Evaluation of plasma D-dimer plus fibrinogen in predicting acute CVST

Dehydration in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

AIMS

This study aimed to unravel the dehydration status of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) to facilitate the understanding of dehydration in CVST.

METHODS

This was a multicenter retrospective study and three populations were recruited, namely, patients with CVST, CVST mimics, and healthy subjects. Blood samples were obtained 1-2 days after admission to assess dehydration status. Stata 15.1 was performed for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 208 patients were diagnosed with CVST, 237 with CVST mimics, and 200 healthy individuals were enrolled. The urine specific gravity (USG, 1.020 [1.014, 1.029] vs. 1.017 [1.011, 1.021]) was higher in patients with CVST than in those with mimics (all p < 0.001). The percentage of USG >1.03 was also higher in CVST (22.6%) than in its mimics (6.3%, p < 0.001). With the development of CVST, USG (acute vs. sub-acute vs. chronic, 1.022 [1.015, 1.033] vs. 1.021 [1.015, 1.031] vs. 1.019 [1.014, 1.025]) decreased. All dehydration-related markers could not differentiate CVST from its mimics and healthy populations, and they were not associated with CVST severity and prognosis (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

High levels of USG, especially USG >1.013, were more common in patients with CVST. Dehydration-related indices could not characterize CVST and were not associated with CVST severity and prognosis.

Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas With or Without Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 511 Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Recent studies suggest a bidirectional relationship of dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). We aimed to compare the characteristics of patients with DAVF with or without CVT and to analyze the risk factors for the coexistence of CVT in a DAVF population.

METHODS

A total of 511 adult patients with DAVF were enrolled consecutively in our hospital from February 2019 through November 2022. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, and imaging characteristics were reviewed in detail. The patients with DAVF were divided into two groups: DAVF with CVT (DAVF-CVT) group and without CVT (DAVF alone) group. Univariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the risk factors for the coexistence of CVT and DAVF.

RESULTS

CVT was found in 19.8% of patients with DAVF. In univariate analysis, compared with the DAVF-alone group, the DAVF-CVT group was more likely to have tinnitus ( P = .001), blurred vision ( P < .001), visual field loss ( P = .001), focal neurological deficits ( P = .002), seizures ( P = .008), and cognitive impairment ( P = .046) and less likely to have spinal cord/brain stem dysfunction ( P = .004). In addition, there were significant differences in age ( P = .009), sex ( P = .019), the occurrence of venous cerebral infarction ( P = .001), and DAVF location ( P < .001) between the two groups. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that blurred vision, venous cerebral infarction, large sinus DAVF, and multiple DAVF were risk factors for the coexistence of CVT in patients with DAVF, with the odds ratio of 2.416 (95% CI 1.267-4.606, P = .007), 6.018 (95% CI 1.289-28.100, P = .022), 5.801 (95% CI 2.494-13.496, P < .001), and 5.640 (95% CI 2.122-14.989, P = .001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

CVT occurred in approximately one fifth of patients with DAVF. Blurred vision, venous cerebral infarction, large sinus DAVF, and multiple DAVF may be the risk factors for predicting the coexistence of CVT in patients with DAVF.

The Utility of Quantitative D-Dimer Assay as a Biomarker in the Diagnosis and Exclusion of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

The utility and sensitivity of quantitative D-Dimer assay to rule out the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis is well established. We extrapolated this principle to evaluate the utility of D-Dimer assay in exclusion of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). As advanced imaging modalities required for the diagnosis of CVST might not be available everywhere, it is important to have a sensitive biomarker and a clinical decision rule which can assist in the diagnosis. Patients undergoing CT/MR Venography of the brain with the suspicion of CVST were enrolled. Quantitative D-Dimer assay was performed in those who had CVST on CT/MR Venography and was compared with those who did not. A Clinical decision rule for the diagnosis of CVST was formulated using logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of D Dimer for patients with CVST as compared to those who did not revealed an AUROC of 0.694. D-Dimer levels of < 300 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 90% for the exclusion of CVST. After logistic regression analysis, a clinical decision rule with a total score of 16 and individual components of Female gender (2 points), Headache (7 points), D-Dimer levels of ≥ 792 ng/mL (7 points) was proposed. D-Dimer had a poor diagnostic accuracy for differentiation of patients who had CVST from those who did not, however, had a high sensitivity at values < 300 ng/mL. The proposed clinical decision rule with a score of ≥ 9 had a good diagnostic accuracy in prediction of CVST (AUROC = 0.809).

The Novel Biomarkers-Based HALP (Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte and Platelet)-Prognostic Model for Acute and Subacute Patients with Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

AIM

Increasing evidences suggest that HALP is an independent predictor of prognosis in patients with inflammation. However, the relationship between HALP and prognosis in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has not been studied. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognosis values of HALP in acute or subacute CVST and explore the new prognostic model for CVST.

METHODS

Consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having acute and subacute CVST were retrospectively investigated. We determined the patients' functional outcomes by modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between factors and poor functional outcomes. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was estimated to evaluate the ability of markers and models in predicting clinical prognosis. The prognostic model was presented as nomogram. In addition, the decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to analyze the benefit of this model. Furthermore, survival curves were described by the Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 270 patients were included of which 31 had poor outcome. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated HALP (OR=0.978, 95%CI: 0.958-0.999, P=0.039) was a protective predictor of outcome. The AUC of HALP was 0.749 (95% CI: 0.633-0.865, P=0.044). DCA demonstrated that this model significantly improved risk prediction at threshold probabilities of CVST at 0 to 85% compared to ISCVT-RS scores. Patients with higher HALP (P=0.006) presented higher overall survival rates.

