Table 1.
Clinical characteristics.
| Variables | Total (n = 113) | With BA dolichosis (n = 39) | Without BA dolichosis (n = 74) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 63.7 ± 10.0 | 64.1 ± 10.5 | 63.6 ± 9.9 | 0.799 |
| Age grouped by median, n (%) | 0.424 | |||
| Age <65 y | 58 (51.3) | 18 (46.2) | 40 (54.1) | |
| Age ≥65 y | 55 (48.7) | 21 (53.8) | 34 (45.9) | |
| Sex, n (%) | 0.373 | |||
| Female | 47 (41.6) | 14 (35.9) | 33 (44.6) | |
| Male | 66 (58.4) | 25 (64.1) | 41 (55.4) | |
| Risk factors, n (%) | ||||
| Smoking | 36 (31.9) | 14 (35.9) | 22 (29.7) | 0.504 |
| Drinking | 18 (15.9) | 9 (23.1) | 9 (12.2) | 0.132 |
| Hypertension | 94 (83.2) | 36 (92.3) | 58 (78.4) | 0.060 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 49 (43.4) | 10 (25.6) | 39 (52.7) | 0.006 |
| Dyslipidemia | 43 (38.4) | 16 (42.1) | 27 (36.5) | 0.563 |
| Medications at discharge, n (%) | ||||
| Antiplatelet agents | 1.000 | |||
| Single antiplatelet agents | 99 (87.6) | 34 (87.2) | 65 (87.8) | |
| Dual antiplatelet agents | 14 (12.4) | 5 (12.8) | 9 (12.2) | |
| Statins | 113 (100) | 39 (100) | 74 (100) | – |
| Antihypertensive agents | 84 (74.3) | 35 (89.7) | 49 (66.2) | 0.006 |
| Glucose-lowering agents | 40 (35.4) | 10 (25.6) | 30 (40.5) | 0.115 |
| Basilar artery features, n (%) | ||||
| BA curvature | <0.001 | |||
| No BA curvature | 47 (41.6) | 7 (17.9) | 40 (54.1) | |
| Moderate curvature | 64 (56.6) | 30 (76.9) | 34 (45.9) | |
| Prominent curvature | 2 (1.8) | 2 (5.1) | 0 | |
| BA diameter (mm) | 2.89 ± 0.64 | 3.13 ± 0.74 | 2.76 ± 0.54 | 0.008 |
| BA diameter grouped by median | 0.087 | |||
| <2.90 mm | 56 (49.6) | 15 (38.5) | 41 (55.4) | |
| ≥2.90 mm | 57 (50.4) | 24 (61.5) | 33 (44.6) | |
| BAH | 11 (9.7) | 4 (10.3) | 7 (9.5) | 1.000 |
| BA stenosis | 0.196 | |||
| No stenosis | 70 (61.9) | 24 (61.5) | 46 (62.2) | |
| Mild stenosis | 24 (21.2) | 6 (15.4) | 18 (24.3) | |
| Moderate stenosis | 19 (16.8) | 9 (23.1) | 10 (13.5) | |
| Location of pontine infarction, n (%) | 0.541 | |||
| Deep pontine infarction | 13 (11.5) | 3 (6.7) | 10 (13.5) | |
| Pontine base infarction | 100 (88.5) | 36 (92.3) | 64 (86.5) | |
| Stroke etiology, n (%) | 0.218 | |||
| SAD | 8 (7.1) | 2 (5.1) | 6 (8.1) | |
| BABD | 67 (59.3) | 23 (59.0) | 44 (59.5) | |
| LAD | 25 (22.1) | 12 (30.8) | 13 (17.6) | |
| Other and undetermined etiologies | 13 (11.5) | 2 (5.1) | 11 (14.9) |
BA, basilar artery; BAH, basilar artery hypoplasia; SAD, small-artery disease; BABD, basilar artery branch disease; VLAD, large-artery disease.