Randomized trial of argatroban plus recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke (ARAIS): Rationale and design

Platelet-activating factor antagonist-based intensive antiplatelet strategy in acute ischemic stroke: A propensity score matched with network pharmacology analysis

BACKGROUND

Diterpene ginkgolides meglumine injection (DGMI) is a platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFR) antagonist that can be used to treat acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of an intensive antiplatelet strategy based on PAFR antagonists and explored the underlying mechanisms of PAFR antagonists in AIS treatment.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study applying propensity score methods to match AIS patients treated with DGMI to nontreated patients. The primary outcome was functional independence (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] 0-2) at 90 days. The safety outcome was bleeding risk. We used McNemar test to compare the efficacy outcome. Subsequently, the network pharmacology analysis was performed.

RESULTS

161 AIS patients treated with DGMI in the study were matched with 161 untreated patients. Compared with untreated patients, DGMI-treated patients had a significantly higher rate of mRS ranking 0-2 at 90 days (82.0% vs. 75.8%, p < 0.001), without increased risk of bleeding. The gene enrichment analysis showed that the overlap genes of DGMI targeted and AIS-related enriched in thrombosis and inflammatory-related signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

An intensive antiplatelet strategy of DGMI plus traditional antiplatelet agents is effective in treating AIS and may work by mediating post-stroke inflammation and thrombosis.

Effect of Argatroban Plus Intravenous Alteplase vs Intravenous Alteplase Alone on Neurologic Function in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: The ARAIS Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Previous studies suggested a benefit of argatroban plus alteplase (recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, robust evidence in trials with large sample sizes is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of argatroban plus alteplase for AIS.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This multicenter, open-label, blinded end point randomized clinical trial including 808 patients with AIS was conducted at 50 hospitals in China with enrollment from January 18, 2019, through October 30, 2021, and final follow-up on January 24, 2022.

INTERVENTIONS

Eligible patients were randomly assigned within 4.5 hours of symptom onset to the argatroban plus alteplase group (n = 402), which received intravenous argatroban (100 μg/kg bolus over 3-5 minutes followed by an infusion of 1.0 μg/kg per minute for 48 hours) within 1 hour after alteplase (0.9 mg/kg; maximum dose, 90 mg; 10% administered as 1-minute bolus, remaining infused over 1 hour), or alteplase alone group (n = 415), which received intravenous alteplase alone. Both groups received guideline-based treatments.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary end point was excellent functional outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]) of 0 to 1 at 90 days. All end points had blinded assessment and were analyzed on a full analysis set.

RESULTS

Among 817 eligible patients with AIS who were randomized (median [IQR] age, 65 [57-71] years; 238 [29.1%] women; median [IQR] National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 9 [7-12]), 760 (93.0%) completed the trial. At 90 days, 210 of 329 participants (63.8%) in the argatroban plus alteplase group vs 238 of 367 (64.9%) in the alteplase alone group had an excellent functional outcome (risk difference, -1.0% [95% CI, -8.1% to 6.1%]; risk ratio, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.88-1.10]; P = .78). The percentages of participants with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, parenchymal hematoma type 2, and major systemic bleeding were 2.1% (8/383), 2.3% (9/383), and 0.3% (1/383), respectively, in the argatroban plus alteplase group and 1.8% (7/397), 2.5% (10/397), and 0.5% (2/397), respectively, in the alteplase alone group.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among patients with acute ischemic stroke, treatment with argatroban plus intravenous alteplase compared with alteplase alone did not result in a significantly greater likelihood of excellent functional outcome at 90 days.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03740958.

Corticospinal Tract Hypoperfusion Associated With Unexplained Early Neurological Deterioration After Intravenous Thrombolysis

Background and Purpose

Early neurological deterioration (END) occurs in 10% among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who are receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Over half of them have no straightforward causes, which is referred to as unexplained END. We aimed to explore whether the presence of baseline corticospinal tract (CST) hypoperfusion could predict the development of unexplained END at 24 h in patients with AIS after receiving IVT.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and imaging data from patients with AIS who received IVT. Unexplained END was defined as ≥ 2-point increase of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) from baseline to 24 h without straightforward causes. Hypoperfusion lesions involving CST and other cerebral areas were identified on perfusion maps.

Results

Among 807 patients, CST hypoperfusion and non-CST hypoperfusion occurred in 488 (60.5%) and 319 (39.5%) patients, respectively. Patients with CST hypoperfusion were more likely to have unexplained END compared with patients with non-CST hypoperfusion (16.6 vs. 2.8%, P < 0.001). Binary logistics regression analysis showed that CST hypoperfusion was independently associated with unexplained END after IVT (OR = 5.64; 95% CI: 2.699–11.785; P < 0.001) after adjusting for baseline NIHSS, onset to needle time, baseline hypoperfusion volume, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension.

Conclusions

Patients with CST hypoperfusion were more likely to suffer from unexplained END after IVT, implying potential mechanisms and potential prevention of unexplained END.

Efficacy and safety of argatroban in treatment of acute ischemic stroke: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Argatroban is a novel direct thrombin inhibitor that has been used for treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). To our knowledge, no systematic analysis has assessed the efficacy and safety of argatroban for treatment of AIS.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of argatroban for treatment of AIS.

METHODS

Cochrane Library, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched to retrieve all studies associated with argatroban and AIS. Effective rate, adverse events rate, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and pooled using meta-analysis methodology.

RESULTS

We only found four randomized controlled studies, comprising 354 cases with 213 in the argatroban group and 141 in the control group. Great heterogeneity was found in the four studies (c² = 11.44, I² = 74%, P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis could not be performed because of the absence of detailed data. The two most recent studies showed acceptable heterogeneity (c² = 1.56, I² = 36%, P = 0.21). Our analysis showed that argatroban was not more effective than the control therapy in the acute phase of ischemic stroke (Z = 0.01, P = 0.99). Argatroban did not increase the risk of bleeding compared with the control group (c² = 0.37, I² = 0%, P = 0.54, Z = 0.80, P = 0.42).

CONCLUSION

Patients with AIS might not benefit from argatroban and combination therapy with argatroban does not increase bleeding tendency.