title: The capillary index score: rethinking the acute ischemic stroke treatment algorithm. Results from the Borgess Medical Center Acute Ischemic Stroke Registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite increased recanalization rates in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, the percentage of patients with a good clinical outcome of all those treated has not risen above 50%. This 50% barrier may be broken by improving the criteria for treatment selection. This study investigated the addition of the capillary index score (CIS), a new index for assessing remaining viable tissue in the ischemic area, to the existing criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Borgess Medical Center Ischemic Stroke Registry is a non-randomized single-center single-operator registry of consecutive subjects admitted for intra-arterial treatment of acute ischemic stroke. The CIS was calculated from a pre-intervention catheter cerebral angiogram in subjects with internal carotid artery (ICA) or middle cerebral artery (MCA) (M1) occlusion. Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 2 or 3 was considered successful recanalization. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0-2 at 3 months was considered a good outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ICA or MCA (M1) occlusion was found in 46 of 58 consecutive patients treated by the same operator. Recanalization was successful in 72% of patients and 27% had a good outcome. CIS was available for 26 patients; 42% were favorable (2 or 3) and 58% were poor (0 or 1). A good outcome was found only in the favorable CIS group (p=0.0148). Successful recanalization (p=0.0029) and time from ictus to revascularization (p=0.0039) predicted a good outcome. Of patients with favorable CIS and TIMI 3, 83% had a good outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Favorable CIS and recanalization were strong predictors of a good outcome. By using this new index as an adjunct to other criteria, the CIS may improve patient selection and help break the 50% barrier.
authors.affiliation: Neurointerventional Surgery and Diagnostic Services, Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49048, USA. firasalali@aol.com
authors.forename: Firas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al-Ali
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jefferson
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barrow
authors.forename: Travis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cree
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luke
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nemeth
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smoker
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000592:standards; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome