Compromised dynamic cerebral autoregulation is a hemodynamic marker for predicting poor prognosis even with good recanalization after endovascular thrombectomy

Abstract: PURPOSE: In patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) may minimize neurological injury from blood pressure fluctuations. This study set out to investigate the function of dCA in predicting clinical outcomes following EVT. METHODS: 43 AIS of the middle cerebral or internal carotid artery patients underwent with EVT, and 43 healthy individuals (controls) were enrolled in this case control research. The dCA was evaluated using transcranial Doppler 12 h and five days after EVT. The transfer function analysis was used to derive the dCA parameters, such as phase, gain, and coherence. The modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 3 months after EVT was used to assess the clinical outcomes. Thefavorable outcome group was defined with mRS ≤2 and the unfavorable outcome group was defined with mRS score of 3–6. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors of clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A significant impairment in dCA was observed on the ipsilateral side after EVT, particularly in patients with unfavorable outcomes. After 5 days, the ipsilateral phase was associated with poor functional outcomes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.911, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.854–0.972; P = 0.005) and the area under the curve (AUC) (AUC, 0.878, [95% CI: 0.756–1.000] P < 0.001) (optimal cutoff, 35.0°). Phase change was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes from 12 h to 5 days after EVT (adjusted OR = 1.061, 95% CI: 1.016–1.109, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: dCA is impaired in patients with AIS after EVT. Change in dCA could be an independent factor related to the clinical outcomes.