Comparative Analysis of Endovascular Treatment and Conventional Medical Management for Vertebrobasilar Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - Takeaways - MDSpire

Comparative Analysis of Endovascular Treatment and Conventional Medical Management for Vertebrobasilar Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  • By

  • Qifan Zhang

  • Qing Zhao

  • He He

  • Kuang Yan

  • Jiarui Liu

  • Shunda Liu

  • Zhimin Shi

  • Aihua Liu

  • April 20, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    Endovascular therapy (EVT) significantly improves functional outcomes and reduces mortality in acute vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (VBAO) compared to standard medical treatment (SMT).

  • 2

    The meta-analysis included 15 studies, comprising 4 randomized controlled trials and 11 observational cohort studies, with a total of 8,509 patients analyzed.

  • 3

    EVT was associated with a higher likelihood of favorable functional status (mRS score 0–3) and functional independence (mRS score 0–2) compared to SMT.

  • 4

    Despite the benefits of EVT, it also increased the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, highlighting the need for careful patient selection.

  • 5

    Subgroup analyses indicated EVT was particularly beneficial for patients with higher NIHSS scores and longer onset-to-admission times, but not in all patient categories.

Original Source(s)

Comparative Analysis of Endovascular Treatment and Conventional Medical Management for Vertebrobasilar Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  • by Qifan Zhang, Qing Zhao, He He, Kuang Yan, Jiarui Liu, Shunda Liu, Zhimin Shi, Aihua Liu

  • April 20, 2026

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