Patient characteristics
| PROTECT (n=40) | Non-BGC+distal aspiration (160) | P value | |
| Sex (% female) | 43 | 59 | 0.06 |
| Median age (Min; Max) | 75 (43; 94) | 77 (41; 94) | 0.49 |
| Median NIHSS at admission (Min; Max) | 16 (5; 23) | 15 (5; 30) | 0.637 |
| Median mRS at admission (Min; Max) | 5 (2; 5) | 5 (1; 5) | 0.746 |
| i.v. rtPA (%) | 65 | 60 | 0.424 |
| Occluded vessel | 0.096 | ||
| ICA carotid terminus | 37% | 25% | |
| MCA-M1 | 50% | 57% | |
| MCA-M2 | 13% | 18% |
BGC, balloon guide catheter; MCA, middle cerebral artery; mRS, modified Rankin Scale; NIHSS, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale; PROTECT, PRoximal balloon Occlusion TogEther with direCt Thrombus aspiration; rtPA, recombinant tissue Plasminogen-Activator.