Association between door-to-needle time and outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis plus mechanical thrombectomy: Analysis from the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke (IRETAS)

Abstract Introduction We aim to evaluate the association between door-to-needle time (DTN) and outcomes in a population of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) + mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in the Italian Registry of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Stroke (IRETAS). Materials and methods Patients with AIS secondary to middle cerebral artery or intracranial internal carotid artery occlusion with known times of symptoms onset, directly presenting to an MT-capable center, were included in the analysis. According to pre-defined DTN cut-off values (⩽30, ⩽45, and ⩽60 min), we evaluated the association between DTN and outcomes by multivariate logistic regression analyses. Effectiveness outcomes were 3-month functional independence, 3-month excellent outcome and successful reperfusion. Safety outcomes were any intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), and 3-month mortality. Results About 1602 patients were included in our analysis. After logistic regression analysis, a DTN ⩽ 60 min was significantly associated with 3-month functional independence (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.02–1.82). DTNs ⩽ 30, ⩽45, and ⩽60 min were significantly associated with successful reperfusion (OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.6–4.43; OR 1.68; 95%CI 1.25-2.26; OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.21–2.05; respectively). A DTN ⩽ 60 min was also significantly associated with lower rate of any ICH (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.43–0.86). DTNs ⩽ 30, ⩽45, and ⩽60 min were significantly associated with lower 3-month mortality (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.08–0.67; OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.29–0.72; OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.39–0.84; respectively). Conclusions In patients with AIS treated with IVT + MT, a shorter DTN is associated with better outcomes if IVT is initiated within 1 h of hospital admission.