates were 4.4% and 3.2%, respectively, the annual mortality was 11.3%. In 27 asymptomatic patients progression of extracranial arterial disease to occlusion was observed: 7.4% of these patients suffered from stroke and 18.5% reported TIA's during that period. Thus the annual stroke rate was lower (1.9%) but the TIA rate higher (4.7%) than post-occlusive rates. These data reflect an increase risk in patients with progressive high-degree carotid stenosis which continues after occlusion. This may favour carotid endarterectomy for selected patients in the pre-occlusive state because medical treatment has not been shown to prevent progression of stenosis to occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Klinikum Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rautenberg
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mess
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hennerici
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies