Effect of statin treatment on clinical outcomes in cardioembolic stroke with endovascular thrombectomy

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Large-artery atherosclerotic stroke is commonly treated with statins.
• Effectiveness of statins in cardioembolic large vessel occlusion (CE-LVO) patients undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT) is not well-established.
• Acute ischemic stroke due to CE-LVO requires effective therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of statin therapy combined with EVT on clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
• To determine if statin use improves functional independence and reduces adverse events in CE-LVO patients undergoing EVT.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of statin treatment in this specific patient population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 510 patients with anterior circulation CE-LVO undergoing EVT across 27 Chinese hospitals (2018-2021).
• Primary outcome: functional independence at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale 0-2).
• Safety outcomes: 90-day mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH).

Main Results:

• Statin treatment (n=404) was associated with significantly improved functional independence (aOR 2.072, P=0.009).
• Statin use correlated with a lower rate of 90-day mortality (aOR 0.343, P<0.001).
• Significantly reduced risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) observed with statin use (aOR 0.153, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Statin therapy is associated with improved clinical outcomes in CE-LVO patients undergoing EVT.
• Statin treatment significantly reduces the risks of mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.
• Combining statin therapy with EVT may be a beneficial strategy for managing acute ischemic stroke in CE-LVO patients.