Standardized definitions and clinical endpoints in carotid artery and supra-aortic trunk revascularization trials

Carotid Stenosis Patients with a Remote History of Cerebrovascular Events have Increased Risk of Major Adverse Events Over Asymptomatic Patients

INTRODUCTION

Asymptomatic patients with a remote history of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke are not well studied as a separate population from asymptomatic patients with no prior history of TIA or stroke. We compared in-hospital outcomes following transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) and transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TFCAS) among symptomatic, remote history of neurologic symptoms, and asymptomatic patients.

METHODS

Data from patients in the Vascular Quality Initiative database undergoing TCAR (Jan 2017 to Apr 2020) or TFCAS (May 2005 to Apr 2020) was analyzed. Symptomatic status was defined as TIA and/or stroke occurring within 180 days prior to procedure. Asymptomatic status was divided into patients with no history of TIA/stroke (asymptomatic) and TIA/stroke occurring more than 180 days prior to procedure (remote history of neurologic symptoms). Student's T-test and Pearson Chi-Squared test were used to compare baseline patient characteristics and outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for significant between-group differences in baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

There were 7,158 patients who underwent TCAR (symptomatic: 2,574; asymptomatic: 3,689; asymptomatic with a remote history of neurologic symptoms: 895) and 18,023 patients who underwent TFCAS (symptomatic: 6,195; asymptomatic: 10,333; asymptomatic with a remote history of neurologic symptoms: 1,495). Regardless of symptom status, the mean patient age was 73 years for TCAR and 69 years for TFCAS. 64% of patients in the study were male and 36% of patients were female. Mean long-term follow up data ranged between 208 to 331 days within the three patient groups. Carotid stenosis patients with a remote history of neurologic symptoms had higher rates of TIA, stroke, TIA/stroke, stroke/death, and stroke/death/MI than asymptomatic patients, and these rates were similar to those of symptomatic patients. Comparing TCAR and TFCAS among remote history of neurologic symptom patients, there were statistically significant reductions in the odds of stroke/death (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.27-0.84, P = 0.011) and stroke/death/MI (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.30-0.87, P = 0.013) after TCAR. This was likely driven by the increased rate of death for TFCAS remote history of neurologic symptoms patients (0.9%) compared to asymptomatic patients (0.6%).

CONCLUSION

Asymptomatic patients with a remote history of TIA/stroke do not have the same outcomes as asymptomatic patients without a history of TIA/stroke and are at higher risk of adverse in-hospital events. Patients with a remote history of TIA/stroke have increased risk of in-hospital death after TFCAS and may benefit from TCAR.

Mechanical Thrombectomy Using the New ERIC Retrieval Device Is Feasible, Efficient, and Safe in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Swiss Stroke Center Experience

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy predominantly using stent retrievers have been shown to effectively restore cerebral blood flow and improve functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. We sought to determine the safety and feasibility of mechanical thrombectomy using the new ERIC retrieval device.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified 36 consecutive patients from our Stroke Center registry with acute ischemic stroke who were treated with the new ERIC retriever from September 2013 to December 2014. Patients with ischemic stroke meeting the following criteria were eligible: onset-to-treatment time of ≤4.5 hours or wake-up stroke (n = 10) with relevant CT perfusion mismatch, NIHSS score of ≥4, and proof of large-vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation on CT angiography. We assessed the baseline characteristics including age, sex, comorbidities, stroke severity, site of vessel occlusion, presence of tissue at risk, and treatment-related parameters such as onset-to-treatment time, recanalization grade, and outcome.

RESULTS

The mean age was 70 ± 13 years, and the median NIHSS score on admission was 18 (interquartile range, 10-20). Seventeen of 36 patients were on platelet inhibitors or anticoagulants before endovascular treatment (47.2%); 20 patients received intravenous thrombolysis (55.5%). The ERIC was used as the sole retriever in 28 patients (77.8%) and as a rescue device in 8. Excellent recanalization was achieved in 30/36 patients (83.3%) with TICI 3 in 19/36 and 2b in 11/36, respectively. Median procedural time in these patients was 90 minutes (interquartile range, 58-133 minutes). No intraprocedural complications occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

In this observational study, the new ERIC retrieval device was technically feasible, safe, and effective in acute ischemic stroke with large-vessel occlusion.

Relation of completeness of reporting of health research to journals' endorsement of reporting guidelines: systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether the completeness of reporting of health research is related to journals' endorsement of reporting guidelines.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Reporting guidelines from a published systematic review and the EQUATOR Network (October 2011). Studies assessing the completeness of reporting by using an included reporting guideline (termed "evaluations") (1990 to October 2011; addendum searches in January 2012) from searches of either Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Methodology Register or Scopus, depending on reporting guideline name.

STUDY SELECTION

English language reporting guidelines that provided explicit guidance for reporting, described the guidance development process, and indicated use of a consensus development process were included. The CONSORT statement was excluded, as evaluations of adherence to CONSORT had previously been reviewed. English or French language evaluations of included reporting guidelines were eligible if they assessed the completeness of reporting of studies as a primary intent and those included studies enabled the comparisons of interest (that is, after versus before journal endorsement and/or endorsing versus non-endorsing journals).

DATA EXTRACTION

Potentially eligible evaluations of included guidelines were screened initially by title and abstract and then as full text reports. If eligibility was unclear, authors of evaluations were contacted; journals' websites were consulted for endorsement information where needed. The completeness of reporting of reporting guidelines was analyzed in relation to endorsement by item and, where consistent with the authors' analysis, a mean summed score.

RESULTS

101 reporting guidelines were included. Of 15,249 records retrieved from the search for evaluations, 26 evaluations that assessed completeness of reporting in relation to endorsement for nine reporting guidelines were identified. Of those, 13 evaluations assessing seven reporting guidelines (BMJ economic checklist, CONSORT for harms, PRISMA, QUOROM, STARD, STRICTA, and STROBE) could be analyzed. Reporting guideline items were assessed by few evaluations.

CONCLUSIONS

The completeness of reporting of only nine of 101 health research reporting guidelines (excluding CONSORT) has been evaluated in relation to journals' endorsement. Items from seven reporting guidelines were quantitatively analyzed, by few evaluations each. Insufficient evidence exists to determine the relation between journals' endorsement of reporting guidelines and the completeness of reporting of published health research reports. Journal editors and researchers should consider collaborative prospectively designed, controlled studies to provide more robust evidence.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

Not registered; no known register currently accepts protocols for methodology systematic reviews.