CONCLUSION

HALP may be a potential protective marker in acute and subacute CVST patients. The new prognostic model with HALP had potentially better value for acute and subacute CVST patients.

Potential role of plasma branched-chain amino acids in the differential diagnosis of acute cerebral venous thrombosis

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a special and easily misdiagnosed or undiagnosed subtype of stroke. To identify specific biomarkers with a high predictive ability for the diagnosis of acute CVT, we performed metabolomic analysis in plasma samples from acute CVT patients and healthy controls and confirmed the results in validation cohorts. In the discovery stage, there were 343 differential metabolites, and the caffeine metabolism pathway and the biosynthesis pathway for the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) valine, leucine, and isoleucine were two significant pathways between the CVT and healthy cohorts. The area under the curve (AUC) for metabolites associated with valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis was 0.934. In the validation stage, the BCAA concentrations demonstrated an AUC of 0.935 to differentiate patients with acute CVT from the control cohort. In addition, BCAAs combined with D-dimer levels were used to establish a diagnostic model for CVT, and the AUC was 0.951, showing good diagnostic efficacy of separating CVT patients from the control cohort. BCAAs as plasma biomarkers deserve to be further studied and even developed in clinical CVT management.

Association of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and D-dimer with functional outcome in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

BACKGROUND

Investigations on the risk factors for the prognosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) are limited. This study aimed to explore whether specific inflammatory factors and coagulation indictors are associated with functional outcome in patients treated for CVST.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 137 patients admitted to our hospital between January 2010 and October 2021. The functional outcome was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge. Patients were divided into two groups, 102 patients with favorable outcomes (mRS 0-1) and 35 patients with poor outcomes (mRS 2-6). The clinical indexes were compared between two groups. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the independent influencing factors for poor outcomes of CVST patients. The prognostic indicators were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

Compared with the favorable outcome group, the incidence of impaired consciousness and brain lesion, the levels of D-dimer, RDW, neutrophil count, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width to platelet ratio (%) on admission were significantly higher in the poor outcome group, while the level of lymphocyte count was significantly lower. After multivariable logistic regression analysis, baseline D-dimer level (odds ratio (OR), 1.180; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.019-1.366, P = 0.027) and NLR (OR, 1.903; 95%CI, 1.232-2.938, P = 0.004) were significantly associated with unfavorable outcome at discharge. The ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve of D-dimer, NLR and their combined detection for predicting worse outcome were 0.719, 0.707 and 0.786, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated D-dimer level and NLR on admission were associated with an increased risk of poor functional outcome in patients with CVST.

D-Dimer Level Associated with Amount of Sinus involvement Using Digital Subtraction Angiography on Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Patients

Background

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a form of the cerebrovascular disease characterized by varying degrees of obstruction of veins and cerebral sinuses caused by thrombus. Diagnosis is incredibly challenging due to the wide variety of symptoms and the distinct radiological aspects of affected vessels. In patients with venous thrombosis, the presence of D-Dimer is used as an indicator of the presence of endogenous fibrinolysis. D-Dimer is a by-product of fibrin polymer fragmentation.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between the level of D-Dimer and the number of sinuses in CVST by Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA).

Methods

Retrospective data from September 2021 to September 2022 were used in this analytical observational with a cross-sectional study design. Chi-Square is used for data processing relationship analysis.

Results

Out of the 54 subjects with elevated levels of D-Dimer, 38 (70.4%) are females, whereas 16 (29.6%) are males. High levels of D-Dimer have been related to a greater risk of sinus thrombosis (p < 0.001). D-Dimer levels were similarly shown to rise in conjunction with the number of sinuses most severely damaged by thrombosis. The most common site for thrombosis to develop in this study were the left sigmoid and left transverse sinuses. Most risk factors were hormonal.

Conclusion

There is a statistically significant relationship between an increase in the D-Dimer level and the greater number of sinuses involved as determined by DSA in individuals diagnosed with CVST.

Venous stroke–a stroke subtype that should not be ignored

Based on the etiology, stroke can be classified into ischemic or hemorrhagic subtypes, which ranks second among the leading causes of death. Stroke is caused not only by arterial thrombosis but also by cerebral venous thrombosis. Arterial stroke is currently the main subtype of stroke, and research on this type has gradually improved. Venous thrombosis, the particular type, accounts for 0.5–1% of all strokes. Due to the lack of a full understanding of venous thrombosis, as well as its diverse clinical manifestations and neuroimaging features, there are often delays in admission for it, and it is easy to misdiagnose. The purpose of this study was to review the pathophysiology mechanisms and clinical features of arterial and venous thrombosis and to provide guidance for further research on the pathophysiological mechanism, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of venous thrombosis. This review summarizes the pathophysiological mechanisms, etiology, epidemiology, symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment heterogeneity of venous thrombosis and compares it with arterial stroke. The aim is to provide a reference for a comprehensive understanding of venous thrombosis and a scientific understanding of various pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical features related to venous thrombosis, which will contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of intravenous stroke and provide insight into diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Malignant Isolated Cortical Vein Thrombosis as the Initial Manifestation of Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Lessons on Diagnosis and Management From a Case Report

Background

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) with isolated cortical vein thrombosis (ICoVT) is an extremely rare but potentially malignant entity. It is particularly challenging to diagnose APS-related ICoVT because of the non-specific clinical manifestations and the frequent absence of typical neuroimaging. Moreover, there is currently limited knowledge on the clinical features and management strategies for the condition. Delays in diagnosis and treatment may lead to life-threatening consequences.

