Lau HL, Gardener H, Coutts SB, et al. - Vascular occlusive patterns differ between mild strokes with visible intracranial occlusions vs moderate/severe strokes, but thrombus permeability was similar between these.

• A multicenter prospective study (INTERRSeCT) of acute ischemic strokes with a visible intracranial occlusion was conducted wherein among 575 patients, 12.9% had a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤5.

• Relative to those with an above-mentioned stroke scale score >5, mild patients were found to have longer symptom onset to evaluation times, more distal occlusions, higher clot burden score, similar favorable thrombus permeability, higher collateral flow, and lower intravenous alteplase treatment rates.

• Recanalization likelihood was more in mild patients vs moderate/severe strokes.

• Successful recanalization was achieved in relation to factors such as higher thrombus permeability and alteplase use, although the majority do not recanalize.