The benefits of intravenous thrombolysis relate to the site of baseline arterial occlusion in the Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolytic Evaluation Trial (EPITHET).
OBJECTIVE
In ischemic stroke, the site of arterial obstruction has been shown to influence recanalization and clinical outcomes. However, this has not been studied in randomized controlled trials, nor has the impact of arterial obstruction site on reperfusion and infarct growth been assessed. We studied the influence of site and degree of arterial obstruction patients enrolled in the Echoplanar Imaging Thrombolytic Evaluation Trial (EPITHET).


METHODS
EPITHET was a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the 3- to 6-hour time window. Arterial obstruction site and degree were rated on magnetic resonance angiography blinded to treatment allocation and outcomes.


RESULTS
In 101 EPITHET patients, 87 had adequate quality magnetic resonance angiography, of whom 54 had baseline arterial obstruction. Infarct growth attenuation was greater in those with tPA treatment compared to placebo among patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) obstruction (P=0.037). The treatment benefit of tPA over placebo in attenuating infarct growth was greater for MCA than internal carotid artery (ICA) obstruction (P=0.060). With tPA treatment, good clinical outcome was more likely with MCA than with ICA obstruction (P=0.005). Most patients with ICA obstruction did not achieve good clinical outcome, whether treated with tPA (100%) or placebo (77%). The study was underpowered to prove any treatment benefit of tPA among patients with any or severe degree of arterial obstruction.


CONCLUSIONS
Arterial obstruction site strongly predicts outcomes. ICA obstruction carries a uniformly poor prognosis, whereas good outcomes with MCA obstruction are associated with tPA therapy.
De Silva
Deidre A
DA
Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Brekenfeld
Caspar
C
Ebinger
Martin
M
Christensen
Søren
S
Barber
P Alan
PA
Butcher
Kenneth S
KS
Levi
Christopher R
CR
Parsons
Mark W
MW
Bladin
Christopher F
CF
Donnan
Geoffrey A
GA
Davis
Stephen M
SM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002341:Carotid Artery Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator