Endovascular treatment versus no endovascular treatment after 6-24 h in patients with ischaemic stroke and collateral flow on CT angiography (MR CLEAN-LATE) in the Netherlands: a multicentre, open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment for anterior circulation ischaemic stroke is effective and safe within a 6 h window. MR CLEAN-LATE aimed to assess efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment for patients treated in the late window (6-24 h from symptom onset or last seen well) selected on the basis of the presence of collateral flow on CT angiography (CTA). METHODS: MR CLEAN-LATE was a multicentre, open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial done in 18 stroke intervention centres in the Netherlands. Patients aged 18 years or older with ischaemic stroke, presenting in the late window with an anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion and collateral flow on CTA, and a neurological deficit score of at least 2 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale were included. Patients who were eligible for late-window endovascular treatment were treated according to national guidelines (based on clinical and perfusion imaging criteria derived from the DAWN and DEFUSE-3 trials) and excluded from MR CLEAN-LATE enrolment. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive endovascular treatment or no endovascular treatment (control), in addition to best medical treatment. Randomisation was web based, with block sizes ranging from eight to 20, and stratified by centre. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days after randomisation. Safety outcomes included all-cause mortality at 90 days after randomisation and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage. All randomly assigned patients who provided deferred consent or died before consent could be obtained comprised the modified intention-to-treat population, in which the primary and safety outcomes were assessed. Analyses were adjusted for predefined confounders. Treatment effect was estimated with ordinal logistic regression and reported as an adjusted common odds ratio (OR) with a 95% CI. This trial was registered with the ISRCTN, ISRCTN19922220. FINDINGS: Between Feb 2, 2018, and Jan 27, 2022, 535 patients were randomly assigned, and 502 (94%) patients provided deferred consent or died before consent was obtained (255 in the endovascular treatment group and 247 in the control group; 261 [52%] females). The median mRS score at 90 days was lower in the endovascular treatment group than in the control group (3 [IQR 2-5] vs 4 [2-6]), and we observed a shift towards better outcomes on the mRS for the endovascular treatment group (adjusted common OR 1·67 [95% CI 1·20-2·32]). All-cause mortality did not differ significantly between groups (62 [24%] of 255 patients vs 74 [30%] of 247 patients; adjusted OR 0·72 [95% CI 0·44-1·18]). Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage occurred more often in the endovascular treatment group than in the control group (17 [7%] vs four [2%]; adjusted OR 4·59 [95% CI 1·49-14·10]). INTERPRETATION: In this study, endovascular treatment was efficacious and safe for patients with ischaemic stroke caused by an anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion who presented 6-24 h from onset or last seen well, and who were selected on the basis of the presence of collateral flow on CTA. Selection of patients for endovascular treatment in the late window could be primarily based on the presence of collateral flow. FUNDING: Collaboration for New Treatments of Acute Stroke consortium, Dutch Heart Foundation, Stryker, Medtronic, Cerenovus, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, and the Netherlands Brain Foundation.

Endovascular Therapy for Stroke Due to Basilar-Artery Occlusion.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of endovascular therapy in patients with stroke caused by basilar-artery occlusion has not been well studied. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients within 6 hours after the estimated time of onset of a stroke due to basilar-artery occlusion, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive endovascular therapy or standard medical care. The primary outcome was a favorable functional outcome, defined as a score of 0 to 3 on the modified Rankin scale (range, 0 to 6, with 0 indicating no disability, 3 indicating moderate disability, and 6 indicating death) at 90 days. The primary safety outcomes were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 3 days after the initiation of treatment and mortality at 90 days. RESULTS: A total of 300 patients were enrolled (154 in the endovascular therapy group and 146 in the medical care group). Intravenous thrombolysis was used in 78.6% of the patients in the endovascular group and in 79.5% of those in the medical group. Endovascular treatment was initiated at a median of 4.4 hours after stroke onset. A favorable functional outcome occurred in 68 of 154 patients (44.2%) in the endovascular group and 55 of 146 patients (37.7%) in the medical care group (risk ratio, 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92 to 1.50). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 4.5% of the patients after endovascular therapy and in 0.7% of those after medical therapy (risk ratio, 6.9; 95% CI, 0.9 to 53.0); mortality at 90 days was 38.3% and 43.2%, respectively (risk ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.12). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with stroke from basilar-artery occlusion, endovascular therapy and medical therapy did not differ significantly with respect to a favorable functional outcome, but, as reflected by the wide confidence interval for the primary outcome, the results of this trial may not exclude a substantial benefit of endovascular therapy. Larger trials are needed to determine the efficacy and safety of endovascular therapy for basilar-artery occlusion. (Funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation and others; BASICS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01717755; Netherlands Trial Register number, NL2500.).

