title: Safety and Efficacy of Stent Retrievers for the Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke: Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of stent retriever for the management of acute ischemic stroke.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of disability in the United States. Early reperfusion has been associated with favorable outcomes. Stent retrievers are novel endovascular devices that provide vessel recanalization via thrombus retrieval mechanical thrombectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed a literature search using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from May 2005 to May 2015. Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) comparing endovascular therapy (ET) with the use of retrievable stents against standard therapy (ST) for the management of acute stroke were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five RCTs (the MR CLEAN, ESCAPE, EXTEND-IA, SWIFT-PRIME, and REVASCAT studies) with 634 patients in the ET group and 653 patients in the ST group met inclusion criteria. The frequency of a low 90-day modified Rankin Score (0 to 2) in the intervention group was 42.6% compared with 26.1% in the control group (odds ratio: 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9 to 3.09; p < 0.0001). The frequency of intracranial bleeding was 4.2% in the ET group compared with 4.3% in the ST group (risk ratio: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.64 to 1.82; p = 0.78). 90-day mortality was 15.1% in the ET group compared with 18.7% in the ST group (risk ratio: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.12; p = 0.19). There was no evidence of significant heterogeneity or publication bias for any of the endpoints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of the results of this meta-analysis of RCTs, ET with stent retrievers appears as a safe and effective therapeutic option for acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Citizens Memorial Hospital, Heart and Vascular Institute, Bolivar, Missouri; Department of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. Electronic address: c.marmagiolis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marmagkiolis
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hakeem
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Heart Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas; Koc University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cilingiroglu
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Neurology, Little Rock, Arkansas.
authors.forename: Betul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gundogdu
authors.affiliation: University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Cezar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iliescu
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Despina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsitlakidou
authors.affiliation: Henry Ford Health Sciences Center, Department of Neurology, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Angelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katramados
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D020878:Device Removal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: endovascular stroke management; intra-arterial therapy; ischemic stroke; stent retriever