Abstract P239: Trends in Ischemic Stroke Treatments and Mortality in the United States From 2012-2018

Abstract

Introduction: The establishment of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) as a first line treatment for select patients with ischemic stroke (IS) and the resulting expansion of stroke systems of care have been major advancements in the care of IS patients. Our study aims to identify temporal trends in the usage of tPA and MT, as well as mortality for IS patients from 2012-2018. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that not only MT but also tPA utilization increased after 2015 compared to years previous, while mortality likely improved, given enhanced public education and optimization of stroke systems of care. Methods: Using a nation-wide, private health insurance database, we identified 141,959 patients who presented with a primary IS between 2012 and 2018. We evaluated trends in tPA and MT usage, and mortality stratified by treatment group using chi square and Cochran-Armitage testing. Results: Among patients presenting with IS in this population, the average age was 69.00 ± 12.23, and 47.43% were male. Between 2012-2018, the proportional use of tPA and MT increased significantly (tPA: 6.30%% to 11.79%, p<0.0001; MT: 1.57% to 5.69%, p<0.0001). Mortality at 30 days decreased significantly from 2012-2018 in the overall IS population (4.82% to 4.18%, p<0.0001). Mortality following MT saw the greatest improvement (30-day: 16.42% to 9.04%, p=0.0291), followed by tPA (30-day: 8.54% to 4.91%, p<0.0001) and finally by no treatment (30-day: 4.43% to 3.79%, p<0.0001). Conclusion: From 2012-18, we found the use of tPA and MT increased significantly while 30-day mortality decreased in the entire IS population. The most dramatic decrease in mortality was seen in the MT population, followed by tPA and no treatment groups.