Comparative Effectiveness of Endovascular Thrombectomy in Elderly Stroke Patients

Background and Purpose— Strokes in patients aged ≥80 years are common, and advanced age is associated with relatively poor poststroke functional outcome. The current guidelines do not recommend an upper age limit for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of EVT in acute stroke because of large vessel occlusion for elderly patients >age 80 years. Methods— A Markov decision analytic model was constructed from a societal perspective to evaluate health outcomes in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) after EVT for acute ischemic stroke because of large vessel occlusion in patients above age 80 years. Age-specific input parameters were obtained from the most recent/comprehensive literature. Good outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score ≤2. Probabilistic, 1-way, and 2-way sensitivity analyses were performed for both healthy patients and patients with disability at baseline. Results— Base case calculation showed in functionally independent patients at baseline, intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) only to be the better strategy with 3.76 QALYs compared to 2.93 QALYs for patients undergoing EVT. The difference in outcome is 0.83 QALY (equivalent to 303 days of life in perfect health). For patients with baseline disability, IVT only yields a utility of 1.92 QALYs and EVT yields a utility of 1.65 QALYs. The difference is 0.27 QALYs (equivalent to 99 days of life in perfect health). Multiple sensitivity analyses showed that the effectiveness of EVT is significantly determined by the morbidity and mortality after both IVT and EVT strategies, respectively. Conclusions— Our study demonstrates the impact of relevant factors on the effectiveness of EVT in patients above 80 years of age. Morbidity and mortality after both IVT and EVT strategies significantly influence the outcomes in both healthy and disabled patients at baseline. Better identification of patients not benefiting from IVT would optimize the selective use of EVT thereby improving its effectiveness.

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Early detection of large‐vessel occlusion stroke after cardiac surgery using CT angiography leading to early recanalization with endovascular thrombectomy

Clinical Case Reports ◽

10.1002/ccr3.4246 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Kiyoshi Takemoto ◽

Masaaki Sakuraya ◽

Michitaka Nakamura ◽

Hidetsugu Maekawa ◽

Kazuo Yamanaka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Surgery ◽

Early Detection ◽

Ct Angiography ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Endovascular Thrombectomy

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Acute and Chronic Kidney Dysfunction and Outcome After Stroke Thrombectomy

Translational Stroke Research ◽

10.1007/s12975-020-00881-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Simon Fandler-Höfler ◽

Balazs Odler ◽

Markus Kneihsl ◽

Gerit Wünsch ◽

Melanie Haidegger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hospital Stay ◽

Mechanical Thrombectomy ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Unfavorable Outcome ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Kidney Dysfunction ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

The Impact

AbstractData on the impact of kidney dysfunction on outcome in patients with stroke due to large vessel occlusion are scarce. The few available studies are limited by only considering single kidney parameters measured at one time point. We thus investigated the influence of both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI) on outcome after mechanical thrombectomy. We included consecutive patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke receiving mechanical thrombectomy at our center over an 8-year period. We extracted clinical data from a prospective registry and investigated kidney serum parameters at admission, the following day and throughout hospital stay. CKD and AKI were defined according to established nephrological criteria. Unfavorable outcome was defined as scores of 3–6 on the modified Rankin Scale 3 months post-stroke. Among 465 patients, 31.8% had an impaired estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at admission (< 60 ml/min/1.73 m2). Impaired admission eGFR was related to unfavorable outcome in univariable analysis (p = 0.003), but not after multivariable adjustment (p = 0.96). Patients frequently met AKI criteria at admission (24.5%), which was associated with unfavorable outcome in a multivariable model (OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.73–5.30, p < 0.001). Moreover, patients who developed AKI during hospital stay also had a worse outcome (p = 0.002 in multivariable analysis). While CKD was not associated with 3-month outcome, we identified AKI either at admission or throughout the hospital stay as an independent predictor of unfavorable prognosis in this study cohort. This finding warrants further investigation of kidney–brain crosstalk in the setting of acute stroke.

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Differences in Acute Ischemic Stroke Management and Prognosis between Multiple Large-Vessel Occlusion and Single Large-Vessel Occlusion: Subanalysis of the RESCUE-Japan Registry 2

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1159/000514369 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 397-404

Author(s):

Kotaro Tatebayashi ◽

Kazutaka Uchida ◽

Hiroto Kageyama ◽

Hirotoshi Imamura ◽

Nobuyuki Ohara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Patient Characteristics ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Endovascular Thrombectomy ◽

