Characterizing coma in large vessel occlusion stroke

Coma is an unresponsive state of disordered consciousness characterized by impaired arousal and awareness. The epidemiology and pathophysiology of coma in ischemic stroke has been underexplored. We sought to characterize the incidence and clinical features of coma as a presentation of large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke.

Individuals who presented with LVO were retrospectively identified from July 2018 to December 2020. Coma was defined as an unresponsive state of impaired arousal and awareness, operationalized as a score of 3 on NIHSS item 1a.

28/637 (4.4%) patients with LVO stroke were identified as presenting with coma. The median NIHSS was 32 (IQR 29-34) for those with coma versus 11 (5-18) for those without (p < 0.0001). In coma, occlusion locations included basilar (13), vertebral (2), internal carotid (5), and middle cerebral (9) arteries. 8/28 were treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), and 20/28 died during the admission. 65% of patients not treated with EVT had delayed presentations or large established infarcts. In models accounting for pre-stroke mRS, basilar occlusion location, intravenous thrombolysis, and EVT, coma independently increased the odds of transitioning to comfort care during admission (aOR 6.75; 95% CI 2.87,15.84; p < 0.001) and decreased the odds of 90-day mRS 0-2 (aOR 0.12; 95% CI 0.03,0.55; p = 0.007).

It is not uncommon for patients with LVO to present with coma, and delayed recognition of LVO can lead to poor outcomes, emphasizing the need for maintaining a high index of suspicion. While more commonly thought to result from posterior LVO, coma in our cohort was similarly likely to result from anterior LVO. Efforts to improve early diagnosis and care of patients with LVO presenting with coma are crucial.