title: Impact of carotid stenting in dizzy patients with carotid stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the impact of severe carotid stenosis on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of carotid stenting (CAS) on HRQoL in dizzy patients with carotid stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with symptomatic (≥60%) or asymptomatic (≥80%) severe carotid stenosis and who complained of dizziness and received CAS were recruited. Two HRQoL questionnaires-a generic survey, the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey and a disease-specific instrument, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory-served as outcome measures. Patients were followed 1 week prior to CAS and 6 months postprocedurally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CAS was performed in 178 consecutive patients, 61 of whom complained of dizziness. Forty-one patients (67.2%, 34 male; mean age, 73.3 ± 10.5 years; range, 47-87 years) completed the study. Twenty asymptomatic volunteers (17 male; mean age, 70.3 ± 9.3 years; range, 54-84 years) served as normal controls. Compared to controls, patients tallied lower scores in the overall total and three subscales (physical, functional, and emotional) of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (p < 0.01). Similar findings were noted in seven out of eight domains of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey score. After 6 months, CAS resulted in significantly improved HRQoL (role physical, bodily pain, general health, social function, and role emotional) in these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAS resulted in improved HRQoL in patients with severe carotid stenosis who experienced dizziness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: lchsu@vghtpe.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Li-Chi
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Feng-Chi
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Michael Mu-Huo
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chang-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chern
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wen-Jang
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002339:Carotid Arteries; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D015607:Stents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: carotid stenosis; dizziness; quality of life; stenting