The age factor influencing long-term physical functionality in stroke patients undergoing intra-arterial thrombectomy treatment

The treatment of acute ischemic stroke is heavily time-dependent, and even though, with the most efficient treatment, the long-term functional outcome is still highly variable. In this current study, the authors selected acute ischemic stroke patients who were qualified for intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and followed by intra-arterial thrombectomy. With primary outcome defined by the functional level in a 1-year follow-up, we hypothesize that patients with older age are at a disadvantage in post-stroke recovery. However, an age-threshold should be determined to help clinicians in selection of patients to undergo such therapy. This is a retrospective chart review study that include 92 stroke patients in Changhua Christian hospital with a total of 68 evaluation indexes recorded. The current study utilized the forward stepwise regression model whose Adj-R2 and P value in search of important variables for outcome prediction. The chngpt package in R indicated the threshold point of the age factor directing the better future functionality of the stroke patients. Datasets revealed the threshold of the age set at 79 the most appropriate. Admission Barthel Index, Age, ipsilateral internal carotid artery resistance index (ICA RI), ipsilateral vertebral artery (VA) PI, contralateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis, contralateral external carotid artery (ECA) RI, and in-hospital pneumonia are the significant predicting variables. The higher the age, in-hospital pneumonia, contralateral MCA stenosis, ipsilateral ICA RI and ipsilateral VA PI, the less likely patient to recover from functional deficits as the result of acute ischemic stroke; the higher the value of contralateral ECA RI and admission Barthel Index, the better chance to full functional recovery at 1-year follow up. Parameters of pre-intervention datasets could provide important information to aid first-line clinicians in decision making. Especially, in patients whose age is above 79 receives diminish return in the benefit to undergo such intervention and should be considered seriously by both the patients and the physicians.