AUTHOR=Zhao Zi-Ai , Qiu Jing , Wang Lu , Zhao Yong-Gang , Sun Xian-Hui , Li Wei , Liu Xin , Li Xiao-Long , Liu Liang , Chen Ming-Rui , Chen Hui-Sheng 

TITLE=Intra-arterial tenecteplase is safe and may improve the first-pass recanalization for acute ischemic stroke with large-artery atherosclerosis: the BRETIS-TNK trial

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1155269

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2023.1155269

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background and purpose</title><p>The first-pass recanalization of endovascular treatment (EVT) is closely correlated with clinical outcome of patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke. The aim of the study was to explore whether intra-arterial tenecteplase (TNK) during the first pass of EVT can increase first-pass successful reperfusion and improve the neurological outcome in AIS-LVO patients.</p></sec><sec><title>Materials and methods</title><p>The BRETIS-TNK trial (<ext-link xlink:href="https://www.ClinicalTrials.gov" ext-link-type="uri" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">ClinicalTrials.gov</ext-link> Identifier: NCT04202458) was a prospective, single-arm, single center study. Twenty-six eligible AIS-LVO patients with large-artery atherosclerosis etiology were consecutively enrolled from December 2019 to November 2021. Intra-arterial TNK (4 mg) after microcatheter navigation through the clot was administered, followed by TNK (0.4  mg/min) given continuously for 20  min after the first retrieval attempt of EVT without confirmation of the reperfusion status by DSA. The 50 control patients comprised of a historical cohort before the BRETIS-TNK trial (from March 2015 to November 2019). Successful reperfusion was defined as modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) ≥2b.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The first-pass successful reperfusion rate was higher in the BRETIS-TNK vs. control group (53.8% vs. 36%, <italic>p</italic> = 0.14), and the difference became statistically significant after propensity score matching (53.8% vs. 23.1%, <italic>p</italic> = 0.03). There was no difference in symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage between the BRETIS-TNK and control groups (7.7% vs. 10.0%, <italic>p</italic> = 0.92). There was a trend toward higher proportion of functional independence at 90 days in the BRETIS-TNK comparing with the control group (50% vs. 32%, <italic>p</italic> = 0.11).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>This is the first study to report that intra-arterial TNK during the first pass of EVT seems safe and feasible in AIS-LVO patients.</p></sec>