Table 1. Evidence Table for Randomized, Controlled Trials for Effectiveness of Surgery versus Medical Management for Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosisa
| Study, Year (Reference) | Sample Characteristics |
Mean
Follow-up |
30-Day Perioperative
Complication Rate |
5-Year Outcomesb |
Quality
Rating |
| VACS, 199331 |
n=444
MM group: 233
CEA group: 211
Mean age: 65 y
Men: 100%
White: 86% to 88% | 48 mo | Stroke or death: 4.7% MI: 1.9% | 5-year incidence of any stroke and perioperative death: MM group: 44.2% CEA group: 41.2% RR, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.69–1.22) | Fair |
| ACAS, 199532 |
n=1659
MM group: 834
CEA group: 825
Mean age: 67 y
Men: 66%
White: 94% to 95% | 2.7 y | Stroke or death: 2.7% MI: NR
By sex:
Women: 3.6%
Men: 1.7% | Rate of perioperative stroke or death and subsequent
ipsilateral stroke: MM group: 11% CEA group: 5.1% RRR, 53% (CI, 22% to 72%) ARR, 5.9%
By sex:
Women: RRR, 17% (CI, .96% to 65%)
Men: RRR, 66% (CI, 36% to 82%)
By age:
<68 y: RRR, 0.60 (CI, 0.11 to 0.82)
>68 y: RRR, 0.43 (CI,.0.07 to 0.70)
| Good |
| ACST, 200433 |
n=3120
MM group: 1560
CEA group: 1560
Mean age: 68 y
Men: 66%
White:NR | 3.4 y | Stroke or death: 2.8% MI: 0.6%
By sex:
Women: 3.1%
Men: 2.2%
By age:
<65 y: 2.4% 65–74 y: 2.3% >75 y: 3.3%
| 5-year incidence of any stroke and perioperative death: MM group: 11.8% (SE .1.00%) CEA group: 6.4% (SE .0.70%) ARR, 5.4% (CI, 2.96% to 7.75%)
5-year incidence of nonperioperative stroke:
By sex:
Women: ARR, 4.1% (CI, 0.74% to 7.41%)
Men: ARR, 8.2% (CI, 5.64% to 10.78%)
By age:
<65 y: ARR, 7.8% (CI, 4.28% to 11.31%)
65–74 y: ARR, 7.5% (CI, 4.67% to 10.30%)
>75 y: ARR, 3.3%
| Good |
a. For further details on these studies, go to Appendix Table 3. ACAS = Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study; ACST = Asymptomatic
Carotid Surgery Trial; ARR = absolute risk reduction; CEA = carotid endarterectomy; MI = myocardial infarction; MM = medical management; NR = not reported;
RR = relative risk; RRR = relative risk reduction; VACS = Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study.
b. Standard errors and 95% CIs are listed if they were reported in the studies.
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