RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Outcome of Stroke Patients without Angiographically Revealed Arterial Occlusion within Four Hours of Symptom Onset
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 685
OP 690
VO 22
IS 4
A1 Laurent Derex
A1 Thomas A. Tomsick
A1 Thomas G. Brott
A1 Chistopher A. Lewandowski
A1 Michael R. Frankel
A1 Wayne Clark
A1 Sid Starkman
A1 Judith Spilker
A1 Gavin J. Udsten
A1 Jane Khoury
A1 James C. Grotta
A1 Joseph P. Broderick
YR 2001
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/22/4/685.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Follow-up imaging data from stroke patients without angiographically apparent arterial occlusions at symptom onset are lacking. We reviewed our Emergency Management of Stroke (EMS) trial experience to determine the clinical and imaging outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke who showed no arterial occlusion on angiograms obtained within 4 hours of symptom onset.METHODS: All patients in this report were participants in the EMS trial that was designed to address the safety and potential efficacy of combined IV and intraarterial thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke.RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were randomized to receive either IV rt-PA (n = 17) or placebo (n = 18), followed by cerebral angiography. No symptomatic arterial occlusion was evident in 10 (29%) of the 34 patients. Eight (80%) of 10 patients without angiographically apparent clot within 4 hours of symptom onset had a new cerebral infarction confirmed on follow-up brain imaging. The median 72-hour infarction volume was 2.4 cc (range, 1–30 cc). Four of the 10 “no-clot” patients had a favorable 3-month outcome as assessed by Barthel Index (score, 95 or 100) and modified Rankin Scale (score, 0 or 1). The six remaining patients had 3-month Rankin Scale scores of 1 (Barthel of 90), 2, 3, 4, or 5.CONCLUSION: Acute ischemic stroke patients with a neurologic deficit but a negative angiogram during the first 4 hours after symptom onset usually develop image-documented cerebral infarction, and approximately half suffer from long-term functional disability. The two most likely explanations for negative angiograms are very early irreversible ischemic damage despite recanalization or ongoing ischemia secondary to clot in non-visible penetrating arterioles or in the microvasculature.