Meta-analysis of direct endovascular thrombectomy vs bridging therapy in the management of acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion.

Background: Debates persist when using intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) before mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large-vessel occlusion (LVO). This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence on outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO), comparing bridging therapy (BT) with MT alone.

Method: We conducted searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to July 2023 to identify pertinent clinical trials and observational studies.