Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40866078›Full record

SynthesisStroke and vascular neurology2026

Risk factors for cervical artery dissection: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Wilco Jacobs, Debbie S Wright, Katherine Pohlman, Rob Rosenbaum, Barbara A Hutten, Gwendolyne Gm Scholten-Peeters, Scott Haldeman, Johannes Cf Ket, Sidney M Rubinstein

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Stroke and vascular neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Clarifying causality and reporting in pediatric vertebral artery dissection.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2026
    Article
  3. Observational
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Wilco JacobsThe Health Scientist, The Hague, The Netherlands wilco@thehealthscientist.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8942-4525
Debbie S WrightResearch Center, Parker University, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Katherine PohlmanResearch Center, Parker University, Dallas, Texas, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1536-112X
Rob RosenbaumMetropolitan Neurosurgery Group, Silver Spring, Maryland, UK.
Barbara A HuttenDepartment of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC Locatie AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Gwendolyne Gm Scholten-PeetersAmsterdam Movement Sciences Research Institute, Faculteit der Gedrags- en Bewegingswetenschappen, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-9554
Scott HaldemanDepartment of Neurology, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA.
Johannes Cf KetMedical library, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Sidney M RubinsteinDept. of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Movement Sciences Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4819-994X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCervical artery dissection (CAD) is a rare cause of stroke. This is an update of an earlier systematic review, which focuses on the risk of CAD in the general population. The objective was to identify the risk factors for CAD.

methodsA comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science on 20 September 2024. Observational studies (cohort, case-control studies and case-crossover studies) that studied patients with CAD and a control group were included. Risk of bias was assessed with the ROBINS-E tool, and certainty of the evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). The results were stratified by healthy controls (primary analyses) and other control groups, notably ischaemic non-CAD stroke (secondary analyses).

findingsIn total, 128 study reports were identified, of which 54 used one or more healthy control groups. Of these reports, 49 (91%) used a case-control design. The risk of bias was generally high (93%). For the following categories, effects were identified: (1) genetic factors or factors with a familial predisposition: migraine, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), TT homozygosity, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) concentration, and connective tissue disorders; (2) external factors: recent infection, winter or autumn-winter season and oral contraceptive use; (3) minor trauma; (4) cardiovascular factors: hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, relative vasodilatation of internal carotid, coronary artery disease and other cardiac diseases. For other risk factors (5), there were no significant pooled estimates. The certainty of the evidence was moderate for migraine and MTHFR TT, low for minor trauma and very low certainty for all others.

interpretationThis is the first review that comprehensively examined the risk of CAD in the general population. Genetic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, recent infection and minor trauma are risk factors for CAD. Caution is needed in interpretation as the evidence is overall low to very low certainty, except for migraine and MTHFR TT homozygosity.

Indexed as

Carotid Artery, Internal, DissectionVertebral Artery DissectionAdultAgedFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRisk AssessmentRisk FactorsDissectionMeta-AnalysisRisk FactorsStrokeSystematic Review

Identifiers

PMID40866078
PMCPMC13359515

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.