Exophthalmos following mechanical thrombectomy for anterior circulation stroke: A retrospective study and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Anecdotal cases of exophthalmos after acute mechanical thrombectomy have been described. We sought to estimate the incidence in a large cohort of patients with acute anterior circulation stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Secondarily, we aimed to evaluate the underlying mechanism and to differentiate it on imaging from other pathology with similar clinical orbital features.

METHODS

Between November 2016 and November 2018, we performed a retrospective single-center study of 250 patients who underwent anterior circulation mechanical thrombectomy. Development of exophthalmos was independently evaluated by two readers on preprocedure and 24-h postprocedure non-contrast cerebral CT.

RESULTS

In the mechanical thrombectomy cohort, six individuals (2.4%) developed interval ipsilateral exophthalmos at 24 h. Of these, at least two patients developed clinical symptoms. There was almost perfect agreement between assessments of the two readers (Cohen's kappa = 0.907 (95% confidence interval: 0.726, 1.000)). In two patients, there was delayed ophthalmic artery filling on digital subtraction angiography. None of the patients had features of a direct carotid-cavernous fistula.

CONCLUSIONS

Exophthalmos is not uncommon after mechanical thrombectomy (2.4%). The underlying mechanism is difficult to confirm, but it is most likely due to orbital ischemia from hypoperfusion or distal emboli.

Reliability of CT Angiography in Cerebral Vasospasm: A Systematic Review of the Literature and an Inter- and Intraobserver Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Computed tomography angiography offers a non-invasive alternative to DSA for the assessment of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage but there is limited evidence regarding its reliability. Our aim was to perform a systematic review (Part I) and to assess (Part II) the inter- and intraobserver reliability of CTA in the diagnosis of cerebral vasospasm.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In Part I, articles reporting the reliability of CTA up to May 2018 were systematically searched and evaluated. In Part II, 11 raters independently graded 17 arterial segments in each of 50 patients with SAH for the presence of vasospasm using a 4-category scale. Raters were additionally asked to judge the presence of any moderate/severe vasospasm (≥ 50% narrowing) and whether findings would justify augmentation of medical treatment or conventional angiography ± balloon angioplasty. Four raters took part in the intraobserver reliability study.

RESULTS

In Part I, the systematic review revealed few studies with heterogeneous vasospasm definitions. In Part II, we found interrater reliability to be moderate at best (κ ≤ 0.6), even when results were stratified according to specialty and experience. Intrarater reliability was substantial (κ > 0.6) in 3/4 readers. In the per arterial segment analysis, substantial agreement was reached only for the middle cerebral arteries, and only when senior raters' judgments were dichotomized (presence or absence of ≥50% narrowing). Agreement on the medical or angiographic management of vasospasm based on CTA alone was less than substantial (κ ≤ 0.6).

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of vasospasm using CTA alone was not sufficiently repeatable among observers to support its general use to guide decisions in the clinical management of patients with SAH.

Does Increasing Packing Density Using Larger Caliber Coils Improve Angiographic Results of Embolization of Intracranial Aneurysms at 1 Year: A Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The impact of increased aneurysm packing density on angiographic outcomes has not been studied in a randomized trial. We sought to determine the potential for larger caliber coils to achieve higher packing densities and to improve the angiographic results of embolization of intracranial aneurysms at 1 year.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Does Embolization with Larger Coils Lead to Better Treatment of Aneurysms (DELTA) was an investigator-initiated multicenter prospective, parallel, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Patients had 4- to 12-mm unruptured aneurysms. Treatment allocation to either 15- (experimental) or 10-caliber coils (control group) was randomized 1:1 using a Web-based platform. The primary efficacy outcome was a major recurrence or a residual aneurysm at follow-up angiography at 12 ± 2 months adjudicated by an independent core lab blinded to the treatment allocation. Secondary outcomes included indices of treatment success and standard safety outcomes. Recruitment of 564 patients was judged necessary to show a decrease in poor outcomes from 33% to 20% with 15-caliber coils.