A Randomized Trial of Intravenous Alteplase before Endovascular Treatment for Stroke.

BACKGROUND: The value of administering intravenous alteplase before endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke has not been studied extensively, particularly in non-Asian populations. METHODS: We performed an open-label, multicenter, randomized trial in Europe involving patients with stroke who presented directly to a hospital that was capable of providing EVT and who were eligible for intravenous alteplase and EVT. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive EVT alone or intravenous alteplase followed by EVT (the standard of care). The primary end point was functional outcome on the modified Rankin scale (range, 0 [no disability] to 6 [death]) at 90 days. We assessed the superiority of EVT alone over alteplase plus EVT, as well as noninferiority by a margin of 0.8 for the lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval for the odds ratio of the two trial groups. Death from any cause and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage were the main safety end points. RESULTS: The analysis included 539 patients. The median score on the modified Rankin scale at 90 days was 3 (interquartile range, 2 to 5) with EVT alone and 2 (interquartile range, 2 to 5) with alteplase plus EVT. The adjusted common odds ratio was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62 to 1.15; P = 0.28), which showed neither superiority nor noninferiority of EVT alone. Mortality was 20.5% with EVT alone and 15.8% with alteplase plus EVT (adjusted odds ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.84 to 2.30). Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 5.9% and 5.3% of the patients in the respective groups (adjusted odds ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.60 to 2.81). CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized trial involving European patients, EVT alone was neither superior nor noninferior to intravenous alteplase followed by EVT with regard to disability outcome at 90 days after stroke. The incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was similar in the two groups. (Funded by the Collaboration for New Treatments of Acute Stroke consortium and others; MR CLEAN-NO IV ISRCTN number, ISRCTN80619088.).

Comparison of Prehospital Assessment by Paramedics and In-Hospital Assessment by Physicians in Suspected Stroke Patients: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown if ambulance paramedics adequately assess neurological deficits used for prehospital stroke scales to detect anterior large-vessel occlusions. We aimed to compare prehospital assessment of these stroke-related deficits by paramedics with in-hospital assessment by physicians. METHODS: We used data from 2 prospective cohort studies: the LPSS (Leiden Prehospital Stroke Study) and PRESTO study (Prehospital Triage of Patients With Suspected Stroke). In both studies, paramedics scored 9 neurological deficits in stroke code patients in the field. Trained physicians scored the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at hospital presentation. Patients with transient ischemic attack were excluded because of the transient nature of symptoms. Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rs) was used to assess correlation between the total prehospital assessment score, defined as the sum of all prehospital items, and the total NIHSS score. Correlation, sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each prehospital item with the corresponding NIHSS item as reference. RESULTS: We included 2850 stroke code patients. Of these, 1528 had ischemic stroke, 243 intracranial hemorrhage, and 1079 stroke mimics. Correlation between the total prehospital assessment score and NIHSS score was strong (rs=0.70 [95% CI, 0.68-0.72]). Concerning individual items, prehospital assessment of arm (rs=0.68) and leg (rs=0.64) motor function correlated strongest with corresponding NIHSS items, and had highest sensitivity (arm 95%, leg 93%) and moderate specificity (arm 71%, leg 70%). Neglect (rs=0.31), abnormal speech (rs=0.50), and gaze deviation (rs=0.51) had weakest correlations. Neglect and gaze deviation had lowest sensitivity (52% and 66%) but high specificity (84% and 89%), while abnormal speech had high sensitivity (85%) but lowest specificity (65%). CONCLUSIONS: The overall prehospital assessment of stroke code patients correlates strongly with in-hospital assessment. Prehospital assessment of neglect, abnormal speech, and gaze deviation differed most from in-hospital assessment. Focused training on these deficits may improve prehospital triage.

Association between thrombus composition and stroke etiology in the MR CLEAN Registry biobank.

