Clinical characteristics of the patients in the present study
| Asymptomatic severe carotid stenosis | Acute symptomatic severe carotid stenosis | Convalescent symptomatic severe carotid stenosis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| *One patient discontinued clopidogrel after endarterectomy. | |||
| p>0.05 for comparison of clinical characteristics between asymptomatic and acute or convalescent symptomatic patients (χ2 test). | |||
| ASA, aspirin; DP, modified release dipyridamole 200 mg twice daily. | |||
| Number | 16 | 19 | 16 |
| Mean age (years) | 72 | 69 | 68 |
| Sex (M/F) | 11/5 | 9/10 | 8/8 |
| Antithrombotic therapy | |||
| ASA monotherapy | 14 | 11 | 8 |
| ASA + DP | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| ASA + DP + dalteparin | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ASA + dalteparin | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ASA + azapropazone | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| clopidogrel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Warfarin | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| None of above | 0 | 0 | 1* |
| Prior stroke/transient ischaemic attack, n (%) | 10 (62.5) | 12 (63.2) | 9 (56.3) |
| Ischaemic heart disease, n (%) | 9 (56.3) | 8 (42.1) | 6 (37.5) |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 14 (87.5) | 17 (89.5) | 16 (100) |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 4 (25.0) | 3 (15.8) | 2 (12.5) |
| Peripheral vascular disease, n (%) | 8 (50.0) | 6 (31.6) | 5 (31.3) |
| Atrial fibrillation/flutter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Family history of stroke, n (%) | 5 (31.3) | 7 (36.8) | 5 (31.3) |
| Prior venous thrombosis, n (%) | 0 (0) | 1 (5.3) | 2 (12.5) |
| Migraine, n (%) | 2 (12.5) | 4 (21.1) | 3 (18.8) |
| Smoking status, n (%) | |||
| Current | 3 (18.8) | 4 (21.1) | 2 (12.5) |
| Ex-smoker | 8 (50.0) | 8 (42.1) | 8 (50.0) |
| Non-smoker | 5 (31.3) | 7 (36.8) | 6 (37.5) |
| Alcohol intake (median units/week) | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |