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(Stroke. 2007;38:1281.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Recanalization and Outcome After Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis in Middle Cerebral Artery and Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion

Does Sex Matter?

Marcel Arnold, MD; Liliane Kappeler, MD; Krassen Nedeltchev, MD; Caspar Brekenfeld, MD; Urs Fischer, MD; Borbala Keserue, MD; Luca Remonda, MD; Gerhard Schroth, MD Heinrich P. Mattle, MD

From the Departments of Neurology (M.A., L.K., K.N., U.F., B.K., H.P.M.) and Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (C.B., L.R., G.S.), University Hospital Berne, Berne, Switzerland.

Correspondence to Heinrich P. Mattle, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Berne, Inselspital, Freiburgstrasse, 3010 Bern, Switzerland. E-mail heinrich.mattle{at}insel.ch

Background and Purpose— Recent studies have reported sex differences in recanalization and outcome after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischemic stroke.

Methods— We analyzed sex differences in outcome in consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) M1 or M2 and internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion treated with intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT). Recanalization immediately after thrombolysis and outcome after 3 months were assessed.

Results— Two hundred five patients (111 men) with MCA and 43 (22 men) with ICA occlusion were identified. Baseline variables did not differ between the sexes except for a higher prevalence of smokers among men in the MCA group (31% vs 12%; P=0.001). Partial or complete recanalization (TIMI flow 2 or 3) of the MCA was observed in 71 (75%) women and 80 (72%) men (P=0.488). In the ICA group, 14 (67%) women and 11 men (50%) showed TIMI 2 or 3 recanalization (P=0.425). Favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 2) was seen in 57 women (61%) and 63 men (57%) with MCA occlusion (P=0.512) and in 6 women (28%) and 4 men (18%) with ICA occlusion (P=0.656). After multiple-regression analyses, there was still no association between sex and outcome (P=0.763 for MCA and P=0.813 for ICA occlusion) or recanalization (P=0.488 for MCA and P=0.104 for ICA occlusion).

Conclusions— There was no association between sex and recanalization or outcome after IAT. These findings are in contrast to previous studies reporting better recanalization and outcome after IVT in women and might have implications in the selection of patients for IAT or IVT.

Key Words: acute stroke • angiography • outcome • thrombolysis

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