Objective: To evaluate the 6-month outcome in patients with vertebrobasilar system cerebral infarction and discuss the correlation of different stroke localization and vascular lesions with poor outcome.
Methods: 168 patients with vertebrobasilar system cerebral infarction, who were admitted in 2003 were evaluated for neurologic impairment and functional handicap. The stroke localization and vascular lesions were evaluated systematically and multivariate logistic regression analysis of the 6-month outcome and correlative factors was performed.
Results: It was found that the incidence of poor 6-month outcome was 19.6%. The mortality rate was 11.9% and major disability 7.7%. Patients with proximal, middle and distal territory involvement (RR=5.392, 95% CI 1.229-23.657, P<0.05), multiple vertebrobasilar intracranial territory involvement (RR=3.077, 95% CI 0.993-9.537, P<0.05), acute occlusion of basilar artery (RR=11.766, 95% CI 3.455-40.074, P<0.001), extracranial vertebral artery lesion (RR=4.376, 95% CI 1.081-17.714, P<0.05) were more likely to have poor outcome.
Conclusions: It is shown that vertebrobasilar occlusive disease may consist of a variety of different stroke localizations and vascular lesions, many with of the patients have good prognosis.