Presumed Basilar Artery Thrombosis and Anticoagulation

Abstract

We analyzed the outcome of 61 consecutive patients with presumed basilar artery thrombosis. Patients received anticoagulation unless a possibly favorable effect of such a treatment was not expected. Eight of 23 patients receiving anticoagulation died, against 30 of 38 patients not receiving this treatment (odds ratio 0.14; 95% CI: 0.04–0.47; p < 0.05). However, after adjusting for differences in age distribution and degree of initial deficit, no statistically significant difference remained. Our data do not argue in favor of or against anticoagulation treatment in patients with basilar artery thrombosis.