The role and principles of stenting in acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis

Catheter-directed interventions for acute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT) have been increasingly used over the past 15 years to target severe symptomatology and prevention of post-thrombotic syndrome incidence or reduce its severity if it were to develop. Aside from successful thrombus removal, adjunctive stents are frequently required to treat an uncovered lesion or significant residual thrombus to ensure quality of life improvement besides retarding DVT recurrence and post-thrombotic syndrome. As the evidence is mounting, the need and role for stenting, as well as the principles of an optimal technique, in the acute DVT setting are now better understood. Accumulating experience appears to favor stenting in the acute setting. The diameter of the stent, the length, the extent of overlapping, and the landing zones are crucial determinants of a successful durable outcome. This article endeavors to guide the interventionalist on stenting when encountering a patient with acute symptomatic iliofemoral DVT with concerns of quality of life impairment.

The use of a pre-hospital questionnaire expedited the acute management of patients with ischemic stroke in a comprehensive stroke center

BACKGROUND

Delays in intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) treatment for acute ischemic stroke decrease the benefit of treatment. Difficulties determining a patient's clinical eligibility for IVT is a frequent cause of treatment delays.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the "PROVIDENCE" datasheet, a pre- hospital assessment of contraindications for IVT use applied by emergency medical services personnel.

METHODS

We performed a single-center cohort study comparing IVT decision and treatment times between patients with PROVIDENCE datasheets and those without. Patients were eligible if they were over 18 years old and presented to our comprehensive stroke center from the field with stroke-like symptoms with onset within 4.5 hours.

RESULTS

We identified 465 records and included 166 records in our final analysis (54 in the study group and 112 in the control group). A subgroup of 85 patients received IVT (30 in the study group patients and 55 in the control group). The PROVIDENCE datasheet was associated with a faster median time by five minutes from the patient's initial presentation at the emergency department to the final decision regarding IVT eligibility (p = 0.032) and a faster time between the first encounter with a neurology provider and the decision regarding IVT administration by six minutes (p = 0.002) for the entire sample. In the subgroup that received IVT, the PROVIDENCE datasheet decreased the median decision time by seven minutes (p = 0.044) There was no significant difference in door-to-needle times between groups.

CONCLUSION

Using the PROVIDENCE datasheet, first responders can quickly identify potential contraindications for IVT treatment in patients with stroke-like symptoms. This tool expedited decision-making and led to faster IVT administration process at a comprehensive stroke center.

Diagnostic accuracy of 3-item stroke scale for detection of cerebral large vessel occlusion: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Prompt identification of large vessel occlusion (LVO) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is crucial for expedited endovascular therapy (EVT) and improved patient outcomes. Prehospital stroke scales, such as the 3-Item Stroke Scale (3I-SS), could be beneficial in detecting LVO in suspected patients. This meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of 3I-SS for LVO detection in AIS.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases until February 2024 with no time and language restrictions. Prehospital and in-hospital studies reporting diagnostic accuracy were included. Review articles, studies without reported 3I-SS cut-offs, and studies lacking the required data were excluded. Pooled effect sizes, including area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS

Twenty-two studies were included in the present meta-analysis. A 3I-SS score of 2 or higher demonstrated sensitivity of 76% (95% CI: 52%-90%) and specificity of 74% (95% CI: 57%-86%) as the optimal cut-off, with an AUC of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.78-0.84). DOR, PLR, and NLR, were 9 (95% CI: 5-15), 2.9 (95% CI: 2.0-4.3) and 0.32 (95% CI: 0.17-0.61), respectively. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the analyses' robustness in suspected to stroke patients, anterior circulation LVO, assessment by paramedics, and pre-hospital settings. Meta-regression analyses pinpointed LVO definition (anterior circulation, posterior circulation) and patient setting (suspected stroke, confirmed stroke) as potential sources of heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

3I-SS demonstrates good diagnostic accuracy in identifying LVO stroke and may be valuable in the prompt identification of patients for direct transfer to comprehensive stroke centers.

Impact of Serum apolipoproteins on the prognosis of acute Ischemic Stroke After Thrombolysis

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to the relationship between peripheral apolipoproteins and the prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after thrombolysis.

METHODS

A total of 231 AIS patients with thrombolysis was enrolled. Serum apolipoproteins were measured on admission after thrombolysis. All patients enrolled were followed up for 90 days. Their functional outcomes were assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Good functional outcome was considered as mRS < 3. Logistic regression was applied to assess the association between serum apolipoproteins and the mRS at 90 days.

RESULTS

In multivariate analysis,1) ApoB (OR=0.099, 95%CI=0.017∼0.575, p=0.010) and ApoB/ApoA-1(OR=0.113, 95%CI=0.015∼0.868, p=0.036) were independent risk factors of good functional outcome at 90 days. 2). there were significant differences in the mRS score distribution at 90 days in groups according to the ROC cutoff values of ApoB (0.85g/L) and ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio (0.61) (all p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrated ApoB and ApoB/apoA-1 ratio were independent risk factors for good functional outcome at 90 days, and the ApoB level below 0.85g/L and ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio below 0.61 could be associated with a better functional outcome in this study population.

European Stroke Organisation (ESO) and European Society for Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT) guideline on acute management of basilar artery occlusion

The aim of the present European Stroke Organisation (ESO) guideline is to provide evidence-based recommendations on the acute management of patients with basilar artery occlusion (BAO). These guidelines were prepared following the Standard Operational Procedure of the ESO and according to the GRADE methodology.Although BAO accounts for only 1-2% of all strokes, it has very poor natural outcome. We identified 10 relevant clinical situations and formulated the corresponding Population Intervention Comparator Outcomes (PICO) questions, based on which a systematic literature search and review was performed. The working group consisted of 10 voting members (five representing ESO and five representing the European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT)) and three non-voting junior members. The certainty of evidence was generally very low. In many PICOs, available data were scarce or lacking, hence, we provided expert consensus statements.First, we compared intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) to no IVT, but specific BAO-related data do not exist. Yet, historically, IVT was standard of care for BAO patients who were also included (although in small numbers) in IVT trials. Non-randomized studies of IVT-only cohorts showed a high proportion of favorable outcomes. Expert Consensus suggests using IVT up to 24 hours unless otherwise contraindicated. We further suggest IVT plus endovascular treatment (EVT) over direct EVT. EVT on top of best medical treatment (BMT) was compared with BMT alone within 6 and 6-24 hours from last seen well. In both time windows, we observed a different effect of treatment depending on a) the region where the patients were treated (Europe vs Asia), b) on the proportion of IVT in the BMT arm, and c) on the initial stroke severity. In case of high proportion of IVT in the BMT group and in patients with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score below 10, EVT plus BMT was not found better than BMT alone. Based on very low certainty of evidence, we suggest EVT+BMT over BMT alone (this is based on results of patients with at least 10 NIHSS points and a low proportion of IVT in BMT). For patients with an NIHSS score below 10, we found no evidence to recommend EVT over BMT. In fact, BMT was non-significantly better and safer than EVT. Furthermore, we found a stronger treatment effect of EVT+BMT over BMT alone in proximal and middle locations of BAO compared with distal location. While recommendations for patients without extensive early ischemic changes in the posterior fossa can, in general, follow those of other PICOs, we formulated an Expert Consensus Statement suggesting against reperfusion therapy in those with extensive bilateral and/or brainstem ischemic changes. Another Expert Consensus suggests reperfusion therapy regardless of collateral scores. Based on limited evidence, we suggest direct aspiration over stent retriever as the first-line strategy of mechanical thrombectomy. As an Expert Consensus, we suggest rescue percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and/or stenting after a failed EVT procedure. Finally, based on very low certainty of evidence, we suggest add-on antithrombotic treatment during EVT or within 24 hours after EVT in patients with no concomitant IVT and in whom EVT was complicated (defined as failed or imminent re-occlusion, or need for additional stenting or angioplasty).

Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Outcomes of Large-artery Atherosclerosis Stroke Treated with Reperfusion Therapy

AIM

We aimed to investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on the outcomes of stroke patients with large-artery atherosclerosis who underwent reperfusion therapy.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was carried out on patients receiving reperfusion therapy for atherothrombotic stroke between January 2019 and May 2021. MetS was diagnosed according to the AHA/NHLBI criteria. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of disability (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score 3-5), death or stroke recurrence within 3 months of stroke onset. Secondary outcomes included disability and death within 3 months as well as hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 24 hours after reperfusion treatment. The independent association of MetS with the above outcomes and the highly correlated components of MetS was examined using binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 174 patients were enrolled. MetS patients had a higher proportion of the composite outcome (p=0.012), disability (p=0.029) and HT (p=0.049) than those without MetS, except for death (p=0.375) and sICH (p=0.306). Following adjustments, MetS remained independently associated with the composite outcome (adjusted OR, 3.011 [95%CI 1.372-6.604]; p=0.006) and disability (adjusted OR, 2.727 [95%CI 1.220-6.098]; p=0.015), but not HT (adjusted OR, 1.872 [95%CI 0.854-4.104]; p=0.117). Hypertriglyceridemia was remarkedly associated with the composite outcome (adjusted OR, 9.746 [95% CI 2.402-39.536]; p=0.001) and disability (adjusted OR, 6.966 [95% CI 1.889-25.692]; p=0.004).

