Long-Term Mortality and Morbidity after Carotid Endarterectomy for Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis.

Background: To investigate whether the occurrence of ischemic stroke due to carotid stenosis is a marker of the severity of atherosclerotic disease and of an excess risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and of all-cause mortality, after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Methods: Patients who had undergone a CEA from June 2015 to august 2016 were included. Patients were classified into 2 groups, namely symptomatic and asymptomatic. Neurological event, myocardial infarction, and death during early follow up were monitored. Major adverse cardiovascular events, major limb eventss, and all-cause mortality were compared for patients with a CEA for an asymptomatic carotid stenosis versus those with a symptomatic stenosis.

Results: Among the 190 patients included, 86 (51%) had a CEA for an asymptomatic stenosis and 84 (49%) for a symptomatic stenosis. During the first 30 days, the rate of all-cause death or ischemic stroke was similar in both groups (1%, P = 0.986). After 30 days, there were a total of 35 major adverse cardiovascular events (21.3%) and 15 major limb events (9.1%) during mean follow up of 53 (22.6) months. Overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was 30.4% and did not differ between groups (P = 0.565). New ischemic stroke occurred in 11 patients (9.1%) and was significantly more frequent in the asymptomatic group (9 (14.8%) versus 2 (3.6%) in the symptomatic group, (odds ratio: 4.96; confidence interval 95% [1.04-23.77]; P = 0.013)). Overall all-cause mortality was 24% in both groups (P = 0.93) CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of ischemic stroke of carotid origin before revascularization does not appear to be associated with an excess risk of cardiovascular morbidity or mortality or all-cause mortality after surgery.