Association Between Net Water Uptake and Functional Outcome in Patients With Low ASPECTS Brain Lesions: Results From the I-LAST Study

Gabriel Broocks*, Lukas Meyer, Sarah Elsayed, Rosalie Mcdonough, Matthias Bechstein, Tobias Djamsched Faizy, Peter Sporns, Gerhard Schön, Jens Minnerup, Helge C. Kniep, Uta Hanning, Ewgenia Barow, Peter Schramm, Soenke Langner, Jawed Nawabi, Panagiotis Papanagiotou, Max Wintermark, Maarten G. Lansberg, Gregory W. Albers, Jeremy J. HeitJens Fiehler, Andre Kemmling

*Corresponding author for this work
4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The effect of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) on functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke with low ASPECTS is still uncertain. ASPECTS rating is based on the presence of ischemic hypoattenuation relative to normal; however, the degree of hypoattenuation, which directly reflects net uptake of water, is currently not considered an imaging biomarker in stroke triage. We hypothesized that the effect of thrombectomy on functional outcome in low ASPECTS patients depends on early lesion water uptake. Methods: For this multicenter observational study, patients with anterior circulation stroke with ASPECTS ≤5 were consecutively analyzed. Net water uptake (NWU) was assessed as a quantitative imaging biomarker in admission CT. The primary end point was the rate of favorable functional outcome defined as modified Rankin Scale score 0-3 at day 90. The effect of recanalization on functional outcome was analyzed according to the degree of NWU within the early infarct lesion. Results: A total of 254 patients were included, of which 148 (58%) underwent MT. The median ASPECTS was 4 (interquartile range [IQR] 3-5), and the median NWU was 11.4% (IQR 8.9%-15.1%). The rate of favorable outcome was 27.6% in patients with low NWU (<11.4%) vs 6.3% in patients with high NWU (≥11.4%; p < 0.0001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, NWU was an independent predictor of outcome, whereas vessel recanalization (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥2b) was only significantly associated with better outcomes if NWU was lower than 12.6%. In inverse-probability weighting analysis, recanalization was associated with 20.7% (p = 0.01) increase in favorable outcome in patients with low NWU compared with 9.1% (p = 0.06) in patients with high NWU. Discussion: Early NWU was independently associated with clinical outcome and might serve as an indicator of futile MT in low ASPECTS patients. NWU could be tested as a tool to select low ASPECTS patients for MT.

Original languageEnglish
JournalNeurology
Volume100
Issue number9
Pages (from-to)E954-E963
ISSN0028-3878
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28.02.2023

Research Areas and Centers

  • Academic Focus: Center for Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM)

DFG Research Classification Scheme

  • 206-07 Clinical Neurology Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology

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