Objective: Diabetes has been suggested as a marker of higher operative risk during carotid artery revascularization. The aim of this study was to summarize the current evidence comparing the effectiveness of carotid revascularization in diabetic vs nondiabetic patients.
Methods: We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases (1946 to January 2015) for all studies comparing the clinical outcomes of diabetic vs nondiabetic patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.