Endovascular Therapy for Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: Prognosis Prediction Value from Clinical to Imaging Variables.

PURPOSE: Acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) correlates with high risks of disability and mortality, and the best imaging and treatment strategies for BAO remain controversial. This study evaluated the association between baseline imaging, clinical variables, and clinical outcomes of patients with BAO undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT).

METHODS

Data from 75 patients with BAO who had EVT at a single center were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, clinical baseline data, and various known scores and perfusion deficit volumes on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT), CT angiography source images (CTA-SI), and CT perfusion (CTP) were collected to explore effective predictive factors for prognosis. The functional outcome of the analysis was satisfactory (90-day modified Rankin Scale score ≤3). Predictors of functional outcomes were assessed through receiver operating characteristic analyses and binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among the 75 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 29 achieved a good outcome (39%) and 46 (61%) achieved a poor outcome. The Critical Area Perfusion Score (CAPS), pons midbrain index (PMI), time to maximum (Tmax) >6 s, Tmax >10 s, and reduction in CBF compared with normal brain tissue (rCBF) <30%, cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT) Posterior Circulation Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (pc-ASPECTS) were independent predictors of favorable prognosis. The CAPS was the best predictor of good clinical outcomes, with an area under the curve of 0.862 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.772-0.952). Combined diagnosis with the baseline NIHSS score improved the prognosis prediction accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with stroke that resulted in BAO after EVT, CAPS, PMI, Tmax >6 s, Tmax >10 s, rCBF <30% volume, and CBV pc-ASPECTS were excellent predictors of higher risk of disability and mortality. Furthermore, CAPS had the best accuracy, and overall predictive value could be improved when combined with the baseline NIHSS score for diagnosis.