The Presence of Coexisting Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion is the Main Associated Factor of Posterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysm Rupture.

BACKGROUND

Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysms are rare but clinically significant due to their critical location and complex management. The risk factor of the PCA aneurysms rupture remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associated factor of PCA aneurysms rupture in a large Chinese cohort.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study including patients diagnosed with PCA aneurysms between January 2017 and December 2020. The study population comprised 143 patients, with 95 in the ruptured group and 48 in the unruptured group. Data on demographic characteristics, aneurysm features, medical history, and treatment outcomes were collected and analyzed using SPSS 27.0. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors for PCA aneurysm rupture.

RESULTS

The presence of coexisting internal carotid artery occlusion (ICAO) was identified as an independent associated factor for PCA aneurysm rupture (odds ratio [OR] = 4.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-18.42, P = 0.03). Ischemic stroke (OR=0.44, 95% CI: 0.20-0.97, P = 0.02) and multiple aneurysms (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.19-0.87, P = 0.04) were found to be potential protective factors against rupture. The study also revealed a higher incidence of ICAO in the ruptured group (18.9%) compared to the unruptured group (6.3%), indicating a significant association with aneurysm rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first multicenter study to highlight the coexistence of ICAO as a major associated factor for PCA aneurysm rupture in the Chinese population.