Premorbid use of statins is associated with higher recanalization rates in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Statins have been shown to have lipid-independent (pleiotropic) effects that may be beneficial in the management of vascular disease. We evaluated the effect of premorbid statin use on recanalization in patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing endovascular treatment.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients who had undergone endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke at our institution. Computed tomography scans obtained after treatment were assessed for the presence of hemorrhagic transformation by an independent reviewer. The primary endpoint was partial or complete recanalization (at least 1 grade improvement in the Qureshi scale). Secondary endpoints were hemorrhagic transformation and neurological improvement. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of premorbid statin use after adjusting for potential confounders.


RESULTS
Seventy-seven patients fulfilled our inclusion criteria (mean age 66 +/- 14, 38 were men) and among them 12 were on statins. The patients who were on statins had a higher recanalization rate (11/12 vs. 33/65, P= .02). This finding was confirmed by logistic regression analysis (odds ratio 17.25, 95% confidence interval 1.67-177.43). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding neurological improvement and hemorrhagic transformation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that patients on statins have higher recanalization rates when they undergo endovascular procedures for acute ischemic stroke.
Georgiadis
Alexandros L
AL
Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Research Center, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. alg1971@gmail.com
Hussein
Haitham M
HM
Vazquez
Gabriela
G
Shah
Qaisar
Q
Suri
M Fareed K
MF
Ezzeddine
Mustapha A
MA
Qureshi
Adnan I
AI
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors