Revascularization in Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis With Hemodynamic Impairment and Cognitive Outcomes: The CREST-H Substudy of the CREST-2 Randomized Clinical Trial

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• Picked for Neurology (clinical) (top studies of the week, 20 September 2026): Asymptomatic carotid stenosis revascularisation – vascular surgery

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Cerebral hemodynamic impairment in patients with asymptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis is associated with reduced cognition. It is uncertain whether revascularization might be an effective treatment for cognitive impairment in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To test whether any cognitive benefit from revascularization of high-grade, asymptomatic ICA stenosis varies based on the degree of baseline cerebral hemodynamic impairment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This substudy was conducted within a multicenter phase 3 randomized clinical trial. Adults (aged 35-86 years) without dementia with eighth-grade education or higher and unilateral asymptomatic ICA stenosis greater than or equal to 70% were enrolled from January 2018 to July 2024 at 61 sites in North America (last follow-up in July 2025). Of 607 participants screened from 2485 in CREST-2, 392 were enrolled. Magnetic resonance or computed tomographic perfusion imaging tested for baseline hemodynamic impairment defined by delayed time-to-peak (TTP) arrival of intravenous contrast in the hemisphere ipsilateral minus contralateral to the stenotic artery. INTERVENTION: Carotid revascularization (endarterectomy or stenting) plus intensive medical management (IMM) vs IMM alone. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the difference in composite cognitive z score over 1 year based on 5 cognitive tests. The primary analysis tested for an interaction between treatment group (revascularization vs IMM alone) and degree of baseline hemodynamic impairment among those with reduced baseline cognition (cognitive z score ≤-1.0 SD). RESULTS: Of 392 participants enrolled (mean age, 71 years; 125 [32%] females), 61 were excluded for missing baseline imaging and 40 for missing cognitive examinations or other covariates, leaving 291 with complete data. Fifty-one had reduced cognition at baseline (25 in the revascularization group and 26 in the IMM alone group). TTP ranged from no interhemispheric TTP delay to a more-than-2-second delay. Mean (SD) cognitive z scores were -1.36 (0.51) at baseline and -1.17 (0.47) at 1 year in the revascularization group and -1.34 (0.83) at baseline and -1.01 (0.97) at 1 year in the IMM alone group. The primary analysis showed no difference in cognition by treatment group over 1 year, adjusting for treatment group × hemodynamic status interaction and other covariates (adjusted difference in cognitive z score, -0.15 SD [95% CI, -0.54 to 0.24]). The interaction was not significant (β estimate = 0.018 [95% CI, -0.025 to 0.061]; P = .40). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this substudy of a randomized clinical trial, there was no differential effect of revascularization vs IMM alone on cognition over 1 year by cerebral hemodynamic status among those with baseline reduced cognition, suggesting that revascularization does not improve cognitive dysfunction by restoring flow to the brain in chronic asymptomatic carotid stenosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03121209.

Abstract as published, via PubMed.