关键词: 狭窄; 基底动脉; 梗死; 脑桥; 预后

Abstract: Objective To compare the clinical presentation, intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis, and the short-term outcomes in patients with basilar artery(BA) stenosis with those without BA stenosis, and to investigate the associations between BA stenosis and poor outcomes in the patients with isolated pontine infarction at discharge.Methods In this prospective study, we recruited patients who were hospitalized for isolated pontine infarction within 7 days of symptom onset from October 2007 to August 2008. We compared the differences in risk factors, clinical features, the baseline neurologic impairment and the outcomes at discharge in patients with and without BA stenosis.Results A total of 101 patients with isolated pontine infarction were included in this study. Differences in central facial palsy and dysphagia(P=0.008 and 0.002) were observed among the 2 groups(with and without moderate to severe BA stenosis/occlusion). When the 2 groups were compared, the neurological impairments on admission were more severe in patients with moderate to severe BA stenosis/occlusion than in patients without BA stenosis(P=0.002). Those with moderate to severe BA stenosis/occlusion had higher incidences of concomitant stenosis of intracranial and/or extracranial artery than those without BA stenosis(P=0.009). The multivariable logistic-regression analysis showed that the significant outcome differences between patients with and without moderate to severe BA stenosis/occlusion when adjusted for potential confoundingfactors(OR 2.7, 95%CI 1.07-7.02, P=0.04).Conclusions Patients of isolated pontine infarction with moderate to severe BA stenosis/occlusion had higher incidences of concomitant stenosis of other intracranial and/or extracranial artery. Moderate to severe BA stenosis/occlusion was an independent predictor for poor outcomes at discharge after stroke onset in patients with isolated pontine infarction.

Key words: Stenosis; basilar artery; Infarct; pontine; Prognosis