PURPOSE: The composition of thrombi retrieved during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) may differ depending on their origin. In this study, we investigated the association between thrombus composition and stroke etiology in a large population of patients from the Dutch MR CLEAN Registry treated with EVT in daily clinical practice. METHODS: The thrombi of 332 patients with AIS were histologically analyzed for red blood cells (RBC), fibrin/platelets (F/P), and white blood cells (leukocytes) using a machine learning algorithm. Stroke etiology was assessed using the Trial of Org 10,172 in acute stroke treatment (TOAST) classification. RESULTS: The thrombi of cardioembolic origin contained less RBC and more F/P than those of non-cardioembolic origin (25.8% vs 41.2% RBC [p = 0.003] and 67.1% vs 54.5% F/P [p = 0.004]). The likelihood of a non-cardioembolic source of stroke increased with increasing thrombus RBC content (OR 1.02; [95% CI 1.00-1.06] for each percent increase) and decreased with a higher F/P content (OR 1.02; [95% CI 1.00-1.06]). Thrombus composition in patients with a cardioembolic origin and undetermined origin was similar. CONCLUSION: Thrombus composition is significantly associated with stroke etiology, with an increase in RBC and a decrease in F/P raising the odds for a non-cardioembolic cause. No difference between composition of cardioembolic thrombi and of undetermined origin was seen. This emphasizes the need for more extensive monitoring for arrhythmias and/or extended cardiac analysis in case of an undetermined origin.

Prehospital Stroke Triage: A Modeling Study on the Impact of Triage Tools in Different Regions.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Direct transportation to a thrombectomy-capable intervention center is beneficial for patients with ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO), but can delay intravenous thrombolytics (IVT). The aim of this modeling study was to estimate the effect of prehospital triage strategies on treatment delays and overtriage in different regions. METHODS: We used data from two prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands: the Leiden Prehospital Stroke Study and the PRESTO study. We included stroke code patients within 6 h from symptom onset. We modeled outcomes of Rapid Arterial oCclusion Evaluation (RACE) scale triage and triage with a personalized decision tool, using drip-and-ship as reference. Main outcomes were overtriage (stroke code patients incorrectly triaged to an intervention center), reduced delay to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), and delay to IVT. RESULTS: We included 1798 stroke code patients from four ambulance regions. Per region, overtriage ranged from 1-13% (RACE triage) and 3-15% (personalized tool). Reduction of delay to EVT varied by region between 24 ± 5 min (n = 6) to 78 ± 3 (n = 2), while IVT delay increased with 5 (n = 5) to 15 min (n = 21) for non-LVO patients. The personalized tool reduced delay to EVT for more patients (25 ± 4 min [n = 8] to 49 ± 13 [n = 5]), while delaying IVT with 3-14 min (8-24 patients). In region C, most EVT patients were treated faster (reduction of delay to EVT 31 ± 6 min (n = 35), with RACE triage and the personalized tool. CONCLUSIONS: In this modeling study, we showed that prehospital triage reduced time to EVT without disproportionate IVT delay, compared to a drip-and-ship strategy. The effect of triage strategies and the associated overtriage varied between regions. Implementation of prehospital triage should therefore be considered on a regional level.

Comparison of Large Animal Models for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Which Model to Use?

Translation of acute ischemic stroke research to the clinical setting remains limited over the last few decades with only one drug, recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, successfully completing the path from experimental study to clinical practice. To improve the selection of experimental treatments before testing in clinical studies, the use of large gyrencephalic animal models of acute ischemic stroke has been recommended. Currently, these models include, among others, dogs, swine, sheep, and nonhuman primates that closely emulate aspects of the human setting of brain ischemia and reperfusion. Species-specific characteristics, such as the cerebrovascular architecture or pathophysiology of thrombotic/ischemic processes, significantly influence the suitability of a model to address specific research questions. In this article, we review key characteristics of the main large animal models used in translational studies of acute ischemic stroke, regarding (1) anatomy and physiology of the cerebral vasculature, including brain morphology, coagulation characteristics, and immune function; (2) ischemic stroke modeling, including vessel occlusion approaches, reproducibility of infarct size, procedural complications, and functional outcome assessment; and (3) implementation aspects, including ethics, logistics, and costs. This review specifically aims to facilitate the selection of the appropriate large animal model for studies on acute ischemic stroke, based on specific research questions and large animal model characteristics.

Evaluating the Diagnostic Performance of Prehospital Stroke Scales Across the Range of Deficit Severity: Analysis of the Prehospital Triage of Patients With Suspected Stroke Study.

