Predictors of poor clinical outcome despite complete reperfusion in acute ischemic stroke patients

Background In patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke from large vessel occlusion (LVO), mechanical thrombectomy (MT) often leads to successful reperfusion. Only approximately half of these patients have a favorable clinical outcome. Our aim was to determine the prognostic factors associated with poor clinical outcome following complete reperfusion. Methods Patients treated with MT for LVO from a prospective single-center stroke registry between July 2015 and April 2019 were screened. Complete reperfusion was defined as Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) grade 3. A modified Rankin scale at 90 days (mRS90) of 3–6 was defined as ‘poor outcome’. A logistic regression analysis was performed with poor outcome as a dependent variable, and baseline clinical data, comorbidities, stroke severity, collateral status, and treatment information as independent variables. Results 123 patients with complete reperfusion (TICI 3) were included in this study. Poor clinical outcome was observed in 67 (54.5%) of these patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified greater age (adjusted OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.17; p=0.001), higher admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.28; p=0.024), and lower Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.84; p=0.007) as independent predictors of poor outcome. Poor outcome was independent of collateral score. Conclusion Poor clinical outcome is observed in a large proportion of acute ischemic stroke patients treated with MT, despite complete reperfusion. In this study, futile recanalization was shown to occur independently of collateral status, but was associated with increasing age and stroke severity.