AUTHOR=Filioglo Andrei , Simaan Naaem , Honig Asaf , Heldner Mirjam , Pezzini Alessandro , Martinez-Majander Nicolas , Padjen Visnja , Baumgartner Philipp , Papanagiotou Panagiotis , Salerno Alexander , Nolte Christian , Nordanstig Annika , Engelter Stefan , Zini Andrea , Zedde Marialuisa , Marto João Pedro , Arnold Marcel , Magoni Mauro , Gensicke Henrik , Cohen Jose , Leker Ronen TITLE=Tandem occlusions involving the internal carotid and anterior cerebral arteries—A rare form of stroke: Results from the multicenter EVATRISP collaboration study JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.1024891 DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.1024891 ISSN=1664-2295 ABSTRACT=Background

Patients with stroke secondary to isolated anterior cerebral artery (ACA) occlusions have poor outcomes. Whether tandem occlusions (TO) of the extracranial internal carotid (ICA) and the ACA carry even worse outcomes that remain unknown.

Methods

Patients with TO involving ICA and ACA occlusions were identified from 14 participating centers from the EndoVascular treatment And ThRombolysis in Ischemic Stroke Patients (EVATRISP) project which is a multicenter, observational, cohort study with prospective accrual of data followed by retrospective data analysis. Patients with isolated ACA stroke served as controls.

Results

Included were 92 patients with isolated ACA and 16 patients with ICA-ACA TO stroke. On univariate analyses, patients with TO had more severe strokes on admission [median NIHSS (IQR) 13.5 (9–21) vs. 8 (5–12), p = 0.003] and were more often treated with thrombectomy (81 vs. 40%, p = 0.002). Mortality rates were higher among TO patients (31 vs. 11%, p = 0.03). Rates of favorable functional outcomes were numerically lower among TO patients (38 vs. 60%) but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). On multivariate analyses, the presence of TO did not modify the chances for favorable outcomes.

Conclusion

TO stroke with ICA and isolated ACA involvement is rare and results in more severe initial neurological deficits and higher mortality compared to those seen in patients with isolated ACA stroke.