Susceptibility vessel sign predicts poor clinical outcome for acute stroke patients untreated by thrombolysis

The location and length of the susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) predicts poor outcome for patients having received reperfusion therapy. The aim of the present study was to assess the predictive value of SVS regarding the clinical outcome for patients untreated with thrombolysis. A retrospective study on acute stroke patients who underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging within 3 days from the onset of symptoms was performed. None of the patients had received thrombolysis therapy. The presence, location and length of the SVS were assessed. Uni- and multivariate analyses were used to examine the association between SVS and clinical outcome. A total of 43 SVS+ and 73 SVS- patients were included in the study. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of ≤2 at 3 months was determined in 41.9% of patients in the SVS+ group and 79.4% in the SVS- group (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of SVS was an independent parameter to predict mRS >2 at 3 months (odds ratio, 3.390; 95% confidence interval, 1.122-10.240; P=0.030). For patients with SVS+ status, the location and length of the SVS were not independent predictors of the clinical outcome. In conclusion, the presence of SVS may predict poor clinical outcome for acute stroke patients untreated with thrombolysis.