Abstract WMP89: Outcomes No Different in Real World Including Direct vs Drip-and-Ship Patients: Power of Reperfusion From Mechanical Thrombectomy

Abstract

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) became standard care in 2015 after positive trials in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion (LVO) 0-6h and in 2018 for selected patients up to 24h from symptom onset. Objective: To evaluate whether patients receiving MT at our center would have comparable outcomes in patients presenting to our comprehensive stroke center (direct) vs transfer patients (drip-and-ship) Methods: This is a retrospective observational study utilising prospectively collected stroke database for patients receiving MT for LVO in anterior and posterior circulation in South Brisbane network of 7 hospitals (6 drip-and-ship centers and 1 MT-capable center), Australia which serves 1.6 million. Day 90 modified Rankin scale (mRS) was used to assess functional outcomes via outpatient follow up at direct or referral center. The association of drip and ship versus mothership treatment with day 90 mRS was tested in ordinal logistic regression adjusted for age, baseline NIHSS and IV thrombolysis. Results: Of 191 patients who underwent Mechanical Thrombectomy from 2015 to June 2018 at our center, 22 patients were excluded from analysis as either their baseline mRS was >1 (13) or follow up data was missing (9). The mean age was 64.4 years. Median (inter-quartile range, IQR) NIHSS was 16 (9-21) on admission and 7 (2-18) on day 1. Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) ≥2b was achieved in 88.9%. At 90 days, 50.9% achieved excellent functional outcome (mRS 0-1), 61.4% achieved good functional outcome (mRS 0-2) and 69% achieved favorable outcome (mRS 0-3). Median mRS was 1 (IQR 0-5) in 96 patients presenting directly to the endovascular center and 1 (IQR 1-4) in 73 drip-and-ship patients (common odds ratio 1.07 (95%CI 0.62-1.83), p=0.82) Conclusion: Our 7-center network experience confirms real world reproducibility of trial results, interestingly with no difference in functional outcomes for direct vs drip-and-ship patients.