Incident hemorrhage risk of brain arteriovenous malformations located in the arterial borderzones.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We sought to assess the relative risk of hemorrhagic presentation of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) located in the arterial borderzone territories.

METHODS

The 464 consecutive, prospectively enrolled patients from the New York AVM Databank were analyzed. AVM borderzone location was coded positive when the malformation was supplied by branches of at least 2 of the major circle of Willis arteries (anterior, middle, and/or posterior cerebral arteries). AVMs fed by branches of only 1 major pial or any other single artery served as a comparison group. Clinical presentation (diagnostic event) was categorized as (1) intracranial hemorrhage, proven by brain imaging, or (2) seizure, focal neurological deficit, headache, or other event with no signs of AVM hemorrhage on brain imaging.

RESULTS

In 48% (n=222) of the patients, AVMs were located in the arterial borderzone territories; in 52% (n=242) a non-borderzone location was found. Hemorrhage was the presenting symptom in 44% (n=205); 28% (n=132) presented with seizures, 11% (n=52) with headaches, 7% (n=34) with a neurological deficit, and 9% (n=41) with other or no AVM-related symptoms. The frequency of incident AVM hemorrhage was significantly lower in borderzone AVMs (27%, n=61) than in non-borderzone malformations (60%, n=144; P:<0.001). This difference remained significant in a multivariate model controlling for age, sex, AVM size, deep venous drainage, and presence of aneurysms (odds ratio, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.66).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that borderzone location is an independent determinant for a lower risk of AVM hemorrhage at initial presentation.