Observation of progressive cerebral infarction and acute phase outcomes in patients with arterial branch atheromatous disease

Objective: To investigate progressive cerebral infarction and acute phase outcomes of arterial branch atheromatous disease (BAD) in the territories of the lenticulostriate arteries (LSA) and pontine paramedian arteries (PPA). Methods: A total of 62 consecutive patients with acute cerebral infarction in the territories of LSA and PPA were recruited with a method of prospective study. They were divided into either a BAD group (n = 29) or a non-BAD group (n = 33). The modified Rankin scale (mRS) was used to evaluate the patients in both groups at discharge. The incidences of BAD and progressive cerebral infarction and the acute phase outcomes in the two blood supply territories in patients with cerebral infarction were analyzed. Results: There were no significant differences in the risk factors for cerebrovascular disease between the BAD group and non-BAD group. Circled digit oneThere were 43 patients (69.4%) with LSA cerebral infarction, accounting for 69.4%; there were 19 patients (30.6%) with PPA cerebral infarction, accounting for 30.6%. The incidence of BAD was 46.8% (29/62) in the whole group, and the incidences of BAD in patients with LSA and PPA cerebral infarction were 46.5% and 47.4% respectively. The incidence of progressive stroke in the BAD group was 51.7% (15/29); while it was 18.2% (6/33) in the non-BAD group. There was significant difference (P < 0.01). Circled digit twoThe patients with good clinical outcome at discharge (mRS ≤2) was 51.7% (15/29) in the BAD group, and it was 93.9% (31/33) in the non-BAD group. There was significant difference (P < 0. 01). Conclusion: The incidence of arterial branch atheromatous disease is high in patients with lenticulostriate arteries and pontine paramedian arteries cerebral infarction, the patients with acute phase arterial branch atheromatous disease are easy to progress and their clinical outcomes are poor.