AUTHOR=Li Shaojun , Wei Jiana , Huang Ruiyun , Li Chenghao , Chen Hongbing , Qiu Zhihua , Jiang Yongjun , Wu Li 

TITLE=High-risk features of basilar artery atherosclerotic plaque

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.1019036

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.1019036

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) is used to characterize atherosclerotic plaque. The present study aimed to determine the high-risk features of the basilar artery (BA) atherosclerotic plaque.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Patients with advanced BA stenosis were screened. The features including the ruptured fibrous cap (RFC), lipid core, intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), plaque enhancement, and calcification were assessed by using high-resolution MRI. The relationship between the features and acute infarction was analyzed.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>From 1 June 2014 to 31 December 2018, a total of 143 patients with 76 new strokes were included. RFC was identified in 25% of symptomatic and 10.4% of asymptomatic patients. IPH was identified in 48.7% of symptomatic and 25.4% of asymptomatic patients. RFC (3.157, 95% CI 1.062 to 9.382, <italic>p</italic> = 0.039) and IPH (2.78, 95% CI 1.127 to 6.505, <italic>p</italic> = 0.026) were independent risk factors for acute infarction.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Our study showed that RFC and IPH of BA plaque were independent risk factors for acute infarction.</p></sec>