Endovascular treatment for symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Atherosclerotic intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS) is one of most common causes of stroke, which is the second-leading cause of death worldwide. Medical, surgical and endovascular therapy are three major treatments for ICAS. Currently, medical therapy is considered as the standard of care for most patients with ICAS, while extracranial to intracranial bypass is only used in rare situations. Balloon angioplasty alone, balloon-mounted stent and self-expanding stent, collectively called endovascular treatment, have shown promising potentials in treating specific subgroups of patients with symptomatic ICAS; however, their comparative safety and efficacy is still unclear. Therefore, a systematic review with network meta-analysis is needed to establish a hierarchy of these

SUBMITTER: Wang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6089297 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature