Volume 49, Issue 3 pp. 345-351
Original Article

Outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy with and without bridging thrombolysis for acute large vessel occlusion ischaemic stroke

Julian Maingard

Corresponding Author

Julian Maingard

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Radiology Department, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Correspondence

Julian Maingard, Department of Radiology, Austin Hospital, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.

Email: [email protected]

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Yasmin Shvarts

Yasmin Shvarts

Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Ronan Motyer

Ronan Motyer

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

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Vincent Thijs

Vincent Thijs

Stroke Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Neurology, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Paul Brennan

Paul Brennan

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

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Alan O'Hare

Alan O'Hare

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

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Seamus Looby

Seamus Looby

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

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John Thornton

John Thornton

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

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Joshua A. Hirsch

Joshua A. Hirsch

Neuroendovascular Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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Christen D. Barras

Christen D. Barras

South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Ronil V. Chandra

Ronil V. Chandra

Interventional Neuroradiology Unit, Monash Imaging, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Mark Brooks

Mark Brooks

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Radiology Department, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Stroke Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Hamed Asadi

Hamed Asadi

Interventional Neuroradiology Service, Radiology Department, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Stroke Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Interventional Neuroradiology Unit, Monash Imaging, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Department of Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Hong K. Kok

Hong K. Kok

Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, Northern Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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First published: 08 August 2018
Citations: 22
Funding: None.
Conflict of interest: J. Thornton is on the scientific advisory board for Neuravi, Ireland. V. Thijs has received consulting fees for Medtronic.

Abstract

Background

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for management of large vessel occlusion (LVO) acute ischaemic stroke is now current best practice.

Aim

To determine if bridging intravenous (i.v.) alteplase therapy confers any clinical benefit.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients treated with EVT for LVO was performed. Outcomes were compared between patients receiving thrombolysis and EVT with EVT alone. Primary end-points were reperfusion rate, 90-day functional outcome and mortality using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH).

Results

A total of 355 patients who underwent EVT was included: 210 with thrombolysis (59%) and 145 without (41%). The reperfusion rate was higher in the group receiving i.v. tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29–3.73, P = 0.004), although this effect was attenuated when all variables were considered (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.22, 95% CI: 0.60–2.5, P = 0.580). The percentage achieving functional independence (mRS 0–2) at 90 days was higher in patients who received bridging i.v. tPA (AOR 2.17, 95% CI: 1.06–4.44, P = 0.033). There was no significant difference in major complications, including sICH (AOR 1.4, 95% CI: 0.51–3.83, P = 0.512). There was lower 90-day mortality in the bridging i.v. tPA group (AOR 0.79, 95% CI: 0.36–1.74, P = 0.551).

Fewer thrombectomy passes (2 versus 3, P = 0.012) were required to achieve successful reperfusion in the i.v. tPA group. Successful reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥2b) was the strongest predictor for 90-day functional independence (AOR 10.4, 95% CI:3.6–29.7, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our study supports the current practice of administering i.v. alteplase before endovascular therapy.

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