Abstract WP22: Reperfusion Therapy After Neurological Deterioration in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Background: Guidelines do not recommend reperfusion therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients with mild symptoms considering low gain compared to the risk. However, some patients with mild first symptoms experience neurological deterioration (ND) after hospitalization. We aimed to analyze clinical features and outcomes of patient who received reperfusion therapy after ND occurred. Methods: We enrolled patients who were admitted within 7 days after acute ischemic stroke or TIA between January 2012 and July 2018 from a multicenter stroke registry database in Korea (CRCS-K). Patients who 1) admitted via emergency room, and 2) received reperfusion therapy including intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and/or endovascular treatment were included. Clinical features and outcomes such as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score distribution at 3 months after stroke were compared between patients received reperfusion therapy after ND and those without ND before the treatment. Results: Among 51325 patients, 6577 (12.8%) received reperfusion therapy were identified. Reperfusion therapy was performed after ND in 136 patients (2.1%). Mean time of onset to needle is 342.1 and 167.2, and onset to perfusion is 1351.6 and 422.0 in patients treated after ND, and those without, respectively. TIA history was more frequent and atrial fibrillation history was less frequent in patients treated after ND. Initial median (IQR) National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 8 (5 - 12), 10 (6 - 16) in patients treated after ND, and those without, respectively. Large artery atherosclerosis was more frequent in patients treated after ND (42.9 % vs. 26.7%). There was higher rate of good outcome at 90 days in patients treated after ND (84 [61.8%]) compared with those without ND before treatment (3359 [52.2%]; OR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.02-1.87]). In multivariable analysis, good outcome at 90 days in patients treated after ND lacked statistical significance (OR, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.71-1.62]). There is no significant statistical difference of death at 90 days (13.2% vs. 10.4%, p = 0.364). Conclusion: Reperfusion therapy could apply patients with mild first symptoms experience ND after hospitalization and expect similar prognosis compared to those without ND before the treatment.