A systemic review of the risk factors for cervical artery dissection - Response

To the Editor: We read with interest the review by Rubinstein et al1 on risk factors for cervical artery dissection. In a case-control study, we had analyzed the role of recent infection on cervical artery dissection.2 This study was referenced by the authors; however, our main findings were not correctly cited by the authors. In univariate analyses, recent infection and high-social status were significantly more common, and smoking was significantly less common in patients with cervical artery dissection (CAD) than in patients with cerebral ischemia of other origin. In conditional logistic regression analysis, infection within 1 week (odds ratio, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.18 to 7.00) and high-social status (odds ratio, 6.54; 95% CI, 1.88 to 22.7) remained significantly associated with CAD. Because coughing, sneezing, and vomiting that often occur during infection could explain the association …