Patient characteristics
| Characteristics | MS (n=221) | DS (n=314) | P value |
| Age (years) (median (IQR)) | 77 (66–83) | 77 (66–82) | 0.912 |
| Males (n (%)) | 104 (47) | 137 (42) | 0.433 |
| Medical history (n (%)) | |||
| Hypertension | 179 (81) | 259 (82) | 0.659 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 53 (24) | 61 (19) | 0.205 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 72 (33) | 91 (29) | 0.373 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 69 (31) | 131 (42) | 0.014 |
| Smoking history | 79 (36) | 96 (31) | 0.209 |
| Baseline medication (n (%)) | |||
| Antithrombotic medication | 110 (50) | 161 (51) | 0.733 |
| Antihypertensive drugs | 156 (71) | 227 (72) | 0.667 |
| Clinical presentation | |||
| Unknown time of symptom onset (n (%)) | 38 (17) | 33 (11) | 0.025 |
| NIHSS at CSC presentation (median (IQR)) | 16 (11–20) | 14 (10–14) | 0.016 |
| Systolic blood pressure mm Hg) (median (IQR)) | 158 (137–179) | 160 (144–225) | 0.125 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) (median (IQR)) | 80 (70–95) | 85 (72–99) | 0.35 |
| Heart rate (beats/min) (median (IQR)) | 78 (67–90) | 79 (67–90) | 0.982 |
| Treatment | |||
| IV alteplase (n (%)) | 109 (49) | 164 (52) | 0.508 |
| Intervention (n (%)) | |||
| No MT after interfacility transfer | 60 (19) | ||
| Recanalization after remote IV alteplase | 10 (3) | ||
| No large vessel occlusion after transfer | 5 (2) | ||
| Far distal occlusion not suitable for MT | 6 (2) | ||
| Far advanced infarct progression not suitable for MT | 34 (11) | ||
| No consent for treatment | 2 (1) | ||
| No endovascular access route to the occlusion location | 3 (1) | ||
| Onset to puncture (min) (median (IQR)) | 136 (110–164) | 266 (230–326) | <0.0001 |
| Occlusion location (n (%))* | |||
| M1 | 131 (59) | 195 (62) | 0.509 |
| M2 | 33 (15) | 60 (19) | 0.209 |
| ICA | 90 (41) | 121 (39) | 0.61 |
| Stent retrieval maneuvers (median (IQR)) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–3) | 0.779 |
| Successful recanalization (mTICI ≥2 b) (n (%)) | 181 (82) | 219 (87) | 0.001 |
| Duration of MT procedure (min) (median (IQR)) | 70 (45–111) | 75 (49–99) | 0.947 |
| Onset to recanalization (min) (median (IQR)) | 210 (168–271) | 346 (296–416) | <0.0001 |
| Cervical ICA stenting (n (%)) | 36 (16) | 52 (17) | 0.934 |
| Clinical outcome | |||
| NIHSS score 24 hours postintervention (median (IQR)) | 6 (1–15) | 5 (2–13) | 0.854 |
| Intracranial hemorrhage (n (%)) | 35 (16) | 42 (13) | 0.425 |
| Inhouse mortality (n (%)) | 41 (19) | 51 (16) | 0.486 |
Values are number (%) for categorial variables and median (IQR) for continuous variables.
*Including combined vessel occlusions.
CSC, comprehensive stroke center; DS, drip and ship; ICA, internal carotid artery; IV, intravenous; M1/M2, middle cerebral artery segment; MS, mothership; MT, mechanical thrombectomy; mTICI, modified Treatment in Cerebral Ischemia Scale; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.