Clinical, radiological features and therapeutic outcomes of acute posterior circulation infarction: a study at Viet Tiep Hospital in Hai Phong

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical features, neuroimaging characteristics, and functional outcomes of patients with acute posterior circulation ischemic stroke. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 57 patients diagnosed with acute posterior circulation infarction admitted to Viet Tiep Friendship Hospital, Hai Phong, from September 2024 to March 2025. Stroke severity was assessed using the NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale). Brain imaging findings were evaluated using the posterior circulation Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (pc-ASPECTS). Functional outcomes were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge and at 3-month follow-up. Results: The mean age was 69.58 ± 14.6 years. Male patients accounted for 61.4%. Hypertension was the most common risk factor, present in 91.23% of patients. The most frequent clinical symptoms and signs included motor weakness (74.44%), cranial nerve palsy (66.67%), dysarthria (59.65%), and altered consciousness (36.84%). The median NIHSS score was 11, ranging from 2 (mildest) to 23 (most severe). Basilar artery occlusion was observed in 52% of large artery atherosclerosis cases. The median pc-ASPECTS was 5.3; 57.89% of patients had a score ≥6, while 42.11% had a score ≤5. At discharge, 24.57% of patients achieved near-complete recovery; this increased to 52.63% at 3 months. The early mortality rate (during hospitalization or within the first week post-discharge) was 11.54%, rising to 21.05% at the 3-month follow-up.