Repeated Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients with Recurrent Ischemic Stroke in the Vertebrobasilar Territory.

Acute ischemic vertebrobasilar stroke (AIVBS) is usually associated with poor outcome and prognosis and in case of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) with high mortality. Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), as a standard recanalization therapy of acute ischemic stroke (IS) within first 4.5 h, can be administrated beyond this therapeutic time window in case of symptomatic BAO. Repeated IVT is generally contraindicated in case of early recurrent IS, despite a risk of poor outcome or death after recurrent IS. The aim was to present 2 cases of repeated IVT for recurrent AIVBS and discuss specific situations where repeated IVT may be considered. Up to now, repeated IVT has been reported only in recurrent stroke in anterior circulation.

Low Levels of Glycemia within the First 48 Hours after Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke May be Associated with Better Clinical Outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Many different factors may have an impact on clinical outcome after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to investigate levels of serum glycemia (GLY) within the first 48 hours after MT. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Consecutive AIS patients were enrolled in the retrospective bi-center study. Neurological deficit was assessed with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome after 3 months with modified Rankin scale with a score 0-2 for good outcome. Presence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was assessed according to the SITS- MOST criteria. RESULTS: In total, 868 patients (442 males, mean age 69.7 ± 12.2 years) with a median of admission NIHSS 17 points were enrolled in the study and 253 (29.1%) of them were diabetics. Recanalization was reached in 758 (87.3%) patients. Patients with good outcome (412, 47.5%) had lower median of GLY (6.5 versus 7.4 mmol/L, P < .0001) within the first 48 hours after MT. Similar results were found also in diabetics (8.1 versus 9.6 mmol/L, P < .0001) and in patients with achieved recanalization (6.5 versus 7.5 mmol/L, P < .0001). Multivariate regression analysis with adjustment for potential confounders showed median of GLY (P = .0001, odds ratio: 0.830, 95% confidence interval: 0.755-0.913) as a predictor of good outcome after MT. CONCLUSION: Lower levels of GLY within the first 48 hours after MT may be associated with better functional outcome after 3 months.

Impact of blood pressure levels within first 24 hours after mechanical thrombectomy on clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients.

INTRODUCTION: Despite early management and technical success of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), not all patients reach a good clinical outcome. Different factors may have an impact and we aimed to evaluate blood pressure (BP) levels in the first 24 hours after MT. METHODS: Consecutive AIS patients treated with MT were enrolled in the retrospective bi-center study. Neurological deficit was assessed with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome after 3 months with modified Rankin scale (mRS) with a score 0-2 for good outcome. The presence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) was assessed according to the SITS-MOST criteria. RESULTS: Of 703 treated patients, completed BP levels were collected in 690 patients (350 males, mean age 71±13 years) with median of admission NIHSS 17 points. Patients with mRS 0-2 had a lower median of systolic BP (SBP) compared with those with poor outcome (131 vs 140 mm Hg, P<0.0001). The rate of SICH did not differ between the patients with a median of SBP <140 mm Hg and ≥140 mm Hg. (5.1% vs 5.1%, P=0.980). Multivariate regression analysis with adjustment for potential confounders showed a median of distolic BP (P=0.024, OR: 0.977, 95% CI: 0.957 to 0.997) as a predictor of good functional outcome after MT, and a median of maximal SBP (P=0.038; OR: 0.990, 95% CI: 0.981 to 0.999) in the patients with achieved recanalization. CONCLUSION: Lowering of BP within the first 24 hours after MT may have a positive impact on clinical outcome in treated patients.

Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke on Anticoagulation Therapy.

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (IS) can be performed also in patients on anticoagulation therapy (AT); however, sufficient and reliable data about safety and efficacy of MT are still missing. Thus, we aimed to compare these parameters between patients treated on AT and without AT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consecutive IS patients treated with MT using stent retrievers were included in the retrospective analysis. Neurological deficit was scored using National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and 90-day clinical outcome using modified Rankin scale with a score 0-2 for good outcome. Recanalization was rated using Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) scale. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) was assessed according to the SITS-MOST criteria. RESULTS: Out of 703 patients treated with MT, 88 (12.5%) patients (46% males, mean age 75.5 ± 11.8 years) were on AT with an admission median NIHSS of 17 points. Recanalization (TICI 2b-3) was achieved in 80% and complete (TICI 3) in 65% of patients on AT and in 80 and 65% of patients without AT (p-1.000). SICH after MT was detected in 9% of AT and 5% of non-AT patients (p-0.136). Good outcome was present in 36% of AT patients (p-0.03). AT patients with poor outcome had more frequently atrial fibrillation (93%, p-0.005), higher admission NIHSS (17, p-0.004) and higher rate of SICH (14.5%, p-0.047). CONCLUSION: MT seems to be safe also in patients on AT. Poor outcome may be related to higher admission NIHSS, higher rate of SICH and presence of atrial fibrillation.