Outcome Of Thrombolysis Research Articles

Abstract No. 121 Differences in outcomes of catheter-directed thrombolysis in native and non-native vessels for lower extremity acute limb ischemia

Lower extremity acute limb ischemia (ALI) may be more difficult to treat with catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in patients with non-native vasculature. The purpose of this study is to compare the characteristics and outcomes of CDT performed on native arteries, stented arteries, and bypass grafts for ALI.

Wake-up Stroke Outcome Prediction by Interpretable Decision Tree Model.

Outcome prediction in wake-up ischemic stroke (WUS) is important for guiding treatment strategies, in order to improve recovery and minimize disability. We aimed at producing an interpretable model to predict a good outcome (NIHSS 7-day<5) in thrombolysis treated WUS patients by using Classification and Regression Tree (CART) method. The study encompassed 104 WUS patients and we used a dataset consisting of demographic, clinical and neuroimaging features. The model was produced by CART with Gini split criterion and evaluated by using 5-fold cross-validation. The produced decision tree model was based on NIHSS at admission, ischemic core volume and age features. The predictive accuracy of model was 86.5% and the AUC-ROC was 0.88. In conclusion, in this preliminary study we identified interpretable model based on clinical and neuroimaging features to predict clinical outcome in thrombolysis treated wake-up stroke patients.

A Case Report of Successful Fibrinolysis in a Multiple Coronary Ectasia ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Validated by Coronary Angiography

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) often presents in the form of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) caused by slow blood flow leading to thrombus formation in ectatic coronary arteries. The usual approach is thrombectomy with intracoronary thrombolysis but often does not guarantee immediate blood flow. A 45-year-old male presented with anginal chest pain and was diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), managed Immediately with tissue plasminogen activator(t-PA) followed later with coronary angiography revealing diffused Multiple coronary ectasia MCEA with no identified culprit lesions afterward. The patient was followed up periodically, with favorable outcomes on daily aspirin, direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC), and guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for coronary artery disease (CAD) and reduced ejection fraction heart failure (HF-rEF). This case management strategy was dictated by available resources at the time of presentation; however, it signifies the importance and favorable outcome of thrombolysis in CEA/STEMI patients. Future large-scale studies are required toward defining the duration as well as the choice of long-term anticoagulation.

MRI-guided thrombolysis for lenticulostriate artery stroke within 12h of symptom onset.

Stroke thrombolysis treatment is generally administered within 4.5 h, but a greater time window may be permitted depending upon the ischemic penumbra on neuroimaging. This observational cohort study investigated the outcomes of thrombolysis given within 12 h after symptom onset of lenticulostriate artery stroke. The population comprised 160 patients. Thrombolysis was administered via tissue plasminogen activator, alteplase (TPA). Thrombolysis was indicated by a mismatch between diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), that is, an acute ischemic lesion on DWI without a corresponding lesion on T2WI. Demographics and medical history were compared with the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score, to reflect outcome. Patients with a favorable clinical outcome (mRS 0–1) had significantly lower hypertension, baseline NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and admission systolic/diastolic blood pressure compared with patients with mRS 2–6. Lower admission systolic blood pressure and NIHSS score were significantly associated with favorable outcome. In patients either with IV-TPA within 4.5 h, or between 4.5 and 12 h, lower admission systolic blood pressure and/or NIHSS score similarly independently predict favorable outcome. However, in all groups, the onset-to-treatment time did not significantly influence the outcomes. We conclude that in our cohort higher admission systolic blood pressure and higher baseline NIHSS and not time were associated with poor outcome in patients with magnetic resonance-guided thrombolysis within 12 h of isolated lenticulostriate artery stroke, therefore loosening the traditionally perceived dependency of outcome on time.

Early Infarct Growth Rate is Correlated with IV Thrombolysis Outcomes in Telestroke Patients (P4-10.002)

Early Infarct Growth Rate is Correlated with IV Thrombolysis Outcomes in Telestroke Patients (P4-10.002)

C-11 | Clinical Outcomes of Cancer Patients Hospitalized with Acute Pulmonary Embolism

There is paucity of data about the optimal treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with malignancy. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), Systemic thrombolysis (ST), and no intervention (NI) in patients with cancer and hospitalized with acute PE.

C-10 | Outcomes of Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis versus Systemic Thrombolysis for High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism

Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) is not a widely accepted treatment for hemodynamically unstable pulmonary embolism (PE) associated with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. However, recent reports suggest utility over systemic thrombolysis (ST)as the conventionally accepted treatment. Using a large national dataset, we explored the use of CDT and ST among high-risk patients with shock or cardiac arrest associated with an acute diagnosis of PE.

C-17 | Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis Versus Systemic Anticoagulation For Submassive Pulmonary Embolism: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis

The optimal therapy for submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the outcomes of catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) versus systemic anticoagulation (SA) alone in patients with submassive PE.

Three-month functional outcome predictors of systemic thrombolytic therapy in cerebral infarction

The article analyzes the clinical, laboratory and neuroimaging predictors of a three-month functional outcome of systemic thrombolytic therapy in patients with cerebral infarction is presented. Recently, techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral infarction have been actively developed, which has led to a decrease in mortality and a significant improvement in the functional outcome in some patients. The therapeutic response to ongoing therapy cannot be accurately predicted prior to its initiation, which makes it difficult to make the right decision regarding treatment tactics. The main focus is on the search and evaluation of the degree of determination in the outcome of thrombolytic therapy of the most significant predictors, as well as their mutual potentiation. Identification of factors associated with an unfavorable outcome of systemic thrombolysis can contribute to a safer, more effective and more widespread use of this treatment method in the shortest possible time.

Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Postpartum Deep Venous Thrombosis.

Venous thromboembolism is a major concern during pregnancy as well as in the postpartum period. In acute proximal deep venous thrombosis, endovascular recanalization with locally administered thrombolytic agents has evolved as therapeutic alternative to anticoagulation alone. However, data on the bleeding risk of thrombolysis in the postpartum period is limited. We addressed the key clinical question of safety outcomes of catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in the peri- and postpartum period. Therefore, we performed a non-exhaustive literature review and illustrated the delicate management of a patient with postpartum acute iliofemoral thrombosis treated with CDT and endovascular revascularization with thrombectomy, balloon angioplasty and stenting.

Treatment and Outcomes of Thrombolysis Related Hemorrhagic Transformation: A Multi-Center Study in China.

ObjectiveTo investigate the current management of thrombolysis related hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in real-world practice, and whether these treatments would reduce the risk of 3-month death and hematoma expansion after HT.MethodsA multicenter retrospective study was performed in three comprehensive stroke centers in China (West China Hospital, The First People’s Hospital of Ziyang, and Mianyang Central Hospital) between January 1st 2012 and December 31th 2020. Participants were patients diagnosed with HT after intravenous thrombolytics on brain computed tomography (CT) within 36 h after stroke onset. The treatment after thrombolysis related HT included aggressive therapy (procoagulant, neurosurgical treatment) and dehydration therapy (mannitol or glycerin and fructose). The primary clinical outcome was 3-month death. The primary radiographic outcome was hematoma expansion, defined as a 33% increase in the hematoma volume using the (A × B × C)/2 method on follow-up imaging.ResultsOf 538 patients with ischemic stroke receiving thrombolysis included during the study period, 94 patients (17.4%) were diagnosed with HT, 50% (47/94) of whom were symptomatic HT. The 3-month death was 31.5% (29/92), with two patients having been lost to follow up. A total of 68 patients (72.3%) had follow-up brain CT scans after HT detection for evaluating hematoma expansion, of whom 14.7% (10/68) had hematoma expansion. Among the 10 patients with hematoma expansion, 7 patients were from symptomatic HT group, and 3 patients were from the asymptomatic hematoma group. In regard to escalation in therapy, six patients received neurosurgical treatment and three patients had a fresh frozen plasma infusion. In addition, dehydration therapy was the most common management after HT diagnosis [87.2% (82 of 94)]. In the multivariable models, refusing any treatment after HT diagnosis was the sole factor associated with increased 3-month death (odds ratio, 13.6; 95% CI, 3.98–56.9) and hematoma expansion risk (odds ratio, 8.54; 95% CI, 1.33–70.1). In regard to the effects of aggressive therapy, a non-significant association of receiving hemostatic/neurosurgery therapy with a lower 3-month death and hematoma expansion risk was observed (all P > 0.05).ConclusionRefusing any treatment after HT detection had a significant trend of increasing 3-month death and hematoma expansion risk after HT. Our finding of hematoma expansion among patients with asymptomatic HT in non-western populations suggests an opportunity for intervention. Very few patients after thrombolysis related HT diagnosis received procoagulant or neurosurgical therapies. Large multicenter studies enrolling diverse populations are needed to examine the efficacy of these therapies on different HT subtypes.

