Other Literature of Interest

Secondary endpoints were the need for revascularization and cranial-nerve palsy at one year. During the first month after procedure, 4.8% of patients in the stent group and 9.8% of patients in the surgical group reached the primary endpoint. In the subsequent year, 12.2% of stent patients and 20.1% of surgical patients reached the primary endpoint (absolute risk reduction of 7.9, CI 0.7-16.4 and NNT 14). Cranial nerve palsy at one year was 0% vs. 4.9% in the stent vs. surgical group. Need for revascularization at one year was 0.6% vs. 4.3% for stent vs. surgical group. Although this study was designed to show the non-inferiority of angioplasty vs. carotid endarterectomy in patients deemed suitable for either procedure, it actually was statistically significant for superiority of stenting. It also implied a lower complication rate in terms of cranial nerve palsy and the need for revascularization at one year.