Comparison of Endarterectomy and Stenting in the Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Real-World Nationwide, Total Population-Based Study from Korea.

Purpose: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are both well-established treatments for carotid artery stenosis. We analyzed real-world data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database to compare the clinical outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with carotid artery stenosis registered in the NHIS from 2008 to 2018. Patients who underwent either treatment were divided into CEA or CAS groups and subjected to 1:4 propensity score matching.

Results: The study cohort included 1521 CEA and 6768 CAS patients. In symptomatic patients, the stroke rate within 1 month was lower in the CAS group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61). However, the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death was higher in the CAS group at 1 month, 1 year, and during the total follow-up (HRs, 4.18, 2.43, and 1.50). There were no significant differences in outcomes between asymptomatic patients in the 2 groups.

Conclusion: The periprocedural stroke risk was higher in symptomatic carotid stenosis patients who underwent CEA, but mortality was higher in those who received CAS, both in the short and long term. In asymptomatic patients, however, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality was similar between the 2 groups.