EKOS™ Jena Experience: Safety, Feasibility, and Midterm Outcomes of Percutaneous Ultrasound-Assisted Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis in Patients with Intermediate-High-Risk or High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism.

Background Percutaneous catheter-based ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis (UACDT) is recommended for patients with intermediate-high-risk or high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) in whom systemic thrombolysis has failed or is contraindicated. Aim To evaluate the safety and efficiency of UACDT in patients with intermediate-high-risk or high-risk PE. Methods Between October 2017 and January 2020, we performed UACDT using the EkoSonic™ Endovascular System (EKOS™) in 51 patients (21 males, age 63 ± 18 years) with a sPESI of 1.3 ± 0.7. The EKOS™-catheter was implanted within 24 h after admission. Over 15 hours, 11.5 mg of alteplase was administered per catheter. We evaluated right ventricular stress and cardiac biomarkers before and after UACDT. Results 24 h post-UACDT, median RV/LV ratio decreased from 1.13 to 0.96 (p < 0.001) and the mean sPAP decreased from 47 ± 3 to 32 ± 2 mmHg + CVP (p < 0.0002). There were 6 major bleeding events resulting in transfusion. No stroke, myocardial infarction, right heart decompensation, or recurrent PE occurred. 31 patients (63%) were discharged without any signs of right ventricular stress. After at least 3 months, 73% of our patients did not show any signs of right ventricular dysfunction. The mean RV/LV ratio decreased to 0.75 ± 0.03 (p < 0.0001) in comparison with pre-UACDT, sPAP to 23 mmHg + CVP (p < 0.0001), and BNP to 40 pg/ml (p < 0.0001). Conclusions The treatment with UACDT reduced right heart stress during the first 24 hours and midterm in patients with intermediate-high-risk or high-risk PE at an acceptable rate of severe complications.

Efficacy and safety of spot heating and ultrasound irradiation on in vitro and in vivo thrombolysis models

The feasibility of transcranial sonothrombolysis has been demonstrated, although little is known about the relationships between thermal or mechanical mechanisms and thrombolytic outcomes. Therefore, the present study aims to reveal the effect and safety of temperature and ultrasound through in vitro and in vivo thrombolysis models. Artificial clots in microtubes were heated in a water bath or sonicated by ultrasound irradiation, and then clots weight decrease with rising temperature and sonication time was confirmed. In the in vitro thrombotic occlusion model, based on spot heating, clot volume was reduced and clots moved to the distal side, followed by recanalization of the occlusion. In the in vivo study, the common carotid artery of rats was exposed to a spot heater or to sonication. No brain infarct or brain blood barrier disruption was shown, but endothelial junctional dysintegrity and an inflammatory response in the carotid artery were detected. The present spot heating and ultrasound irradiation models seem to be effective for disintegrating clots in vitro, but the safety of the in vivo model was not fully supported by the data. However, the data indicates that a shorter time exposure could be less invasive than a longer exposure.

