Carotid Artery Stenting for Stroke Prevention

Drugs to reduce bleeding and transfusion in major open vascular or endovascular surgery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Vascular surgery may be followed by internal bleeding due to inadequate surgical haemostasis, abnormal clotting, or surgical complications. Bleeding ranges from minor, with no transfusion requirement, to massive, requiring multiple blood product transfusions. There are a number of drugs, given systemically or applied locally, which may reduce the need for blood transfusion.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness and safety of anti-fibrinolytic and haemostatic drugs and agents in reducing bleeding and the need for blood transfusion in people undergoing major vascular surgery or vascular procedures with a risk of moderate or severe (> 500 mL) blood loss.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MEDLINE; Embase; CINAHL, and Transfusion Evidence Library. We also searched the WHO ICTRP and ClinicalTrials.gov trial registries for ongoing and unpublished trials. Searches used a combination of MeSH and free text terms from database inception to 31 March 2022, without restriction on language or publication status.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in adults of drug treatments to reduce bleeding due to major vascular surgery or vascular procedures with a risk of moderate or severe blood loss, which used placebo, usual care or another drug regimen as control.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were units of red cells transfused and all-cause mortality. Our secondary outcomes included risk of receiving an allogeneic blood product, risk of reoperation or repeat procedure due to bleeding, risk of a thromboembolic event, risk of a serious adverse event and length of hospital stay. We used GRADE to assess certainty of evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 22 RCTs with 3393 participants analysed, of which one RCT with 69 participants was reported only in abstract form, with no usable data. Seven RCTs evaluated systemic drug treatments (three aprotinin, two desmopressin, two tranexamic acid) and 15 RCTs evaluated topical drug treatments (drug-containing bioabsorbable dressings or glues), including fibrin, thrombin, collagen, gelatin, synthetic sealants and one investigational new agent. Most trials were conducted in high-income countries and the majority of the trials only included participants undergoing elective surgery. We also identified two ongoing RCTs. We were unable to perform the planned network meta-analysis due to the sparse reporting of outcomes relevant to this review. Systemic drug treatments We identified seven trials of three systemic drugs: aprotinin, desmopressin and tranexamic acid, all with placebo controls. The trials of aprotinin and desmopressin were small with very low-certainty evidence for all of our outcomes. Tranexamic acid versus placebo was the systemic drug comparison with the largest number of participants (2 trials; 1460 participants), both at low risk of bias. The largest of these included a total of 9535 individuals undergoing a number of different higher risk surgeries and reported limited information on the vascular subgroup (1399 participants). Neither trial reported the number of units of red cells transfused per participant up to 30 days. Three outcomes were associated with very low-certainty evidence due to the very wide confidence intervals (CIs) resulting from small study sizes and low number of events. These were: all-cause mortality up to 30 days; number of participants requiring an allogeneic blood transfusion up to 30 days; and risk of requiring a repeat procedure or operation due to bleeding. Tranexamic acid may have no effect on the risk of thromboembolic events up to 30 days (risk ratio (RR) 1.10, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.36; 1 trial, 1360 participants; low-certainty evidence due to imprecision). There is one large ongoing trial (8320 participants) comparing tranexamic acid versus placebo in people undergoing non-cardiac surgery who are at high risk of requiring a red cell transfusion. This aims to complete recruitment in April 2023. This trial has primary outcomes of proportion of participants transfused with red blood cells and incidence of venous thromboembolism (DVT or PE). Topical drug treatments Most trials of topical drug treatments were at high risk of bias due to their open-label design (compared with usual care, or liquids were compared with sponges). All of the trials were small, most were very small, and few reported clinically relevant outcomes in the postoperative period. Fibrin sealant versus usual care was the topical drug comparison with the largest number of participants (5 trials, 784 participants). The five trials that compared fibrin sealant with usual care were all at high risk of bias, due to the open-label trial design with no measures put in place to minimise reporting bias. All of the trials were funded by pharmaceutical companies. None of the five trials reported the number of red cells transfused per participant up to 30 days or the number of participants requiring an allogeneic blood transfusion up to 30 days. The other three outcomes were associated with very low-certainty evidence with wide confidence intervals due to small sample sizes and the low number of events, these were: all-cause mortality up to 30 days; risk of requiring a repeat procedure due to bleeding; and risk of thromboembolic disease up to 30 days. We identified one large trial (500 participants) comparing fibrin sealant versus usual care in participants undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, which has not yet started recruitment. This trial lists death due to arterial disease and reintervention rates as primary outcomes.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Because of a lack of data, we are uncertain whether any systemic or topical treatments used to reduce bleeding due to major vascular surgery have an effect on: all-cause mortality up to 30 days; risk of requiring a repeat procedure or operation due to bleeding; number of red cells transfused per participant up to 30 days or the number of participants requiring an allogeneic blood transfusion up to 30 days. There may be no effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of thromboembolic events up to 30 days, this is important as there has been concern that this risk may be increased. Trials with sample size targets of thousands of participants and clinically relevant outcomes are needed, and we look forward to seeing the results of the ongoing trials in the future.

Age and Five-Year Outcomes After Carotid Artery Stenting in Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Several clinical trials have reported that periprocedural risk of carotid artery stenting (CAS) increase with age. China is experiencing one of the most rapid transitions to an aging society, while the clinical outcomes of CAS in real-world China are still limited. The study aimed to compare the periprocedural and an extending 5-year event rates between younger and older patients treated by CAS to testify the safety of CAS in older patients in China.

Methods

This is a single center, retrospective cohort study. Symptomatic patients who underwent CAS from Nov 2011 to June 2014 were retrospectively included in this study, The population was divided into two age groups: <70 and ≥70. The main primary endpoint was stroke, myocardial infarction or death occurring at 30 days, or ipsilateral stroke over 5-year after stenting.

Results

A total of 103 symptomatic patients (<70: 68%; ≥70: 32%) with CAS included in the study. During the 30-day period, the rate of primary outcome was 1.0% with only one stroke in patients younger than 70 years old ( P = 1.000). After five years, the rate of primary outcome was low (10.9%, 10/92) despite some of the patients had major stroke or underwent bilateral C1 stenting. There was no significant difference in the 5-year rates of the primary outcome between the young and old groups (12.3% vs 7.4%, P = .718). Kaplan-Meier estimates of the proportion of study participants with a primary endpoint showed that there was no significant age-dependent difference of the stroke and death outcome in symptomatic patients.

Conclusions

Age (<70 vs ≥ 70) had no influence on the risk of stroke or death in symptomatic patients either in the short or long term. CAS is an optimal treatment for older patients with cervical carotid artery stenosis, and CAS was safe for those with major stroke or bilateral C1 stenting.

Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Early Clinical Outcome and Stent Restenosis after Carotid Artery Stenting

Background

Diabetes mellitus is closely related to both the severity of carotid disease and its outcome after revascularization. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has emerged as a viable alternative to surgical endarterectomy but little is known about the impact of diabetes after CAS.

Methods

A consecutive cohort of 1940 patients undergoing CAS in two institutions was divided into two groups, diabetics and nondiabetics, and major cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were analyzed at 30 days post-CAS and at 1 year follow-up.

Results

There were 730 patients with diabetes, with significantly higher BMI, hypertension, chronic dialysis, and dyslipidemia frequency (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of early and late MACCEs (composite of transient ischemic attack, major stroke, myocardial infarction, and death), with an early rate of 3.5% nondiabetics vs. 5.3%, p = 0.08 and 2.4 nondiabetics vs. 2.3% diabetics, p = 0.1 at 12 months. Overall stroke/death rate in the asymptomatic patients was 2.4%, and the restenosis rate was higher in the diabetes population (2.3% vs. 1%, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

The presence of diabetes was associated with an acceptable increased periprocedural risk for CAS, but no further additional risk emerged during longer term follow-up. Diabetes may precipitate the rate of early in-stent restenosis.

Exosomes from Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells Overexpressing Stanniocalcin-1 Promote Reendothelialization After Carotid Endarterium Mechanical Injury

OBJECTIVE

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC-1) is a secreted glycoprotein that participates in the regulation of inflammation, apoptosis, and necrosis. We investigated the reendothelialization effect of exosomes from adipose stem cells (ADSC) overexpressing STC-1 on injured carotid endarterium.

