Rationale and design of emergent/urgent carotid artery stenting (EUCAS) registry

EUCAS is a multicenter Registry of carotid artery stenting (CAS) in patients with acute cerebral ischemia (TIA or minor stroke), designed to determine the role of early endovascular intervention in a selected population with a vulnerable lesion of carotid bifurcation. The aim of the registry is to study the safety and efficacy of emergent/urgent CAS and to improve patient selection and consequently reduce the time loss between the index event and the intervention. Secondary aim is to study the plasma levels of plaque vulnerability biomarkers before and after carotid intervention in high risk patients to compare these value with a control group of patients with asymptomatic severe carotid stenosis, and to test the hypothesis that carotid stenting stabilizes the plaque at 1 month. The Registry is open to expert interventionists performing carotid stenting with a documented experience of at least 100 CAS, and the participants are free to apply the preferred endovascular techniques and devices, remembering to include the use of the cerebral protection device. All changes in the neurological status and all new cerebral ischemic events following the procedure will be reported. Follow-up surveillance to 1 month will include Duplex scanning, neurological examinations and blood collections for inflammatory biomarkers determination.