What does this research mean for the field?

The proportion of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients receiving reperfusion therapy increased to 17.0% in 2021, with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) use more than doubling from 3.1% in 2015 to 6.8%. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.SUPPORTS_CONSENSUS.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This analysis aims to evaluate the impact of increasing endovascular thrombectomy certification on reperfusion therapy rates for acute ischemic stroke patients in California from 2015 to 2021.

February 2, 2026Stroke

Abstract WP037: Reperfusion Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in California in the Endovascular Thrombectomy Era: A Seven-Year Retrospective Analysis (2015-21)

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Key result

Reperfusion therapy for AIS reaches ~17% utilization in 2021, driven by surging EVT rates.

Why the study?

The effects of expanding EVT indications and certified stroke hospitals on reperfusion rates among AIS patients were not well described.

Key Points

This analysis aims to evaluate the impact of increasing endovascular thrombectomy certification on reperfusion therapy rates for acute ischemic stroke patients in California from 2015 to 2021.
Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of statewide, all-payer data
Used patient-level discharge data from California Department of Health Care Access and Information
Identified acute ischemic stroke patients and assessed treatments with iv thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy
Calculated proportions of patients receiving reperfusion therapy by year
15.4% of acute ischemic stroke patients received reperfusion therapy between 2015-2021
Overall, treatment with reperfusion therapy increased from 11.5% in 2015 to 17.0% in 2021
Endovascular thrombectomy use more than doubled, from 3.1% in 2015 to 6.8% in 2021
90.4% of patients were discharged from certified stroke centers, with discharge from evt-capable hospitals increasing from 42.1% to 57.8% over the period

Structured PICO

Population

309,118 patients with a primary diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in California between 2015-2021

Intervention

Reperfusion therapy (intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] and endovascular thrombectomy [EVT])

Outcome

Proportion of patients treated with reperfusion therapy and discharged from a certified stroke center hospital and an EVT-capable hospital by year

There was a significant increase in the use of reperfusion therapy, particularly endovascular thrombectomy, for acute ischemic stroke in California from 2015 to 2021.

Discussion

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Implication

Reperfusion therapy rates rose among California AIS patients; extends prior EVT expansion data but leaves open causal inference and generalizability.

Cite This Study

Stein et al. (2026) studied this question. The proportion of AIS patients receiving reperfusion therapy increased to 17.0% in 2021, with EVT use more than doubling from 3.1% in 2015 to 6.8%.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6980fc37c1c9540dea80df6d https://doi.org/10.1161/str.57.suppl_1.wp037

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Implication

Reperfusion therapy rates rose among California AIS patients; extends prior EVT expansion data but leaves open causal inference and generalizability.

Abstract WP037: Reperfusion Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in California in the Endovascular Thrombectomy Era: A Seven-Year Retrospective Analysis (2015-21)

Key Points

Structured PICO

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Abstract WP037: Reperfusion Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in California in the Endovascular Thrombectomy Era: A Seven-Year Retrospective Analysis (2015-21)

Key Points

Structured PICO

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Also Consider

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