RESULTS

Funding was interrupted and the trial was stopped after 210 patients were recruited between November 2013 and June 2017. On an intent-to-treat analysis, the primary outcome was reached in 37 patients allocated to 15-caliber coils and 36 patients allocated to 10-caliber coils (OR = 0.931; 95% CI, 0.528-1.644; P = .885). Safety and other clinical outcomes were similar. The 15-caliber coil group had a higher mean packing density (37.0% versus 26.9%, P = .0001). Packing density had no effect on the primary outcome when adjusted for initial angiographic results (OR = 1.001; 95% CI, 0.981-1.022; P = .879).

CONCLUSIONS

Coiling of aneurysms randomized to 15-caliber coils achieved higher packing densities compared with 10-caliber coils, but this had no impact on the angiographic outcomes at 1 year, which were primarily driven by aneurysm size and initial angiographic results.

Longitudinal trajectories of neurocognitive test performance among individuals with perinatal HIV-infection and -exposure: adolescence through young adulthood

There are an estimated 2.1 million youth less than 15 years of age living with HIV globally (the majority perinatally HIV-infected [PHIV]) and millions more perinatally HIV-exposed uninfected (PHEU) youth who are expected to survive through adolescence and into adulthood. Transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood requires adaptation to more demanding social interactions, academic pressures, and individual responsibilities which place distinct demands on neurocognitive functions. This study examined longitudinal trajectories of neurocognitive test performance in the domains of processing speed (PS), working memory (WM), and executive functioning (EF) among PHIV and demographically similar PHEU from adolescence through young adulthood. Data for this paper come from four time points, spanning approximately 10 years, within the Child and Adolescent Self-Awareness and Health Study (CASAH). Youth age ranged from 15 to 29 years. Longitudinal linear mixed effect models were computed for each test. Few differences in performance were found on tests of EF and WM between PHIV and PHEU youth as they aged, though PHEU youth showed significantly better PS as they aged than PHIV youth. Future research is needed to understand these vulnerable youth's neurocognitive trajectories as a function of HIV infection and -exposure, biological functions and psychosocial stressors.

Intravenous thrombolysis and thrombectomy decisions in acute ischemic stroke: An interrater and intrarater agreement study

PURPOSE

We aimed to assess agreement on intravenous tissue-plasminogen activator (IV tPA) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) management decisions in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Secondary objectives were to assess agreement on Diffusion-Weighted-Imaging-Alberta-Stroke-Program-EArly-CT-Score (DWI-ASPECTS), and clinicians' willingness to recruit patients in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing medical management with or without MT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies assessing agreement of IV tPA and MT were systematically reviewed. An electronic portfolio of 41 AIS patients was sent to randomly selected providers at French stroke centers. Raters were asked 4 questions for each case: (1) What is the DWI-ASPECTS? (2) Would you perform IV tPA? (3) Would you perform MT? (4) Would you include the patient in a RCT comparing standard medical therapy with or without MT? Twenty responders were randomly selected to study intrarater agreement. Agreement was assessed using Fleiss' Kappa statistics.

RESULTS

The review yielded two single center studies involving 2-5 raters, with various results. The electronic survey was answered by 86 physicians (60 vascular neurologists and 26 interventional neuroradiologists). The interrater agreement was moderate for IV tPA treatment decisions (κ=0.565 [0.420-0.680]), but only fair for MT (κ=0.383 [0.289-0.491]) and for combined treatment decisions (κ=0.399 [0.320-0.486]). The intrarater agreement was at least substantial for the majority of raters. The interrater agreement for DWI-ASPECTS was fair (κ=0.325 [0.276-0.387]). Physicians were willing to include a mean of 14±9 patients (33.1%±21.7%) in a RCT.

CONCLUSION

Disagreements regarding the use of IVtPA or MT in the management of AIS patients remain frequent. Further trials are needed to resolve the numerous areas of uncertainty.

Hemorrhagic transformation after stroke: inter- and intrarater agreement

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a complication of stroke that can occur spontaneously or after treatment. We aimed to assess the inter- and intrarater reliability of HT diagnosis.

METHODS

Studies assessing the reliability of the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS) classification of HT or of the presence (yes/no) of HT were systematically reviewed. A total of 18 raters independently examined 30 post-thrombectomy computed tomography scans selected from the Aspiration versus STEnt-Retriever (ASTER) trial. They were asked whether there was HT (yes/no), what the ECASS classification of the particular scan (0/HI1/HI2/PH1/PH2) (HI indicates hemorrhagic infarctions and PH indicates parenchymal hematomas) was and whether they would prescribe an antiplatelet agent if it was otherwise indicated. Agreement was measured with Fleiss' and Cohen's κ statistics.

RESULTS

The systematic review yielded four studies involving few (≤3) raters with heterogeneous results. In our 18-rater study, agreement for the presence of HT was moderate [κ = 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.41-0.68]. Agreement for ECASS classification was only fair for all five categories, but agreement improved to substantial (κ = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.69-0.75) after dichotomizing the ECASS classification into 0/HI1/HI2/PH1 versus PH2. The inter-rater agreement for the decision to reintroduce antiplatelet therapy was moderate for all raters, but substantial among vascular neurologists (κ = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.57-0.84).

CONCLUSION

The ECASS classification may involve too many categories and the diagnosis of HT may not be easily replicable, except in the presence of a large parenchymal hematoma.

Bacterial meningitis antibiotic treatment

The implementation of pneumococal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) 7 then 13 valent (Prevenar13^®) in 2010-2011 has significantly changed the profile of pneumococcal meningitis. Since 3 years, the National Pediatric Meningitis Network of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Group (GPIP) and the National Reference Centre of Pneumococci have reported no cases of meningitis due to pneumococcus resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (3GC): cefotaxime or ceftriaxone. In the light of these new data, vancomycin should no longer be prescribed at the initial phase of pneumococcal meningitis treatment (confirmed or only suspected) and this antibiotic should only be added when 3GC minimum inhibitory concentration of the strain isolated is greater than 0.5mg/L. For meningococcal meningitis, nearly 20% of strains have decreased susceptibility to penicillin and amoxicillin, but all remain susceptible to 3GC. The National Pediatric Meningitis Network is a valuable tool because it has been sufficiently exhaustive and sustainable over 15 years. Maintaining this epidemiologic surveillance will allow us to adapt, if necessary, new regimens for subsequent changes that could be induced by vaccination and/or antibiotic uses.

Antimicrobial treatment of diarrhea/acute gastroenteritis in children

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) are usually caused by viruses, especially Rotavirus and Norovirus. Among the bacterial causes, very few warrant antibiotic treatment, mainly Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Campylobacter (only for severe cases, particularly in the initial phase) and severe cases of Salmonella infection. The antimicrobial treatments proposed in this guide follow the latest guidelines of the European Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Azithromycin is the preferred antibiotic for infections due to Shigella and Campylobacter. Ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin are recommended for salmonellosis when antibiotic treatment is indicated. In most cases, empirical treatment without bacteriological documentation should be avoided.

Antimicrobial treatment of infrequent bacterial species isolated in children

This section summarizes the empirical antimicrobial treatment according to the less frequent bacterial species responsible for infection whether community-acquired or nosocomial. It specifies their role in diseases and the recommended antibiotics, taking into account their natural and most common acquired resistance and the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic parameters. The advice of an infectious disease specialist or bacteriologist is recommended.

Principles of curative antibiotic treatment

Infectious diseases are constantly evolving for many reasons. New infectious agents are regularly discovered, mainly because of the development of identification methods, including the molecular tools and mass spectrometry. Changes in the epidemiology of infectious diseases are not always understood, but several factors undoubtedly play an important role, notably the impact of vaccination implementations, the ecological consequences of antibiotic treatments and their excessive use, and the secular epidemiological trends of pathogenic agents. Antibiotic resistance has been recognized as one of the major challenges for humanity and few new antibiotics with potent activity against resistant Gram-negative rods have been developed in recent years. The rationalization of antibiotic treatments is a key for reducing or limiting antimicrobial resistance. This guide takes into account the latest recommendations, the consensus conferences, and the guidelines of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Group of the French Society of Pediatric, the French Infectious Diseases Society, and French official agencies. For each clinical situation, the main bacterial target of the antibiotic treatment, the first-choice antibiotic and the alternative treatment, as well as the most important findings for the diagnosis and treatment of the infection are detailed.