Statistical analysis
REGRESSION, SECONDARY
Continuous variables were reported as medians (interquartile ranges) and categorical variables as numbers (percentages). Baseline characteristics between patients with and without intravenous tirofiban were compared by using the Wilcoxon rank sum test or chi‐squared test as appropriate. The main efficacy outcome was estimated using a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for age, baseline NIHSS score, baseline ASPECTS, occlusion site, time from last known well to randomization. In a sensitivity analysis, the estimated odds ratio of effect of intravenous tirofiban on independent functional outcome was performed between the tirofiban group and the placebo group only among patients who did not receive rescue drug.Among secondary clinical outcomes, the improvement in mRS score at 90 days was estimated by ordinal logistic regression model adjusted for the same variables above. The odds ratios for early neurological changes (the change of the NIHSS score from baseline to 24 h and 5–7 days) and quality of life at 90 days were analyzed using multivariable linear regression model. The risk ratio for safety outcomes was estimated by Poisson regression model. The unadjusted and adjusted value were presented with 95% confidence intervals to indicate statistical precision.Subgroup analyses were performed evaluating potential heterogeneity for efficacy effect among patients with substantial reperfusion (eTICI 2b50), excellent reperfusion (eTICI 2c), and complete reperfusion (eTICI 3), using forest plot analysis. Day 90 functional outcomes analyzed included the primary outcome (mRS 0–2), the prespecified secondary mRS outcomes (mRS 0–1). Heterogeneity was assessed by interaction Additional subgroup analyses were performed for the primary mRS 0–2 outcome stratified by the same variables as in the overall trial analysis: age, sex, baseline NIHSS score, baseline ASPECTS, occlusion site, time from last known well to randomization. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp.) and Review Manager 5.3. For main effect analyses, 