Safety and efficacy of bridging intravenous thrombolysis plus mechanical thrombectomy versus direct mechanical thrombectomy in different age groups of acute ischemic stroke patients

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of bridging intravenous thrombolysis plus mechanical thrombectomy (MT) versus direct MT in different age groups of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) secondary to large vessel occlusion (LVO) of the anterior circulation. Methods Consecutive patients from the prospective endovascular stroke registry of the Comprehensive Stroke Center, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy, between January 2015 and June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into age groups (<= 80 years old and > 80 years old); for each age group, they were further divided in the bridging therapy group and the direct MT group. We performed a propensity score analysis according to baseline characteristics. Safety outcomes were any intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), symptomatic ICH (sICH) and 3-month mortality. Efficacy outcomes were successful recanalization (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction, mTICI, score >= 2b) and 3-month functional independence (modified Rankin Scale, mRS, <= 2). Results We included 761 AIS patients with anterior circulation LVO (mean age 73.5 +/- 12.8 years; 44.8% males; mean baseline NIHSS 16 +/- 5). After propensity score, there were 365 patients <= 80 years old (52% bridging therapy) and 187 patients > 80 years old (57% bridging therapy). In both age groups of patients, we found no statistically significant differences in the rates of any ICH, sICH, successful recanalization and 3-month mortality and functional independence between bridging therapy and direct MT groups. Conclusion In our population, safety and efficacy outcomes of bridging therapy versus direct MT did not differ in both AIS patients <= 80 and > 80 years old.