title: Intracranial internal carotid artery stenosis: longterm prognosis.
abstract: Sixty-six patients with greater than or equal to 50% stenosis of an intracranial internal carotid artery (IICA) were followed-up for an  average of 3.9 years. Eighteen patients (27.3%) experienced ischemic events; 8 (12.1%) had isolated TIA and 10 (15.2%) a stroke. The observed stroke rate for patients 35 years and older are 13 times the expected infarction rate for a normal population. Patients with tandem extracranial stenosis had a greater risk of stroke than patients with isolated IICA stenosis. Thirty-three patients (50%) died during follow-up and 55% of all deaths were cardiac related. The observed 5 year survival rate was 60% compared to an expected rate of 87%. Patients with IICA stenosis had a higher risk of stroke and death compared to a previously reported referral population with ICA occlusion. IICA stenosis is a marker of extensive cerebrovascular and systemic atherosclerotic disease, especially coronary artery disease.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk