Introduction:
It is uncertain whether lowered head position improves penumbral perfusion in ischemic stroke. Although a transcranial Doppler trial in large vessel occlusion (LVO) patients suggested improvement, a large pragmatic clinical trial in mixed stroke patients was neutral. We tested the tolerability and effect on penumbral perfusion of 20-degree head-down (Trendelenburg) positioning in patients with acute LVO stroke using automated quantitative CT perfusion (CTP).
Methods:
We enrolled LVO patients aged ≥60, 0-24h after onset, with ≥30mL anterior circulation CTP lesion volume (delay time [DT]>3, MISTAR software). CTP was repeated after 5 minutes of 20-degree Trendelenburg positioning using a custom-designed foam wedge. Neurological status (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS]) and blood pressure were recorded in routine (30 degree up) and Trendelenburg position. Trendelenburg positioning was maintained for 24h if perfusion lesion volume significantly decreased (≥5mL) and reperfusion treatment was suboptimal.
Results:
The target of 25 patients were enrolled (14 [56%] male, median age 76 (interquartile range [IQR]71-84), baseline modified Rankin scale score 0 [IQR0-0], median NIHSS 20 [IQR 13-24]). Most patients (15/25 [60%]) had an acute M1 middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion, 6 (24%) an occluded M2 MCA and 4 (16%) an occluded ICA. Stroke etiology was predominantly (15/25 [60%]) cardioembolic.Median (IQR) DT>3seconds lesion volume was significantly reduced by Trendelenburg compared with conventional horizontal CT positioning (114mL [94-204] vs 149mL [76-153] p=0.0027)). This was not explained by changes in blood pressure, which was unaltered (mean 148mmHg (+/- standard deviation 29) vs 143 (+/-27); p=0.129). Head position did not alter clinical severity (NIHSS 13 [IQR 9-28]) in both positions). A significant lesion volume reduction with Trendelenburg positioning was seen in 15/25 patients (60%); 7 received continued Trendelenburg positioning due to incomplete reperfusion. Head down positioning was well tolerated in the majority (4/7 [57%]), without serious adverse events.
Conclusion:
Head-down (Trendelenburg) positioning improves penumbral perfusion in acute LVO ischemic stroke and is well-tolerated.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.