Does arterial recanalization improve outcome in carotid territory stroke?
GROUND AND PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether early (< 8 hours) or delayed (8 to 24 hours) recanalization after stroke may be an independent variable in the improvement of clinical outcome in patients with occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. METHODS: We prospectively studied 77 patients by combined Scandinavian Stroke Scale score at admission, repeated computed tomography and angiography before and after thrombolytic treatment at < 8 hours after stroke onset, and transcranial Doppler ultrasound 24 hours later. We tested an association between clinical and neuroradiological baseline characteristics, recanalization, and outcome as assessed by the modified Rankin Scale 4 weeks after stroke and determined the effect of recanalization on mortality and good outcome (Rankin Scale grades 0 to 3) by multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Recanalization rates at 8 and 24 hours after stroke correlated with sites of occlusion (middle cerebral artery branch, 73% and 73%, trunk, 2
