Stroke patients received IV recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and had diagnostic TCD within 3 hours of symptom onset. The TCD result was interpreted using the thrombolysis in brain ischemia (TIBI) flow grading system. Following multiple regression analysis, a grading system was created with 1 point for each of the following: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 16 or higher, TIBI score of 1 or lower, and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) of 6 or lower. The patients' scores were compared to modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days.
A total of 349 patients were included. In unvaried analysis, age of 80 years or older (P = .002), an ASPECTS of 6 or lower (P < .001), an NIHSS score of 16 or higher (P < .001), a TIBI score of 1 or lower (P < .001), and a glucose level ≥ 200 mg/dl (P = .04) were associated with poor outcome (mRS score > 2). In the multiple regression analysis, age of 80 years or older, an ASPECTS of 6 or lower, an NIHSS score of 16 or higher, and hyperglycemia were predictors of poor outcome (P < .05). Based on our scoring system, the patients' odds ratios for poor outcome were 7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2-23, P = .003), 8 (95% CI: 3-25, P < .001), and 24 (95% CI: 4-151, P = .001) for scores of 1, 2, and 3, respectively, after adjustment for common stroke risk factors. The mean time to recanalization increased as the score increased (score of 0: 160 ± 45 minutes versus score of 3: 186 ± 38 (P = .70).
A multimodal grading system is useful in predicting outcome in patients treated with IV rt-PA. Those withhigher scores might be candidates for interventional therapy.