Trends of Acute Ischemic Stroke Reperfusion Therapies from 2012 to 2016 in the United States.

BACKGROUND and purpose: AHA/ASA guidelines recommend endovascular stroke therapy (EST) with tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) for eligible patients in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Using the National Inpatient Sample database, we evaluated trends in treatment with rt-PA and EST for AIS and their outcomes. METHODS This is a cross-sectional observational study of AIS admitted in US hospitals 2012-2016. Patients were grouped into those who received rt-PA alone, EST alone, and rtPA+EST. Survey statistical procedures were performed. Multivariable regression analysis with pairwise comparisons of each treatment group with no treatment group was performed for discharge outcomes. RESULTS The study included 2,290,520 AIS patients with mean age 70.46 years. Treatment rates increased from 2012 to 2016 for rt-PA by 7% per year (5.86% to 7.67%, odds ratio [OR]=1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.08); and EST by 38% per year (0.55% to 1.75%, OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.31-1.45); but not rt-PA+EST (0.54% to 0.57%, OR=1.04, 95% CI 0.99-1.08). Mean length of stay reduced from 2012 to 2016 for rt-PA (6.07 to 4.91days, p<0.0001), and rt-PA+EST (9.19 to 7.10days, p=0.0067) but not for EST (9.61 to 8.51days, p=0.5074). The odds of patients discharged home increased by 8%, 9% and 15% among patients who received rt-PA alone, EST alone and rt-PA+EST respectively, compared to no treatment group. CONCLUSION The utilization of rt-PA alone and EST alone increased but that of rt-PA+EST remained unchanged from 2012 to 2016 in NIS.