CONCLUSION

MetS is independently associated with an increased risk of composite outcome and disability in patients with large-artery atherosclerosis stroke receiving reperfusion therapy, and hypertriglyceridemia is the main component that drives the effect of MetS on outcomes.

Management of patients with diffusion-weighted imaging-negative acute ischemic stroke: retrospective analysis of 47 consecutive patients

BACKGROUND

Few studies with a limited number of patients focused on the outcomes of patients with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-negative acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and/or endovascular treatment (EVT).

METHODS

This retrospective observational, single-center study included all consecutive patients admitted for AIS involving the anterior circulation and treated with IVT and/or EVT between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2023. The collected data were used to identify the characteristics of patients with negative DWI and to compare outcomes in patients with negative and positive DWI.

RESULTS

Among the 1210 patients included, 47 (3.9%) had negative (DWI-negative group) and 1163 had increased DWI signal (DWI-positive group). In the DWI-negative group, the mean age was 69 years (SD=19.4), 55.3% were men, and 27 (57.4%) had a large vessel occlusion. Thirty eight (80.9%) were treated with IVT alone, 7 (14.9%) with EVT alone, and 2 (4.3%) with both. Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences were the most sensitive to detect predictive factors of cerebral ischemia, such as vessel thrombosis and the spaghetti sign that were found in 68.1% and 83%, of patients, respectively. Oxyhemoglobin-sensitive (T2*) and susceptibility-weighted angiography (SWAN) sequences were less sensitive: vessel thrombosis and the brush sign were detected in 55.3% and 19.1% of patients, respectively. Comparison of the two DWI groups showed that M2 occlusion was more frequent (31.9% vs 13%, p<0.001) and M1 occlusion rarer (19.1% vs 36%, p<0.02) in the DWI-negative than DWI-positive group. At admission, the median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was lower in the DWI-negative than DWI-positive group (2 vs 6, p=0.0001), but the median symptom onset-to-MRI time was similar in both groups (108 vs 111 min, p=0.88).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with DWI-negative AIS, symptoms are less severe. Large vessel occlusions, notably in the M2 segment, are more distal at the expense of the M1 segment of MCA. The spaghetti sign remains the most predictive feature of AIS that should be specifically searched in the absence of DWI lesions.

Bridging thrombolysis before endovascular therapy is associated with better outcomes in patients with large infarction core

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the efficacy and safety of bridging intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) before endovascular therapy (EVT) compared with EVT alone in patients with large infarction core.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from January 2015 to June 2024. Included studies involved patients with acute ischemic stroke with an Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score of ≤5 or an ischemic core volume of ≥50 mL. Studies were required to provide either 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, reperfusion, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), or 90-day mortality.

RESULTS

Nine observational studies with 2641 patients were analyzed. The IVT+EVT group had a higher rate of 90-day functional independence (mRS 0-2; OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.87; adjusted OR (aOR) 1.43, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.68) and 90-day functional outcome (mRS 0-3; OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.62; aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.37) compared with EVT alone. There was no significant difference in successful reperfusion (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.64; aOR 1.07, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.54) and 90-day mortality (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.02; aOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.04) between the two groups. Moreover, patients who received IVT+EVT had a higher rate of sICH (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.64; aOR 2.21, 95% CI 1.22 to 4.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with large infarction core, bridging IVT before EVT is associated with favorable functional outcomes compared with EVT, even though bridging therapy entails a higher risk of sICH. Further trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Spermatozoon-propelled microcellular submarines combining innate magnetic hyperthermia with derived nanotherapies for thrombolysis and ischemia mitigation

Thrombotic cardiovascular diseases are a prevalent factor contributing to both physical impairment and mortality. Thrombolysis and ischemic mitigation have emerged as leading contemporary therapeutic approaches for addressing the consequences of ischemic injury and reperfusion damage. Herein, an innovative cellular-cloaked spermatozoon-driven microcellular submarine (SPCS), comprised of multimodal motifs, was designed to integrate nano-assembly thrombolytics with an immunomodulatory ability derived from innate magnetic hyperthermia. Rheotaxis-based navigation was utilized to home to and cross the clot barrier, and finally accumulate in ischemic vascular organs, where the thrombolytic motif was "switched-on" by the action of thrombus magnetic red blood cell-driven magnetic hyperthermia. In a murine model, the SPCS system combining innate magnetic hyperthermia demonstrated the capacity to augment delivery efficacy, produce nanotherapeutic outcomes, exhibit potent thrombolytic activity, and ameliorate ischemic tissue damage. These findings underscore the multifaceted potential of our designed approach, offering both thrombolytic and ischemia-mitigating effects. Given its extended therapeutic effects and thrombus-targeting capability, this biocompatible SPCS system holds promise as an innovative therapeutic agent for enhancing efficacy and preventing risks after managing thrombosis.

Should patients with minor strokes be given thrombolytics?

Mild stroke symptoms are cited as the reason for not using tissue-type plasminogen activator in 29-43% of time-eligible patients. Previous studies suggested that not all of these patients had a good recovery or even survival to hospital discharge. Since then, stroke guidelines worldwide recommended thrombolysis in minor but disabling strokes.Dual antiplatelet treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel was more effective than aspirin alone for reducing subsequent events in patients with minor stroke if started within 24 hours of onset in both CHANCE (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events) and POINT (Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and Minor Ischaemic Stroke) trials. Recently, both PRISMS (The Potential of rtPA for Ischemic Strokes With Mild Symptoms) trial and TEMPO-2(The Potential of rtPA for Ischemic Strokes With Mild Symptoms) trial showed that treatment with thrombolysis versus antiplatelet did not increase the likelihood of favourable functional outcome at 90 days among patients with minor non-disabling acute ischaemic strokes. Therefore, a narrative review on thrombolysis for patients with minor strokes from published studies may help practicing clinicians.

The Role of the Vascular Neurologist in Optimizing Stroke Care

The article summarizes the training pathways and vocational opportunities within the field of vascular neurology. It highlights the groundbreaking clinical trials that transformed acute stroke care and the resultant increased demand for readily available vascular neurology expertise. The article emphasizes the need to train a larger number of diverse physicians in the subspecialty and the role of vascular neurologists in improving outcomes across demographic and geographic lines.

Histotripsy and Catheter-Directed Lytic: Efficacy in Highly Retracted Porcine Clots In Vitro

OBJECTIVE

Standard treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) involves catheter-directed anticoagulants or thrombolytics, but the chronic thrombi present in many DVT cases are often resistant to this therapy. Histotripsy has been found to be a promising adjuvant treatment, using the mechanical action of cavitating bubble clouds to enhance thrombolytic activity. The objective of this study was to determine if histotripsy enhanced recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis in highly retracted porcine clots in vitro in a flow model of occlusive DVT.

METHODS

Highly retracted porcine whole blood clots were treated for 1 h with either catheter-directed saline (negative control), rt-PA (lytic control), histotripsy, DEFINITY and histotripsy or the combination of rt-PA and histotripsy with or without DEFINITY. Five-cycle, 1.5 MHz histotripsy pulses with a peak negative pressure of 33.2 MPa and pulse repetition frequency of 40 Hz were applied along the clot. B-Mode and passive cavitation images were acquired during histotripsy insonation to monitor bubble activity.

RESULTS

Clots subjected to histotripsy with and without rt-PA exhibited greater thrombolytic efficacy than controls (7.0% flow recovery or lower), and histotripsy with rt-PA was more efficacious than histotripsy with saline (86.1 ± 10.2% compared with 61.7 ± 19.8% flow recovery). The addition of DEFINITY to histotripsy with or without rt-PA did not enhance either thrombolytic efficacy or cavitation dose. Cavitation dose generally did not correlate with thrombolytic efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Enhancement of thrombolytic efficacy was achieved using histotripsy, with and without catheter-directed rt-PA, in the presence of physiologic flow. This suggests these treatments may be effective as therapy for DVT.

Obstructive sleep apnea exaggeration as predictor of poor outcome post thrombolytic stroke

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disordered breathing in stroke patients. This case report aimed to show the presence of OSA in stroke can contribute to the increasing chance of mortality and morbidity. We presented a case of first-time stroke in a 64-year-old female with a history of pre-stroke OSA. She underwent intravenous thrombolysis as main therapy within the time limit under 4.5 hours since the stroke onset. She had prolonged hospital stay due to complications from OSA, even though she only had a small ischemic core (9 mL) in follow-up radiological imaging and was discharged with a greater National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score than admission (5 to 10). OSA can be one of warning signs for poor prognosis in stroke patients. Understanding the presence of OSA not only can be beneficial toward choosing the next steps of therapy, but also important for the rehabilitation and recovery period of stroke patients.

Thrombolysis before venoarterial ECMO for high-risk pulmonary embolism: a retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

Despite systemic thrombolysis, a few patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) remain hemodynamically unstable. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a considerable lifesaving therapy but systemic thrombolysis before cannulation could carry a high risk of hemorrhage and alter the prognosis.

METHODS

Between June 2012 and June 2023, we retrospectively analyzed from three intensive care units in Sorbonne University, ECMO-related complications and 90-day mortality for high-risk PE patients who received ECMO without previous systemic thrombolysis compared to those cannulated after systemic thrombolysis failure. Hospital discharge survivors were assessed for long-term health-related quality of life and echocardiographic evaluations.

RESULTS

72 high-risk PE patients [median age 48 (37-61) years, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) 74 (60-85)] were placed on VA-ECMO for 5 (5-7) days. 31 (43%) patients underwent pre-ECMO thrombolysis (thrombolysis ECMO group, T +) compared to 41 patients (57%, no thrombolysis ECMO group, T-). There was more pre-ECMO cardiac arrest in the thrombolysis ECMO group (94% vs. 67%, p = 0.02). Ninety-day survival was not different between groups (39% vs 46%, log-rank test, p = 0.31). There was no difference in severe hemorrhages (61% vs 59%, p = 1). Twenty-five over 28 patients attended follow-up at a median time of 69 (52-95) months. Long-term quality of life was acceptable and none of them experienced chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

Ninety-day survival and bleeding events rates did not differ in patients treated with VA-ECMO after systemic thrombolysis compared to those who were not. Recent systemic thrombolysis, as a single parameter, should not be considered as a contraindication for VA-ECMO in high-risk PE.

Number needed to treat with intravenous tenecteplase to reduce the need for mechanical thrombectomy in large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke patients: A retrospective look at real-world experience data

OBJECTIVE

We sought to describe short term outcomes in patients with large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke (LVOAIS) who were treated with intravenous tenecteplase (TNK) as compared to alteplase (tPA), focusing on reduction in the need for mechanical thrombectomy (MT).

BACKGROUND

In LVOAIS, TNK has shown improved reperfusion and outcomes with a similar safety profile to tPA. Ultra-early reperfusion has been described with TNK which would prevent the need for MT. We analyze the magnitude of this effect in a "real-world" setting.

DESIGN/METHODS

In this retrospective study, demographic, clinical, and imaging information from patients with LVOAIS treated with intravenous thrombolysis was collected. Data was compared between the group treated with TNK and tPA.

RESULTS

One hundred eighty-six patients met the criteria for the study. Of these,144patients received tPA and 42 received TNK. Nine had clinical improvement prior to groin puncture and did not require angiography. When combining the number of patients who had recanalization on angiography before MT and those who had clinical improvement prior to angiography, there were a total of 23 patients. This was noted in 9.7 % of patients who received tPA and 21.4 % of those who received TNK (p = 0.043). For patients treated with TNK we observed a rapid clinical improvement, improved NIHSS, improved functional outcomes and decreased length of stay compared to patients treated with tPA. For patients with spontaneous recanalization either angiographically or with clinical improvement from intravenous thrombolysis, MT may not be required.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous TNK in patients with LVOAIS decreases the need for MT, and is associated with improved outcomes and reduced length of stay.

Endovascular thrombectomy versus medical management for moderate-to-severe anterior cerebral artery occlusion stroke

BACKGROUND

There are no established patient selection criteria for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for anterior cerebral artery (ACA) stroke.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample in the United States. Isolated ACA-occlusion stroke patients with moderate-to-severe stroke symptoms (NIH stroke scale [NIHSS] ≥ 6) were included. Primary outcome was hospital discharge to home with self-care. Secondary outcomes include in-hospital mortality and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Confounders were accounted for by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

6685 patients were included; 335 received EVT. Compared to medical management (MM), EVT patients were younger (mean 67.2 versus 72.2 years; p = 0.014) and had higher NIHSS (mean 16.0 versus 12.5; p < 0.001). EVT was numerically but not statistically significantly associated with higher odds of home discharge compared to MM (aOR 2.26 [95%CI 0.99-5.17], p = 0.053). EVT was significantly associated with higher odds of home discharge among patients with NIHSS 10 or greater (aOR 3.35 [95%CI 1.06-10.58], p = 0.039), those who did not receive prior thrombolysis (aOR 3.96 [95%CI 1.53-10.23], p = 0.005), and those with embolic stroke etiology (aOR 4.03 [95%CI 1.21-13.47], p = 0.024). EVT was not significantly associated with higher rates of mortality (aOR 1.93 [95%CI 0.80-4.63], p = 0.14); however, it was significantly associated with higher rates of ICH (22.4% vs. 8.5%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

EVT was associated with higher odds of favorable short-term outcomes for moderate-to-severe ACA-occlusion stroke in select patients. Future studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of EVT in terms of longer term neurological outcomes.

