title: Comparison of endovascular treatment versus conservative medical treatment in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Basilar artery occlusion (BAO) causes mortality up to 90%.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 99 patients with BAO received either endovascular (endovascular mechanical recanalization and/or intra-arterial with optional intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] as bridging concept) or conservative medical treatment (IVT and/or medical oral therapy). Outcome parameters were measured in accordance with the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 78% underwent endovascular and 22% conservative medical treatment. The NIHSS at admission was 20 in both the groups. Postprocedurally, 36% (95% confidence interval: 26%-48%) of the endovascular group and 9% (21%-64%) of the conservative group reached TICI 3 (P = .017). In all, 30% of the endovascular group and 9% of the conservative group were documented with TICI 2b (P = .057). At 90 days follow-up, 45% (31%-60%) of the endovascular-treated patientsand no patient (0%-25%) of the conservative-treated group reached mRS ≤2 (P = .012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovascular treatment of BAO provides a better chance to survive this severe condition with good clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Paracelsus Medical University, Christian Doppler Clinic, Salzburg, Austria. e.broussalis@salk.at
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Broussalis
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hitzl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trinka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Killer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents
keywords: BAO; basilar artery occlusion; endovascular treatment; stroke; thrombectomy