3. STROKE
• 2nd leading cause of death worldwide (after CAD)
• Majority of strokes (∼90%) are ischemic in nature
• Of these, 15% to 20% are attributed to carotid artery stenosis
Primary prevention of ischemic stroke: a guideline from AHA/ASA
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
WHO data: 2015
4. Ischemic Stroke – Causes?
CAUSE DICTATES MANAGEMENT
LARGE VESSEL
ATHEROEMBOLISM
(most common)
• Artery to artery embolism
• Thrombosis in situ
SMALL VESSEL
ATHEROEMBOLISM
• Lacunar disease associated
with hypertension and
diabetes
LOW-FLOW STATE
• Ischemic “watershed” areas
CARDIOEMBOLISM
• Nonvalvular AF
• Post-MI
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Prosthetic heart valves
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Infective endocarditis
• Patent foramen ovale
5. Ischemic Stroke – Causes?
CAUSE DICTATES MANAGEMENT
LARGE VESSEL
ATHEROEMBOLISM
(most common)
• Artery to artery embolism
• Thrombosis in situ
SMALL VESSEL
ATHEROEMBOLISM
• Lacunar disease associated
with hypertension and
diabetes
LOW-FLOW STATE
• Ischemic “watershed” areas
CARDIOEMBOLISM
• Nonvalvular AF
• Post-MI
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Prosthetic heart valves
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Infective endocarditis
• Patent foramen ovale
7. It’s the natural history!
• ~ 30% of stroke survivors die within the first 12 months
and two-thirds die within the next 12 years
• One ischemic stroke incidence of a 2nd stroke within 5
years of ~ 40% to 50%
Primary prevention of ischemic stroke: a guideline from AHA/ASA
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
8. It’s the natural history!
• Stroke risk in Carotid artery stenosis
– Carotid symptoms?
– Severity of stenosis?
– Others - Plaque composition?
Plaque ulceration?
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
NEJM 1998;339:1415-25
9. It’s the natural history!
• TIA secondary to significant carotid artery stenosis ~ 30-40%
risk of stroke within the next 5 years
• In symptomatic patients, 2-year risk –
22% with 50%-69% (moderate) stenosis vs.
26% in 70% - 99% (severe) stenosis
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
NEJM 1998;339:1415-25
10. It’s the natural history!
• In asymptomatic patients, 5-year risk –
7.8% with <50% stenosis vs.
18.5% in 75% - 95% stenosis
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
11. Low medical treatment efficacy!
• Relative risk reduction with medical treatment is no
more than 25%
• CEA provides better protection against future events
– proven in RCTs
Primary prevention of ischemic stroke: a guideline from AHA/ASA
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
13. Silent disease burden and stroke risk?
• Estimated incidence of asymptomatic extracranial carotid
stenosis in >65 year olds
>50% stenosis – 5 to 10%
>80% (Critical) – less than 1%
• Annual risk of stroke in asymptomatic >50% stenosis – from <1%
to 4.3%
• But 80% stroke occur without recognizable warning symptoms!
