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ObjectiveTo undertake an effectiveness and safety analysis of EVT in patients with LVO and NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≤6 using datasets of multicenter and multinational nature.MethodsWe pooled patients with anterior circulation occlusion from 3 prospective international cohorts. Patients were eligible if presentation occurred within 12 hours from last known well and baseline NIHSS ≤6. Primary outcome was modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0–1 at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included neurologic deterioration at 24 hours (change in NIHSS of ≥2 points), mRS 0–2 at 90 days, and 90-day all-cause mortality. We used propensity score matching to adjust for nonrandomized treatment allocation.ResultsAmong 236 patients who fit inclusion criteria, 139 received EVT and 97 received medical management. Compared to medical management, the EVT group was younger (65 vs 72 years; p < 0.001), had more proximal occlusions (p < 0.001), and less frequently received concurrent IV thrombolysis (57.7% vs 71.2%; p = 0.04). After propensity score matching, clinical outcomes between the 2 groups were not significantly different. EVT patients had an 8.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] −8.8% to 26.1%) higher rate of excellent 90-day outcome, despite a 22.3% (95% CI, 3.0%–41.6%) higher risk of neurologic deterioration at 24 hours.ConclusionsEVT for LVO in patients with low NIHSS score was associated with increased risk of neurologic deterioration at 24 hours. However, both EVT and medical management resulted in similar proportions of excellent clinical outcomes at 90 days.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class III evidence that for patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic strokes and LVO with NIHSS < 6, EVT and medical management result in similar outcomes at 90 days.

Background and purpose: Early neurological deterioration (END) after stroke onset may predict severe outcomes. Estimated rates of END after intravenous thrombolysis among small patient samples have been reported up to 29.8%. We studied the incidence and factors associated with END among patients following intravenous thrombolysis. Methods: We analyzed SITS-International Stroke Thrombolysis registry patients with known outcomes enrolled in 2010 to 2017. END was defined as an increase in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≥4 or death within 24 hours from baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. We determined the incidence of END and used logistic regression models to inspect its associated factors. We adjusted for variables found significant in univariate analyses ( P Results: We excluded 53 539 patients and included 50 726 patients. The incidence of END was 3415/50 726 (6.7% [95% CI, 6.5%–7.0%]). Factors independently associated with END on multivariate analysis were intracerebral hemorrhage (OR, 3.23 [95% CI, 2.96–3.54], P P P P P P Conclusions: The routinely observed rate of END reflected by real-world data is low, but END greatly increases risk of disability and mortality. Readily identifiable factors predict END and may help with understanding causal mechanisms to assist prevention of END.

Introduction Knowledge of the implementation gap would facilitate the use of intravenous thrombolysis in stroke, which is still low in many countries. The study was conducted to identify national implementation targets for the utilisation and logistics of intravenous thrombolysis. Material and Method Multicomponent interventions by stakeholders in health care to optimise prehospital and hospital management with the goal of fast and accessible intravenous thrombolysis for every candidate. Implementation results were documented from prospectively collected cases in all 45 stroke centres nationally. The thrombolytic rate was calculated from the total number of all ischemic strokes in the population of the Czech Republic since 2004. Results Thrombolytic rates of 1.3 (95%CI 1.1 to 1.4), 5.4 (95%CI 5.1 to 5.7), 13.6 (95%CI 13.1 to 14.0), 23.3 (95%CI 22.8 to 23.9), and 23.5% (95%CI 23.0 to 24.1%) were achieved in 2005, 2009, 2014, 2017, and 2018, respectively. National median door-to-needle times were 60–70 minutes before 2012 and then decreased progressively every year to 25 minutes (IQR 17 to 36) in 2018. In 2018, 33% of both university and non-university hospitals achieved median door-to-needle time ≤20 minutes. In 2018, door-to-needle times ≤20, ≤45, and ≤60 minutes were achieved in 39, 85, and 93% of patients. Discussion Thrombolysis can be provided to ≥ 20% of all ischemic strokes nationwide and it is realistic to achieve median door-to-needle time 20 minutes. Conclusion Stroke 20–20 could serve as national implementation target for intravenous thrombolysis and country specific implementation policies should be applied to achieve such target.

Available data from observational studies on the association of admission hyperglycemia (aHG) with outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) are contradictory, especially when stratified by diabetes mellitus (DM) history. We assessed the association of aHG (≥144 mg/dL) with outcomes stratified by DM history using propensity score–matched (PSM) data from the SITS-ISTR. The primary safety outcome was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH); 3-month functional independence (FI) (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] scores 0–2) represented the primary efficacy outcome. Patients with and without aHG did not differ in baseline characteristics both in the non-DM (n = 12,318) and DM (n = 6,572) PSM subgroups. In the non-DM group, patients with aHG had lower 3-month FI rates (53.3% vs. 57.9%, P < 0.001), higher 3-month mortality rates (19.2% vs. 16.0%, P < 0.001), and similar symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) rates (1.7% vs. 1.8%, P = 0.563) compared with patients without aHG. Similarly, in the DM group, patients with aHG had lower rates of 3-month favorable functional outcome (mRS scores 0–1, 34.1% vs. 39.3%, P < 0.001) and FI (48.2% vs. 52.5%, P < 0.001), higher 3-month mortality rates (23.7% vs. 19.9%, P < 0.001), and similar SICH rates (2.2% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.224) compared with patients without aHG. In conclusion, aHG was associated with unfavorable 3-month clinical outcomes in patients with and without DM and AIS treated with IVT.

Background and Purpose— The length of large vessel occlusion is considered a major factor for therapy in patients with ischemic stroke. We used 4D-CT angiography evaluation of middle cerebral artery occlusion in prediction of recanalization and favorable clinical outcome and after intravenous thrombolysis (IV-tPA). Methods— In 80 patients treated with IV-tPA for acute complete middle cerebral artery/M1 occlusion determined using CT angiography and temporal maximum intensity projection, calculated from 4D-CT angiography, the length of middle cerebral artery proximal stump, occlusion in M1 or M1 and M2 segment were measured. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to define independent predictors of successful recanalization after 24 hours and favorable outcome after 3 months. Results— The length of occlusion was measureable in all patients using temporal maximum intensity projection. Recanalization thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 2 to 3 was achieved in 37 individuals (46%). The extension to M2 segment as a category (odds ratio, 4.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.39–15.05; P =0.012) and the length of M1 segment occlusion (odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.73–0.92; P =0.0007) with an optimal cutoff value of 12 mm (sensitivity 0.67; specificity 0.71) were significant independent predictors of recanalization. Favorable outcome (modified Rankin scale 0–2) was achieved in 25 patients (31%), baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (odds ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.72–0.93; P =0.003) and the length of occlusion M1 in segment (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.69–0.91; P =0.0008) with an optimal cutoff value of 11 mm (sensitivity 0.74; specificity 0.76) were significant independent predictors of favorable outcome. Conclusions— The length of middle cerebral artery occlusion is an independent predictor of successful IV-tPA treatment.

Background and Purpose— Temporal variations of thrombolysis delivery and their influence on outcome have been reported with controversial results. In this large cohort study, we evaluated whether thrombolytic treatment has a within-day and weekly variability corresponding to circadian and weekly patterns of ischemic stroke onset, and whether these have impact on clinical outcome. Methods— We retrospectively analyzed patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous alteplase, prospectively included in the Safe Implementation of Treatments in Stroke-International Stroke Thrombolysis Register. Patients were grouped by treatment on day hours (08:00–19:59) or night hours (20:00–07:59) and treatment on weekdays and weekends. For each subgroup, we analyzed frequency of thrombolytic treatments, time intervals, and outcomes (3-month modified Rankin Scale score 0–2 as good functional outcome, mortality, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage). Results— We included 21 513 patients. Considering the mean expected number of patients treated per hour (0.4) and per day of the week (9.8), if no temporal variations were present, patients were significantly treated more during day hours and weekdays ( P P P =0.004), and patients treated during weekdays were at risk of higher mortality (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.28; P =0.008). Conclusions— Frequency of thrombolytic treatment seems to follow the same circadian pattern of stroke incidence, whereas its correspondence to a weekly pattern is less clear. Time of treatment is an independent predictor of outcome.

Cerebrovascular disease is the third main cause of death and the leading cause of disablement in the Czech Republic. The incidence of stroke is higher than in Western European countries and is one of causes of lower average age in this country. The data of 15880 stroke patients who entered into the IKTA stroke register from 13 Czech stroke centres in the year 2010 and 2011 indicates higher proportion of stroke recurrence and unfavourable patient risk profile than in other Western European countries. Three major risk factors well–defined are arterial hypertension (identified in 86.2% of patients), dyslipidemia (58.2%) and diabetes mellitus (34.9% of stroke patients). Three or more risk factors were found in 80.7% of stroke patients. The incidence of vascular risk factors in stroke patients is significantly higher than stated in the literature and this unfavourable risk profile may be the main cause of the high incidence of stroke and its recurrence in Czech Republic. Stroke is a typical heterogeneous entity. In April 2010 the Ministry of Health published a document “Cerebrovascular Care in the Czech Republic, Constitution of Stroke Centres”. 11 Complex Cerebrovascular Centres and 23 Cerebrovascular Centres covering the whole area of the Czech Republic were constituted with intension to admit, diagnose and, if necessary, treat all new stroke patients, who had been formerly treated in the departments of internal medicine of any hospitals in the country. The aim is to provide complex, optimal and personalised care in acute phase of stroke, provide early rehabilitation and provide or propose optimal second prevention. Faculty Hospital Pilsen incorporates a long-term experience with stroke care and is one of two hospitals where patients with ischaemic stroke were first treated with intravenous thrombolysis in our country. The stroke care is coordinated by the Department of Neurology with its Stroke Unit and Stroke Team. The cooperation with neuroradiology, neurosurgery, cardiology, biochemical and immunoanalytic laboratories, pathology, genetics and some other specialities in Faculty Hospital and in Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen of Charles University in Prague is well established as well as the cooperation with Emergency Medical Service. Due to these facts West Bohemia region with 589 thousands of habitants has only one Complex Cerebrovascular Centre and no one or two smaller Cerebrovascular Centres as is usual in other regions. The advantage of this situation is the concentration of all stroke patients into the best equipped facility. Due to this fact stroke patients in West Bohemia are well diagnosed and treated. Exact data (numbers of thrombolytic, neurosurgical therapy, neuroradiological interventions and their proportion to all stroke patients) are presented. Special research project “Study of Variety Stroke Biomarkers in Acute Stroke Patients in the Context of Personalised Medicine“, supported by Czech Ministry of Health is being solved in our centre from the year 2011. Its main goal is to test the effectiveness of variety of stroke biomarkers and implement them into the personalised stroke care. Supported by Ministry of Health, Czech Republic - conceptual development of research organization (Faculty Hospital Pilsen - FNPl, 00669806) and by the project ED2.1.00/03.0076 from European Regional Development Fund.