title: Association of pretreatment ASPECTS scores with tPA-induced arterial recanalization in acute middle cerebral artery occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT-Score (ASPECTS) assesses early ischemic changes within the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and predicts poor outcome and increased risk for thrombolysis-related symptomatic ICH. We evaluated the potential relationship between pretreatment ASPECTS and tPA-induced recanalization in patients with MCA occlusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke due to MCA occlusion were treated with standard IV-tPA and assessed with transcranial Doppler (TCD) for arterial recanalization. Early recanalization was determined with previously validated Thrombolysis in Brain Ischemia (TIBI) flow-grading system at 120 minutes after tPA-bolus. All pretreatment CT-scans were prospectively scored by trained investigators blinded to TCD findings. Functional outcome at 3 months was evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  IV-tPA was administered in 192 patients (mean age 68 +/- 14 years, median NIHSS-score 17). Patients with complete recanalization (n= 51) had higher median pretreatment ASPECTS (10, interquartile range 2) than patients with incomplete or absent recanalization (n= 141; median ASPECTS 9, interquartile range 3, P= .034 Mann-Whitney U-test). An ASPECTS < or =6 was documented in 4% and 17% of patients with present and absent recanalization, respectively (P= .019). Pretreatment ASPECTS was associated with complete recanalization (OR per 1-point increase: 1.54; 95% CI 1.06-2.22, P= .023) after adjustment for baseline characteristics, risk factors, NIHSS-score, pretreatment TIBI grades and site of arterial occlusion on baseline TCD. Complete recanalization (OR: 33.97, 95% CI 5.95-185.99, P < .001) and higher ASPECTS (OR per 1-point increase: 1.91; 95% CI 1.17-3.14, P= .010) were independent predictors of good functional outcome (mRS 0-2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher pretreatment ASPECT-scores are associated with a greater chance of complete recanalization and favorable long-term outcome in tPA-treated patients with acute MCA occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Neurosonology and Stroke Research Program, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. tsivgoulisgiorg@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsivgoulis
authors.forename: Maher
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saqqur
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Annabelle Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hoover
authors.forename: Andrei V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Alexandrov
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator