New Trial Extends Hope For Late-Arriving Stroke Patients, But Comes With Risks
What Happened
The LATE-MT trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, studied 336 patients across 35 centres in China who had a large-vessel ischemic stroke and still had potentially salvageable brain tissue on imaging. Patients received mechanical thrombectomy 24-72 hours after symptoms began plus standard care, or standard care alone. At 90 days, 49% of thrombectomy patients could live independently, compared with 35% receiving standard care alone. However, the procedure also carried higher risks, including brain bleeding and death.
Key Takeaways
The findings could widen the treatment window for carefully selected stroke patients, but they are not a reason to delay emergency care. Stroke remains time-critical, and late thrombectomy requires specialist assessment and brain imaging to identify patients who may benefit.