LAUSR

OBJECTIVE To compare the outcomes between patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion based on their platelet count: low vs normal. PATIENTS AND METHODS Three studies were included with a pooled cohort of 1,125 patients, and data points were collected and pooled by meta-analysis of proportions via a logit transformation to provide a summary statistic. Both fixed effect and random effect models were recruited for the analysis. In this meta-analysis, the risk of developing symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, unfavorable clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score >3), and mortality of patients with low platelet counts were compared to patients with normal platelet counts according to the criteria for inclusion used by each study. RESULTS Fifty (4.7%) patients were considered to have low platelet count and 1,075 (95.3%) patients had normal platelet count. Patients in the low platelet count group had a substantially higher risk of mortality (risk ratio [RR], 1.93; 95% CI, 1.43-2.60; P<.0001; I2 =0%), while no differences in clinical outcomes (RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.40-1.11; P=.12; I2 =0%) or symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (RR, 2.03; 95% CI, 0.87-4.70; P=.10; I2 =15%) were noted. CONCLUSION Patients with low platelet counts had increased mortality when compared to patients with normal platelet counts following mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion.