Mechanical endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke: An indirect treatment comparison between Solitaire and Penumbra thrombectomy devices

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared mechanical endovascular therapy (MET) in addition to intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IVtPA) to IVtPA alone for the management of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Direct comparative studies between individual METs are not available. In lieu of head-to-head randomized control trials, we performed an adjusted indirect treatment comparison (ITC) meta-analysis to assess the comparative efficacy and safety of different METs, Solitaire+IVtPA and Penumbra+IVtPA in AIS patients. Methods and findings: We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Embase from January 1, 2005 through April 1, 2017 for RCTs in AIS patients, comparing a single MET+IVtPA to IVtPA alone and reporting shift in ordinal modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days. Secondary endpoints included 90 day mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Endpoints were pooled using traditional random effects meta-analysis methods, producing odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Adjusted ITCs using pooled estimates were then performed. Three studies (SWIFT PRIME, EXTEND-IA, THERAPY) were included; two evaluating the Solitaire stent retriever and one the Penumbra system. Traditional meta-analysis demonstrated that each MET+IVtPA resulted in increased odds of improving ordinal mRS score vs. IVtPA alone, but did not alter the odds of death or sICH. Adjusted ITC showed no significant difference between the METs for any outcome. Conclusion: No significant difference in efficacy or safety between the Solitaire and Penumbra devices was observed.