METHODS

ADSCs were transfected with lentivirus vectors containing pre-STC-1. PHK-26 as molecular probe was used to track the exosomes engulfed by mice arterial endothelial cells (MAEC). The role of STC-1-ADSC-Exosome (S-ADSC-Exo) in MAECs was verified through scratch test and tube forming. Expressions of STC-1 and NLRP3 inflammasome were detected by western blot and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Reendothelialization effect was inhibited by the antagonist of siRNA targeting STC-1. Carotid endarterium mechanical injury was induced by insertion with a guidewire into the common carotid artery lumen. Carotid arteries were harvested for histological examination, immunofluorescence staining, and Evan's blue staining.

RESULTS

Transfection of STC-1 significantly enhanced STC-1 levels in ADSCs, their exosomes, and MAECs. Compared with the control group and the ADSC-Exo group, STC-1 enriched exosomes markedly inhibited the expressions of NLRP3, Caspase-1, and IL-1β in MAECs, exhibited good lateral migration capacity, and promoted angiogenesis. Administration of siRNA targeting STC-1 completely abolished down-regulation of NLRP3, Caspase-1, and IL-1β by STC-1 and inhibited effects of S-ADSC-Exo on lateral migration and angiogenesis. In vivo administration of S-ADSC-Exo had reendothelialization effect on post-injury carotid endarterium as evidenced by thinner arterial wall, low-expressed NLRP3 inflammasome, and more living endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The reendothelialization effect of exosomes from ADSCs on post-injury carotid endarterium could be enhanced by genetic modification of the exosomes to contain elevated STC-1, possibly through suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation.

The impact of diabetes mellitus on carotid artery stenting: a meta-analysis

Diabetes is considered to be one of the important factors affecting the prognosis of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA), but its effect on carotid stenting (CAS) has not been determined. We performed this analysis to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on carotid stenting. Studies were searched in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for all available studies comparing the outcomes of diabetic and nondiabetic patients who underwent CAS. A meta-analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel model to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with RevMan 5.3 software. Five studies with high quality were ultimately included. A total of 3364 patients underwent CAS, including 1042 diabetic patients and 2322 nondiabetic patients. Meta-analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of perioperative stroke(OR,1.20;95%CI,0.74-1.97;P = 0.46;I² = 24%), transient ischemic attack(TIA)(OR,1.46;95%CI,0.80-2.66;P=0.22;I²=37%), myocardial infarction(MI)(OR,1.12;95%CI,0.47-2.67;P=0.80;I²=0%), mortality (OR,1.77;95%CI,0.91-3.42;P = 0.09;I²=0%), and composite of stroke or death (OR,1.26;95%CI,0.87-1.81;P = 0.22;I²=35%) between diabetic and nondiabetic patients receiving CAS. Sensitivity analysis showed that the meta-analysis results of all outcome events were stable. Compared with nondiabetic patients, diabetes did not increase the risk of the following: perioperative stroke, TIA, MI, mortality, and composite of stroke or death in patients receiving CAS. This study may be used to guide carotid artery stenosis patients with diabetes to choose the optimal treatment option. However, due to the limited number of studies and the different technical levels of institutions, the results should be interpreted caution.

Symptomatic and silent cerebral ischemia (detected on MRI) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after carotid revascularization procedures

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a significant independent risk factor for ischaemic stroke. Carotid revascularisation procedures are an effective method of primary and secondary stroke prevention. However, patients developed postoperative acute ischaemic lesions (AILs), which were identified via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brains. Most of the patients with these AILs lack clinically overt symptoms. Aims: To assess the risk of ischaemic brain damage in patients with T2DM in the setting of carotid angioplasty with stenting (CAS) or carotid endarterectomy (CAE). Materials and methods: This open prospective study comprised of 164 patients with carotid atherosclerosis, who have undergone either CAS or CAE. Patients with T2DM were included in Group 1: 38 patients and 28 patients with CAE. Group 2 included patients without T2DM: 62 patients with CAS and 36 patients with CAE. All patients underwent a thorough neurological examination and diffusion-weighted brain MRI. In patients with T2DM, plasma glucose levels and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were determined and their relationships to brain damage were evaluated. Results: In CAS, there were no statistically significant differences in the AIL frequency in patients with and without T2DM. AILs were found in 15 patients with T2DM (39.8%) and 29 patients without T2DM (46.8%, р = 0.24); three patients without T2DM were diagnosed with stroke. Of the 28 patients with T2DM who underwent CAE, 13 had AIL (46.4%); three had stroke (10.7%). In patients without T2DM, AILs were less prevalent in seven cases (19.4%, р = 0.012) and appeared asymptomatic. Following CAS, the baseline HbA1c levels were higher in patients with T2DM who developed AILs compared to those who did not develop AIL, 7.8% 1.4% vs 7.1 1.1% (р = 0.0469). Negative impact of hyperglycaemia on the risk of cerebral ischaemia was observed in patients who underwent CAE, the baseline fasting plasma glucose level was 8.5 1.9 mmol/l vs 7.0 1.5 mmol/l in patients without AIL (р = 0.014). The baseline HbA1c levels in patients with and without AILs were 8.0% 1.7% and 6.9% 0.9% respectively (р = 0.023). Conclusions: Carotid revascularisation procedure for patients with carotid atherosclerosis may be associated with risk of stroke and asymptomatic acute cerebral ischaemic lesions, which are more prevalent in patients with T2DM. Also, increased HbA1c levels is a risk factor for AIL.

Clinical Comparison of Outcomes of Early versus Delayed Carotid Artery Stenting for Symptomatic Cerebral Watershed Infarction due to Stenosis of the Proximal Internal Carotid Artery

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of early versus delayed carotid artery stenting (CAS) for symptomatic cerebral watershed infarction (sCWI) patients due to stenosis of the proximal internal carotid artery. We retrospectively collected clinical data of those who underwent early or delayed CAS from March 2011 to April 2014. The time of early CAS and delayed CAS was within a week of symptom onset and after four weeks from symptom onset. Clinical data such as second stroke, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NHISS) score, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score and periprocedural complications were collected. The rate of second stroke in early CAS group is lower when compared to that of delayed CAS group. There was no significant difference regarding periprocedural complications in both groups. There was a significant difference regarding mean NHISS score 90 days after CAS in two groups. Early CAS group had a significant better good outcome (mRS score ≤ 2) than delayed CAS group. We suggest early CAS for sCWI due to severe proximal internal carotid artery stenosis as it provides lower rate of second stroke, comparable periprocedural complications, and better functional outcomes compared to that of delayed CAS.

Impact of coexisting multivessel coronary artery disease on short-term outcomes and long-term survival of patients treated with carotid stenting

INTRODUCTION

Systemic atherosclerosis can result in both coronary artery disease (CAD) and carotid artery disease. Recently it has been shown that patients with CAD have a higher incidence of microembolization during carotid artery stenting (CAS), and it has been hypothesized that they could be at higher risk in this intervention.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated an institutional registry with 437 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography and CAS to evaluate their short-term outcomes and long-term survival with regard to the presence of coexisting multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD).

RESULTS

We performed 220 CAS procedures in MVD patients and 318 CAS procedures in non-MVD patients. The incidence of in-hospital CAS-related adverse events was 2.7% and 2.5% in the MVD and non-MVD groups, respectively (p = 0.88). At 30 days, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the number of patients with adverse events (hierarchically death/stroke/myocardial infarction; 8.8% vs. 5.5%; p = 0.18). The median duration of follow-up was 4.23 years. Survival free of all-cause mortality at 1, 3 and 5 years was 90% (95% CI: 86-94%), 79% (95% CI: 73-85%) and 70% (95% CI: 64-77%), and 92% (95% CI: 89-95%), 85% (95% CI: 80-90%) and 76% (95% CI: 70-82%) for the MVD and non-MVD groups (p = 0.02), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that patients with MVD combined with carotid artery disease are probably not at higher risk of early post-CAS adverse clinical events, but they have significantly worse long-term survival rates.

What can be done for cerebral embolic protection in TAVI? Analysis in the light of 10 years' experience with protected carotid artery stenting

In the last 30 years, development of minimally invasive percutaneous procedures to treat cardiovascular defects has been thriving. Although these techniques present obvious advantages, like avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass, the passage of catheter systems and the deployment of devices in the blood circulation can cause particle embolization that may result in stroke. In carotid artery stenting, cerebral embolic protection devices (CEPD) such as filtering membranes have been available for already 10 years. In transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the development of CEPD is starting and three membrane-based devices are in clinical trials. There are controversial discussions about the efficacy of CEPD in TAVI. The experience with CEPD in carotid artery stenting can help to understand some of the technical issues and shortcomings of current devices and thereby ultimately reduce cerebral complication risks during TAVI procedures.

An Optical Coherence Tomography Assessment of Stent Strut Apposition Based on the Presence of Lipid-Rich Plaque in the Carotid Artery

Purpose: To evaluate the rate of stent malapposition, plaque prolapse, and fibrous cap rupture detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) after carotid artery stenting (CAS) based on the presence of lipid-rich plaque, which may be associated with acute stent thrombosis. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted involving 26 consecutive patients who underwent CAS with OCT imaging acquired before stent deployment and after stent dilation. Adequate imaging quality could not be obtained in 6 patients (out-of-screen images and residual blood), which left 20 patients (mean age 63 years; 13 men) for analysis. Plaque characteristics were determined from 500 selected OCT cross sections; a lipid-rich plaque was defined by lipid present in ≥2 quadrants. Cross-sectional OCT images within the stented segment were evaluated at 1-mm intervals for the presence of malapposition, plaque prolapse, and fibrous cap rupture. The data were compared between patients with and without lipid-rich plaques. The patients were examined at 6 months to determine the degree of in-stent restenosis (ISR). Results: Patients with lipid-rich plaque demonstrated a higher rate of embedded stent struts (29.4% vs 23.7%, p<0.001) and a lower rate of well apposed struts (54.6% vs 59.6%, p<0.001) compared to patients with non–lipid-rich plaque. Rates of plaque prolapse (65.5% vs 49.1%, p<0.001) and fibrous cap rupture (65.5% vs 49.1%, p<0.001) were significantly higher in patients with lipid-rich plaque. ISR ranged from none to 42% in 12 patients; malapposed stent struts and fibrous cap ruptures were not more frequent in the patients with obvious ISR. The 8 patients with no obvious restenosis still had malapposed struts, embedded struts, plaque prolapse, and fibrous cap rupture. Conclusion: Embedded stent struts, plaque prolapse, and fibrous cap rupture were more frequent and well-apposed stent struts were less frequent after CAS in patients with lipid-rich plaque.

High-Risk Factors in Symptomatic Patients Undergoing Carotid Artery Stenting With Distal Protection

BACKGROUND:

Demographics and vascular anatomy may play an important role in predicting periprocedural complications in symptomatic patients undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS).

OBJECTIVE:

To predict factors associated with increased risk of complications in symptomatic patients undergoing CAS and to devise a CAS scoring system that predicts such complications in this patient population.

METHODS:

A retrospective study was conducted that included patients who underwent CAS for symptomatic carotid stenosis during a 3-year period. Demographics and anatomic characteristics were subsequently correlated with 30-day outcome measures.

RESULTS:

A total of 221 patients were included in the study. The cumulative rate of periprocedural complications was 7.2%, including stroke (3.2%), myocardial infarction (3.2%), and death (1.4%). Renal disease increased the risk of all complications. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≥10 at presentation, difficult femoral access, and diseased calcified aortic arch increased the risk of stroke and all complications. Type III aortic arch correlated with increased risk of stroke. Pseudo-occlusion and concentric calcification of the carotid artery increased the risk of myocardial infarction, death, and all complications. Carotid tortuosity and anatomy hostile to the deployment of distal protection devices increased the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, death, and all complications.

CONCLUSION:

Our results suggest that CAS should be avoided in patients with multiple anatomic risk factors. High presenting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and renal disease also increase the complication risk. The CAS scoring system devised here is simple, reproducible, and clinically valuable in predicting complications risk in symptomatic patients undergoing CAS.

Effect of Carotid Artery Stenting on Cognitive Function in Patients with Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis and Cerebral Lacunar Infarction: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study in China

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an important therapeutic strategy for patients with carotid artery stenosis. However, the potential influence of CAS on cognitive function in patients with carotid artery stenosis and cerebral lacunar infarction has not been determined. This study investigated changes in cognitive function associated with CAS and the factors related to these changes.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study comprised 579 Chinese patients with cerebral lacunar infarction and carotid artery stenosis for whom CAS was indicated, and a matched control group of 552 healthy individuals. Cognitive function before CAS and at scheduled intervals from 6 months to 3 years was assessed with instruments that included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale. Potential factors that might affect cognitive function were analyzed via logistic regression.

RESULTS

The MMSE and MoCA scores of the patients before CAS were significantly lower than that of the control subjects. These scores were significantly higher 6 months after CAS and sustained or increased throughout the 3-year follow-up. Also significantly improved after CAS from baseline were scores for an alternating trail test, cube copying, clock-drawing, attention, and delayed recall in an auditory-verbal learning test. Logistic regression analyses showed that age greater than 65 y, little education, diabetes, and hypertension were independent risk factors for deteriorated MoCA scores 3 years after CAS.

CONCLUSION

CAS was associated with significantly improved cognitive function in cerebral lacunar infarction patients with severe stenosis.

Evaluation of flow velocities after carotid artery stenting through split spectrum Doppler optical coherence tomography and computational fluid dynamics modeling

Hemodynamics plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis, specifically in regions of curved vasculature such as bifurcations exhibiting irregular blood flow profiles. Carotid atherosclerotic disease can be intervened by stent implantation, but this may result in greater alterations to local blood flow and consequently further complications. This study demonstrates the use of a variant of Doppler optical coherence tomography (DOCT) known as split spectrum DOCT (ssDOCT) to evaluate hemodynamic patterns both before and after stent implantation in the bifurcation junction in the internal carotid artery (ICA). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were constructed to simulate blood velocity profiles and compared to the findings achieved through ssDOCT images. Both methods demonstrated noticeable alterations in hemodynamic patterns following stent implantation, with features such as slow velocity regions at the neck of the bifurcation and recirculation zones at the stent struts. Strong correlation between CFD models and ssDOCT images demonstrate the potential of ssDOCT imaging in the optimization of stent implantation in the clinical setting.

Reasons underlying the consent to endovascular treatment, displayed by patients diagnosed with asymptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis

BACKGROUND

Endovascular treatment of internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS) has gained popularity in recent years. Offering CAS, which is a controversial treatment in asymptomatic disease, may provoke patient distrust of the diagnosis and intervention benefit. The aim of this study was to prove that asymptomatic ICAS patients tend to show an emotional attitude to their illness, and therefore their decisions regarding carotid artery stenting are externally motivated and assessed emotionally.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study was conducted by a questionnaire consisting of 18 half-open questions (obtained from 25 consecutive patients) in categories of self-image, attitude to illness, and decision-making regarding CAS. Descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Reaction: "Nothing to worry about - every illness can be cured" evidenced the rational attitude to the disease. Attitude towards oneself after receiving the unexpected information about the disease did not change. Most patients pursued a second opinion before the intervention. Most patients showed internal motivation (78.7%). Rational assessment of the decision on CAS relied on consulting and insights into the disease and the intervention-related risk compared to risk of "doing nothing"

CONCLUSIONS

In decision-making about CAS by asymptomatic patients, the emotional attitude to disease and negative expectations pertaining to postoperative health lead to an internally-motivated and rationally assessed decision. At least 2 conversations with the patient should be scheduled. The primary purpose of the second visit should be dissipating any doubts and repeating the arguments for the intervention. Patients should be provided with an appropriate amount of information to reduce their fear of neurological complications and mental disturbances. Conversation should be concentrated on life-quality improvement instead of controversies about the intervention.