title: Association between basilar artery hypoplasia and undetermined or lacunar posterior circulation ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence of basilar artery hypoplasia (BAH) and to evaluate whether BAH is a possible risk factor for posterior circulation stroke (PCS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Basilar artery diameter was assessed by MRI in 685 consecutive ischemic stroke patients. BAH frequency, defined as a diameter <2 mm, was measured and compared between anterior circulation stroke and PCS groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven patients had BAH (5.2%): 15 of 195 (7.7%) in PCS and 22 of 490 (4.5%) in anterior circulation stroke (P=0.2). In undetermined or lacunar stroke patients, BAH frequency was higher in PCS than in anterior circulation stroke (14/97, 14.4% vs 10/216, 4.6%; P=0.005). National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was <4 in 65%. Localization of stroke was predominant in pons or cerebellar territories (71.4%). Half of PCS and BAH patients showed small pontic-penetrating arteries infarcts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that BAH is associated with PCS in lacunar or undetermined stroke. Patients often had minor stroke and infarctions that were usually small and frequently located in pontine-penetrating artery territories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Fort-de-France, Martinique, French West Indies. stephane.olindo@chu-fortdefrance.fr
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olindo
authors.forename: Saad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khaddam
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bocquet
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chausson
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aveillan
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cabre
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smadja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*