Endovascular therapy of acute ischemic stroke has been shown to be beneficial for selected patients. The purpose of this study is to determine predictors of outcome in a large cohort of patients treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis, mechanical revascularization techniques, or both.

We prospectively acquired data for 623 patients with acute cerebral infarcts in the carotid artery territory who received endovascular treatment at a single center. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of outcome.

Median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at admission was 15. Partial or complete recanalization was achieved in 70.3% of patients; it was independently associated with hypercholesterolemia (P=0.02), absence of coronary artery disease (P=0.023), and more proximal occlusion site (P<0.0001). After 3 months, 80.5% of patients had survived, and 48.9% of patients reached favorable outcome (modified Rankin scale score 0–2). Good collaterals (P<0.0001), recanalization (P=0.023), hypercholesterolemia (P=0.03), lower NIHSS at admission (P=0.001), and younger age (P<0.0001) were independent predictors for survival. More peripheral occlusion site (P<0.0001), recanalization (P<0.0001), hypercholesterolemia (P=0.002), good collaterals (P=0.002), lower NIHSS (P<0.0001), younger age (P<0.0001), absence of diabetes (P=0.002), and no previous antithrombotic therapy (P=0.036) predicted favorable outcome. Time to treatment was only a predictor of outcome, when collaterals were excluded from the model. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 5.5% and was independently predicted by poor collaterals (P=0.004).

Several independent predictors for outcome and complications were identified. Unlike in intravenous thrombolysis trials, time to treatment was a predictor of outcome only when collaterals were excluded from the model, indicating the important role of collaterals for the time window.