Aims: We aimed to determine the success, safety and long-term durability of carotid artery stenting (CAS) in stroke prevention for all-comers managed with mandatory neuroprotection and a tailored-approach to intervention.
Methods and results: From our CAS registry (beginning July 1997) all procedures up to September 2007 with intention-to-treat by stenting under distal filter or proximal occlusion neuroprotection devices were analysed (N=1523; mean age 72 years [237 >or=80 years, 15.5%]). Indications included symptomatic stenoses >or=50% (366, 24.1%) and asymptomatic stenoses >or=80% (1157, 75.9%). CAS success was 99.6% and the 30-day all-stroke/death rate was 1.5% (minor stroke 11 [0.7%], major stroke 8 [0.5%], death 5 [0.3%]). The risk was 1.2% for asymptomatic patients and 2.7% for symptomatic patients (p=0.042). Regarding octogenarians this risk was 2.1% versus 1.5% for patients <or=79 years (p=0.47). Symptomatic octogenarians had a higher risk than other groups (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.06 to 14.0): asymptomatic <or=79 1.2%, asymptomatic >or=80 1.2%, symptomatic <or=79 2.3% and symptomatic >or=80 4.5%. The event free survival rates from all strokes or stroke-related deaths at eight years were 96% for asymptomatic and 92% for symptomatic patients.
Conclusions: Results from this large cohort show that carotid stenting in a real-world setting is safe and efficacious, and durable in the long-term prevention of stroke.