Case Presentation

We present a rare case of a 74-year-old Chinese woman who presented with sudden onset of headache and right arm weakness that mimicked acute ischemic stroke. Her initial computed tomography was unremarkable, and intravenous thrombolysis was performed. Serial neuroimages confirmed ICoVT 4 days after symptom onset, and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was started at a dose of 0.4 ml twice per day, according to the 2019 Chinese guidelines. The workup for the predisposing causes of ICoVT revealed triple positivity APS. LMWH dose was adjusted according to the anti-Xa chromogenic assay. However, the patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and there was a progressive enlargement of the venous infarction despite treatment with anticoagulants. Transtentorial herniation developed on day 12, and decompressive craniectomy was immediately performed. The patient’s symptoms did not improve significantly after surgery, and she remained aphasic and hemiplegic at the 3-month follow-up, with a modified Rankin Scale score of 5.

Conclusion

ICoVT is a rare yet potentially fatal manifestation of APS, and its diagnosis and treatment are extremely challenging. Timely diagnosis, prompt treatment, and close monitoring are essential to improve the clinical prognosis of patients with APS-related ICoVT.

An Integrated Approach on the Diagnosis of Cerebral Veins and Dural Sinuses Thrombosis

(1) Objective: This review paper aims to discuss multiple aspects of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), including epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation. Different neuroimaging methods for diagnosis of CVT, such as computer tomography CT/CT Venography (CTV), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)/MR Venography (MRV) will be presented. (2) Methods: A literature analysis using PubMed and the MEDLINE sub-engine was done using the terms: cerebral venous thrombosis, thrombophilia, and imaging. Different studies concerning risk factors, clinical picture, and imaging signs of patients with CVT were examined. (3) Results: At least one risk factor can be identified in 85% of CVT cases. Searching for a thrombophilic state should be realized for patients with CVT who present a high pretest probability of severe thrombophilia. Two pathophysiological mechanisms contribute to their highly variable clinical presentation: augmentation of venular and capillary pressure, and diminution of cerebrospinal fluid absorption. The clinical spectrum of CVT is frequently non-specific and presents a high level of clinical suspicion. Four major syndromes have been described: isolated intracranial hypertension, seizures, focal neurological abnormalities, and encephalopathy. Cavernous sinus thrombosis is the single CVT that presents a characteristic clinical syndrome. Non-enhanced CT (NECT) of the Head is the most frequently performed imaging study in the emergency department. Features of CVT on NECT can be divided into direct signs (demonstration of dense venous clot within a cerebral vein or a cerebral venous sinus), and more frequently indirect signs (such as cerebral edema, or cerebral venous infarct). CVT diagnosis is confirmed with CTV, directly detecting the venous clot as a filling defect, or MRI/MRV, which also realizes a better description of parenchymal abnormalities. (4) Conclusions: CVT is a relatively rare disorder in the general population and is frequently misdiagnosed upon initial examination. The knowledge of wide clinical aspects and imaging signs will be essential in providing a timely diagnosis.

Predictive Value of Combination of D-dimer and Fibrinogen in Diagnosing Acute CVST

Background:

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is an uncommon subtype of stroke, and the role of D-dimer and fibrinogen in early diagnosis of CVST has been studied with varying results. The present study aims to study the role of the combination of D-dimer and fibrinogen in early diagnosis of acute CVST.

Methods:

Forty consecutive confirmed acute CVST cases admitted at a tertiary care center were recruited for the study. D-dimer and fibrinogen were assessed by a rapid semiquantitative latex agglutination assay.

Results:

Out of the 40 CVST patients, 21 (52.50%) were females. The mean age of the patients was 37.58 years ± 19.17 years. Common clinical features were headache (N = 38 [95%]), papilloedema (N = 15 [37.5%]), and seizures (N = 12 [30%]). Although the sensitivity (75%) of the combination of D-dimer and fibrinogen assay was lower than that of D-dimer or fibrinogen alone, the specificity and positive predictive value (75% each) was higher.

Conclusion:

The combination of D-dimer and fibrinogen testing may aid in an early diagnosis of acute CVST and in better management.

Diagnostic performance of MR black-blood thrombus imaging for cerebral venous thrombosis in real-world clinical practice

OBJECTIVES

MR black-blood thrombus imaging (BTI) has been developed for the detection of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Yet, there is a lack of real-world data to verifying its clinical performance. This study aims to evaluate the performance of BTI in diagnosing and staging CVT in a 5-year period.

METHODS

Patients suspected of CVT were enrolled between 2014 and 2019. Patients with or without BTI scans were classified into group A and group B, respectively. The prevalence of correct diagnosis of CVT and patients with evaluable clot age were compared. The diagnostic performance of BTI including sensitivity, specificity, and specific staging information was further analyzed.

RESULTS

Two hundred and twenty-one of the 308 patients suspected of CVT were eligible in the current study (114 in group A and 97 in group B), with 125 diagnosed by multidisciplinary teams to have CVTs (56 in group A, 69 in group B). The rate of correct diagnosis of CVT was higher in group A than that in group B (94.7% vs 60.8%, p < 0.001, x² = 36.517) after adding BTI images. The percent of patients with evaluable staged segments between the two groups were 96.4% and 33.9%, respectively (x² = 48.191, p < 0.001). BTI showed a sensitivity of 96.4% and 87.9% in the detection of CVT on per-patient and per-segment level, respectively. Up to 98.1% of all thrombosed segments could be staged by BTI and 59.6% of them were matched with clinical staging.

