posted on 2021-03-23, 15:51authored byAlejandro M Brunser, Menglu Ouyang, Hisatomi Arima, Pablo M Lavados, Thompson Robinson, Paula Muñoz-Venturelli, Verónica V Olavarría, Laurent Billot, Marre L Hackett, Lili Song, Sandy Middleton, Octavio Pontes-Neto, Tsong-Hai Lee, Caroline Watkins, Craig S Anderson
Background Although the Head Positioning in acute Stroke Trial (HeadPoST) showed no effect of the flat head position (FP; vs sitting up head position (SUP)) on functional outcome, we hypothesised that it could still offer benefits if commenced early in those with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) of at least moderate severity.
Methods Subgroup analysis of HeadPoST in participants with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ≥7, ≥10 and ≥14, randomised to FP or SUP <4.5 hours of AIS onset on functional outcomes defined by a shift in scores on the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and death/disability (mRS scores 3–6), and any cardiovascular serious adverse event. Logistic regression analyses were undertaken adjusted for study design and baseline risk factors.
Results There was no significant differential treatment effect in patient subgroups defined by increasing baseline NIHSS scores: adjusted OR and 95% CI for ordinal shift and binary (3–6) mRS scores: for NIHSS ≥7 (n=867) 0.92 (0.67 to 1.25) and 0.74 (0.52 to 1.04); NIHSS ≥ 10 (n=606) 0.80 (0.58 to 1.10) and 0.77 (0.49 to 1.19); NIHSS ≥14 (n=378) 0.82 (0.54 to 1.24) and 1.22 (0.69 to 2.14).
Conclusions Early FP had no significant effect in patients with moderate–severe AIS.
History
Citation
Stroke and Vascular Neurology 2020;5:doi: 10.1136/svn-2020-000387