Endovascular versus Medical Management of Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Randomized Controlled Trials

Background and Purpose The optimal management of patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) compared to medical management (MM) for acute BAO through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs of patients with acute BAO. We analyzed the pooled effect of EVT compared to MM on the primary outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] of 0–3 at 3 months), secondary outcome (mRS 0–2 at 3 months), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and 3-month mortality rates. For each study, effect sizes were computed as odds ratios (ORs) with random effects and Mantel-Haenszel weighting. Results Four RCTs met inclusion criteria including 988 patients. There were higher odds of mRS of 0-3 at 90 days in the EVT versus MM group (45.1% vs. 29.1%, OR 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–3.80; P=0.04). Patients receiving EVT had a higher sICH compared to MM (5.4% vs. 0.8%, OR 7.89, 95% CI 4.10–15.19; P<0.01). Mortality was lower in the EVT group (35.5% vs. 45.1%, OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.99; P=0.05). In an analysis of two trials with BAO patients and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) <10, there was no difference in 90-day outcomes between EVT versus MM. Conclusion In this systematic review and meta-analysis, EVT was associated with favorable outcome and decreased mortality in patients with BAO up to 24 hours from stroke symptoms compared to MM. The treatment effect in BAO patients with NIHSS <10 was less certain. Further studies are of interest to evaluate the efficacy of EVT in basilar occlusion patients with milder symptoms

Current Opinions on Optimal Management of Basilar Artery Occlusion: After the BEST of BASICS Survey

Background The best management of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) remains uncertain. The BASICS (Basilar Artery International Cooperation Study) and the BEST (Basilar Artery Occlusion Endovascular Intervention Versus Standard Medical Treatment) trials reported neutral results. We sought to understand physicians’ approaches to BAOs and whether further BAO randomized controlled trials were warranted. Methods We conducted an online international survey from January to March 2022 to stroke neurologists and neurointerventionalists. Survey questions were designed to examine clinical and imaging parameters under which clinicians would offer (or rescind) a patient with BAO to endovascular therapy (EVT) or best medical management versus enrollment into a randomized clinical trial. Results Of >3002 invited participants, 1245 responded (41.4% response rate) from 73 countries, including 54.7% stroke neurologists and 43.6% neurointerventionalists. More than 95% of respondents would offer EVT to patients with BAO, albeit in various clinical circumstances. There were 70.0% of respondents who indicated that the BASICS and BEST trials did not change their practice. Only 22.1% of respondents would perform EVT according to anterior circulation occlusion criteria. The selection of patients for BAO EVT by clinical severity, timing, and imaging modality differed according to geography, specialty, and country income level. Over 80% of respondents agreed that further randomized clinical trials for BAO were warranted. Moreover, 45.6% of respondents indicated they would find it acceptable to enroll all trial‐eligible patients into the medical arm of a BAO trial, whereas 26.3% would not enroll. Conclusion Most stroke physicians continue to believe in the efficacy of EVT in selected patients with BAO in spite of BEST and BASICS. There is no consensus on which selection criteria to use, and few clinicians would use anterior circulation occlusion criteria for BAOs. Further randomized clinical trials for BAO are warranted

Treatment and prognosis in posterior circulation ischaemic stroke

© 2021 Fana AlemsegedAcute ischemic stroke is caused by a blocked blood vessel in the cerebral circulation. It is the most common form of stroke worldwide and a major cause of disability and death. One in five ischaemic strokes affects the posterior circulation. This type of stroke is associated with high risk of recurrence, disability and mortality. Diagnosing posterior circulation stroke can be challenging, as it often presents with non-specific or fluctuating symptoms. Several aspects of posterior circulation stroke are poorly understood compared to anterior circulation stroke. Treatments to reopen the blocked blood vessel and reperfuse the brain are available but patients with posterior circulation stroke were excluded from most of the randomized controlled trials which showed the benefit of reperfusion therapies in ischaemic stroke. This thesis examines the natural history, clinical and neuroimaging prognostic factors of outcome and treatment response in patients with posterior circulation stroke. We created the Basilar Artery Treatment and MANagement (BATMAN) collaboration, an international multicentre prospective registry aiming to answer clinical questions regarding this devastating and under-researched form of stroke. The overarching aim of this registry is to identify clinical and neuroimaging prognostic factors of outcome and treatment response in patients with posterior circulation stroke. This thesis examines clinical and imaging predictors of outcome in patients with posterior circulation stroke and how they may be applied in clinical practice. The ultimate aim is to push boundaries of treatment in patients with posterior circulation stroke allowing treatment in extended time windows when favourable imaging profiles are present and identify the optimal treatment management for these patients

Heparin during endovascular stroke treatment seems safe

the effect of intravenous heparin during mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke is not clear. We aimed to study efficacy and safety of heparin use during endovascular stroke treatment in a real-world setting

Safety and Efficacy of Reperfusion Therapies for Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Active Malignancy

Epidemiological correlations between active malignancy (AM) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are well-established. However, the effect of reperfusion strategies, particularly mechanical thrombectomy (MT), has been barely investigated in patients with AIS and AM. We aim to evaluate safety and efficacy of reperfusion strategies in such patients

Temporal lobe atrophy as a potential predictor of functional outcome in older adults with acute ischemic stroke