CONCLUSIONS

In the actual clinical practice, BTI improves diagnostic confidence and has an excellent performance in confirming and staging CVT.

KEY POINTS

• Black-blood thrombus imaging has good diagnostic performance in detecting cerebral venous thrombosis compared to traditional imaging methods with strong evidence in the actual clinical setting. • BTI helps clinicians to diagnose CVT with more accuracy and confidence, which can be served as a promising imaging examination. • BTI can also provide additional information of different thrombus ages objectively, the valuable reference for clinical strategy.

Prognostic nutritional index predicts clinical outcomes in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Background

Lower prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is related to the poor prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about PNI and its relationship with the prognosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).

Methods

CVST patients were retrospectively identified from January 2013 till June 2019. Patients in the acute / subacute phase were selected as subjects. Poor prognosis was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 3–6. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to confirm if lower PNI was associated with a poor prognosis.

Results

A total of 297 subjects with follow-up data were enrolled. Thirty-three (11.1%) had a poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that PNI was an important predictive factor of poor outcome in acute/subacute CVST (odds ratio, 0.903; 95% CI, 0.833–0.978; P = 0.012). The optimal cut-off value for predicting the poor prognosis of PNI was 44.2. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test suggested that the lower the PNI value, the higher the mortality rate (P < 0.001). In addition, the nomogram that was set up showed that lower PNI was an index of poor prognosis. The c-index for acute/subacute patients with CVST was 0.872.

Conclusion

Lower PNI is correlated with a higher risk of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute/subacute CVST.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12883-021-02436-w.

Acute Inflammation in Cerebrovascular Disease: A Critical Reappraisal with Focus on Human Studies

Recent attention has been focused on the field of inflammatory biomarkers associated with vascular disorders, regarding diagnosis, prognosis, and possible therapeutical targets. In this study, we aimed to perform a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the use of inflammatory biomarkers in stroke patients. We searched studies that evaluated inflammation biomarkers associated with Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD), namely, ischemic Stroke (IS), Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) and Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT). As of today, neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) seems the be the most widely studied and accepted biomarker for cerebrovascular disease due to its easy access and availability. Although demonstrated as a prognostic risk factor, in IS, ICH and CVT, its diagnostic role is still under investigation. Several other prognostic factors could be used or even combined together into a diagnostic or prognostic index. Multiple inflammatory biomarkers appear to be involved in IS, ICH, and CVT. Blood inflammatory cells, easily measured and accessible at admission may provide information regarding accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Although not yet a reality, increasing evidence exists to suggest that these may become potential therapeutic targets, likely influencing or mitigating complications of CVD and improving prognosis. Nevertheless, further larger, well-designed randomized clinical trials are still needed to follow up this hypothesis.

High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Black Blood Thrombus Imaging and Serum D-Dimer in the Confirmation of Acute Cortical Vein Thrombosis

Cerebral cortical vein thrombosis (CCVT) is often misdiagnosed because of its non-specific diagnostic symptoms. Here, we analyzed a cohort of patients with CCVT in hopes of improving understandings and treatments of the disease. A total of 23 patients with CCVT (confirmed with high-resolution imaging), who had been diagnosed between 2017 and 2019, were enrolled in this cohort study. Baseline demographics, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, radiological findings, treatment, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Fourteen females and nine males were enrolled (mean age: 32.7 ± 11.9 years), presenting in the acute (within 7 days, n = 9), subacute (8–30 days, n = 7), and chronic (over 1 month, n = 7) stages. Headaches (65.2%) and seizures (39.1%) were the most common symptoms. Abnormally elevated plasma D-dimers were observed in the majority of acute stage patients (87.5%). The diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance venography (CE-MRV) and high-resolution magnetic resonance black-blood thrombus imaging (HR-MRBTI) in detecting CCVT were 57.1 and 100.0%, respectively. All patients had good functional outcomes after 6-month of standard anticoagulation (mRS 0–1) treatment. However, four CCVT patients that had cases involving multiple veins showed symptom relief after batroxobin therapy (p = 0.030). HR-MRBTI may be a fast and accurate tool for non-invasive CCVT diagnosis. HR-MRBTI combined with D-dimer can also precisely identify the pathological stage of CCVT. Batroxobin may safely accelerate cortical venous recanalization in combination with anticoagulation. Follow-up studies with larger sample sizes are suggested to evaluate the safety and efficacy of batroxobin for treating CCVT.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to external compression of internal jugular vein

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a special subtype of stroke that may be life-threatening in severe cases. CVST has distinct risk factors and is frequently overlooked because of its initially nonspecific clinical presentation. We herein describe a 72-year-old man who developed CVST in the right lateral sinus. Despite the absence of common risk factors in this patient, he developed external compression of the bilateral internal jugular veins by a lateral mass of the C1 vertebra and expansion of the carotid artery. Because of his elevated D-dimer and fibrinogen concentrations, which are associated with ongoing activation of the coagulation system, the patient underwent treatment with batroxobin combined with anticoagulation. Recanalization of the sinus was achieved, and his high intracranial pressure and papilledema remarkably decreased. We conclude that external compression of the internal jugular veins, which can be identified with three-dimensional computed tomography venography, may be an important risk factor for CVST.

The Value of Combined Detection of D-dimer and CD62p in Judging the Severity of Acute Cerebral Infarction and Short-Term Prognosis

Objective

To explore the value of combined detection of peripheral blood P-selectin (CD62p) and D-dimer (D-dimer) in the judgment of acute cerebral infarction severity and short-term prognosis.