Circulation 2006;113:e873–923
JACC 2014;64:722-31
15. Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA)
• 1920s - Introduction of cerebral angiography. Carotid artery
disease was found among persons with stroke
• 1950s - C.M. Fisher called attention to atherosclerosis
involving the carotid bifurcation as an important cause of
stroke and suggested surgery as a possible therapy
• 1954 - De Bakey performed the 1st carotid endarterectomy
16. Carotid Angioplasty
• 1980 - 1st POBA by Kerber
2 major complications
• Acute closure
• Distal embolization
• 1996 – CAS Roubin et al
Tackled acute closure
• 1996 – CAS + EPD Theron et al
To distal embolization
• Patient & lesion selection
• Meticulous technique
• Embolic protection devices Am J Neuroradiol 1980;1:348-9
Am J Cardiol 1996;78:8-12
Radiology 1996;201:627-36
17. Carotid Angioplasty
• 1980 - 1st POBA by Kerber
2 major complications
• Acute closure
• Distal embolization
• 1996 – CAS Roubin et al
Tackled acute closure
• 1996 – CAS + EPD Theron et al
To distal embolization
• Patient & lesion selection
• Meticulous technique
• Embolic protection devices
Palliation in
the inoperable
? Equivalence to
Surgery
? Superiority to
Surgery
Am J Neuroradiol 1980;1:348-9
Am J Cardiol 1996;78:8-12
Radiology 1996;201:627-36
23. SAPPHIRE
• CAS (Self expanding nitinol stent – Smart or Precise) with EPD
(Filter basket – Angioguard)
24. SAPPHIRE
Primary end point of the study - cumulative incidence of a major cardiovascular event
at 1 year — a composite of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction within 30 days
after the intervention or death or ipsilateral stroke between 31 days and 1 year
P=0.053
26. SAPPHIRE 3 yr
Prespecified major end point, defined as death, myocardial infarction, or
stroke within 30 days or death or ipsilateral stroke between 31 days and
1080 days
29. SPACE
• 1214 pts
• Symptomatic severe stenosis (>70% ECST or >50% NASCET)
• CAS by inexperienced operators
• EPD not necessary – used in 27% only
• Stopped early due to futility
30. SPACE
• Freedom from primary outcome – difference larger than non-
inferiority margin
34. EVA-3S
• 527 pts
• Symptomatic severe stenosis (>60% NASCET)
• CAS by inexperienced operators – only required to perform 2
CAS before being eligible
• Surgeons were relatively experienced – atleast 25 CEA before
being eligible!
• EPD used in 91% only – not in all because not mandatory in 1st
2 yrs
• Stopped early due to futility
35. EVA-3S
• CAS had RR of 2.5 vs CEA for any stroke/death at 30 days!
38. ICSS
• 1713 pts
• Symptomatic severe stenosis (>50% NASCET)
• CAS by operators with atleast 10 CAS experience
• CEA by operators with atleast 50 CEA experience!
• EPD used in 72% only
43. CREST
• 2502 pts
• Symptomatic stenosis (>50% ECST; >70% on USG; >70% on
CT/MRI if 50-69% on USG) – 1321 pts
• Asymptomatic stenosis (>60% ECST ; >70% on USG; >80% on
CT/MRI if 50-69% on USG) – 1181 pts
• Standard stroke detection protocol in follow-up
• EPD use mandatory whenever feasible – used in 96.1%
44. CREST
Primary end point - composite of stroke, MI, or death from any
cause during the periprocedural period or ipsilateral stroke
within 4 years after randomization
52. ACT 1
• 1453 pts
• Stopped early due to slow enrollment
• Asymptomatic severe stenosis – free from ipsilateral
TIA/stroke in last 6 months (>70% ECST or >70% on USG;
without >60% contralateral stenosis)
• CAS by experienced operators
• Closed cell tapered nitinol stent (Xact stent) with Distal EPD
(Emboshield) - used in 97.8%
53. ACT 1
Freedom from death, stroke, and MI within 30 days and from
ipsilateral stroke within 365 days after the procedure in ITT
population
55. CEA vs CAS vs BMT RCT ongoing
• CREST 2 – Asymptomatic pts at average
surgical risk
• ECST 2 – Asymptomatic and Low risk
symptomatic pts
56. Overall comparison CEA vs CAS
Characteristics CEA CAS
General anesthesia
requirement/complication
↑↑ ↓
Periprocedural MI ↑↑ ↓
Periprocedural minor stroke ↓ ↑
Periprocedural major stroke = =
Cranial nerve damage ↑↑ ↓
Longer recovery ↑ ↓
Wound complication ↑ ↓
58. Best strategy?
• Patient factors
– Age, comorbidities, life expectancy, functional
status, patient preference
• Disease factors
– Risk of stroke, anatomy, resources
59. • Based on review of 192 papers on carotid stenosis management
• 1 point to each favourable character;
3 points to each absolute character
• Higher number of points indicate that strategy has better evidence
• Equal points – patient preference!
73. CONCLUSIONS
• CAS has probably achieved a clinical equipoise with CEA
• Operator experience is key to successful and efficient CAS
• RCT with BMT arm are needed in asymptomatic pts and are
ongoing
• Individualized management strategy is the answer to this
problem – no place for ‘one size fits all’