BACKGROUND: The usefulness of prehospital scales for identifying anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (aLVO) in patients with suspected stroke may vary depending on the severity of their presentation. The performance of these scales across the spectrum of deficit severity is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 8 prehospital scales for identifying aLVO across the spectrum of deficit severity. METHODS: We used data from the PRESTO study (Prehospital Triage of Patients With Suspected Stroke Symptoms), a prospective observational study comparing prehospital stroke scales in detecting aLVO in suspected stroke patients. We used the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, assessed in-hospital, as a proxy for the Clinical Global Impression of stroke severity during prehospital assessment by paramedics. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the difference in aLVO probabilities with a positive or negative prehospital scale test (ΔPaLVO) for each scale for mild (NIHSS 0-4), intermediate (NIHSS 5-9), moderate (NIHSS 10-14), and severe deficits (NIHSS≥15). RESULTS: Among 1033 patients with suspected stroke, 119 (11.5%) had an aLVO, of whom 19 (16.0%) had mild, 25 (21.0%) had intermediate, 30 (25.2%) had moderate, and 45 (37.8%) had severe deficits. The scales had low sensitivity and positive predictive value in patients with mild-intermediate deficits, and poor specificity, negative predictive value, and accuracy with moderate-severe deficits. Positive results achieved the highest ΔPaLVO in patients with mild deficits. Negative results achieved the highest ΔPaLVO with severe deficits, but the probability of aLVO with a negative result in the severe range was higher than with a positive test in the mild range. CONCLUSIONS: Commonly-used prehospital stroke scales show variable performance across the range of deficit severity. Probability of aLVO remains high with a negative test in severely affected patients. Studies reporting prehospital stroke scale performance should be appraised in the context of the NIHSS distribution of their samples.

Determinants of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage After Endovascular Stroke Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) is a serious complication after endovascular treatment for ischemic stroke. We aimed to identify determinants of its occurrence and location. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from the Dutch MR CLEAN trial (Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands) and MR CLEAN registry. We included adult patients with a large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation who underwent endovascular treatment within 6.5 hours of stroke onset. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify determinants of overall sICH occurrence, sICH within infarcted brain tissue, and sICH outside infarcted brain tissue. RESULTS: SICH occurred in 203 (6%) of 3313 included patients and was located within infarcted brain tissue in 50 (25%), outside infarcted brain tissue in 23 (11%), and both within and outside infarcted brain tissue in 116 (57%) patients. In 14 patients (7%), data on location were missing. Prior antiplatelet use, baseline systolic blood pressure, baseline plasma glucose levels, post-endovascular treatment modified treatment in cerebral ischemia score, and duration of procedure were associated with all outcome parameters. In addition, determinants of sICH within infarcted brain tissue included history of myocardial infarction (adjusted odds ratio, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.06-2.56]) and poor collateral score (adjusted odds ratio, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.02-1.95]), whereas determinants of sICH outside infarcted brain tissue included level of occlusion on computed tomography angiography (internal carotid artery or internal carotid artery terminus compared with M1: adjusted odds ratio, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.16-2.78]). CONCLUSIONS: Several factors, some potentially modifiable, are associated with sICH occurrence. Further studies should investigate whether modification of baseline systolic blood pressure or plasma glucose level could reduce the risk of sICH. In addition, determinants differ per location of sICH, supporting the hypothesis of varying underlying mechanisms. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.isrctn.com/; Unique identifier: ISRCTN10888758.

Quantitative thrombus characteristics on thin-slice computed tomography improve prediction of thrombus histopathology: results of the MR CLEAN Registry.

