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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transcranial Doppler (TCD) helps identify patients with carotid dissections at risk of ischemic events (IEs). There is paucity of data identifying independent predictors of IE in vertebral arterial dissection (VAD). We sought to investigate the clinical and ultrasound predictors of IE. METHODS: Patients with VAD admitted between June 2017 and February 2020 were evaluated clinically and with TCD; sonographic curves, microembolic signals (MES), and the breath‐holding index (BHI) test were applied. Covariates found on univariate screen (P <.25) were included in a multivariable linear regression to identify independent predictors of IEs. RESULTS: Of 88 patients with 100 VAD, 75 (85.2%) were females with a mean age 37.9 ± 7.5 years. All patients received antiplatelet treatment. TCD monitoring lasted an average of 21 ± 2.1 minutes. TCD was abnormal in 23 cases (26.1%); 21 patients had abnormal sonographic curves in the vertebral/basilar arteries, while in 4 cases, MES were present and in 5 (4.5%), BHI was abnormal. None of the patients with a normal TCD had an IE. Six strokes occurred during follow up. On univariate analysis, male sex, diabetes, dyslipidemia, a previous myocardial infarct, migraine, time of consultation to the ER, bilateral VAD, MES, BHI abnormalities, post stenotic flow in the basilar artery (PFB), and basilar/vertebral velocities were significantly associated with the risk of IEs. In the multivariate analysis, only the presence of PFB was a significant predictor of IE (OR: 68.6, 95% CI 5‐937, <.001). CONCLUSIONS: TCD in VAD predicts patients at high risk of IE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aim to evaluate clinical features and transcranial Doppler (TCD) elements, as predictors of the development of ischemic events (IEs) in patients suffering from spontaneous carotid arterial dissection without stroke (CCADW).Methods: Consecutive patients with CCADW, seen in Clínica Alemana de Santiago between April 2004 and January 2015, were evaluated clinically, and with TCD, microembolic signals (MES) monitoring and breath hold Index (BHI) test were performed.Results: Forty-one patients with 45 CCADW were included. Mean age 41.9 years, 31 male, and 12 (29.1%) patients present with multiple CCADW. At the moment of TCD evaluation, 17 (41.4%) patients were being treated with antiplatelets and the rest under Heparin. TCD monitoring lasted in average 53.3 minutes and demonstrated at the moment of evaluation, MES in four carotid arteries (11.1%) of 3 patients and 13 (28.8%) abnormal BHI in 11 patients. Six IEs occurred in 3 patients, 3 strokes, and 3 transient ischemic attacks. In the univariate analysis correlating IE with clinical and ultrasonographic findings, the degree of carotid stenosis, the presence of multiple CAD, and the presence of MES plus abnormalities of BHI were significantly associated with the risk of an IE. Multivariable analysis showed that only the presence of MES plus abnormal BHI were significant (P < .001). MES and abnormal BHI were present in the 3 patients and in four arterial territories that had IE.Conclusions: TCD can identify a subgroup of patients with CCADW who are at high risk of IE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]