Neuropsychological parameters of carotid endarterectomy: A two-year prospective analysis.

To investigate the long-term effects of carotid endarterectomy (CE), 3 groups were studied: (a) 36 patients (mean age 61.1 yrs) receiving CE, (b) 17 patients (mean age 57.9 yrs) with carotid artery disease receiving medical management, and (c) general surgical controls (mean age 55.3 yrs). The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Wechsler Memory Scale, and the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery were administered prior to surgery and at 6 mo and 2 yrs after surgery. Two-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant main effect for trials on a majority of the neuropsychological measures, including the Average Impairment Rating. However, on baseline and on both follow-up evaluations, the CE Ss did not differ significantly from the carotid disease patients who received medical management. Findings fail to support the usefulness of CE in improving mentation or the quality of life in carotid disease patients. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)