OBJECTIVES: Thrombus computed tomography (CT) characteristics might be used to assess histopathologic thrombus composition in patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to assess the variability in thrombus composition that could be predicted with combined thrombus CT characteristics. METHODS: Thrombi of patients enrolled in the MR CLEAN Registry between March 2014 and June 2016 were histologically analyzed with hematoxylin-eosin staining and quantified for percentages of red blood cells (RBCs) and fibrin/platelets. We estimated the association between general qualitative characteristics (hyperdense artery sign [HAS], occlusion location, clot burden score [CBS]) and thrombus composition with linear regression, and quantified RBC variability that could be explained with individual and combined characteristics with R2. For patients with available thin-slice (≤ 2.5 mm) imaging, we performed similar analyses for general and quantitative characteristics (HAS, occlusion location, CBS, [relative] thrombus density, thrombus length, perviousness, distance from ICA-terminus). RESULTS: In 332 included patients, the presence of HAS (aß 7.8 [95% CI 3.9-11.7]) and shift towards a more proximal occlusion location (aß 3.9 [95% CI 0.6-7.1]) were independently associated with increased RBC and decreased fibrin/platelet content. With general characteristics, 12% of RBC variability could be explained; HAS was the strongest predictor. In 94 patients with available thin-slice imaging, 30% of RBC variability could be explained; thrombus density and thrombus length were the strongest predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative thrombus CT characteristics on thin-slice admission CT improve prediction of thrombus composition and might be used to further guide clinical decision-making in patients treated with EVT for AIS in the future. KEY POINTS: • With hyperdense artery sign and occlusion location, 12% of variability in thrombus RBC content can be explained. • With hyperdense artery sign, occlusion location, and quantitative thrombus characteristics on thin-slice (≤ 2.5 mm) non-contrast CT and CTA, 30% of variability in thrombus RBC content can be explained. • Absolute thrombus density and thrombus length were the strongest predictors for thrombus composition.

Diagnostic performance of an algorithm for automated collateral scoring on computed tomography angiography.

OBJECTIVES: Outcome of endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke patients depends on collateral circulation to provide blood supply to the ischemic territory. We evaluated the performance of a commercially available algorithm for assessing the collateral score (CS) in acute ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: Retrospectively, baseline CTA scans (≤ 3-mm slice thickness) with an intracranial carotid artery (ICA), middle cerebral artery segment M1 or M2 occlusion, from the MR CLEAN Registry (n = 1627) were evaluated. All CTA scans were evaluated for visual CS (0-3) by eight expert radiologists (reference standard). A Web-based AI algorithm quantified the collateral circulation (0-100%) for correctly detected occlusion sides. Agreement between visual CS and categorized automated CS (0: 0%, 1: > 0- ≤ 50%, 2: > 50- < 100%, 3: 100%) was assessed. Area under the curve (AUC) values for classifying patients in having good (CS: 2-3) versus poor (CS: 0-1) collaterals and for predicting functional independence (90-day modified Rankin Scale 0-2) were computed. Influence of CTA acquisition timing after contrast material administration was reported. RESULTS: In the analyzed scans (n = 1024), 59% agreement was found between visual CS and automated CS. An AUC of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85-0.90) was found for discriminating good versus poor CS. Timing of CTA acquisition did not influence discriminatory performance. AUC for predicting functional independence was 0.66 (95% CI 0.62-0.69) for automated CS, similar to visual CS 0.64 (95% CI 0.61-0.68). CONCLUSIONS: The automated CS performs similar to radiologists in determining a good versus poor collateral score and predicting functional independence in acute ischemic stroke patients with a large vessel occlusion. KEY POINTS: • Software for automated quantification of intracerebral collateral circulation on computed tomography angiography performs similar to expert radiologists in determining a good versus poor collateral score. • Software for automated quantification of intracerebral collateral circulation on computed tomography angiography performs similar to expert radiologists in predicting functional independence in acute ischemic stroke patients with a large vessel occlusion. • The timing of computed tomography angiography acquisition after contrast material administration did not influence the performance of automated quantification of the collateral status.

Safety and efficacy of periprocedural antithrombotics in patients with successful reperfusion after endovascular stroke treatment.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate whether the overall harmful effect of periprocedural treatment with aspirin or heparin during endovascular stroke treatment is different in patients with a successful reperfusion after the procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a post-hoc analysis of the MR CLEAN-MED trial, including adult patients with a large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation eligible for endovascular treatment (EVT). In this trial, patients were randomized for periprocedural intravenous treatment with aspirin or no aspirin (1:1 ratio), and for moderate-dose unfractionated heparin, low-dose unfractionated heparin or no unfractionated heparin (1:1:1 ratio). We tested for interaction between the post-EVT extended thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (eTICI) score and treatment with periprocedural medication with multivariable regression analyses. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days. Secondary outcomes were final infarct volume, intracranial hemorrhage, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. RESULTS: Of 534 included patients, 93 (17%) had a post-EVT eTICI score of 0-2a, 115 (22%) a score of 2b, 73 (14%) a score of 2c, and 253 (47%) a score of 3. For both aspirin and heparin, we found no interaction between post-EVT eTICI score and treatment on the modified Rankin Scale score (p=0.76 and p=0.47, respectively). We found an interaction between post-EVT eTICI score and treatment with heparin on the final infarct volume (p=0.01). Of note, this interaction showed a biologically implausible distribution over the subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: The overall harmful effect of periprocedural aspirin and unfractionated heparin is not different in patients with a successful reperfusion after EVT.