Methods

268 patients with acute cerebral infarction from February 2015 to February 2019 were selected as the observation group. According to the National Institute of Health stroke scale, there were 90 cases (SCI group), 88 cases (MOCI group), and 90cases (MICI group) in the severe, moderate, and mild cerebral infarction groups, respectively. In the same period, 80 cases of healthy people served as the Normal group. Use flow cytometry to detect CD62p in peripheral blood and magnetic bead method to detect D-dimer level within 24 hours of onset. Logistic regression was used to analyze whether the two are factors affecting the short-term prognosis of acute cerebral infarction, and the ROC curve was drawn to evaluate the value of the combined detection of the two in the short-term prognosis of patients with acute cerebral infarction.

Results

Peripheral blood D-dimer and CD62p levels (2.95 ± 0.76 ng/l, 34.03 ± 5.29 ng/l) in the SCI group were higher than those in the MOCI group (2.30 ± 0.51 ng/l, 27.58 ± 5.56 ng/l) and the MICI group (1.87 ± 0.40 ng/l, 19.60 ± 3.98 ng/l); the difference between the groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that D-dimer and CD62p were independent risk factors affecting the poor prognosis of patients with acute cerebral infarction (OR values were 3.752 and 1.213, and 95% CI were 1.612-7.934 and 1.093-1.342, respectively, both P < 0.05). The AUC of D-dimer combined with CD62p for predicting poor prognosis of acute cerebral infarction is 0.859, which is better than D-dimer and CD62p alone.

Conclusion

Peripheral blood D-dimer combined with CD62p detection is helpful for the risk stratification and short-term prognosis assessment of patients with acute cerebral infarction. Clinical detection is of great significance for the prevention and monitoring of disease development.

D-dimer Level is Correlated with Prognosis, Infarct Size, and NIHSS in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25:193-198. [PMID: 33707899 PMCID: PMC7922437 DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23744]

Stroke ranks the fourth leading disease causing adult mortality and disability. D-dimer (D-D) is the ultimate product of plasmin-mediated degradation of fibrin-rich thrombi. D-D is a simple readily accessible biomarker employed within the diagnostic algorithms for the exclusion of venous thromboembolism. The correlation between D-D infarct size in MRI brain, APACHE II score, and the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score in critically ill acute stroke patients has not been fully investigated before.

Objective

We aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of elevated plasma D-D in critically ill patients admitted with acute cerebrovascular accidents. As far as we know, we are the first to investigate the correlation between plasma D-D levels and the ischemic lesion size in MRI brain and also APACHE II score and NIHSS in critically ill acute ischemic cerebrovascular patients.

Setting and participants

A prospective, observational cohort study inside the Critical Care Medicine Department. Thirty patients with AIS were enrolled additionally to 1 healthy age- and sex-matched controls.

Interventions

We employed particle-enhanced, immunoturbidimetric assay to detect plasma D-D concentrations. D-D levels D0 and D1 were measured upon admission and 24 hours later, respectively. We reviewed the patient' s health records; additionally, demographic, clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging information was abstracted.

Results

D-D concentrations were significantly higher in acute stroke patients compared to healthy controls. ROC curve analysis showed that elevated D-D level more than 310 ng/mL can predict infarct lesion size >1.5 cm in diffusion-weighted MRI brain with sensitivity and specificity (100 and 83%, respectively) and also admission D-D (D0) at cutoff concentration 350 ng/mL and D1 at cutoff value 370 ng/mL are predictors of complicated course with sensitivity and specificity (100 and 84.6%, respectively). There was no significant difference between D0 and D1 D-D levels (p-value >0.05).

Conclusion

The plasma D-D biomarker can be a simple readily available test reliable predictor of infarct lesion size >1.5 cm in DW-MRI and outcome in union with the common practice instrumental tests.

How to cite this article

Abbas NI, Sayed O, Samir S, Abeed N. D-dimer Level is Correlated with Prognosis, Infarct Size, and NIHSS in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(2):193-198.

Prothrombotic effects of high uric acid in mice via activation of MEF2C-dependent NF-κB pathway by upregulating let-7c

Serum uric acid is reportedly associated with thrombosis development. However, still unclear is the mechanism of high uric acid in thrombosis with the involvement of let-7c. In an aim to fill this void, we conducted this study by treating mice and human umbilical vein endothelial cells with high uric acid. Analysis indicated that let-7c was upregulated in hyperuricemia patients as well as in mice and human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with high uric acid. Furthermore, high uric acid inhibited myocyte enhancer factor-2C, but activated nuclear factor-kappa B pathway in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Then the targeting relationship between let-7c and myocyte enhancer factor-2C was verified. On the one hand, high uric acid shortened activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time of mice and declined tissue plasminogen activator level. Additionally, the treatment prolonged thrombin time and elevated the levels of thrombosis related molecules or proteins such as Fibrinogen and D-dimer. Nevertheless, these alternations could be reversed by inhibition of let-7c and nuclear factor-kappa B pathway or overexpressing myocyte enhancer factor-2C. To sum up, our results uncovered the pro-thrombotic effect of high uric acid in mice by activating myocyte enhancer factor-2C-dependent nuclear factor-kappa B pathway via let-7c upregulation.

Prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index in acute/subacute patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Objective

To evaluate the prognosis values of systemic immune–inflammation index (SII) in non-chronic cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).

Methods

patients with CVST, admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, were retrospectively identified from January 2013 to December 2018. We selected patients in acute/subacute phase from database. Functional outcomes of patients were evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS)—mRS 3–6 as poor outcomes and mRS 6 as death. The overall survival time was defined as the date of onset to the date of death or last follow-up date. Survival analysis was described by the Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox regression analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed the relationship between SII and poor functional outcome. The area under the Receiver Operating Curve curve (AUC) was estimated to evaluate the ability of SII in prediction.

Results

A total of 270 patients were included and their duration of follow-up was 22 months (6–66 months), of whom 31 patients had poor outcomes and 24 patients dead. Cox regression analysis showed that SII (HR=1.304, 95% CI: 1.101 to 1.703, p=0.001) was a predictor of death in non-chronic CVST. Patients with higher SII presented lower survival rates (p=0.003). The AUC of SII was 0.792 (95% CI: 0.695 to 0.888, p=0.040) with a sensitivity of 69.6% and specificity of 80.1%. Subgroups analysis demonstrated that SII was an important predictor of poor outcomes in male (OR=1.303, 95% CI: 1.102 to 1.501, p=0.011) and pregnancy/puerperium female (OR=1.407, 95% CI: 1.204 to 1.703, p=0.034).

Conclusions

SII was a potential predictor in the poor prognosis of patients with acute/subacute CVST, especially in male and pregnancy/puerperium female.

Predictive value of D-dimer testing for the diagnosis of venous thrombosis in unusual locations: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

The value of D-dimer testing for the diagnosis of thrombosis in unusual sites is not properly established and evidence is scarce. We performed a systematic review of the literature.

METHODS

The search was conducted in MEDLINE and Cochrane Library for papers published in the last 10 years including different presentations of thrombosis in unusual sites. Twenty-three articles were included, from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2018, comprising 3378 patients with thrombosis in unusual sites (upper extremity deep vein thrombosis, cerebral vein thrombosis and splanchnic vein thrombosis). The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of the studies.

RESULTS

Two articles were related to upper extremity thrombosis, showing a high sensitivity and negative predictive value for D-dimer testing. Twelve articles concerned cerebral vein thrombosis, concluding that the timing of D-dimer testing was important, and that patients with a shorter duration of symptoms showed higher D-dimer levels. Sensitivity and specificity in these patients ranged from 58% to 97% and from 77% to 97.5%, respectively. Nine articles were related to splanchnic vein thrombosis. One described a population of patients with mesenteric venous thrombosis, and the rest included patients with portal vein thrombosis. The D-dimer testing methods and the proposed cut-off levels were remarkably different among the included studies.

CONCLUSION

D-dimer testing should not be currently recommended for the diagnosis of thrombosis in unusual sites as a first line diagnostic tool. The development of algorithms combining biomarkers such as D-dimer and clinical decision tools could improve the diagnosis.

Cerebral Venous Thrombosis with Tumor-like Features: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), a rare cerebrovascular condition, is induced by blocked cerebral venous reflux, often presenting non-specific symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain may improve the often elusive diagnosis of CVT. However, the sensitivity, specificity and full spectrum of such MRI findings are poorly understood.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report the case of a 53-year-old male patient with CVT. The patient complained of a severe headache in addition to an enhanced lesion on contrasted T1-weighted MR images, which was originally considered an angiogenic tumor. However, surgery and pathology confirmed the case to be CVT. Following surgery and administration of an anticoagulation agent, the patient's symptoms alleviated, and cranial MRI and CT 1 month after surgery showed no abnormalities.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that such cases may occur where CVT appears tumor-like on MRI, including mass effect and abnormal contrast enhancement. Therefore, for young and middle-aged adults with episodic and progressive headaches presenting such MRI findings, the possibility of CVT should always be considered. MRI combined with magnetic resonance venography should be used as the preferred strategy for early diagnosis of CVT.

Lower lymphocyte to monocyte ratio is a potential predictor of poor outcome in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Background

Lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) is associated with functional outcome in patients with stroke. But the relationship between the LMR value and the prognosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has not been investigated.

Methods

CVST patients, admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, were retrospectively identified from November 2010 to January 2017. Functional outcomes of patients were evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Patients were divided into good (mRS 0–2) and poor (mRS 3–6) outcomes groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between LMR and the poor survival outcome.

Results

A total of 228 patients were included of which 41 had poor outcomes (18.0%). The duration of follow-up was 22 months (6–66 months). LMR (2.3±1.2 vs 3.2±1.8, p<0.01) was significantly lower in the poor outcome group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that LMR (HR 0.726, 95% CI 0.546 to 0.964, p=0.027) was a independent predictor of poor prognosis.

Conclusions

LMR may be a predictor of poor prognosis in CVST patients.

The efficacy and safety of Batroxobin in combination with anticoagulation on cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is an uncommon subtype of stroke with highly variable clinical presentation. Although anticoagulation with heparin and/or warfarin remains the standard treatment for CVST, treatment failure is still common. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Batroxobin in combination with anticoagulation on CVST control. In this retrospective study, a total of 61 CVST patients were enrolled and divided into Batroxobin (n = 23) and control (n = 38) groups. In addition to the same standard anticoagulation in control, patients in the treatment group received Batroxobin 5 BU intravenous infusion (10 BU for the first time) every other day, for a total of three infusions. A higher recanalization rate was found in Batroxobin group (adjusted OR [95% CI] of 2.5 [1.1-5.0], p = 0.028) compared to the control group, especially in patients with high levels of fibrinogen (adjusted OR [95% CI] of 4.7 [1.4-16.7], p = 0.015). Statistically significant differences between the two groups were seen regarding the levels of thrombin time, fibrinogen and D-dimer at each cut-off time point (all p < 0.01). Compared with baseline, NIHSS scores at discharge showed significant improvement in the Batroxobin group [0(0, 4.25)-5(2, 11), p = 0.036]. No significant difference in mRS scores was found between the two groups at discharge or at 6-month outpatient follow-up (all p > 0.05). Additionally, Batroxobin did not increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage. We conclude that Batroxobin is a potentially safe and effective adjunct therapeutic agent promoting CVST recanalization especially in patients with high level of fibrinogen.

