Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology

ObjectivesCOVID-19 is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Studies from early in the pandemic show increased rates of unfavorable recanalization, poor outcomes, and mortality in patients who were COVID-19 positive at the time of mechanical thrombectomy. However, there are currently no stu...

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Main Authors: Lewis John Rubin Thompson, Clifton Houk, Nathaniel R. Ellens, Gurkirat Singh Kohli, Derrek Schartz, Diana Proper, Tarun Bhalla, Matthew T. Bender, Thomas K. Mattingly
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1513124/full
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author Lewis John Rubin Thompson
Clifton Houk
Nathaniel R. Ellens
Gurkirat Singh Kohli
Derrek Schartz
Diana Proper
Tarun Bhalla
Matthew T. Bender
Thomas K. Mattingly
author_facet Lewis John Rubin Thompson
Clifton Houk
Nathaniel R. Ellens
Gurkirat Singh Kohli
Derrek Schartz
Diana Proper
Tarun Bhalla
Matthew T. Bender
Thomas K. Mattingly
author_sort Lewis John Rubin Thompson
collection DOAJ
description ObjectivesCOVID-19 is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Studies from early in the pandemic show increased rates of unfavorable recanalization, poor outcomes, and mortality in patients who were COVID-19 positive at the time of mechanical thrombectomy. However, there are currently no studies examining these parameters during the later pandemic when circulating variants were less virulent.Materials and methodsWe performed a retrospective review of mechanical thrombectomies from 12/2020 to 3/2023. Patients who were COVID-19 positive at the time of thrombectomy were included. Demographic, procedural, and 90-day functional outcomes were evaluated.ResultsOf 306 patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke between 12/2020 and 3/2023, 18 were COVID-19 positive. Compared with the COVID-19 negative cohort, there were lower rates of favorable recanalization (73% vs. 92%, p = 0.03) and good functional outcomes (26% vs. 49%, p = 0.06), but greater tandem carotid pathology (42% vs. 12%, p < 0.01), and a higher mortality rate (53% vs. 26%, p = 0.02). However, COVID-19 positive status did not predict outcomes in multivariable analysis when controlled for age, NIHSS, IV tPA, recanalization status, and tandem carotid pathology.ConclusionLate in the pandemic, outcomes remained comparable to those observed in the early pandemic for patients positive for COVID-19 at the time of mechanical thrombectomy. This case series also demonstrates increased tandem carotid pathology in the COVID-19 cohort. While COVID-19 may not influence outcome to the degree that age and NIHSS do, the excess mortality continues to suggest a negative effect despite lower virulence.
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spelling doaj-art-0c0b8b62a73a44aa8ad663cde6f6f44c2025-08-20T03:10:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952025-02-011610.3389/fneur.2025.15131241513124Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathologyLewis John Rubin Thompson0Clifton Houk1Nathaniel R. Ellens2Gurkirat Singh Kohli3Derrek Schartz4Diana Proper5Tarun Bhalla6Matthew T. Bender7Thomas K. Mattingly8Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United StatesObjectivesCOVID-19 is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Studies from early in the pandemic show increased rates of unfavorable recanalization, poor outcomes, and mortality in patients who were COVID-19 positive at the time of mechanical thrombectomy. However, there are currently no studies examining these parameters during the later pandemic when circulating variants were less virulent.Materials and methodsWe performed a retrospective review of mechanical thrombectomies from 12/2020 to 3/2023. Patients who were COVID-19 positive at the time of thrombectomy were included. Demographic, procedural, and 90-day functional outcomes were evaluated.ResultsOf 306 patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke between 12/2020 and 3/2023, 18 were COVID-19 positive. Compared with the COVID-19 negative cohort, there were lower rates of favorable recanalization (73% vs. 92%, p = 0.03) and good functional outcomes (26% vs. 49%, p = 0.06), but greater tandem carotid pathology (42% vs. 12%, p < 0.01), and a higher mortality rate (53% vs. 26%, p = 0.02). However, COVID-19 positive status did not predict outcomes in multivariable analysis when controlled for age, NIHSS, IV tPA, recanalization status, and tandem carotid pathology.ConclusionLate in the pandemic, outcomes remained comparable to those observed in the early pandemic for patients positive for COVID-19 at the time of mechanical thrombectomy. This case series also demonstrates increased tandem carotid pathology in the COVID-19 cohort. While COVID-19 may not influence outcome to the degree that age and NIHSS do, the excess mortality continues to suggest a negative effect despite lower virulence.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1513124/fullischemic strokeCOVID-19carotidendovascularmechanical thrombectomy
spellingShingle Lewis John Rubin Thompson
Clifton Houk
Nathaniel R. Ellens
Gurkirat Singh Kohli
Derrek Schartz
Diana Proper
Tarun Bhalla
Matthew T. Bender
Thomas K. Mattingly
Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
Frontiers in Neurology
ischemic stroke
COVID-19
carotid
endovascular
mechanical thrombectomy
title Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
title_full Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
title_fullStr Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
title_full_unstemmed Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
title_short Late pandemic COVID-19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
title_sort late pandemic covid 19 positivity at the time of thrombectomy is associated with poor outcomes and tandem carotid pathology
topic ischemic stroke
COVID-19
carotid
endovascular
mechanical thrombectomy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1513124/full
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