Differences between males and females following endovascular therapy for stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Endovascular therapy (EVT) represents the standard of care for eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and large vessel occlusion. To better understand differences in baseline characteristics and outcomes between males and females following EVT, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: We identified, using the Nested Knowledge AutoLit platform, prospective studies that reported 90-day outcomes in males and females treated with EVT for AIS. The primary outcome of interest was 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2. Secondary outcome variables included mRS 0-1, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) score 2b-3, and mortality. Using R software version 4.1.2, we calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: We included 10 studies with 10,209 patients. There was no difference between males and females in rate of mRS 0-2 (OR= 1.16; 95% CI= 0.87-1.56; P-value= 0.316); however, after removing outliers, males had higher rates of mRS 0-2 (OR= 1.40; 95% CI= 1.19-1.66; P-value< 0.001). Similar results were reported for mRS 0-1 (OR= 1.21; 95% CI= 0.93-1.56; P-value= 0.15), after removing outliers (OR= 1.32; 95% CI= 1.17-1.50; P-value< 0.001). There was no difference between males and females in rate of sICH (OR= 0.89; 95% CI= 0.74-1.08; P-value= 0.246), mortality (OR= 0.88; 95% CI= 0.74-1.05; P-value= 0.15), or TICI 2b-3 (OR= 1.19; 95% CI= 0.85-1.67; P-value= 0.309).

Conclusions: Males tend to experience better outcomes following EVT for AIS, even in the setting of similar reperfusion. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear, and further research is warranted. EVT remains a safe and effective option for both males and females with AIS.