ArticleJournal of neuroendovascular therapy2026
Impact of Intracranial Arterial Calcification on Outcomes of Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Article in Journal of neuroendovascular therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: Intracranial arterial calcification (ICAC) has been suggested to influence the outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate MT outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke and large-vessel occlusions involving intracranial calcified arteries. Methods: This study followed the Cochrane and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies were included if they evaluated intracranial arterial calcification (≥130 Hounsfield unit [HU] on noncontrast computed tomography) in patients undergoing MT within 24 h of acute ischemic stroke and reported modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days or the final thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) grade. Four databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase) were searched from inception to July 2025. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted the data and assessed their quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Odds ratios (OR) were pooled using Mantel-Haenszel random-effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed using I Results: Among 968 records, 4 observational studies (n = 832; 2016-2024) met the inclusion criteria. All were adjusted for baseline factors using multivariable or propensity score models. The quality of the studies ranged from moderate to high. The ICAC definitions varied as follows: morphological (intimal vs. medial), location-based (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic), or volumetric assessments. Meta-analysis showed that ICAC-particularly in studies distinguishing intimal from medial calcification-was significantly associated with poor 90-day outcomes (mRS 3-6) (pooled OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.21-2.52; p <0.001; I Conclusion: ICAC, especially when intimal calcification is present, is independently associated with procedural complexity and poor functional outcomes after thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. The divergent findings between the volume subanalysis and the broader morphology-based analysis highlight that morphology-driven, rather than volume-driven, calcification better explains outcome variability. Recognition of ICAC on baseline imaging may aid in prognostication, guide device strategies, and anticipate adjunctive interventions. Standardized assessments and prospective validation studies are needed to optimize outcomes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.