Abstract WP75: Sex Differences In The Outcomes Of Intravenous Thrombolysis In Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients With Preadmission Use Of Antiplatelet Agents: A Population-based Study In The Swiss Stroke Registry

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate whether patient sex modifies the association between preadmission use of antiplatelet agents (APAs) and safety and efficacy outcomes of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: Cohort study from the Swiss Stroke Registry of consecutive patients with AIS treated with IVT stratified according to sex and assessed for preadmission use of APAs in multivariate logistic regression models. The primary safety outcome was in-hospital symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (sICH). The primary efficacy outcome was functional independence (FI) at 3 months after discharge. Secondary efficacy outcomes included favourable functional outcome (FFO), modified Rankin Scale score shift analysis, survival with high disability or death at 3 months. Results: Study cohort included 4996 patients, 2124 women (43%) and 2872 men (57%). Women were older than men (79 vs 71 years, P &lt;0.0001). Comparable proportions of women (39.9%) and men (40.4%) used APAs before admission (single or dual, P =0.74). Preadmission use of dual APAs was associated with higher odds of in-hospital sICH (adjOR 2.89, 95%CI 1.15-7.29), with a statistically significant trend from single to dual APAs ( P =0.02). No interaction was found between preadmission use of either single or dual APAs and patient sex ( P =0.89 and P =0.21, respectively). Men had significantly higher chances of 3-month FI (adjOR 1.34, 95%CI 1.09-1.65), better outcomes across all levels of disability and mortality (adjOR 0.86, 95%CI 0.75-0.99). We found no sex differences in FFO and severe disability or death at 3 months after discharge (adjOR 1.15, 95%CI 0.96-1.36 and adjOR 1.11, 95%CI 0.79-1.55, respectively). We found no interaction between patient sex and preadmission use of either single or dual APAs for any of the secondary efficacy outcomes. Conclusions: Female sex was associated with more unfavourable 3-month efficacy outcomes than male sex after IVT. Even though preadmission use of dual APAs was associated with increased odds of in-hospital sICH, sex-gender differences in 3-month efficacy outcomes apparently were not explained by a sex-specific mechanism related to preadmission use of APAs.

Intravenous Thrombolysis in a Rare Case of Bilateral Medial Medullary Infarction

Based on our PuBMed and Cochrane search, this is the first case report that describes the clinical outcome of thrombolysis in a rare case of bilateral medial medullary infarction. OBJECTIVE: To describe the outcome of thrombolysis in a frequently devastating bilateral medial medullary infarction. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old Chinese male was seen at the emergency department four hours from symptom onset of sudden and rapidly progressing bilateral motor weakness with associated dizziness. The patient was seen awake, not in cardiorespiratory distress. Pupils were 3 millimeters isocoric and briskly reactive to light. Extraocular muscle movements were full and equal and there was torsional nystagmus on all gazes. There was right central facial palsy and weak gag reflex bilaterally. Tongue was midline on protrusion. Motor strength test revealed right sided hemiplegia and left sided hemiparesis (2-/5 on MMT). Bilateral Babinski sign was elicited. There was no sensory deficit to light touch. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed acute infarction of the bilateral anteromedial medulla. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Alteplase was given at a dose of 0.7 mg/kg was given at exactly 4.5 hours post-ictus. There was no complication after thrombolysis. He was discharged on the 12th day post-ictus, still with dizziness but with improved muscle strength on all extremities to 3/5 MMT except for the right arm which remained paralyzed. He was able to tolerate oral feeding and had a Modified Rankin Scale score of 4.

The Outcome of Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis in COVID-19-Associated Deep Vein Thrombosis.