Understanding jugular venous outflow disturbance

Extracranial venous abnormalities, especially jugular venous outflow disturbance, were originally viewed as nonpathological phenomena due to a lack of realization and exploration of their feature and clinical significance. The etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear, whereas a couple of causal factors have been conjectured. The clinical presentation of this condition is highly variable, ranging from insidious to symptomatic, such as headaches, dizziness, pulsatile tinnitus, visual impairment, sleep disturbance, and neck discomfort or pain. Standard diagnostic criteria are not available, and current diagnosis largely depends on a combinatory use of imaging modalities. Although few researches have been conducted to gain evidence-based therapeutic approach, several recent advances indicate that intravenous angioplasty in combination with stenting implantation may be a safe and efficient way to restore normal blood circulation, alleviate the discomfort symptoms, and enhance patients' quality of life. In addition, surgical removal of structures that constrain the internal jugular vein may serve as an alternative or adjunctive management when endovascular intervention is not feasible. Notably, discussion on every aspect of this newly recognized disease entity is in the infant stage and efforts with more rigorous designed, randomized controlled studies in attempt to identify the pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and effective approaches to its treatment will provide a profound insight into this issue.

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Following Second Transsphenoidal Surgery: Report of a Rare Complication and Review of Literature

BACKGROUND

Cushing disease, induced by a pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting adenoma, is associated with high risk of stroke. At present, transsphenoidal surgery remains the first line of therapy. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is an uncommon form of stroke with variable presentations. There are no previous reports of its occurrence in patients with Cushing disease following transsphenoidal surgery.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report a patient with Cushing disease who sustained CVST several days after a second transsphenoidal surgery. With adequate care and treatment, along with timely diagnosis, the patient made a near-complete recovery with only minor sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS

In view of the poor outcome of untreated CVST, symptoms such as severe headache, nausea and vomiting, and cerebrospinal fluid leakage after transsphenoidal surgery could be of valuable assistance in early diagnosis, allowing immediate medical intervention with consequent improved prognosis.

Usefulness of platelet to lymphocyte and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios in predicting the presence of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and in-hospital major adverse cerebral events

BACKGROUND

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as recently emerging thrombo-inflammatory indicators were significantly associated with both major cerebrovascular/cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) and mortality. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effects of combinations of PLR and NLR in predicting the presence of CVST and in-hospital MACE.

METHODS

A total of 277 participants comprising 80 patients with evidence of CVST and 197 controls with similar baseline characteristics were included in this retrospective study. Patients were classified into 3 groups based on the optimal cut-off values of PLR and NLR calculated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for in-hospital MACE rates.

RESULTS

PLR (148±61 vs 101±50, p<0.001) and NLR (3.12±1.4 vs 1.94±1.1, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the CVST group. Furthermore, patients in the high risk group (a PLR of ≥115.0 and an NLR of ≥2.1) had the highest in-hospital MACE rates including seizure (p=0.012), papilledema (p=0.025) and diplopia or blurry vision (p=0.028). After multivariate logistic regression analysis MPV, PLR (1.052 [1.045-1.059], p=0.001) and NLR (1.442 [1.086-1.916], p=0.012) were found as independent predictors of CVST.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that PLR and NLR are easily available and cheap thrombo-inflammatory indicators, so that PLR and NLR could be used in prediction of CVST and in-hospital MACE.

European Stroke Organization guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral venous thrombosis - Endorsed by the European Academy of Neurology

The current proposal for cerebral venous thrombosis guideline followed the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system, formulating relevant diagnostic and treatment questions, performing systematic reviews of all available evidence and writing recommendations and deciding on their strength on an explicit and transparent manner, based on the quality of available scientific evidence. The guideline addresses both diagnostic and therapeutic topics. We suggest using magnetic resonance or computed tomography angiography for confirming the diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis and not screening patients with cerebral venous thrombosis routinely for thrombophilia or cancer. We recommend parenteral anticoagulation in acute cerebral venous thrombosis and decompressive surgery to prevent death due to brain herniation. We suggest to use preferentially low-molecular weight heparin in the acute phase and not using direct oral anticoagulants. We suggest not using steroids and acetazolamide to reduce death or dependency. We suggest using antiepileptics in patients with an early seizure and supratentorial lesions to prevent further early seizures. We could not make recommendations due to very poor quality of evidence concerning duration of anticoagulation after the acute phase, thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy, therapeutic lumbar puncture, and prevention of remote seizures with antiepileptic drugs. We suggest that in women who suffered a previous cerebral venous thrombosis, contraceptives containing oestrogens should be avoided. We suggest that subsequent pregnancies are safe, but use of prophylactic low-molecular weight heparin should be considered throughout pregnancy and puerperium. Multicentre observational and experimental studies are needed to increase the level of evidence supporting recommendations on the diagnosis and management of cerebral venous thrombosis.

Copeptin for risk stratification in non-traumatic headache in the emergency setting: a prospective multicenter observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

In the emergency setting, non-traumatic headache is a benign symptom in 80% of cases, but serious underlying conditions need to be ruled out. Copeptin improves risk stratification in several acute diseases. Herein, we investigated the value of copeptin to discriminate between serious secondary headache and benign headache forms in the emergency setting.

