Aim: The aim of this study was to identify predictive risk factors for complications during and after carotid artery stenting (CAS).
Methods: A multivariate analysis was performed on the databases of 4 European high-volume centers regarding risk factor distribution between patients presenting with or without neurological complications 30 days after CAS. The cumulative 30-day neurological complication rate (death, major stroke, minor stroke and transient ischemic attack) was 2.8% in the total examined cohort of 3 179 consecutive CAS procedures. The following risk factors were taken into consideration for statistical analysis: age, symptomatic, male gender, nicotine abuse, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, polyvascular disease, diabetes, restenosis after carotid endarterectomy (CEA)/CAS, calcified internal carotid artery.
Results: Symptomatic (P=0.02) or hypercholesterolemic (P=0.02) patients are at significantly increased risk for neurological events 30 days after CAS. Asymptomatic women and men without hypercholesterolemia have the lowest risk on any 30-day neurological complications after CAS.
Conclusions: CAS is a safe technique in experienced hands. Preprocedural neurological complaints and hypercholesterolemia can be defined as predisposing factors for 30-day neurological complications after CAS.