Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41702951›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Early surrogates of functional outcome after thrombectomy for MCA-M2 occlusions.

Helge C Kniep, Lukas Meyer, Gabriel Broocks, Matthias Bechstein, Christian Heitkamp, Laurens Winkelmeier, Tobias Faizy, Ludger Feyen, Caspar Brekenfeld, Fabian Flottmann and 6 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Helge C Kniep *Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. h.kniep@uke.de.
Lukas Meyer *Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Gabriel BroocksDepartment of Neuroradiology, HELIOS Medical Center, Campus of MSH Medical School Hamburg, Schwerin, Germany.
Matthias BechsteinDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Christian HeitkampDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Laurens WinkelmeierDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Tobias FaizyDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Münster, Münster, Germany.
Ludger FeyenDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Helios Klinikum Krefeld, Krefeld, Germany.
Caspar BrekenfeldDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Fabian FlottmannDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Maximilian SchellDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Uta HanningDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Götz ThomallaDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Jens FiehlerDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
Susanne GellißenDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
German Stroke Registry-Endovascular Treatment (GSR-ET)

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at 24h is a strong predictor of long-term independence after mechanical thrombectomy for anterior circulation strokes. Its predictive value in patients with M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA-M2) occlusions, however, remains unclear. This study compares NIHSS scores at admission and 24h and early neurological improvement (ENI) definitions to predict functional outcomes at 90d for M2 occlusions. Patients with isolated MCA-M2 occlusions from the German Stroke Registry (06/2015–12/2021) were analyzed. NIHSS at admission, 24h and ENI definitions were compared for predicting excellent and good outcome, defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-1 and 0-2. Factors impairing predictive power were identified based on multivariable logistic regression. Among 1,268 patients, 24h NIHSS showed the highest predictive accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 [95% Confidence Interval: 0.83-0.87] for both good and excellent outcomes. Optimal NIHSS thresholds were ≤8 for good and ≤7 for excellent outcomes. Advanced age, higher pre-stroke mRS, diabetes, and higher procedure passes significantly reduced prognostic accuracy. NIHSS at 24h, with thresholds of ≤8 and ≤7, is the best surrogate for predicting good and excellent functional outcomes in MCA-M2 occlusion patients. Prognostic value diminishes with advanced age, pre-stroke disability, and comorbidities such as diabetes.

Indexed as

Infarction, Middle Cerebral ArteryThrombectomyAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRegistriesStrokeTreatment OutcomeDistal occlusionEarly neurological improvementM2 occlusionOutcomePrognosisStrokeThrombectomy

Identifiers

PMID41702951
PMCPMC12914009

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Registered trials

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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.