Bridging thrombolysis versus direct endovascular treatment in acute vertebrobasilar artery complex occlusion

Objective: Endovascular treatment (EVT) is an effective treatment for patients with acute vertebrobasilar artery complex occlusion (VBAO). However, the benefit of bridging thrombolysis prior to EVT remains controversial. The purpose of the present study is to explore the best treatment strategy between bridging treatment (BT) and direct EVT in patients with acute VBAO.

Methods: Patients with acute VBAO who underwent EVT within 24 hours of estimated occlusion in a nationwide retrospective registry at 65 stroke centers in 15 provinces in China from December 2015 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The outcomes of the BT and direct EVT groups were compared using propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The primary outcome was favorable functional outcome, defined as a 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-3. Secondary outcomes included 90-day functional independence (mRS score 0-2), mRS score shift, in-hospital mortality, successful reperfusion, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). In addition, a meta-analysis integrating currently available evidence was performed to make a systematic comparison between the two treatment strategies.

Results: A total of 2353 patients were ultimately included; 447 of these patients received BT and 1906 received direct EVT. In both the original cohort and in the 1:1 PSM analysis, patients in the BT group had a significantly higher rate of favorable functional outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.41, 95% CI 1.14-1.76 for the original cohort and aOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.07-1.92 for 1:1 PSM). Regarding secondary outcomes, patients with BT had a significantly lower rate of in-hospital mortality (aOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51-0.88 for the original cohort and aOR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48-0.99 for 1:1 PSM) and a shift toward better outcomes on the mRS (aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.12-1.63 for the original cohort and aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03-1.69 for 1:1 PSM). However, there were no significant differences in functional independence, successful reperfusion, and sICH between the two groups. A meta-analysis, which included 22 studies involving 6579 patients, also revealed the superiority of BT over direct EVT on favorable functional outcome (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03-1.37, I2 = 0.00%; p = 0.02).

Conclusions: This matched-control study and meta-analysis suggest that compared with direct EVT, BT may be associated with better functional outcomes in patients with acute VBAO treated within 24 hours of estimated occlusion.