Summary Summary Short summary of a recent publication, written by scientific experts. Published: 13 Feb 2023

The role of mechanical thrombectomy in patients with atrial fibrillation

  • Individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) experienced worse 90-day outcomes than those without AF, according to the present systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 studies.
  • The outcomes associated with AF included significantly higher rates of mortality (P=0.005) and significantly lower modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0 to 2 (P<0.001) after mechanical thrombectomy compared to those without AF, even with comparable, successful reperfusion outcomes.
  • These findings are important because they provide context for the worse outcomes observed in patients with AF compared with patients without AF.