Intracranial Vertebrobasilar Calcification in Patients with Ischemic Stroke is a Predictor of Recurrent Stroke, Vascular Disease, and Death: A Case-Control Study

Intracranial artery calcification can be detected on nonenhanced brain computer tomography (NECT) and is a predictor of early vascular events. Here, we assessed the impact of vertebrobasilar artery calcification (VBC) on the long-term risk for recurrent stroke and vascular events. We performed a case-control trial of all consecutive stroke patients admitted to the University Hospital of Maribor, Slovenia over a period of 14 months. VBC was defined as presence of a hyperdense area within vertebrobasilar arteries that exceeds > 90 Hounsfield units as seen on NECT. Clinical follow-up information was obtained from the hospital documentation system and mortality registry of the district and included recurrent stroke, subsequent vascular events (myocardial infarction, heart failure, peripheral arterial occlusive disease), and death. We followed a total of 448 patients for a median of 1505 days (interquartile range, IQR 188-2479). Evidence for VBC was present in 243 (54.2%) patients. Median age was 76 years, recurrent stroke occurred in 33 (7.4%), any vascular events in 71 (15.8%), and death in 276 (61.6%). VBC was associated with a higher risk of recurrent stroke (hazard ratio, HR 3.13, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.35-7.20)) and vascular events (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.21-3.47). Advanced age, male gender, and ischemic stroke involving the entire anterior circulation raised the likelihood for death. We conclude that the presence of VBC in patients with ischemic stroke is a short- and long-term prognostic factor for stroke recurrence and subsequent manifestation of acute vascular disease. Further understanding of the pathophysiology of VBC is warranted.