title: Early reperfusion and clinical outcomes in patients with M2 occlusion: pooled analysis of the PROACT II, IMS, and IMS II studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of endovascular therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke and a solitary M2 occlusion remains unclear. Through a pooled analysis of 3 interventional stroke trials, the authors sought to analyze the impact of successful early reperfusion of M2 occlusions on patient outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a solitary M2 occlusion were identified from the Prolyse in Acute Cerebral Thromboembolism (PROACT) II, Interventional Management of Stroke (IMS), and IMS II trial databases and were divided into 2 groups: successful reperfusion (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction [TICI] 2-3) at 2 hours and failed reperfusion (TICI 0-1) at 2 hours. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-three patients, 40 from PROACT II and 23 from IMS and IMS II, were identified. Successful early angiographic reperfusion (TICI 2-3) was observed in 31 patients (49.2%). No statistically significant difference in the rates of intracerebral hemorrhage (60.9% vs 47.6%, p = 0.55) or mortality (19.4% vs 15.6%, p = 0.75) was observed. However, there was a trend toward higher incidence of symptomatic hemorrhage in the TICI 2-3 group (17.4% vs 0%, p = 0.11). There was also a trend toward higher baseline glucose levels in this group (151.5 mg/dl vs 129.6 mg/ dl, p = 0.09). Despite these differences, the rate of functional independence (modified Rankin Scale Score 0-2) at 3 months was similar (TICI 2-3, 58.1% vs TICI 0-1, 53.1%; p = 0.80).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A positive correlation between successful early reperfusion and clinical outcome could not be demonstrated for patients with M2 occlusion. Irrespective of reperfusion status, such patients have better outcomes than those with more proximal occlusions, with more than 50% achieving functional independence at 3 months.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurosurgery.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rahme
authors.forename: Sharon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Yeatts
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Abruzzo
authors.forename: Lincoln
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: Liqiong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tomsick
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ringer
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Furlan
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Broderick
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khatri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000628:therapy*; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000628:therapy*; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000628:therapy*; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: IA = intraarterial; ICA = internal carotid artery; ICH = intracerebral hemorrhage; IMS = Interventional Management of Stroke; IV = intravenous; MCA = middle cerebral artery; NIHSS = National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; NINDS = National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; PROACT = Prolyse in Acute Cerebral Thromboembolism; TICI = thrombolysis in cerebral infarction; TIMI = thrombolysis in myocardial infarction; acute ischemic stroke; intraarterial thrombolysis; mRS = modified Rankin Scale; middle cerebral artery; outcome; r-proUK = recombinant prourokinase; r-tPA = recombinant tissue plasminogen activator; reperfusion; vascular disorders