Workflow and Outcomes of Endovascular Thrombectomy for In-Hospital Stroke a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract Background and Purpose Acute strokes due to large vessel occlusion in hospitalized patients is not uncommon. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the timing and outcome of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for in-hospital stroke. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis of clinical studies published in English until September 2020 in the MEDLINE and Cochrane databases. Studies reporting original data on the characteristics and outcomes of in-hospital stroke patients treated with EVT were included. We extracted data on the time-metrics from last known well (LKW) until reperfusion was achieved. We also collected data on procedural and functional outcomes. Results Out of 5093 retrieved studies, 8 were included (2,622 patients). The median age was 71.4 years and median NIHSS score on admission was 16. Patients were mostly admitted to the cardiology service (27.3%). The pooled time from LKW to recognition by staff was 72.9 min (95% CI: 40.7 to 105 min). 25.6% received IV tPA. The mean time from stroke recognition to arterial puncture was 134.5 min (95% CI: 94.9 to 174.1). Successful reperfusion occurred in 82.8.% with a pooled mean time from detection to reperfusion of 193.1 min (95% CI: 139.5 to 246.7). The 90-day independent functional outcome was reported in 42% of patients (95% CI 29 to 55%). Conclusion EVT can be performed safely and successfully for in-hospital strokes. Noticeable delays from LKW to detection and then to puncture are noted. This calls for better stroke pathways to identify and treat these patients. Background Stroke in hospitalized patients, referred to as in-hospital stroke (IHS), accounts for 2.2–17% of all strokes.1 The majority of these are ischemic while intracranial hemorrhage represents 2–11% of all IHS.1 These patients are expected to have a rapid diagnosis and treatment given the ongoing medical supervision, and therefore favorable outcomes.1–3 However, existing studies report poor outcomes in patients with IHS with a mortality risk that exceeds that of community-onset stroke (COS): 24.7% vs 9.6%.4 Surviving IHS patients are also less likely to be discharged home compared to COS (27.7% vs 49.9%) and to be functionally independent at 3 months (31.0% vs 50.4%).1–4