Mechanical Characterization of Thrombi Retrieved With Endovascular Thrombectomy in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Purpose: Mechanical properties of thromboemboli play an important role in the efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke. However, very limited data on mechanical properties of human stroke thrombi are available. We aimed to mechanically characterize thrombi retrieved with EVT, and to assess the relationship between thrombus composition and thrombus stiffness. Methods: Forty-one thrombi from 19 patients with acute stroke who underwent EVT between July and October 2019 were mechanically analyzed, directly after EVT. We performed unconfined compression experiments and determined tangent modulus at 75% strain (Et75) as a measure for thrombus stiffness. Thrombi were histologically analyzed for fibrin/platelets, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets, and we assessed the relationship between histological components and Et75 with univariable and multivariable linear mixed regression. Results: Median Et75 was 560 (interquartile range, 393­1161) kPa. In the multivariable analysis, fibrin/platelets were associated with increased Et75 (aß, 9 [95% CI, 5 to 13]) kPa, erythrocytes were associated with decreased Et75% (aß, −9 [95% CI, −5 to −13]) kPa. We found no association between leukocytes and Et75. High platelet values were strongly associated with increased Et75 (aß, 56 [95% CI, 38­73]). Conclusions: Fibrin/platelet content of thrombi retrieved with EVT for acute ischemic stroke is strongly associated with increased thrombus stiffness. For thrombi with high platelet values, there was a very strong relationship with thrombus stiffness. Our data provide a basis for future research on the development of next-generation EVT devices tailored to thrombus composition.

Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in Children: Experience From the MR CLEAN Registry.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Multiple trials have shown the efficacy and safety of endovascular therapy (EVT) of acute ischemic stroke in adults. Trials in children are lacking and only case reports and case series exist. However, the long-term outcome of children with acute ischemic stroke can be devastating with significant mortality and morbidity. In this study, we describe the safety and efficacy of EVT in children with anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke who were included in the MR CLEAN Registry (Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands). METHODS: Patients under the age of 18 years who were treated with EVT for acute ischemic stroke between March 2014 and July 2017 were retrospectively reviewed up to 6 months after EVT. Nine children, aged 13 months to 16 years (median 14 years, interquartile range, 3-15 years), underwent EVT. Stroke cause was thromboembolism in children with end-stage heart failure on left ventricular assist device (4 of these 9 cases). Median time from onset to imaging was 133 minutes. Four children received intravenous alteplase before EVT, with median onset to needle time of 165 minutes. In all but one patient, EVT was technically successful. No major periprocedural complications occurred. RESULTS: At 24 hours after EVT, 3 children completely recovered and 4 children showed partial recovery (median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 3.5), whereas 2 patients on left ventricular assist device died within the first week due to the occurrence of multiple strokes. One patient on left ventricular assist device developed a fatal massive intracranial hemorrhage and another child died due to left ventricular assist device-related complications. Among the 5 stroke survivors, all had a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2) at 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: EVT of children with acute ischemic stroke seems safe and feasible. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution as more and larger studies are needed to clarify the trade-off between risks and benefits of this treatment.

Blood Pressure in the First 6 Hours Following Endovascular Treatment for Ischemic Stroke Is Associated With Outcome.

Background and Purpose: Optimal blood pressure (BP) management in the acute phase of ischemic stroke remains an unresolved issue. It is uncertain whether guidelines for BP management during and after intravenous alteplase can be extrapolated to endovascular treatment (EVT) for stroke due to large artery occlusion in the anterior circulation. We evaluated the associations between systolic BP (SBP) in the first 6 hours following EVT and functional outcome as well as symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Methods: Patients of 8 MR CLEAN (Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands) Registry centers, with available data on SBP in the 6 hours following EVT, were analyzed. We evaluated maximum, minimum, and mean SBP. Study outcomes were functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale) at 90 days and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. We used multivariable ordinal and binary regression analysis to adjust for important prognostic factors and studied possible effect modification by successful reperfusion. Results: Post-EVT SBP data were available for 1161/1796 patients. Higher maximum SBP (per 10 mm Hg increments) was associated with worse functional outcome (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88­0.98]) and a higher rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.02­1.36]). The association between minimum SBP and functional outcome was nonlinear with an inflection point at 124 mm Hg. Minimum SBP lower and higher than the inflection point were associated with worse functional outcomes (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.85 per 10 mm Hg decrements [95% CI, 0.76­0.95] and adjusted common odds ratio, 0.81 per 10 mm Hg increments [95% CI, 0.71­0.92]). No association between mean SBP and functional outcome was observed. Successful reperfusion did not modify the relation of SBP with any of the outcomes. Conclusions: Maximum SBP in the first 6 hours following EVT is positively associated with worse functional outcome and an increased risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Both lower and higher minimum SBP are associated with worse outcomes. A randomized trial to evaluate whether modifying post-intervention SBP results in better outcomes after EVT for ischemic stroke seems justified.

