Clinical Improvement, No Improvement, and Worsening at 24 Hours Following Reperfusion in Patients With Stroke due to Large-Vessel Occlusion

BACKGROUND: Restoring blood flow to ischemic tissue is the cornerstone of acute stroke therapy and is usually beneficial. However, when reperfusion is achieved for severely injured tissue, it is often futile and may occasionally cause harm. We aim to determine the prevalence and variables associated with clinical no improvement or acute worsening at 24 hours despite reperfusion in patients with large-vessel occlusion stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy. METHODS: Data are from ESCAPE-NA1 (Safety and Efficacy of Nerinetide [NA-1] in Subjects Undergoing Endovascular Thrombectomy for Stroke), a randomized trial of nerinetide in patients with acute large-vessel occlusion stroke undergoing endovascular thrombectomy. Patients with unsuccessful recanalization (expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction <2b), infarcts in new vascular territories, vessel perforation, or remote parenchymal hemorrhage were excluded. Clinical outcomes after reperfusion were classified by 24-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale changes compared with baseline: improvement (≥4-point improvement), no improvement (±3-point from baseline), and worsening (≥4-point worsening). Baseline variables associated with worsening were identified using logistic regression. In the computed tomography perfusion subgroup, prevalence of parenchymal hemorrhage (any parenchymal hematoma) and infarct progression (final infarct volume exceeding the initial hypoperfused region) were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 833 patients were included (median age, 70.9 years [interquartile range, 60.7–79.4]; 51.4% men). After reperfusion, 669 (80.3%) patients improved, 135 (16.2%) showed no improvement, and 29 (3.5%) worsened. Independent predictors of worsening were longer onset-to-reperfusion time (adjusted odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.00–1.04] per 10-minute increase) and greater degree of sedation (adjusted odds ratio, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.29–2.46] per category of none, conscious sedation, and general anesthesia). In the computed tomography perfusion subgroup (n=414), among patients with worsening after reperfusion, parenchymal hemorrhage was seen in 5 patients (31.3%) and infarct progression in 4 patients (25%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical worsening in the acute period (ie, early neurological deterioration) despite reperfusion and the absence of procedure-related complications was rare in this selected large-vessel occlusion stroke cohort (3.5%). Factors associated with worsening after reperfusion were a longer time from symptom onset-to-reperfusion and a higher degree of sedation.