BackgroundTo explore whether temporal lobe atrophy predicts 3-month functional outcome in a population of patients with anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with mechanical thrombectomy (MT).MethodsWe retrospectively selected patients &gt; 65 years from our prospective endovascular stroke registry between June 2013 and August 2018. According to 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS), patients were divided in two groups, named good (mRS &lt;= 2) and poor (mRS &gt; 2) outcome. Measures of temporal lobe atrophy (i.e., interuncal distance [IUD], medial temporal lobe thickness [mTLT] and radial width of temporal horn [rWTH]) were assessed on pre-treatment CT scan. Cutoff values for good outcome were obtained for IUD, mTLT and rWTH by means of non-parametric ROC curve analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of outcome. Ordinal shift analysis based on cutoff values was built to evaluate differences in 3-month mRS.ResultsAmong 340 patients, 130 (38.2%) had good and 210 (61.8%) had poor outcome. We found the following cutoff values for good outcome: &lt; 25 mm for IUD, &gt; 15 mm for mTLT and &lt; 4 mm for rWTH. Lower IUD (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.63-0.80; p &lt; 0.0001) and rWTH (OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.61-0.87; p &lt; 0.0001) and higher mTLT (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.14-1.49; p &lt; 0.0001) were independently associated with good outcome. Ordinal shift analysis based on cutoff values revealed significant differences in the rate of good outcome for rWTH (49 vs 27%; p &lt; 0.0001), mTLT (52 vs 21%; p &lt; 0.0001) and IUD (57 vs 17%; p &lt; 0.0001).ConclusionsAssessment of temporal lobe atrophy may predict functional outcome in patients with AIS treated with MT

Efficacy and Safety of Mechanical Thrombectomy in Older Adults with Acute Ischemic Stoke

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular therapy in elderly adults treated for acute ischemic stroke

The basilar artery on computed tomography angiography prognostic score for basilar artery occlusion

Background and Purpose-Basilar artery occlusion is associated with high risk of disability and mortality. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of a new radiological score: the Basilar Artery on Computed Tomography Angiography (BATMAN) score. Methods-A retrospective analysis of consecutive stroke patients with basilar artery occlusion diagnosed on computed tomographic angiography was performed. BATMAN score is a 10-point computed tomographic angiography-based grading system which incorporates thrombus burden and the presence of collaterals. Reliability was assessed with intraclass coefficient correlation. Good outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale score of <= 3 at 3 months and successful reperfusion as thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b-3. BATMAN score was externally validated and compared with the Posterior Circulation Collateral score. Results-The derivation cohort included 83 patients with 41 in the validation cohort. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, BATMAN score had an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-0.9) in derivation cohort and an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.6-0.9) in validation cohort. In logistic regression adjusted for age and clinical severity, BATMAN score of <7 was associated with poor outcome in derivation cohort (odds ratio, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.4-21; P=0.01), in validation cohort (odds ratio, 6.9; 95% CI, 1.4-33; P=0.01), and in endovascular patients, after adjustment for recanalization and time to treatment (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.2-18; P=0.01). BATMAN score of <7 was not associated with recanalization. Interrater agreement was substantial (intraclass coefficient correlation, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.8-0.9). BATMAN score had greater accuracy compared with Posterior Circulation Collateral score (P=0.04). Conclusions-The addition of collateral quality to clot burden in BATMAN score seems to improve prognostic accuracy in basilar artery occlusion patients

Posterior National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Improves Prognostic Accuracy in Posterior Circulation Stroke

Background and purpose: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) underestimates clinical severity in posterior circulation stroke and patients presenting with low NIHSS may be considered ineligible for reperfusion therapies. This study aimed to develop a modified version of the NIHSS, the Posterior NIHSS (POST-NIHSS), to improve NIHSS prognostic accuracy for posterior circulation stroke patients with mild-moderate symptoms. Methods: Clinical data of consecutive posterior circulation stroke patients with mild-moderate symptoms (NIHSS &lt;10), who were conservatively managed, were retrospectively analyzed from the Basilar Artery Treatment and Management registry. Clinical features were assessed within 24 hours of symptom onset; dysphagia was assessed by a speech therapist within 48 hours of symptom onset. Random forest classification algorithm and constrained optimization were used to develop the POST-NIHSS in the derivation cohort. The POST-NIHSS was then validated in a prospective cohort. Poor outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale score ≥3 at 3 months. Results: We included 202 patients (mean [SD] age 63 [14] years, median NIHSS 3 [interquartile range, 1-5]) in the derivation cohort and 65 patients (mean [SD] age 63 [16] years, median NIHSS 2 [interquartile range, 1-4]) in the validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, age, NIHSS, abnormal cough, dysphagia and gait/truncal ataxia were ranked as the most important predictors of functional outcome. POST-NIHSS was calculated by adding 5 points for abnormal cough, 4 points for dysphagia, and 3 points for gait/truncal ataxia to the baseline NIHSS. In receiver operating characteristic analysis adjusted for age, POST-NIHSS area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.73-0.87) versus NIHSS area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.73 (95% CI, 0.64-0.83), P=0.03. In the validation cohort, POST-NIHSS area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.69-0.94) versus NIHSS area under receiver operating characteristic curve 0.73 (95% CI, 0.58-0.87), P=0.04. Conclusions: POST-NIHSS showed higher prognostic accuracy than NIHSS and may be useful to identify posterior circulation stroke patients with NIHSS &lt;10 at higher risk of poor outcome