Long-term prognosis of patients with stroke associated with middle cerebral artery occlusion. Single-centre registration study

INTRODUCTION: Large artery intracranial occlusive disease including middle cerebral artery (MCA) is a major contributor to the incidence of stroke in China. The data on the prognosis of symptomatic atherosclerotic MCA occlusions (MCAO) are limited. We aimed to investigate the related factors of unfavorable outcomes in patients with stroke associated with MCAO. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 119 patients with MCAO symptom were enrolled in this retrospective longitudinal cohort study. All patients met inclusion criteria of cerebral angiography by CT angiography or magnetic resonance angiography. Stroke severity was assessed on admission using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: We showed an average follow-up time of 46.8 months, within which 20 (19.6%) cases died and 14 (13.7%) cases had stroke recurrence. Using mRS as an evaluation index, the patients were divided into an unfavourable outcome group (mRS > 2, 48 cases) and a favourable outcome group (mRS ≤ 2, 54 cases). Logistic regression analysis suggests that age and NIHSS score were independent risk factors for a poor outcome value. Coexisting other cerebral vascular occlusion was an independent risk factor for stroke recurrence. Age was an independent risk factor for death. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of patients with MCAO was generally optimistic, with higher survival rate and longer survival time. As compared, elder age and higher NIHSS score both tend to be associated with worse prognosis of survival. MCAO patients with other extracranial or intracranial vascular occlusion have higher risk of recurrent stroke. Death rate increases with age among the MCAO patients.