IntroductionPublished evidence of venous thrombotic complications of COVID-19 is lacking from India. This case series consists of twenty-nine adult patients who were COVID -19 positive and treated for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, in India. The study was aimed at analyzing patient demographics of patients with DVT and the outcome of Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis (CDT) in COVID positive patients. Material and Methods: Patients who developed DVT while or after being COVID positive were managed between February and April 2021 at the institution of the first two authors and were included in this retrospective study. Demographic, clinical data, laboratory data, and treatment given were analyzed. All patients were followed up for 3 months with a Villalta score. Results: There were a total of 29 patients (12 male and 17 female) included in the study with a mean age of 47 ± 17 years. The average time of presentation from being COVID positive was 17.8 ± 3.6 days and one patient developed DVT after becoming Covid negative. All but one patient had lower limb involvement, with 42.8% having proximal and 57.2% distal DVT. All patients with Iliofemoral and two with Femoropopliteal DVT were treated with catheter-di thrombolysis and the other 15 patients were managed with anticoagulation alone. No re-thrombosis was observed in the thrombolysis group. Overall average Villalta score at 3 months was 10.7 ± 2.1 with a score of 10.58 ± 2.1 in the anticoagulation-only group and 10.85 ± 2.3 in the CDT group. Conclusion: COVID-19 seems to be an additional risk factor in the development of DVT. The outcome of such patients, treated by thrombolysis appears to be similar to non-COVID patients. In this, observational experience of the authors suggests that CDT could be offered to COVID positive patients with symptomatic Iliofemoral DVT with good outcomes and an acceptable post-intervention Villalta score.

Effect of blood pressure variability in the randomized controlled BP TARGET trial.

The Blood Pressure Target in Acute Ischemic Stroke to Reduce Hemorrhage After Endovascular Therapy (BP TARGET) trial evaluated whether an intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) target resulted in reduced rates of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after successful endovascular therapy (EVT) but did not assess the effect of blood pressure variability (BPV) on functional outcomes and ICH occurrence. We sought to evaluate this question in the BP TARGET trial. We performed a post hoc analysis of the BP TARGET trial and included patients with at least 50% of blood pressure (BP) recordings during the first 24 h after EVT. BPV parameters were SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation (SD), maximum-minimum (max-min), successive variation (SV), and time rate. The primary outcome was favorable functional outcome (3-month modified Rankin Scale between 0 and 2); the secondary outcome was the rate of ICH at 24h. We included 290 patients (mean number of BP measures = 30.4, SD=8.0). BPV parameters (SBPSD , SBPmax-min , SBPCV ) were higher in the intensive SBP target group. Only DBP BPV parameters were associated with worse functional outcomes in the unadjusted model (DBPSD , DBPmax-min , DBPCV , and DBPSV ), but not after adjustment. Higher SBPmax-min was associated with worse functional outcomes in Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2B patients (odds ratio [OR]=0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38-1.02), but not in patients with complete reperfusion (OR=1.27, 95% CI = 0.80-2.02, p for heterogeneity (phet =0.037). None of the BPV parameters was associated with ICH, regardless of the randomization group or the reperfusion grade. BPV was significantly higher in the intensive SBP target group but was not associated with functional outcome or ICH.

Revascularisation for Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease: External Applicability of the VOYAGER PAD Trial

In the VOYAGER PAD trial, rivaroxaban 2.5 mg plus aspirin significantly reduced the primary composite efficacy outcome of acute limb ischaemia, major amputation, myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, or cardiovascular death compared with aspirin alone. However, patients enrolled in the trial may not reflect patients encountered in daily clinical practice. This study described the proportion of patients eligible for VOYAGER PAD within the nationwide Danish Vascular Registry (DVR), reasons for ineligibility, and outcomes according to eligibility. In total, 32 911 patients who underwent lower extremity revascularisation for symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the DVR (2000-2016) were identified. Trial inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and the three year cumulative incidence of primary and secondary trial outcomes was estimated. Altogether, 27.1% of patients with PAD in the DVR were "VOYAGER eligible". Of those not included, 30.7% had at least one exclusion criterion ("VOYAGER excluded"), and an additional 42.3% did not fulfil the inclusion criteria ("VOYAGER not included"). The main reasons for exclusion were atrial fibrillation (32.3%), poorly regulated hypertension (20.6%), requirement for long term dual antiplatelet therapy (10.9%), cytochrome P450 inhibitors or inducers (9.7%), and renal failure (9.3%). The three year rate of the primary efficacy outcome was 10.08 per 100 person years among the "VOYAGER eligible", 16.32 among "VOYAGER excluded", and 6.98 among the "VOYAGER not included". For the primary safety outcome of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) major bleeding, rates were 2.24, 3.76, and 1.17, respectively. Rates of secondary endpoints were also consistently lower for patients who did not meet the inclusion criteria (predominantly due to central aorto-iliac procedures) and highest for "VOYAGER excluded" patients. "VOYAGER eligible" patients experienced a higher cumulative incidence of most endpoints than patients enrolled in the control arm of the VOYAGER PAD trial. Among patients in routine clinical practice, 27.1% were eligible for the VOYAGER PAD trial. These patients were older, had more severe vascular symptoms, higher bleeding risk, and worse prognosis than trial participants.

