Outcomes
neurological deterioration, death, disability, major disability
The primary outcome was functional recovery measured at 6 months according to the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and analysed as an ordinal outcome (shift across all categories). The mRS is a standard global measure of disability scored from 0 to 6, in which scores of 0–1 indicate a favourable outcome without or with symptoms but no disability; scores of 2–5 indicate increasing amounts of disability (and dependency); and a score of 6 indicates death. Secondary outcomes included the dichotomous analysis of scores on the mRS at 6 months: 3–6 (disability or death) versus 0–2, and 3–5 (major disability) versus 0–2 in survivors; death at 6 months; death or neurological deterioration at 7 days according to a change in scores on the NIHSS, both as a continuous measure and categorised into seven groups (<5, 5–9, 10–14, 15–19, 20–24, ≥25, and death);