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Outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy with and without bridging thrombolysis for acute large vessel occlusion ischaemic stroke
Author(s) -
Maingard Julian,
Shvarts Yasmin,
Motyer Ronan,
Thijs Vincent,
Brennan Paul,
O'Hare Alan,
Looby Seamus,
Thornton John,
Hirsch Joshua A.,
Barras Christen D.,
Chandra Ronil V.,
Brooks Mark,
Asadi Hamed,
Kok Hong K.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/imj.14069
Subject(s) - medicine , thrombolysis , modified rankin scale , odds ratio , confidence interval , tissue plasminogen activator , occlusion , stroke (engine) , fibrinolytic agent , bridging (networking) , surgery , cardiology , ischemia , ischemic stroke , myocardial infarction , mechanical engineering , computer network , computer science , engineering
Background Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for management of large vessel occlusion (LVO) acute ischaemic stroke is now current best practice. Aim To determine if bridging intravenous (i.v.) alteplase therapy confers any clinical benefit. Methods A retrospective study of patients treated with EVT for LVO was performed. Outcomes were compared between patients receiving thrombolysis and EVT with EVT alone. Primary end‐points were reperfusion rate, 90‐day functional outcome and mortality using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH). Results A total of 355 patients who underwent EVT was included: 210 with thrombolysis (59%) and 145 without (41%). The reperfusion rate was higher in the group receiving i.v. tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29–3.73, P = 0.004), although this effect was attenuated when all variables were considered (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.22, 95% CI: 0.60–2.5, P = 0.580). The percentage achieving functional independence (mRS 0–2) at 90 days was higher in patients who received bridging i.v. tPA (AOR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.06–4.44, P = 0.033). There was no significant difference in major complications, including sICH (AOR 1.4, 95% CI: 0.51–3.83, P = 0.512). There was lower 90‐day mortality in the bridging i.v. tPA group (AOR 0.79, 95% CI: 0.36–1.74, P = 0.551). Fewer thrombectomy passes (2 versus 3, P = 0.012) were required to achieve successful reperfusion in the i.v. tPA group. Successful reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥2b) was the strongest predictor for 90‐day functional independence (AOR 10.4, 95% CI:3.6–29.7, P < 0.001). Conclusion Our study supports the current practice of administering i.v. alteplase before endovascular therapy.