Frailty in people over 80 years after an ischemic stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy

Introduction

Although the advanced age is not an exclusion criterion for the stroke treatments, is characterized by a frailty state that affected the evolution and prognosis in such patients.

Objectives

To describe the possibility of a relation between frailty in elderly people (≥ 80 years old) after mechanical thrombectomy, and clinical severity, and to describe stroke clinical features.

Methods

Observational study in people over 80 year-old who suffered an ischemic stroke and underwent to mechanical thrombectomy, between February and October 2018. Data about cardiovascular risk factors, medical treatment, stroke episode and frailty were collected.

Results

The sample was constituted by 65 people. A 72% suffered hypertension and 43% atrial fibrillation. A 75% did not take anticoagulants. A 82% did not suffer complications with the procedure, and a complete arterial reperfusion was achieved in 83%. A 27.69% (n = 28) was not fragile. There was statistical association between age and frailty (P = .003).

Discussion

In our sample, the neurological and functional state caused by the stroke were more severe (described by the NIHS and Rankin modified scales score), but the recovery after hospital discharge was more positive. Elderly survivor patients were characterized as no fragile. The recovery after a stroke should be measured in functionality and quality of life terms, and not only using the age data.