Background: Timely intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy are the standard reperfusion treatments for large vessel occlusion stroke. Currently, it is unknown whether a low-dose thrombolytic agent (0.6 mg/kg alteplase) can offer similar efficacy to the standard dose (0.9 mg/kg alteplase).
Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients in the multicenter Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke who had received combined thrombolysis (within 4.5 hours of onset) and thrombectomy treatment from January 2019 to April 2023. The choice of low- or standard-dose alteplase was based on the physician's discretion. The outcomes included successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score, 2b-3), symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, 90-day modified Rankin Scale score, and 90-day mortality. The outcomes between the 2 groups were compared using multivariable logistic regression and inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted analysis.
Results: Among the 2242 patients in the Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke, 734 (33%) received intravenous alteplase. Patients in the low-dose group (n=360) were older, had more women, more atrial fibrillation, and longer onset-to-needle time compared with the standard-dose group (n=374). In comparison to low-dose alteplase, standard-dose alteplase was associated with a lower rate of successful reperfusion (81% versus 87%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.40-0.98]), a numerically higher incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (6.7% versus 3.9%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.81 [95% CI, 0.88-3.69]), but better 90-day modified Rankin Scale score (functional independence [modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2], 47% versus 31%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.28-2.86]), and a numerically lower mortality rate (9% versus 15%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.43-1.25]) after adjusting for covariates. Similar results were observed in the inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted models. The results were consistent across predefined subgroups and age strata.
Conclusions: Despite the lower rate of successful reperfusion and higher risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage with standard-dose alteplase, standard-dose alteplase was associated with a better functional outcome in patients receiving combined thrombolysis and thrombectomy.
Keywords: hemorrhage; ischemic stroke; reperfusion; stroke; thrombectomy.