To investigate the association between intracranial arterial stenosis severity and 12-month recurrent stroke risk in elderly patients with ischemic stroke.
Key Findings:
Recurrent ischemic stroke occurred in 86 (16.3%) of 527 patients during 12-month follow-up.
Recurrence rates increased with stenosis severity: 8.4% (none-to-mild), 16.8% (moderate), and 27.9% (severe) (p < 0.001).
Severe ICAS was independently associated with recurrent stroke (adjusted OR 3.12, p < 0.001).
Moderate stenosis also associated with recurrence (adjusted OR 1.96, p = 0.037).
Interpretation:
Greater severity of intracranial arterial stenosis is linked to higher risk of recurrent stroke in elderly patients, indicating the need for early vascular imaging and risk stratification.
Limitations:
Single-center study may limit generalizability.
Retrospective design may introduce selection bias.
Conclusion:
In elderly ischemic stroke patients, higher ICAS severity correlates with increased 12-month recurrence risk, supporting the need for enhanced imaging and risk assessment strategies.
