Table 2 Clinical features and outcomes of HMCAS-disappearance (HMCAS-D) and HMCAS-persistence (HMCAS-P) subgroups
HMCAS-D (n = 831)HMCAS-P (n = 788)p Value
TOAST subgroups (ICD-10 category)
    Large vessel disease (I63.0 + I63.3) (n (%))328 (41.3)319 (46.2)0.06
    Cardiac embolism (I63.4) (n (%))332 (41.8)266 (38.3)0.2
    Small vessel disease (lacunar, I63.5) (n (%))9 (1.1)6 (0.9)0.7
Clinical course
    NIHSS score at 2 h (median (IQR))13 (8–18)17 (12–20)<0.001
    NIHSS score at 24 h (median (IQR))11 (4–17)17 (12–21)<0.001
    NIHSS score at day 7 (median (IQR))8 (2–15)15 (9–24)<0.001
    Neurological improvement ⩾4 points NIHSS at 2 h (n (%))274 (35.1)123 (17.1)<0.001
    Dramatic neurological improvement at 2 h (n (%))114 (14.6)34 (4.7)<0.001
    TACI syndrome (approximate definition) (n (%))397 (47.7)411 (52.2)0.08
    Presence of infarct on follow-up CT scan (n (%))740 (89.1)754 (95.7)<0.001
Outcomes
    mRS at day 90 (median (IQR))3 (1–5)4 (3–6)<0.001
    Independence (mRS 0–2 at day 90) (n (%))296 (41.5)134 (19.0)<0.001
    Mortality (n (%))111 (15.3)214 (30.2)<0.001
    SICH, SITS-MOST definition (%)1.80.60.06
    SICH, RCT definition (%)8.512.30.02
  • HMCAS-D, hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign, disappearance; HMCAS-P, hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign, persistence; mRS, median Rankin Scale score; NIHSS, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale; SICH, symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage; ICD, International Classification of Diseases; RCT randomised controlled trial; SITS-MOST, Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-Monitoring Study; TACI, total anterior circulation infarct.