Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials involving patients being treated with endovascular therapy for vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke to estimate safety and efficacy and to evaluate the benefit for pre-specified subgroups based on individual patient data meta-analysis. VERITAS included studies between January 2010 and September 2023, with the primary outcome favorable functional status at 90 days. In all, four trials were selected (ATTENTION, BAOCHE, BASICS, and BEST), including pooled data for 988 patients (median age, 67 years): 556 assigned to endovascular therapy and 432 receiving only standard medical treatment. Overall, the proportion of patients achieving favorable functional status, as measured by a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-3 at 90 days, was 45% (251 patients) in the endovascular therapy group compared with 30% (128 patients) in the standard treatment group. The rate of functional independence at 90 days was higher in the endovascular treatment group compared with the standard treatment group, at 35% vs. 21%. In addition, the degree of overall disability and mortality was lower in the endovascular treatment group compared with the controls. Rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were higher among patients in the endovascular treatment group, at 5% vs. <1% in the standard treatment group. Although the heterogeneity of treatment effect was observed for baseline stroke severity and occlusion site, this was not seen across subgroups defined by age, sex, baseline posterior circulation, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, presence of atrial fibrillation or intracranial atherosclerotic disease, and time from onset to imaging. Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that “VERITAS supports the robust benefit of endovascular therapy in patients with vertebrobasilar artery occlusion with moderate to severe symptoms, with approximately 2·5-times increased likelihood of achieving a favourable functional outcome.”