Treatment Modalities and Long-Term Outcomes in Unruptured Vertebrobasilar Fusiform Aneurysms: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background and Purpose: Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; P=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; P=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; P=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I-II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III-IV VBFAs. Conclusions: Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I-II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.
Source: Journal of Stroke
Authors: Linggen Dong, Dachao Wei, Xiheng Chen, Mingtao Li, Yang Zhao, Yong Sun, Qingbin Nie, Jun Feng, Guomin Xiao, Jinghua Zhou, Shengli Hu, Lifei Feng, Lifeng Qi, Hongen Liu, Geng Guo, Yufang Li, Renfu Tian, Jianghua Yu, Dianshi Jin, Liang Hao, Tian Tian, Shizhong Zhang, Yang Wang, Liping Liu, Ming Lv
Institutions: Capital Medical University, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University International Hospital, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Chinese People's Liberation Army, Wuhan Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Three Gorges University, Hubei University of Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Xingtai People's Hospital, Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng People's Hospital, Binzhou People's Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Beijing Aerospace General Hospital, The Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Dalian Medical University, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Chengde Medical University, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College, Taian City Central Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Award: G4035916548
OpenAlex ID: W7162686556
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