Impact of Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment in Patients >80 Years of Age

Stroke.ahajournals.org: July 12, 2012.

Few studies have addressed outcomes among patients ≥80 years treated with acute stroke therapy. In this study, we outline in-hospital outcomes in (1) patients ≥80 years compared with their younger counterparts; and (2) those over >80 years receiving intra-arterial therapy (IAT) compared with those treated with intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (IV rtPA).

Methods—Stroke centers within the Specialized Program of Translational Research in Acute Stroke (SPOTRIAS) prospectively collected data on all patients treated with IV rtPA or IAT from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2010. IAT was defined as receiving any endovascular therapy; IAT was further divided into bridging therapy when the patient received both IAT and IV rtPA and endovascular therapy alone. In-hospital mortality was compared in (1) all patients aged ≥80 years versus younger counterparts; and (2) IAT, bridging therapy, and endovascular therapy alone versus IV rtPA only among those age ≥80 years using multivariable logistic regression. An age-stratified analysis was also performed. Read more