The basilar artery international cooperation study (BASICS).
Basilar artery occlusion is a rare cause of stroke with a high case fatality rate and an often poor clinical outcome among survivors. Our limited knowledge on the outcome in patients with basilar artery occlusion comes from small case series of selected patients.


OBJECTIVE
The main purpose of the registry is to collect preliminary data that will help direct the design of a future clinical treatment trial. The target number of patients included is 500.


METHODS
BASICS is a prospective, observational, multi-center, international registry of consecutive patients presenting with a symptomatic and radiologically confirmed basilar artery occlusion.


RESULTS
From November 2002 until December 2006 data have been collected on 400 patients, from 42 centers in 12 countries. Most patients were treated with IA therapy (55%), followed by antithrombotics (29%) and IV thrombolysis (6%). The overall mortality was 45%.
Schonewille
Wouter J
WJ
Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. w.j.schonewille@neuro.azu.nl
Wijman
Christine A C
CA
Michel
Patrik
P
Algra
Ale
A
Kappelle
L Jaap
LJ
D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012042:Registries; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents