A Proposed Grading Scale for Predicting Outcomes After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas

The VEBAS score: a practical scoring system for intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula obliteration

BACKGROUND

Tools predicting intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) treatment outcomes remain scarce. This study aimed to use a multicenter database comprising more than 1000 dAVFs to develop a practical scoring system that predicts treatment outcomes.

METHODS

Patients with angiographically confirmed dAVFs who underwent treatment within the Consortium for Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Outcomes Research-participating institutions were retrospectively reviewed. A subset comprising 80% of patients was randomly selected as training dataset, and the remaining 20% was used for validation. Univariable predictors of complete dAVF obliteration were entered into a stepwise multivariable regression model. The components of the proposed score (VEBAS) were weighted based on their ORs. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating curves (ROC) and areas under the ROC.

RESULTS

A total of 880 dAVF patients were included. Venous stenosis (presence vs absence), elderly age (<75 vs ≥75 years), Borden classification (I vs II-III), arterial feeders (single vs multiple), and past cranial surgery (presence vs absence) were independent predictors of obliteration and used to derive the VEBAS score. A significant increase in the likelihood of complete obliteration (OR=1.37 (1.27-1.48)) with each additional point in the overall patient score (range 0-12) was demonstrated. Within the validation dataset, the predicted probability of complete dAVF obliteration increased from 0% with a 0-3 score to 72-89% for patients scoring ≥8.

CONCLUSION

The VEBAS score is a practical grading system that can guide patient counseling when considering dAVF intervention by predicting the likelihood of treatment success, with higher scores portending a greater likelihood of complete obliteration.

Prognosis of Rotational Angiography-Based Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Retrospective Analysis

BACKGROUND

Cerebral dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are intracranial vascular malformations with fine, abnormal vascular architecture. High-resolution vascular imaging is vital for their visualization. Currently, rotational angiography (RA) provides the finest 3-dimensional visualization of the arteriovenous shunt with high spatial resolution; however, the efficacies of the integration of RA have never been studied in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for DAVFs until now. Since 2015, our institution has integrated RA into SRS (RA-SRS) to provide more conformal planning, thereby decreasing overtreatment and undertreatment.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the outcomes of RA-SRS for DAVFs.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 51 patients with DAVFs and compared those of 20 DAVFs treated with RA-SRS with those of 31 DAVFs treated with conventional SRS (c-SRS).

RESULTS

The time to obliteration was shorter in the RA-SRS group (median, 15 months vs 26 months [cumulative rate, 77% vs 33% at 2 years, 77% vs 64% at 4 years]; P = .015). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that RA-SRS (hazard ratio 2.39, 95% CI 1.13-5.05; P = .022) and the absence of cortical venous reflux (hazard ratio 2.12, 95% CI 1.06-4.25; P = .034) were significantly associated with obliteration. The cumulative 5-year post-SRS stroke-free survival rates were 95% and 97% in the RA-SRS and c-SRS groups, respectively ( P = .615). Neurological improvement tended to occur earlier in the RA-SRS group than in the c-SRS group (median time to improvement, 5 months vs 20 months, log-rank test; P = .077).

CONCLUSION

RA-based SRS may facilitate earlier fistula obliteration and may contribute to early neurological improvement.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis and International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society Practice Guidelines

BACKGROUND

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) are often treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to achieve complete obliteration (CO), prevent future hemorrhages, and ameliorate neurological symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize outcomes after SRS for dAVFs and propose relevant practice recommendations.

METHODS

Using a PICOS/PRISMA/MOOSE protocol, we included patients with dAVFs treated with SRS and data for at least one of the outcomes of the study. Relevant outcomes were CO, symptom improvement and cure, and post-SRS hemorrhage or permanent neurological deficits (PNDs). Estimated outcome effect sizes were determined using weighted random-effects meta-analyses using DerSimonian and Laird methods. To assess potential relationships between patient and lesion characteristics and clinical outcomes, mixed-effects weighted regression models were used.

RESULTS

Across 21 published studies, we identified 705 patients with 721 dAVFs treated with SRS. The CO rate was 68.6% (95% CI 60.7%-76.5%) with symptom improvement and cure rates of 97.2% (95% CI 93.2%-100%) and 78.8% (95% CI 69.3%-88.2%), respectively. Estimated incidences of post-SRS hemorrhage and PNDs were 1.1% (95% CI 0.6%-1.6%) and 1.3% (95% CI 0.8%-1.8%), respectively. Noncavernous sinus (NCS) dAVFs were associated with lower CO (P = .03) and symptom cure rates (P = .001). Higher grade was also associated with lower symptom cure rates (P = .04), whereas previous embolization was associated with higher symptom cure rates (P = .01).

CONCLUSION

SRS for dAVFs results in CO in the majority of patients with excellent symptom improvement rates with minimal toxicity. Patients with NCS and/or higher-grade dAVFs have poorer symptom cure rates. Combined therapy with embolization and SRS is recommended when feasible for clinically aggressive dAVFs or those refractory to embolization to maximize the likelihood of symptom cure.