Predicting Traditional Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation in Acute Ischemic Stroke Using Multiphase CT Angiography Collateral Scores

The present study evaluated the predictive value of multiphase computed tomography (CT) angiography (mCTA) collateral circulation scores in determining the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) rehabilitation therapy during recovery from acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Ninety-two patients treated between April 2021 and June 2023 were assigned to either combined therapy (n = 52), consisting of Western medication plus TCM rehabilitation, or conventional therapy (n = 40) with Western medication alone. Collateral circulation was assessed using Mass, Tan, and ASPECTS scores before and after a 3 month intervention. Multivariate logistic regression identified neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, baseline NIHSS, and collateral scores as independent predictors of therapeutic efficacy. A significant interaction effect was observed between collateral circulation and treatment modality. The resulting prediction model demonstrated good initial discriminative ability (AUC > 0.85, 95% CI) and calibration consistency, suggesting that collateral scoring may support individualized rehabilitation strategies, though larger multicenter studies are required for validation.