Bailout Intracranial Angioplasty or Stenting After Thrombectomy for Acute Large Vessel Occlusion: 1-Year Outcomes of ANGEL-REBOOT

F Feng Gao X Xu Tong M Ming Wei X Xiaoxi Yao L Lei Li Y Yuesong Pan (Interventional Neuroradiology (F.G., X.T., L. Li, Y.P., B.J., M.Y., Dapeng Sun, D.M., N.M., Z.M.), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.) B Baixue Jia T Thanh N. Nguyen (Department of Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston) M Ming Yang D Dapeng Sun G Ganghua Feng (Department of Neurology, the First People’s Hospital of Chenzhou, Chenzhou, China) G Guangxiong Yuan (Emergency Department, Xiangtan Central Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University), Xiangtan, China) C Chenghua Xu (Department of Neurology, The First People’s Hospital of Taizhou, China (C.X.).) Z Zhengzhou Yuan (Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China (Z.Y.).) Y Yue Wan (Department of Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Aggregation Science, School of Science) J Jing Wang (Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China) P Ping Jing (Department of Neurology, Wuhan Central Hospital, China (P.J.).) X Xinguang Yang (Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China (X.Y.).) Z Zhilin Wu W Wei Hu Y Yuanfei Jiang (Department of Neurology, Tai’an Hospital of Chinese Medicine, China (Y.J.).) C Chaobin Wang (Department of Neurology, Beijing Liangxiang Hospital, China (C. Wang).) C Changming Wen J Jianjun Tang X Xiang Luo (Ophthalmology Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Treatment of Major Blinding Eye Diseases, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Centre for Ocular Diseases) Y Yingchun Wu R Ruile Shen T Tuanyuan Zheng (Neurology Department, Jiuliang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Jiujiang, China) Y Yaxuan Sun M Mingze Chang (Department of Neurology, Xi’an Third Hospital, Xi’an, China) Y Yan Liu Y Yang Haihua (Department of Neurology, Beijing Daxing People’s Hospital, China (H.Y.).) D Di Li (State Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 North 2nd Street, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, P. R. China) B Bo Yin (Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics) W Weihua Jia D Dongjun Wan G Guodong Xu (Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) Z Zaiyu Guo (Center for Neurology, Tianjin TEDA Hospital, China (Z.G.).) D Dianjing Sun (Department of Neurointerventional Radiology, Yantai Mountain Hospital of Yantai City, China (Dianjing Sun).) Y Yang Wang J Jixin Duan (Department of Neurosurgery, Changsha Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China (J.D.).) L Liyu Wang (Department of Neurointerventional Radiology, Beijing Shunyi Hospital, China (L.W.).) G Guoqing Wang (SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) L Liping Wei G Gaoting Ma (Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital (G.M.), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.) X Xiaochuan Huo (Neurological Disease Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital (X.H.), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.) D Dapeng Mo N Ning Ma Z Zeguang Ren (China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.R., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang).) L Liping Liu X Xingquan Zhao (Department of Neurology (L.L., X.Z., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.) Y Yilong Wang (Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine) J Jens Fiehler (Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany) Y Yongjun Wang Z Zhongrong Miao

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The long-term benefits of bailout intracranial angioplasty or stenting (BAOS) after thrombectomy in patients with acute large vessel occlusion remain unclear. This study compared BAOS with standard therapy in patients with large vessel occlusion with unsuccessful recanalization (expanded Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction score 0–2a) or >70% residual stenosis after thrombectomy. METHODS: ANGEL-REBOOT (Randomized Study of Bailout Intracranial Angioplasty Following Thrombectomy for Acute Large Vessel Occlusion) was a multicenter, open-label, blinded–end point, randomized trial conducted across 36 Chinese hospitals. Patients ≥18 years of age with anterior or posterior circulation large vessel occlusion within 24 hours of stroke onset were enrolled. After identification of thrombectomy failure or high-grade residual stenosis, patients were randomly assigned to the BAOS group (intervention) or the standard therapy group (control), in which thrombectomy was continued or terminated. The use of tirofiban was permitted in both groups during and after the procedure. In the intention-to-treat population, the primary outcome was analyzed using an assumption-free ordinal analysis (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test) to compare the modified Rankin Scale scores (ordinal variable ranging from 0 to 6) between groups at 1-year follow-up, from which the generalized odds ratio was derived. Secondary outcomes included stroke recurrence in the treated artery and all-cause mortality within 1 year, analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A total of 348 patients were randomly assigned (176 to the BAOS group and 172 to the standard therapy group) and followed for 90 days, from December 19, 2021, to June 2, 2023. Of these, 326 patients (166 in the BAOS group and 160 in the standard therapy group) completed the 1-year follow-up. Compared with standard therapy, BAOS significantly improved the 1-year modified Rankin Scale score distribution (generalized odds ratio, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.05–1.73]; P =0.02). Fewer stroke recurrences in the treated artery occurred in the BAOS group than in the standard therapy group (7 of 166 [4%] versus 21 of 160 [13%]; hazard ratio, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13–0.71]; P =0.006). One-year mortality rates were similar between groups (25 of 166 [15%] versus 27 of 160 [17%]; hazard ratio, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.50–1.50]). CONCLUSIONS: Among Chinese patients with large vessel occlusion with unsuccessful recanalization or high-grade residual stenosis after thrombectomy, BAOS was associated with reduced disability and stroke recurrence after 1 year compared with standard therapy. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT05122286.

Article Details

Journal Circulation
Volume / Issue Vol. 152, Issue 20
Published November 18, 2025
Pages 1397-1407
ISSN 0009-7322
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Circulation

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0009-7322 Health Sciences

Authors (55)

F

Feng Gao

X

Xu Tong

M

Ming Wei

X

Xiaoxi Yao

L

Lei Li

Y

Yuesong Pan

Interventional Neuroradiology (F.G., X.T., L. Li, Y.P., B.J., M.Y., Dapeng Sun, D.M., N.M., Z.M.), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

B

Baixue Jia

T

Thanh N. Nguyen

Department of Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston

M

Ming Yang

D

Dapeng Sun

G

Ganghua Feng

Department of Neurology, the First People’s Hospital of Chenzhou, Chenzhou, China

G

Guangxiong Yuan

Emergency Department, Xiangtan Central Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University), Xiangtan, China

C

Chenghua Xu

Department of Neurology, The First People’s Hospital of Taizhou, China (C.X.).

Z

Zhengzhou Yuan

Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China (Z.Y.).

Y

Yue Wan

Department of Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Aggregation Science, School of Science

J

Jing Wang

Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha China

P

Ping Jing

Department of Neurology, Wuhan Central Hospital, China (P.J.).

X

Xinguang Yang

Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China (X.Y.).

Z

Zhilin Wu

W

Wei Hu

Y

Yuanfei Jiang

Department of Neurology, Tai’an Hospital of Chinese Medicine, China (Y.J.).

C

Chaobin Wang

Department of Neurology, Beijing Liangxiang Hospital, China (C. Wang).

C

Changming Wen

J

Jianjun Tang

X

Xiang Luo

Ophthalmology Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Treatment of Major Blinding Eye Diseases, Chongqing Branch (Municipality Division) of National Clinical Research Centre for Ocular Diseases

Y

Yingchun Wu

R

Ruile Shen

T

Tuanyuan Zheng

Neurology Department, Jiuliang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Jiujiang, China

Y

Yaxuan Sun

M

Mingze Chang

Department of Neurology, Xi’an Third Hospital, Xi’an, China

Y

Yan Liu

Y

Yang Haihua

Department of Neurology, Beijing Daxing People’s Hospital, China (H.Y.).

D

Di Li

State Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 North 2nd Street, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, P. R. China

B

Bo Yin

Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics

W

Weihua Jia

D

Dongjun Wan

G

Guodong Xu

Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Z

Zaiyu Guo

Center for Neurology, Tianjin TEDA Hospital, China (Z.G.).

D

Dianjing Sun

Department of Neurointerventional Radiology, Yantai Mountain Hospital of Yantai City, China (Dianjing Sun).

Y

Yang Wang

J

Jixin Duan

Department of Neurosurgery, Changsha Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China (J.D.).

L

Liyu Wang

Department of Neurointerventional Radiology, Beijing Shunyi Hospital, China (L.W.).

G

Guoqing Wang

SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

L

Liping Wei

G

Gaoting Ma

Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital (G.M.), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

X

Xiaochuan Huo

Neurological Disease Center, Beijing Anzhen Hospital (X.H.), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

D

Dapeng Mo

N

Ning Ma

Z

Zeguang Ren

China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China (Y.P., Z.R., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang).

L

Liping Liu

X

Xingquan Zhao

Department of Neurology (L.L., X.Z., Yilong Wang, Yongjun Wang), Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Y

Yilong Wang

Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

J

Jens Fiehler

Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

Y

Yongjun Wang

Z

Zhongrong Miao