Hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign: can it be used to select intra-arterial versus intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke?

Cerebrovasc Dis. 2004;17(2-3):182-90. doi: 10.1159/000075789. Epub 2003 Dec 29.

Abstract

Background: Stroke patients with a hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS) may respond less favorably to intravenous (IV) thrombolysis.

Objective: To compare outcomes of patients with and without early CT findings treated with IV versus intra-arterial (IA) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA).

Methods: Initial and 24-hour CT scans of the head were evaluated in 83 consecutive stroke patients (66 on IV rtPA, 17 on IA rtPA). Time permitting, a CT angiogram was performed immediately after the initial CT scan to ascertain major cerebral artery occlusion. Demographics and etiological stroke subtype, times to thrombolysis and CT scan, baseline (prethrombolysis) and 24-hour National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score, discharge NIHSS score and 90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS) were recorded. The initial CT of these patients was examined for early signs of stroke. The 24-hour scan was reviewed for the presence of infarct, hemorrhage and persistence of HCMAS.

Results: A favorable outcome, indicated by a significant improvement in the discharge NIHSS score, was noted with IA rtPA, irrespective of the presence (p = 0.001) or absence (p = 0.01) of HCMAS. A less favorable outcome in discharge NIHSS score was noted with IV rtPA in patients with HCMAS (p = not significant) than those without the sign (p < 0.001). A similar proportion of patients with HCMAS exhibited a neurological improvement at 24 h as those without the sign in the IA rtPA group (p = 0.9). However, a smaller proportion of patients with HCMAS exhibited a neurological improvement at 24 h than those without the sign in the IV rtPA group (p = 0.005). The results were similar using 90-day mRS </=1 as an indicator of significant persistent improvement (p = 1.0 for IA rtPA and 0.04 for IV rtPA group).

Conclusions: In a small sample, patients with HMCAS appeared to respond better to IA than IV rtPA.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Aged
  • Brain Ischemia / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy
  • Brain Ischemia / pathology
  • Female
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / drug therapy*
  • Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / pathology*
  • Injections, Intra-Arterial
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Middle Cerebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Middle Cerebral Artery / pathology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Thrombolytic Therapy / methods*
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator / administration & dosage*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator