ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A286 CLINICAL EFFICACY OF COMBINATION THERAPY VS. ENDOVASCULAR TREATMENT ALONE IN ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract Background and aims Neurologists and neuro-interventionalists are investigating the optimal treatment strategy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) by evaluating the advantages of either Bridging Therapy or Direct Mechanical Thrombectomy about their effects on patient outcomes and the healthcare system. AtPA injection prior to Mechanical Thrombectomy (MT) offers several potential advantages. This study evaluated the clinical outcomes and safety of patients who underwent endovascular therapy (EVT) alone or in combination with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), against patients who got only EVT. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 50 individuals with acute ischemic stroke symptoms from May 2018 to September 2021. Thirty-five individuals underwent EVT exclusively, whereas fifteen received both EVT and IVT. The data gathered encompassed demographic details, comorbid conditions, symptom start timing, time from admission to puncture, and clinical outcomes as measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and modified Rankin scale scores at both admission and 90 days post-procedure. Results There were no significant differences in the 90-day modified Rankin scale scores between the EVT + IVT and EVT alone groups (p > 0.05). The NIHSS scores were similarly comparable amongst the groups (p > 0.05). After accounting for age and sex, the EVT + IVT group had greater rates of cerebral hemorrhage and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage than the EVT alone group. However, the difference was no longer significant (p < 0.01). There was no significant change in mortality results (p > 0.05). Conclusions The safety outcomes of the combined EVT and IVT treatment are not inferior, consistent with the previous literature. Conflict of interest Mahmoud Galal Ahmed, Mostafa Meshref, and Khaled Sobh had nothing to disclose.