Relationship between primary stroke center volume and time to endovascular thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We investigated whether the annual volume of patients with acute ischemic stroke referred from a primary stroke center (PSC) for endovascular treatment (EVT) is associated with treatment times and functional outcome. METHODS: We used data from the Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN) registry (2014-2017). We included patients with acute ischemic stroke of the anterior circulation who were transferred from a PSC to a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) for EVT. We examined the association between EVT referral volume of PSCs and treatment times and functional outcome using multivariable regression modeling. The main outcomes were time from arrival at the PSC to groin puncture (PSC-door-to-groin time), adjusted for estimated ambulance travel times, time from arrival at the CSC to groin puncture (CSC-door-to-groin time), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days after stroke. RESULTS: Of the 3637 patients in the registry, 1541 patients (42%) from 65 PSCs were included. Mean age was 71 years (SD ± 13.3), median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 16 (interquartile range [IQR]: 12-19), and median time from stroke onset to arrival at the PSC was 53 min (IQR: 38-90). Eighty-three percent had received intravenous thrombolysis. EVT referral volume was not associated with PSC-door-to-groin time (adjusted coefficient: -0.49 min/annual referral, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.27 to 0.29), CSC-door-to-groin time (adjusted coefficient: -0.34 min/annual referral, 95% CI: -0.69 to 0.01) or 90-day mRS score (adjusted common odds ratio: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: In patients transferred from a PSC for EVT, higher PSC volumes do not seem to translate into better workflow metrics or patient outcome.

Validation of automated Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) software for detection of early ischemic changes on non-contrast brain CT scans.

PURPOSE: In ASPECTS, 10 brain regions are scored visually for presence of acute ischemic stroke damage. We evaluated automated ASPECTS in comparison to expert readers. METHODS: Consecutive, baseline non-contrast CT-scans (5-mm slice thickness) from the prospective MR CLEAN trial (n = 459, MR CLEAN Netherlands Trial Registry number: NTR1804) were evaluated. A two-observer consensus for ASPECTS regions (normal/abnormal) was used as reference standard for training and testing (0.2/0.8 division). Two other observers provided individual ASPECTS-region scores. The Automated ASPECTS software was applied. A region score specificity of ≥ 90% was used to determine the software threshold for detection of an affected region based on relative density difference between affected and contralateral region. Sensitivity, specificity, and receiver-operating characteristic curves were calculated. Additionally, we assessed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for automated ASPECTS and observers in comparison to the reference standard in the test set. RESULTS: In the training set (n = 104), with software thresholds for a specificity of ≥ 90%, we found a sensitivity of 33-49% and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.741-0.785 for detection of an affected ASPECTS region. In the test set (n = 355), the results for the found software thresholds were 89-89% (specificity), 41-57% (sensitivity), and 0.750-0.795 (AUC). Comparison of automated ASPECTS with the reference standard resulted in an ICC of 0.526. Comparison of observers with the reference standard resulted in an ICC of 0.383-0.464. CONCLUSION: The performance of automated ASPECTS is comparable to expert readers and could support readers in the detection of early ischemic changes.

2B, 2C, or 3: What Should Be the Angiographic Target for Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke?

