Abstract 44: Safety Of Tenecteplase And Alteplase In Tandem Lesion Stroke: A Pooled Analysis Of The Extend-IA TNK Trials

Abstract

Introduction: The efficacy of tenecteplase (TNK) in patients with tandem lesions (TL) in the anterior circulation is unknown. The longer half-life of TNK could potentially lead to increased hemorrhage, especially in patients who require stenting of the extracranial internal carotid artery (eICA) and subsequent antiplatelet therapy. We assessed the efficacy and safety of TNK in a pooled analysis of the EXTEND-IA TNK trials. Methods: We compared the treatment effect of TNK (pooled analysis of 0.25 and 0.40mg/kg dosing) with alteplase (tPA), stratifying for TL presence. A TL was defined as a combination of eICA pathology (ipsilateral stenosis >70% or occlusion) and intracranial LVO. Outcomes evaluated include 90-day mRS, intracranial reperfusion at initial angiographic assessment, mortality, ICH (symptomatic [sICH] and parenchymal hematoma [PH]). Treatment effect was adjusted for baseline NIHSS, age, and time from symptom onset to puncture via mixed effects proportional odds and logistic regression models. Results: Of 483 patients with an anterior circulation occlusion, 71/483 (15%) patients had a TL and 43/71 (61%) patients required eICA stenting. In TL patients, reperfusion at initial angiographic assessment was observed in 11/56 (20%) of patients treated with TNK vs. 1/15 (7%) patients treated with tPA (aOR:3.71; 95% CI:0.42-32.75). sICH was observed in 4/71(6%) TL vs 7/412 (2%) nonTL patients (p=0.04). Among TL patients, sICH occurred in 4/56 (7%) patients treated with TNK vs 0/15 (0%) tPA treated patients (p=0.57); sICH occurred in 2/40 (5%) of the 0.25mg/kg TNK group and 2/16 (12.5%) of the 0.40mg/kg TNK group. PH was observed in 6/56 (11%) patients treated with TNK vs 0/15 (0%) tPA treated patients (p=0.33). 90-day mRS (TNK median 2 vs. tPA median 4, acOR:1.21; 95% CI:0.42-3.48), mortality (TNK: 5 [9%] vs. tPA: 3 [20%], aOR:0.45; 95% CI:0.08-2.50), and eICA stenting (TNK: 35 [64%] vs. tPA: 8 [57%], p=0.65) rates did not differ between the two treatment groups. Conclusions: Although patients with TL in the anterior circulation were at higher risk of hemorrhagic complications, these did not significantly differ between the TNK and tPA groups. A numeric increase in bleeding with TNK was not accompanied by an increase in mortality or worse functional outcome.