A randomized clinical trial compared 0° versus 30° head positioning in patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke awaiting thrombectomy.
0° positioning significantly maintained neurological stability, reducing NIHSS worsened score events before thrombectomy versus 30° elevation.
30° head elevation was associated with higher risk of neurological deterioration, increased mortality at 3 months but no differences in hospital-acquired pneumonia.
Findings support 0° head positioning as a protective measure while awaiting definitive mechanical thrombectomy treatment.