Tandem Occlusion ◽

The Mean ◽

Patient Prognosis

Introduction: The management and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke due to multiple large-vessel occlusion (LVO) (MLVO) are not well scrutinized. We therefore aimed to elucidate the differences in patient characteristics and prognosis of MLVO and single LVO (SLVO). Methods: The Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra-Acute Embolism Japan Registry 2 (RESCUE-Japan Registry 2) enrolled 2,420 consecutive patients with acute LVO who were admitted within 24 h of onset. We compared patient prognosis between MLVO and SLVO in the favorable outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤2, and in mortality at 90 days by adjusting for confounders. Additionally, we stratified MLVO patients into tandem occlusion and different territories, according to the occlusion site information and also examined their characteristics. Results: Among the 2,399 patients registered, 124 (5.2%) had MLVO. Although there was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of hypertension as a risk factor, the mean arterial pressure on admission was significantly higher in MLVO (115 vs. 107 mm Hg, p = 0.004). MLVO in different territories was more likely to be cardioembolic (42.1 vs. 10.4%, p = 0.0002), while MLVO in tandem occlusion was more likely to be atherothrombotic (39.5 vs. 81.3%, p < 0.0001). Among MLVO, tandem occlusion had a significantly longer onset-to-door time than different territories (200 vs. 95 min, p = 0.02); accordingly, the tissue plasminogen activator administration was significantly less in tandem occlusion (22.4 vs. 47.9%, p = 0.003). However, interestingly, the endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) was performed significantly more in tandem occlusion (63.2 vs. 41.7%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–5.0). The type of MLVO was the only and significant factor associated with EVT performance in multivariate analysis. The favorable outcomes were obtained less in MLVO than in SLVO (28.2 vs. 37.1%; aOR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30–0.76). The mortality rate was not significantly different between MLVO and SLVO (8.9 vs. 11.1%, p = 0.42). Discussion/Conclusion: The prognosis of MLVO was significantly worse than that of SLVO. In different territories, we might be able to consider more aggressive EVT interventions.

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Penumbra Consumption Rates Based on Time-to-Maximum Delay and Reperfusion Status: A Post Hoc Analysis of the DEFUSE 3 Trial

Stroke ◽

10.1161/strokeaha.120.033806 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shadi Yaghi ◽

Eytan Raz ◽

Seena Dehkharghani ◽

Howard Riina ◽

Ryan McTaggart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Infarct Volume ◽

Interquartile Range ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Endovascular Thrombectomy ◽

Post Hoc Analysis ◽

Consumption Rates ◽

Post Hoc

Background and Purpose: In patients with acute large vessel occlusion, the natural history of penumbral tissue based on perfusion time-to-maximum (T max ) delay is not well established in relation to late-window endovascular thrombectomy. In this study, we sought to evaluate penumbra consumption rates for T max delays in patients with large vessel occlusion evaluated between 6 and 16 hours from last known normal. Methods: This is a post hoc analysis of the DEFUSE 3 trial (The Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for Ischemic Stroke), which included patients with an acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation occlusion within 6 to 16 hours of last known normal. The primary outcome is percentage penumbra consumption, defined as (24-hour magnetic resonance imaging infarct volume–baseline core infarct volume)/(T max 6 or 10 s volume–baseline core volume). We stratified the cohort into 4 categories based on treatment modality and Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI score; untreated, TICI 0-2a, TICI 2b, and TICI3) and calculated penumbral consumption rates in each category. Results: We included 141 patients, among whom 68 were untreated. In the untreated versus TICI 3 patients, a median (interquartile range) of 53.7% (21.2%–87.7%) versus 5.3% (1.1%–14.6%) of penumbral tissue was consumed based on T max >6 s ( P <0.001). In the same comparison for T max >10 s, we saw a difference of 165.4% (interquartile range, 56.1%–479.8%) versus 25.7% (interquartile range, 3.2%–72.1%; P <0.001). Significant differences were not demonstrated between untreated and TICI 0-2a patients for penumbral consumption based on T max >6 s ( P =0.52) or T max >10 s ( P =0.92). Conclusions: Among extended window endovascular thrombectomy patients, T max >10-s mismatch volume may comprise large volumes of salvageable tissue, whereas nearly half the T max >6-s mismatch volume may remain viable in untreated patients at 24 hours.

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Efficient Multimodal MRI Evaluation for Endovascular Thrombectomy of Anterior Circulation Large Vessel Occlusion

Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105271 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (12) ◽

pp. 105271

Author(s):

Kunakorn Atchaneeyasakul ◽

David S. Liebeskind ◽

Reza Jahan ◽

Sidney Starkman ◽

Latisha Sharma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Vessel ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Anterior Circulation ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Endovascular Thrombectomy ◽

Multimodal Mri ◽

Mri Evaluation

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Mobile Interventional Stroke Teams Improve Outcomes in the Early Time Window for Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke

Stroke ◽

10.1161/strokeaha.121.034222 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob R. Morey ◽

Xiangnan Zhang ◽

Naoum Fares Marayati ◽

Stavros Matsoukas ◽

Emily Fiano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scale Score ◽

Time Window ◽

Early Time ◽

National Institutes Of Health ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Late Time ◽

