title: Possible morphological pathomechanisms of ischemic stroke in the posterior circulation of patients with vertebral artery hypoplasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical significance of vertebral artery hypoplasia (VAH) and the possible pathomechanism of ischemic stroke in patients with VAH are still not completely clear.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a group of 80 posterior circulation strokes (PCS) patients, we compared the location of the ischemic areas in VAH (n = 26) and non-VAH (n = 54) group. We assessed the side of VAH (diameter equal to or less than 2.5 mm) with the stroke localization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The possible morphological stroke pathomechanisms in the VAH group--"blood flow reorganization" (n = 11) and "pathway liberation for embolization" (n = 10) - were represented equally and may also act together (n = 3). In two cases, the stroke pathomechanism was unknown. The frequency of the presence of conventional risk factors--hypertension (p = 1.0), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.62), hyperlipidemia (p= 1.0) and smoking (p = 1.0)--and the stroke etiology--cardioembolism (p = 0.80), atherosclerotic changes of large (p = 0.76) and small vessels (p = 0.79)--did not differ between the two subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with VAH, the combination of several pathomechanisms of ischemic stroke and the contribution of several risk factors can cause the clinical manifestation of PCS.
authors.affiliation: 1st Neurological Clinic, University Hospital of Bratislava, Mickiewiczova 13, Bratislava, 81369, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Andrea Skultéty
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Szárazová
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turčáni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency
keywords: Vertebral artery hypoplasia; duplex ultrasonography; ischemic stroke mechanism; posterior circulation stroke