Participants

Between September 2014 and February 2016, we prospectively included consecutive patients who were suspected as having an acute CAD with the following symptoms or signs: Horner's syndrome, unusual neck pain and/or headache, cranial nerve palsy and tinnitus. The CAD was considered acute if the duration of symptoms was ≤30 days. Patients who had the above signs or symptoms, particularly if in combination and/or associated with a cerebral or retinal ischaemia, were highly suspected as having a CAD. Patients who were suspected as CAD by imaging tools of MRA or ultrasound were also included. This study was approved by the institutional review board of the first hospital of Jilin University. Written consent forms were obtained from all patients.