Modified Rankin Scale ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Endovascular Thrombectomy

Background and Purpose: Endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke is a time-sensitive intervention. The use of a Mobile Interventional Stroke Team (MIST) traveling to Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Centers to perform endovascular thrombectomy has been shown to be significantly faster with improved discharge outcomes, as compared with the drip-and-ship (DS) model. The effect of the MIST model stratified by time of presentation has yet to be studied. We hypothesize that patients who present in the early window (last known well of ≤6 hours) will have better clinical outcomes in the MIST model. Methods: The NYC MIST Trial and a prospectively collected stroke database were assessed for patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy from January 2017 to February 2020. Patients presenting in early and late time windows were analyzed separately. The primary end point was the proportion with a good outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 0–2) at 90 days. Secondary end points included discharge National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and modified Rankin Scale. Results: Among 561 cases, 226 patients fit inclusion criteria and were categorized into MIST and DS cohorts. Exclusion criteria included a baseline modified Rankin Scale score of >2, inpatient status, or fluctuating exams. In the early window, 54% (40/74) had a good 90-day outcome in the MIST model, as compared with 28% (24/86) in the DS model ( P <0.01). In the late window, outcomes were similar (35% versus 41%; P =0.77). The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at discharge was 5.0 and 12.0 in the early window ( P <0.01) and 5.0 and 11.0 in the late window ( P =0.11) in the MIST and DS models, respectively. The early window discharge modified Rankin Scale was significantly better in the MIST model ( P <0.01) and similar in the late window ( P =0.41). Conclusions: The MIST model in the early time window results in better 90-day outcomes compared with the DS model. This may be due to the MIST capturing high-risk fast progressors at an earlier time point. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT03048292.

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Comparing the Prognostic Impact of Age and Baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale in Acute Stroke due to Large Vessel Occlusion

Stroke ◽

10.1161/strokeaha.120.032364 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Johanna Maria Ospel ◽

Scott Brown ◽

Manon Kappelhof ◽

Wim van Zwam ◽

Tudor Jovin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Effect Size ◽

Interquartile Range ◽

National Institutes Of Health ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Prognostic Impact ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Good Outcome ◽

The Impact ◽

Size Estimates

Background and Purpose: Little is known about the combined effect of age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion, and it is not clear how the effects of baseline age and NIHSS on outcome compare to each other. The previously described Stroke Prognostication Using Age and NIHSS (SPAN) index adds up NIHSS and age to a 1:1 combined prognostic index. We added a weighting factor to the NIHSS/age SPAN index to compare the relative prognostic impact of NIHSS and age and assessed EVT effect based on weighted age and NIHSS. Methods: We performed adjusted logistic regression with good outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) as primary outcome. From this model, the coefficients for NIHSS and age were obtained. The ratio between the NIHSS and age coefficients was calculated to determine a weighted SPAN index. We obtained adjusted effect size estimates for EVT in patient subgroups defined by weighted SPAN increments of 3, to evaluate potential changes in treatment effect. Results: We included 1750/1766 patients from the HERMES collaboration (Highly Effective Reperfusion Using Multiple Endovascular Devices) with available age and NIHSS data. Median NIHSS was 17 (interquartile range, 13–21), and median age was 68 (interquartile range, 57–76). Good outcome was achieved by 682/1743 (39%) patients. The NIHSS/age effect coefficient ratio was ([−0.0032]/[−0.111])=3.4, which was rounded to 3, resulting in a weighted SPAN index defined as ([3×NIHSS]+age). Cumulative EVT effect size estimates across weighted SPAN subgroups consistently favored EVT, with a number needed to treat ranging from 5.3 to 8.7. Conclusions: The impact on chance of good outcome of a 1-point increase in NIHSS roughly corresponded to a 3-year increase in patient age. EVT was beneficial across all weighted age/NIHSS subgroups.

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Epidemiological Surveillance of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Care Using Artificial Intelligence

Stroke ◽

10.1161/strokeaha.120.031960 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Raul G. Nogueira ◽

