Glasgow Coma Scale on Presentation Predicts Outcome in Endovascular Treatment for Acute Posterior Large-Vessel...

Use of mechanical thrombectomy for stroke has increased since the publication of trials describing outcome improvement when used in the anterior circulation. These results, however, cannot be directly translated to the posterior circulation. While a high NIHSS score has demonstrated an association with poor outcomes in posterior stroke, the NIHSS is weighted toward hemispheric disease, and complex scores potentially delay definitive imaging diagnosis. We performed a retrospective analysis to ascertain whether any rapidly obtainable demographic or clinical and imaging data have a correlation with patient outcome postthrombectomy. Seventy-three cases were audited between September 2010 and October 2017. Presenting with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of >13 meant that the odds of reaching the primary end point of functional independence (defined as a 90-day modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2) were 5.70 times greater; similarly, presenting with a posterior circulation ASPECTS of  >9 resulted in the odds of reaching the primary end point being 4.03 times greater. Older age correlated to a lower odds of independence (0.97, p = .04).