Background and purpose: It is unclear if sex differences explain some of the variability in the outcomes of stroke patients who undergo endovascular treatment (EVT). In this study we assess the effect of sex on radiological and functional outcomes in EVT-treated acute stroke patients and determine if differences in baseline perfusion status between men and women might account for differences in outcomes.
Methods: We included patients from the CRISP (Computed tomographic perfusion to Predict Response to Recanalization in ischemic stroke) study, a prospective cohort study of acute stroke patients who underwent EVT up to 18 hours after last seen well. We designed ordinal regression and univariable and multivariable regression models to examine the association between sex and infarct growth, final infarct volume and 90-day mRS score.
Results: We included 198 patients. At baseline, women had smaller perfusion lesions, more often had a target mismatch perfusion profile, and had better collateral perfusion. Women experienced less ischemic core growth (median 15 mL vs. 29 mL, p < 0.01) and had smaller final infarct volumes (median 26 mL vs. 50 mL, p < 0.01). Female sex was associated with a favorable shift on the modified Rankin Scale (adjusted cOR 1.79 [1.04 - 3.08; p = 0.04]) and lower odds of severe disability or death (adjusted OR 0.29 [0.10 - 0.81]; p = 0.02).
Conclusions: The results suggest that women have better collaterals and, therefore, more often exhibit a favorable imaging profile on baseline imaging, experience less lesion growth, and have better clinical outcomes following endovascular therapy.
Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Perfusion imaging; Sex; Stroke; Thrombectomy; Women.
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