BACKGROUND: Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VBD) is characterized by abnormal dilation, distortion, and extension of the vertebral artery (VA) and basilar artery (BA). This study investigated whether BA and VA morphological characteristics were factors predicting VBD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Individuals aged ≥18 years undergoing contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) of the head/neck were enrolled in 2012 at Changhai Hospital, Shanghai. Data concerning cardiovascular risk factors were recorded. Bilateral VA diameter and lateral displacement, BA diameter and lateral displacement, VA confluence displacement, and dominant VA (DVA) presence/absence were determined from CE-MRA. VBD was diagnosed using established criteria. DVA and no-DVA groups were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify variables independently associated with VBD.

RESULTS: Our study included 1153 individuals, of which 614 (53.3%) had DVA. The DVA group had higher mean age, hypertension prevalence (44.6% vs. 37.5%), and VBD prevalence (8.1% vs. 4.5%), and lower smoking prevalence (24.3% vs. 30.6%), than no-DVA patients. Univariate analysis revealed that age, female sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, alcohol consumption, and DVA presence were associated with VBD occurrence. Multivariate analysis showed that age and presence of a DVA were independently associated with VBD.

CONCLUSIONS: Age and presence of DVA are independently associated with VBD.

Keywords: Basilar Artery - pathology, Cardiovascular Diseases - pathology, Hypertension - pathology, Magnetic Resonance Angiography - methods, Risk Factors, Vertebral Artery - pathology, Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency - pathology