- Patients between 18 to 65 years old who presented with clinical signs of infarction of the MCA territory and who arrived at the hospital within 72 hours of symptom onset. Other inclusion criteria included a Glasgow coma score (GCS) of 6 to14 in patients with right MCA infarction or GCS 5 to 9 in patients with left MCA infarction (adjusted to account for effect on speech deficit on GCS scores), or GCS of 15 on arrival but subsequently deteriorated neurologically as defined by a score of ≥1 on the level of consciousness item of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS);computed tomography (CT) scan of the head showing ischemic changes corresponding to more than 50% of the MCA territory with or without involvement of other vascular territories;and written informed consent from the patient or a legal representative.