Rapid Infarct Progression in Anterior Circulation Large Vessel Occlusion Ischemic Stroke Patients During Inter-Facility Transfer.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to identify factors associated with rapid infarct progression during inter-facility transfer for endovascular thrombectomy evaluation and its impact on clinical outcomes. METHODS: Patients with anterior circulation large artery occlusion within 24 h of onset transferred within our 17 hospital tele-stroke network were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into fast progressors and slow progressors. Fast progressors were defined as CT ASPECTS score of ≥6 at the referring hospital (RH) and <6 at the hub hospital. Good clinical outcomes were defined as modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) 0-2 at 90 days. Demographic, clinical and radiologic variables associated with fast progressors and good clinical outcomes were identified using multivariable regression models. RESULTS: Among the 190 patients, 44 (23%) patients underwent rapid infarct progression. Higher stroke severity at presentation [aOR, 1.096, 95% CI,1.023, 1.174; p = 0.009], presence of early ischemic changes (CT ASPECT 6-9) at the RH [aOR, 2.721, 95% CI, 1.22, 6.071; p = 0.014] were positively associated, whereas prior ischemic stroke [aOR, 0.272, 95% CI, 0.078, 0.948; p = 0.04] and higher collateral score (2,3,4) [aOR, 0.138, 95%CI, 0.059, 0.324, p=<0.0001] were negatively associated with rapid infarct progression. Fifty-eight (31%) transferred patients had good outcomes. After adjusting for reperfusion status, age [aOR, 0.96, 95% CI, 0.93, 0.98; p=<0.001], initial stroke severity [aOR, 0.87, 95% CI, 0.81, 0.93; p=<0.001], absolute rate of decrease in CT ASPECTS [aOR, 0.38, 95% CI, 0.19, 0.77; p = 0.007] and internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion [aOR, 0.34, 95 %CI, 0.12, 0.94; p = 0.038] were negatively associated with good outcome. CONCLUSION: Higher stroke severity, presence of early ischemic changes at the referring facility, absence of prior stroke, and poor collateral scores (CS 0-1) are the factors associated with rapid infarct progression in the telemedicine transfer cohort. Increasing age, higher stroke severity, higher absolute decrease in CT ASPECTS and ICA occlusion determine poor clinical outcomes.