Background and Purpose- A score of ≥2B on the modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale is generally regarded as successful reperfusion after endovascular treatment for ischemic stroke. The extended Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (eTICI) includes a 2C grade, which indicates near-perfect reperfusion. We investigated how well the respective eTICI scores of 2B, 2C, and 3 correlate with clinical outcome after endovascular treatment. Methods- We used data from the Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands Registry, a prospective, nationwide registry of endovascular treatment in the Netherlands. We included patients with a proximal intracranial occlusion of the anterior circulation for whom final antero-posterior and lateral digital subtraction angiography imaging was available. Our primary outcome was the distribution on the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days per eTICI grade. We performed (ordinal) logistic regression analyses, using eTICI 2B as reference group, and adjusted for potential confounders. Results- In total, 2807/3637 (77%) patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 17% achieved reperfusion grade eTICI 0 to 1, 14% eTICI 2A, 25% eTICI 2B, 12% eTICI 2C, and 32% eTICI 3. Groups differed in terms of age (P<0.001) and occlusion location (P<0.01). Procedure times decreased with increasing reperfusion grades. We found a positive association between reperfusion grade and functional outcome, which continued to increase after eTICI 2B (adjusted common odds ratio, 1.22 [95% CI, 0.96-1.57] for eTICI 2C versus 2B; adjusted common odds ratio, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.09-1.62] for eTICI 3 versus 2B). Conclusions- Our results indicate a continuous relationship between reperfusion grade and functional outcome, with eTICI 3 leading to the best outcomes. Although this implies that interventionists should aim for the highest possible reperfusion grade, further research on the optimal strategy is necessary.

Repeated Endovascular Thrombectomy in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: Results From a Nationwide Multicenter Database.

Background and Purpose- Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy may be treated with repeat endovascular thrombectomy (rEVT) in case of recurrent large vessel occlusion. Data on safety and efficacy of these interventions is scarce. Our aim is to report on frequency, timing, and outcome of rEVT in a large nation-wide multicenter registry. Methods- In the Netherlands, all patients with endovascular thrombectomy have been registered since 2002 (MR CLEAN Pretrial registry, MR CLEAN Trial [Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands], and MR CLEAN Registry). We retrospectively reviewed these databases for anterior circulation rEVT cases. Patient characteristics, procedural data, and functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale at 90 days) were analyzed. Results- Of 3928 patients treated between 2002 and 2017, 27 (0.7%) underwent rEVT. Median time between first and second procedure was 78 (1-1122) days; 11/27 patients were re-treated within 30 days. Cardioembolism was the most common etiology (18 patients [67%]). In 19 patients (70%), recurrent occlusion occurred ipsilateral to previous occlusion. At 90 days after rEVT procedure, 44% of the patients had achieved functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2), and 33% had died. Adverse events were 2/27 (7.4%) intracranial hemorrhage, 1/27 (3.7%) stroke progression, and 1/27 (3.7%) pneumonia. Conclusions- In this large nationwide cohort of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy, rEVT was rare. Stroke cause was mainly cardio-embolic, and most recurrent large vessel occlusions in which rEVT was performed occurred ipsilateral. Although there probably is a selection bias on repeated treatment in case of recurrent large vessel occlusion, rEVT appears safe, with similar outcome as in single-treated cases.

Clinical and Imaging Determinants of Collateral Status in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke in MR CLEAN Trial and Registry.

Background and Purpose- Collateral circulation status at baseline is associated with functional outcome after ischemic stroke and effect of endovascular treatment. We aimed to identify clinical and imaging determinants that are associated with collateral grade on baseline computed tomography angiography in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to an anterior circulation large vessel occlusion. Methods- Patients included in the MR CLEAN trial (Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands; n=500) and MR CLEAN Registry (n=1488) were studied. Collateral status on baseline computed tomography angiography was scored from 0 (absent) to 3 (good). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to test the association of selected determinants with collateral status. Results- In total, 1988 patients were analyzed. Distribution of the collateral status was as follows: absent (7%, n=123), poor (32%, n=596), moderate (39%, n=735), and good (23%, n=422). Associations for a poor collateral status in a multivariable model existed for age (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.92 per 10 years [95% CI, 0.886-0.98]), male (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.53-0.76]), blood glucose level (adjusted common odds ratio, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.95-1.00]), and occlusion of the intracranial segment of the internal carotid artery with occlusion of the terminus (adjusted common odds ratio 0.50 [95% CI, 0.41-0.61]). In contrast to previous studies, we did not find an association between cardiovascular risk factors and collateral status. Conclusions- Older age, male sex, high glucose levels, and intracranial internal carotid artery with occlusion of the terminus occlusions are associated with poor computed tomography angiography collateral grades in patients with acute ischemic stroke eligible for endovascular treatment.