The treatment effect across ASPECTS in acute ischemic stroke: Analysis from the AcT Trial

BACKGROUND

Early ischemic changes on baseline imaging are commonly evaluated for acute stroke decision-making and prognostication.

AIMS

We assess the association of early ischemic changes on clinical outcomes and whether it differs between intravenous tenecteplase versus Alteplase.

METHODS

Data are from the phase 3, Alteplase compared to Tenecteplase (AcT) trial. Subjects with anterior circulation stroke were included. Early ischemic changes were assessed using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score (ASPECTS). Efficacy outcomes included modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0-1, mRS 0-2, and ordinal mRS at 90 days. Safety outcomes included 24-hour symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), any hemorrhage on follow-up scan, and 90-day mortality rate. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to assess the association of ASPECTS [continuous and categorical (0-4 vs. 5-7 vs. 8-10)] with outcomes and if these associations were modified by thrombolytic type after adjusting for age, sex, and baseline stroke severity.

RESULTS

Of the 1577 patients in the trial, 901 patients (56.3%) (median age 75 years [IQR 65-84], 50.8% females, median NIHSS 14 [IQR 17-19]) with anterior circulation stroke were included. mRS 0-1 at 90d was achieved in 1/14 (0.3%), 43/160 (14.7%) and 252/726 (85.1%) in the ASPECTS 0-4, 5-7 and 8-10 groups respectively. Every 1-point decrease in ASPECTS was associated with 2.7% and 1.9% decrease in chances of mRS 0-1 and mRS 0-2 at 90 days, respectively, and 1.9% chances of increase in mortality at 90 days. Subgroup analysis in EVT treated population showed similar results. Thrombolytic type did not modify this association between ASPECTS and 90-day mRS 0-1 (P interaction 0.75). There was no significant interaction by thrombolytic type with any other outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to prior studies, we found that every one-point decrease in ASPECTS was associated with poorer clinical and safety outcomes. This effect did not differ between alteplase and tenecteplase.

Trends in Sex Differences of Functional Outcome after Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND

Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is an approved treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke irrespective of sex. However, the current literature on sex differences in functional outcomes following IVT is inconsistent. So far, a number of studies - including a previous analysis based on data from the Austrian Stroke Unit Registry (ASUR) - detected significant sex-related differences in functional outcome, while others did not report any differences between women and men. In addition, currently there is a lack of data on how sex-related differences evolve over time.

AIMS

To assess time trends of sex-related differences in functional outcome of ischemic stroke in a large nationwide cohort and to investigate associations of patient characteristics with functional outcome post thrombolysis in women and men. These data will offer crucial insights into whether sex differences in functional outcome persist despite the large advances in acute stroke treatment.

METHODS

We analyzed retrospective data of consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with IVT in 39 stroke centers contributing to the ASUR between 2006 and 2021. We included patients over 18 years of age diagnosed with an acute ischemic stroke who received IVT and with available data on functional outcome at 3 months after treatment. The primary outcome parameter was favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0-2) at 3 months. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed in the overall population and stratified by sex to assess associations of baseline characteristics with functional outcome.

RESULTS

Among 11840 patients receiving IVT, 2489/5503 (45.4%) women achieved favorable functional outcome compared to 3787/6337 (59.8%) men. Overall, female sex was a statistically significant predictor of functional outcome after thrombolysis, but additional predictors of outcome differed between women and men. Female sex was independently associated with decreased chances of achieving functional independency (adjOR 0.87, 95%CI 0.79-0.96, p=0.005) and we detected a statistically significant improvement in functional outcome over time only in men (year of treatment, adjOR (per year) 1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.06, p<0.001) but not in women (adjOR (per year) 1.01, 95%CI 0.99-1.03, p=0.280). Hypertension, smoking, and longer or unknown onset-to-door times were statistically significant predictors of outcome only in male patients, whereas atrial fibrillation, prior myocardial infarction and longer door-to-needle times were significantly associated with outcome only in women.

CONCLUSIONS

Sex differences in functional outcome after IVT for acute ischemic stroke are persisting over the past years. Results of our analysis can increase awareness and a resulting focus on sex differences in predictors of outcome could be helpful in mitigating these differences in the future by supporting a more individualized patient care in clinical routine. Follow-up analyses are needed to assess this potential impact and its effect in the future.Data access statement: Data from the Austrian Stroke Unit Registry can only be accessed by the employed statistician (DM), access inquiries have to be addressed to the registry's academic review board.

Early dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with minor ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis

OBJECTIVES

Minor stroke is defined by a score of 5 or less on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Prior trials have shown efficacy of short term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in secondary prevention of stroke among patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor ischemic stroke, but no randomized clinical trials have studied this benefit after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Our aim was to investigate the safety of DAPT within 90 days after IVT in patients with acute minor ischemic stroke.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed medical records of patients older than 18 years that received IVT between January 2015 and December 2022. Patients had a diagnosis of acute minor stroke or averted stroke (complete recovery and negative image on follow-up). Single or dual antiplatelet treatment was started 24 hours after thrombolysis according to the physician's judgment. Patients were divided in two groups: single and dual antiplatelet therapy. We assessed clinical outcome using the modified Rankin scale (mRS), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and mortality at 90 days.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients met the inclusion criteria, 68% men aged 64±16,5 years. Seventy five percent had an ischemic stroke and 25% had an averted stroke. Median door-to-needle time was 50 minutes. Fifty one percent were in the single antiplatelet group and 49% in the dual antiplatelet therapy group. There were no differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between groups. The 90-day mRS did not show significant difference between groups. No patients had SICH nor died during follow-up. One patient in the single antiplatelet group had stroke recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Dual antiplatelet therapy after IVT with rtPA for acute minor ischemic stroke appears not to increase the risk of bleeding and mortality compared to single antiplatelet therapy in the first three months after the event. This is the first study to assess this subject in a Latin American population.

Cerebrovascular events and thrombolysis in pulmonary embolism-induced cardiac arrest: a case series and key challenges

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Cerebrovascular events during thrombolysis in cardiac arrest (CA) caused by pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition. However, the balance between cerebrovascular events and thrombolytic therapy in PE-induced CA remains a great challenge.

METHODS

In this study, we reported three unique cases regarding main concerns surrounding cerebrovascular events in thrombolytic therapy in PE-induced CA.

RESULTS

The patient in the case 1 treated with thrombolysis during CPR and finally discharged neurologically intact. The patient in the case 2 received delayed thrombolysis and died eventually. The patient in the case 3 was contraindicated to thrombolysis due to the complication of subarachioid hemorrahage and died within days.

CONCLUSIONS

Our case series highlights three proposed approaches to consider before administering thrombolysis as a treatment option in PE-induced CA patients: (1) prolonging the resuscitation, (2) administering thrombolysis promptly, and (3) ruling out cerebrovascular events.

Temporalis muscle thickness as a predictor of functional outcome after reperfusion therapies for acute ischemic stroke: a retrospective, cohort study

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of skeletal muscle mass, has been associated with a worse functional outcome after stroke. Measurement of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has been introduced as an easily obtainable surrogate marker to identify patients with sarcopenia. Our study aims to investigate the correlation between pre-stroke sarcopenia, measured by TMT assessment, and functional outcome in patients treated with revascularization procedures for acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS

We included consecutive adult patients who underwent thrombolysis, endovascular thrombectomy or both for acute ischemic stroke at our Centre from January 2020 to June 2022. Besides collecting baseline clinical and neuroradiological features, TMT was measured on brain computed tomography scans according to a standardized protocol. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 3 months represented the main endpoint of functional outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 261 patients were available for the analysis. In univariate models, patients with excellent outcomes (mRS = 0-1) were younger, had higher TMT values and lower pre-event disability and stroke severity. In multivariate models higher TMT values resulted independently associated with reduced mortality (Odds Ratio 0.708, 95% Confidence Interval 0.538-0.930, p = 0.013). Age, diabetes, brain bleeding events and stroke severity were found to be predictors of mortality, too.

CONCLUSIONS

Our retrospective analysis shows that in patients who underwent revascularization treatments for ischemic stroke TMT is as an independent predictor of survival easily obtainable from the baseline CT scan. Further investigation is required to confirm the role of sarcopenia assessment and TMT measurement in the prognostication toolkit of this disease.

Thrombectomy alone versus intravenous thrombolysis before thrombectomy for acute basilar artery occlusion

BACKGROUND

Endovascular treatment (EVT) is a well-established approach for acute ischemic stroke. Whether bridging intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) before EVT confers any benefits remains uncertain. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of direct EVT with or without bridging IVT in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO).

