Table I.
Patient baseline characteristics and indications for treatment
| Parameter | DES (n = 144) | BMS (n = 270) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demography: | |||
| Age [years] | 66.6 ±8.5 | 67.5 ±8.6 | 0.080 |
| Men, n (%) | 98 (68.1) | 195 (72.2) | 0.375 |
| Comorbidities, n (%): | |||
| Coronary artery disease | 89 (61.8) | 149 (55.2) | 0.194 |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 41 (28.5) | 72 (26.7) | 0.694 |
| Previous percutaneous coronary intervention | 43 (29.9) | 69 (25.6) | 0.348 |
| History of coronary artery bypass grafting | 15 (10.4) | 36 (13.3) | 0.389 |
| Previous carotid artery stenting | 34 (23.6) | 56 (20.7) | 0.500 |
| Carotid artery occlusion | 32 (22.2) | 73 (27) | 0.284 |
| Previous percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in peripheral vascular disease | 6 (4.2) | 17 (6.3) | 0.367 |
| Previous carotid endarterectomy | 8 (5.6) | 7 (2.6) | 0.124 |
| Hypertension | 138 (95.8) | 268 (99.3) | 0.016 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 133 (92.4) | 264 (97.8) | 0.008 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 45 (31.3) | 69(25.6) | 0.217 |
| Insulin therapy | 15 (10.4) | 26 (9.6) | 0.798 |
| Symptomatic peripheral artery disease | 32 (22.2) | 53 (19.6) | 0.533 |
| Indications for treatment, n (%): | |||
| Vertigo, dizziness | 136 (94.4) | 252 (93.3) | 0.657 |
| VBS stroke | 65 (45.1) | 114 (42.2) | 0.568 |
| VBS TIA | 35 (24.3) | 65 (24.1) | 0.958 |
| Occipital lobe stroke | 15 (10.4) | 26 (9.6) | 0.798 |
| Recurrent syncope | 25 (17.4) | 55 (20.4) | 0.460 |
| Tinnitus | 1 (0.7) | 4 (1.5) | 0.485 |
Continuous data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation; categorical data are given as the count (percentage).