Disparities in Care and Outcome of Stroke Patients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities in Metropolitan Australia.

Background: Acute stroke is a time-critical emergency where diagnosis and acute management are highly dependent upon the accuracy of the patient’s history. We hypothesised that the language barrier is associated with delayed onset time to thrombolysis and poor clinical outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the effect of language barriers on time to thrombolysis and clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke. Concerning the method, this is a retrospective study of all patients admitted to a metropolitan stroke unit (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) with an acute ischemic stroke treated with tissue plasminogen activator between 1/2013 and 9/2017. Baseline characteristics, thrombolysis time intervals, length of stay, discharge destination, and in-hospital mortality were compared among patients with and without a language barrier using multivariate analysis after adjustment for age, sex, stroke severity, premorbid modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Language barriers were defined as a primary language other than English. A total of 374 patients were included. Our findings show that 76 patients (20.3%) had a language barrier. Mean age was five years older for patients with language barriers (76.7 vs. 71.8 years, p = 0.004). Less non-English speaking patients had premorbid mRS score of zero (p = 0.002), and more had premorbid mRS score of one or two (p = 0.04). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of stroke severity on presentation (p = 0.06). The onset to needle time was significantly longer in patients with a language barrier (188 min vs. 173 min, p = 0.04). Onset to arrival and door to imaging times were reassuringly similar between the two groups. However, imaging to needle time was 9 min delayed in non-English speaking patients with a marginal p value (65 vs. 56 min, p = 0.06). Patients with language barriers stayed longer in the stroke unit (six vs. four days, p = 0.02) and had higher discharge rates than residential aged care facilities in those admitted from home (9.2% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.02). In-hospital mortality was not different between the two groups (p = 0.8). In conclusion, language barriers were associated with almost 14 min delay in thrombolysis. The delay was primarily attributable to imaging to needle time. Language barriers were also associated with poorer clinical outcomes.

Impact of Pre-Stroke Antiplatelet Use on 3-Month Outcome After Ischemic Stroke.

Pre-stroke anti-platelet (PAP) therapy can potentially influence the severity and outcome after ischemic stroke. We analyzed data from the prospective multicenter Indo-US collaborative stroke project for the impact of PAP therapy. Outcome measures included the admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS) score, and rates of in-hospital mortality and post-ischemic intracerebral hemorrhage. Among 2048 of 2066 patients (M:F = 2:1) with known pre-stroke medication status, 336 (16.3%) were on PAP therapy. As compared to the non-PAP group, the PAP group had significantly higher mean age (62.2 vs 57.4 years, P < 0.001) and significantly more men, vascular risk factors, cerebral microbleeds (12.8% vs 6.2%, P = 0.001) and intravenous thrombolysis treatment (17% vs. 10.6%, P = 0.001). Cardioembolic strokes were significantly more in the PAP group (P < 0.001), but not large artery atherosclerosis. No significant differences were observed in the median NIHSS score (9 vs. 10, P = 0.274), 3-month mRS (score 0-2,51.4% vs. 49.0%, P = 0.428), in-hospital mortality (8.6% vs. 7.8%, P = 0.592), or symptomatic post ischemic intracerebral haemorrhage (12.2% vs. 10.6%, P = 0.382). The PAP group had more stroke recurrence (6.6% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.002) which was not significant (P = 0.065) after multivariate regression analysis adjusting for age, sex and vascular risk factors. PAP therapy was not an independent predictor of initial stroke severity or stroke outcome. PAP therapy has no significant effect on initial stroke severity, rates of post-ischemic hemorrhage with or without thrombolysis, in-hospital mortality, stroke recurrence, and 3-month outcome after ischemic stroke.