Effect of stent-assisted angioplasty on cognitive status and serum levels of amyloid beta in patients with intracranial and/or extracranial artery stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
The study reported here aimed to examine how stent-assisted angioplasty affects cognitive status and serum levels of amyloid betas (Aβs) 1-40 and 1-42 in patients with cerebral arterial stenosis.


METHODS
Patients with cerebral arterial stenosis were given stent-assisted angioplasty plus conventional treatment (stent-assisted angioplasty group) or conventional treatment alone (control group). Cognitive status and Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 serum levels were determined before treatment and at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment.


RESULTS
At 4 weeks after treatment, cognitive status in patients with stent-assisted angioplasty had clearly improved. Aβ1-42 serum levels changed insignificantly in all patients. However, Aβ1-40 serum levels and Aβ1-40/Aβ1-42 ratio decreased further in patients with stent-assisted angioplasty than in patients who received conventional treatment (controls). Eight weeks after treatment, cognitive status in patients who had undergone stent-assisted angioplasty were continuing to improve, Aβ1-42 serum levels had begun to increase dramatically, and Aβ1-40 serum levels and Aβ1-40/Aβ1-42 ratio had declined further.


CONCLUSIONS
Stent-assisted angioplasty could improve cognitive status and decrease Aβ1-40 serum levels and Aβ1-40/Aβ1-42 ratio.
Department of Neurology, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an and The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Huai'an, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Liandong
L
Zhao
Department of Neurology, The Second People's Hospital of Huai'an and The Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Huai'an, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Ying
Y
Zhao
Department of Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
Haijun
H
Zhang
Alzheimer’s disease; Aβ1-40; Aβ1-40/Aβ1-42 ratio; Aβ1-42; arterial stenosis