Jason M. Davies ◽

Rishi Gupta ◽

Ameer E. Hassan ◽

Thomas Devlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Acute Stroke ◽

Systems Of Care ◽

Ct Perfusion ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

The Impact

Background and Purpose: The degree to which the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected systems of care, in particular, those for time-sensitive conditions such as stroke, remains poorly quantified. We sought to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in the overall screening for acute stroke utilizing a commercial clinical artificial intelligence platform. Methods: Data were derived from the Viz Platform, an artificial intelligence application designed to optimize the workflow of patients with acute stroke. Neuroimaging data on suspected patients with stroke across 97 hospitals in 20 US states were collected in real time and retrospectively analyzed with the number of patients undergoing imaging screening serving as a surrogate for the amount of stroke care. The main outcome measures were the number of computed tomography (CT) angiography, CT perfusion, large vessel occlusions (defined according to the automated software detection), and severe strokes on CT perfusion (defined as those with hypoperfusion volumes >70 mL) normalized as number of patients per day per hospital. Data from the prepandemic (November 4, 2019 to February 29, 2020) and pandemic (March 1 to May 10, 2020) periods were compared at national and state levels. Correlations were made between the inter-period changes in imaging screening, stroke hospitalizations, and thrombectomy procedures using state-specific sampling. Results: A total of 23 223 patients were included. The incidence of large vessel occlusion on CT angiography and severe strokes on CT perfusion were 11.2% (n=2602) and 14.7% (n=1229/8328), respectively. There were significant declines in the overall number of CT angiographies (−22.8%; 1.39–1.07 patients/day per hospital, P <0.001) and CT perfusion (−26.1%; 0.50–0.37 patients/day per hospital, P <0.001) as well as in the incidence of large vessel occlusion (−17.1%; 0.15–0.13 patients/day per hospital, P <0.001) and severe strokes on CT perfusion (−16.7%; 0.12–0.10 patients/day per hospital, P <0.005). The sampled cohort showed similar declines in the rates of large vessel occlusions versus thrombectomy (18.8% versus 19.5%, P =0.9) and comprehensive stroke center hospitalizations (18.8% versus 11.0%, P =0.4). Conclusions: A significant decline in stroke imaging screening has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis underscores the broader application of artificial intelligence neuroimaging platforms for the real-time monitoring of stroke systems of care.

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Outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy with and without bridging thrombolysis for acute large vessel occlusion ischaemic stroke

Internal Medicine Journal ◽

10.1111/imj.14069 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 345-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Julian Maingard ◽

Yasmin Shvarts ◽

Ronan Motyer ◽

Vincent Thijs ◽

Paul Brennan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischaemic Stroke ◽

Large Vessel ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Endovascular Thrombectomy

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Abstract TP53: Imaging Insight on Therapeutic Hypothermia with Thrombolysis: ICTUS 2

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.47.suppl_1.tp53 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

David S Liebeskind ◽

Karin Ernstrom ◽

Karen Rapp ◽

Sachin Agarwal ◽

Mauricio Concha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Therapeutic Hypothermia ◽

Parietal Lobe ◽

Large Vessel ◽

High Rate ◽

Large Vessel Occlusion ◽

Advanced Imaging ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Ct Findings ◽

Noncontrast Ct ◽

The Impact

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia for acute ischemic stroke is most likely to benefit patients with large vessel occlusion that require reperfusion. Until the recent success of endovascular trials with advanced imaging selection, noncontrast CT prior to intravenous (IV) thrombolysis has been the mainstay. We analyzed the ICTUS 2 trial CT findings before and after thrombolysis to disclose the impact of large vessel occlusion and subsequent edema formation. Methods: Noncontrast CT findings at baseline and 36 hours after enrollment were analyzed by imaging variables linked with large vessel occlusion. Presence of hyperdensity artery sign (HAS) and ischemic changes were analyzed in hypothermia and normothermia arms of the randomized safety and efficacy trial. Data were presented using descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact test for comparisons between treatment arms. Results: 120 patients (median age 69±IQR 15 years; 51 (43%) women; median NIHSS 14±8 IQR) with acute stroke treated with IV thrombolysis were enrolled in ICTUS 2, including 63 randomized to hypothermia (H) and 57 to normothermia (N). CT abnormalities were balanced (68% H vs. 61% N, p=NS) across treatment arms, including hyperdense arteries (HAS) (33% H vs. 37% N, p=NS). At 36 hours, the vast majority of patients had CT abnormalities (92% H vs. 84% N, p=NS), including edema (52% H vs. 44% N, p=NS), hemorrhagic transformation (13% H vs. 19% N, p=NS) and HAS (22% H vs. 15% N, p=NS). Topography of ischemic changes at 36 hours was similar between arms, involving the insular cortex in 60%, frontal lobe 65%, parietal lobe 59% and temporal lobe 52%. Large vessel atherosclerosis was identified as cause of stroke in 29% of hypothermia and 19% normothermia subjects, p=NS. Serial CT changes from baseline to 36 hours based on topography were similar between arms. No interactions could be discerned between imaging findings, treatment allocation and 90-day mRS clinical outcomes. Conclusions: ICTUS 2 selection criteria based on NIHSS yielded a substantial proportion of large vessel strokes. The relatively high rate of persistent hyperdense arteries and extensive ischemic changes suggest more effective reperfusion strategies than IV thrombolysis may be warranted and enhanced by advanced imaging surveillance.

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