RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Causes of Death in Endovascularly Treated Patients with Acute Stroke
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1299
OP 1303
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A7599
VO 43
IS 9
A1 Nagel, H.
A1 Pinho, J.
A1 Hasan, D.
A1 Ridwan, H.
A1 Habib, P.
A1 Schulz, J.B
A1 Wiesmann, M.
A1 Reich, A.
A1 Nikoubashman, O.
YR 2022
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/43/9/1299.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Because stroke therapy has changed with the introduction of endovascular stroke treatment as a standard approach, studies on intrahospital causes of death from stroke are no longer up-to-date. The purpose of this observational study was to present the causes of death during hospitalization of patients with ischemic stroke who received endovascular stroke treatment, with the focus on a differentiation of curative and secondary palliative treatment.MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied a total cohort of 1342 patients who received endovascular stroke treatment in a tertiary stroke center (Aachen, Germany) between 2010 and 2020 and analyzed the causes of death in all 326 consecutive deceased patients. We distinguished between curative treatment and a secondary palliative approach and analyzed causes of death and treatment numbers across the years.RESULTS: In the entire cohort of 326 deceased patients, the most common cause of death was of a cerebrovascular nature (51.5%), followed by pneumonia and sepsis (25.8%) and cardiovascular causes (8.3%). Neurovascular causes constituted 75.8% of reasons for palliation. In the group with a secondary palliative approach, causes of death were neurovascular in 54.0% of patients and pneumonia and sepsis in 26.0% of patients.CONCLUSIONS: Cerebrovascular causes in patients with stroke play a major role in the intrahospital causes of death and reasons for palliation. Considering the large proportion of secondarily palliative–treated patients, reasons for palliation should be considered instead of causes of death to avoid concealment by, for example, life-terminating measures.IQRinterquartile range