METHODS

This multicenter cohort study enrolled 647 patients with acute BAO who underwent either bridging IVT before EVT or direct EVT from the BASILAR registry. The primary outcome was an independent functional outcome measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2. Secondary outcomes included excellent functional outcome (mRS 0-1), favorable functional outcome (mRS 0-3), and mortality rate at 90 days, as well as symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and successful reperfusion between the two treatment groups.

RESULTS

Direct EVT and bridging IVT before EVT exhibited similar primary outcomes (27.3% vs 27.7%, respectively) and distributions of mRS scores at 90 days. Moreover, rates of sICH and 90-day mortality were not significantly different between the two groups (7.3% vs 6.0%, adjusted OR (aOR) 0.79, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.86, P=0.84 for sICH; 46.8% vs 43.7%, aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.38, P=0.53 for mortality).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with acute BAO, functional outcomes were similar between those treated with bridging IVT before EVT and those treated with direct EVT, and there was no difference between the two groups in terms of sICH and mortality rates.

Periprocedural unfractionated heparin bolus during endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke does more harm than good

BACKGROUND

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) bolus is occasionally administered during endovascular treatment (EVT) to reduce thrombotic complications in acute ischemic stroke patients. However, the MR CLEAN-MED trial showed an increase in symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages (sICH) and a non-significant shift towards worse functional outcome with UFH administration. We aimed to analyze the impact of periprocedural UFH bolus in a real-world setting in anterior (ACS) and posterior circulation stroke (PCS) patients.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the German Stroke Registry-Endovascular Treatment using propensity score matching. Primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale at 3 months, and secondary outcome measures included mortality, angiographic outcomes, post-EVT National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores and ICH at 24 hours.

RESULTS

Among 13,082 patients, 7948 with ACS (UFH bolus use in 15%) and 841 with PCS (UFH bolus use in 16.3%) were included in the propensity score matching analysis. Applying MR CLEAN-MED study criteria, UFH bolus was associated with worse functional outcomes (odds ratio [OR] 1.44; 95% CI 1.06-1.96). Analyzing all ACS and PCS patients, UFH bolus did not provide any net benefit. In ACS patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), UFH bolus use was associated with worse functional outcomes (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.34 to 5.06).

CONCLUSION

Our findings show transferability of the MR CLEAN-MED results into a real-world setting, confirming a negative effect of periprocedural UFH on functional outcome in this subgroup of patients. Considering all ACS and PCS patients, periprocedural UFH did not provide a net benefit and appears to be harmful, particularly in IVT-treated patients.

Unlocking the potential of HB/RDW ratio as a simple marker for predicting mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients after thrombolysis

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammation impairs outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). There is limited knowledge regarding the prognostic value of inflammatory biomarkers derived from complete blood count in predicting in-hospital mortality (IHM) in AIS patients treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Our study aims to compare the predictive performance of various inflammatory biomarkers for predicting IHM in AIS patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included AIS patients treated with rt-PA between January 2015 and July 2022. We identified the following inflammatory biomarkers: white blood cell counts (WBCs), absolute neutrophil count, absolute lymphocyte count, neutrophil to lymphocyte count ratio, platelet to neutrophil ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, red cell distribution width (RDW), RDW to platelet ratio (RPR), and hemoglobin to RDW (HB/RDW) at admission before rt-PA administration. We assessed the predictive value of these biomarkers for IHM by plotting receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The associations between inflammatory biomarkers and IHM were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression (MVLR) analyses.

RESULTS

Of 345 AIS patients, IHM occurred in 65 patients (18.84%). HB/RDW and RDW showed better predictive performance compared to other inflammatory biomarkers. In ROC curve analysis, HB/RDW and RDW had an area under ROC of 0.668. HB/RDW outperformed RDW in terms of the positive likelihood ratio (2.733 vs 1.575), accuracy (0.757 vs 0.585), specificity (0.814 vs 0.560), and positive predictive values (0.388 vs 0.267). In MVLR analysis, RDW, RPR, and HB/RDW remained significantly associated with IHM (per 1-unit increases: odds ratios (ORs) = 1.450, 95% CI: [1.178-1.784]; per 1-unit increases: ORs = 1.329, 95% CI [1.103-1.602]; and per 0.1-unit decreases: ORs = 1.412, 95% CI [1.089-1.831], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The association between HB/RDW and IHM in AIS patients treated with rt-PA was significant. HB/RDW exhibited superior predictive performance compared to other inflammatory biomarkers in predicting IHM.