METHODS

Patients presenting with acute non-traumatic headache were prospectively enrolled into an observational cohort study. Copeptin was measured upon presentation to the emergency department. Primary endpoint was serious secondary headache defined by a neurologic cause requiring immediate treatment of the underlying disease. Secondary endpoint was the combination of mortality and hospitalization within 3 months. Two board-certified neurologist blinded to copeptin levels verified the endpoints after a structured 3-month-telephone interview.

RESULTS

Of the 391 patients included, 75 (19%) had a serious secondary headache. Copeptin was associated with serious secondary headache (OR 2.03, 95%CI 1.52-2.70, p < 0.0001). Area under the curve (AUC) for copeptin to identify the primary endpoint was 0.70 (0.63-0.76). After adjusting for age > 50, focal-neurological abnormalities, and thunderclap onset of symptoms, copeptin remained an independent predictive factor for serious secondary headache (OR 1.74, 95%CI 1.26-2.39, p = 0.001). Moreover, copeptin improved the AUC of the multivariate logistic clinical model (p-LR-test < 0.001). Even though copeptin values were higher in patients reaching the secondary endpoint, this association was not significant in multivariate logistic regression.

CONCLUSIONS

Copeptin was independently associated with serious secondary headache as compared to benign headaches forms. Copeptin may be a promising novel blood biomarker that should be further validated to rule out serious secondary headache in the emergency department.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Study Registration on 08/02/2010 as NCT01174901 at clinicaltrials.gov.

D-dimer for the exclusion of cerebral venous thrombosis: a meta-analysis of low risk patients with isolated headache

BACKGROUND

Patients with isolated headache may have cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). D-dimers are proven sensitive in excluding deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in low risk patients. We aimed to determine whether D-dimer may play the same role in low risk CVT patients with isolated headache.

METHODS

We included consecutive patients suspected of CVT from our teaching hospital with isolated headache, a normal neurological examination and normal standard head CT in whom D-dimer was determined. Additionally we did a systematic review on articles describing consecutive patients suspected of CVT with isolated headache and their D-dimer values. CVT was investigated with CT or MR venography in all patients.

RESULTS

A total of 636 consecutive patients were collected from our own data and the literature search. Of 45 CVT patients one had a negative D-dimer (7.5 %). Sensitivity of D-dimer for diagnosing CVT was 97.8 % (95 % CI: 88.2-99.6 %), specificity was 84.9 % (95 % CI: 81.8-87.7 %), positive predictive value was 33.1 % (95 % CI: 25.2-41.7 %), negative predictive value was 99.8 % (95 % CI: 98.9-100 %). Another 56 isolated headache CVT patients were identified in literature, lacking consecutive isolated headache controls. Sensitivity of D-dimer for diagnosing CVT including these patients was 87.1 % (95 % CI: 79.0-93.0 %).

CONCLUSIONS

D-dimers have a high negative predictive value in patients with isolated headache for excluding CVT. Sensitivity is lower but comparable to the values accepted in PE and DVT. Low risk patients were defined as headache patients with a normal neurological examination, normal standard head CT and absence of risk factors such as pregnancy or puerperium. Normal D-dimers in these patients may reduce unnecessary imaging, making it a potential valuable marker.

Plasma D-dimer predicts short-term poor outcome after acute ischemic stroke

Objective

Haemostatic biomarkers associated with poor outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The objective of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of plasma D-dimer (D-D) on functional outcome at 90-day follow-up from stroke onset.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study in the emergency department and enrolled 220 patients with AIS. Plasma D-D concentrations, determined by a particle-enhanced, immunoturbidimetric assay, were measured. Each patient’s medical record was reviewed, and demographic, clinical, laboratory and neuroimaging information was abstracted.

Results

There was a positive correlation between levels of D-D and the NIHSS (r = 0.361, p<0.001), and the infarct volume (r = 0.449, p<0.001). In the 69 patients with an unfavorable functional outcome, D-D levels were higher compared with those in patients with a favorable outcome [3.24(IQR, 2.18–4.60)mg/L vs 0.88(IQR, 0.35–1.77) mg/L; p<0.001]. After adjusting for all other significant outcome predictors, D-D level remained an independent predictor for unfavorable functional outcome and mortality with an odds ratio of 2.18 (95% CI, 1.55–2.83), 3.22 (95% CI, 2.05–6.43); respectively.

Conclusions

D-D levels are a useful tool to predict outcome and mortality 90-day after acute ischemic stroke and have a potential to assist clinicians.

Plasma D-dimer levels are associated with stroke subtypes and infarction volume in patients with acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that modestly elevated circulating D-dimer values may be associated with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between plasma D-dimer level at admission and AIS in Chinese population.

METHODS

In a prospective observational study, plasma D-dimer levels were measured using a particle-enhanced, immunoturbidimetric assay on admission in 240 Chinese patients with AIS. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was assessed on admission blinded to D-dimer levels.

RESULTS

Plasma median D-dimer levels were significantly (P = 0.000) higher in AIS patients as compared to healthy controls (0.88; interquartiler range [IQR], 0.28-2.11 mg/L and 0.31; IQR, 0.17-0.74 mg/L). D-dimer levels increased with increasing severity of stroke as defined by the NIHSS score(r = 0.179, p = 0.005) and infarct volume(r = 0.425, p = 0.000). Those positive trends still existed even after correcting for possible confounding factors (P = 0.012, 0.000; respectively). Based on the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off value of plasma D-dimer levels as an indicator for diagnosis of cardioembolic strokes was projected to be 0.91 mg/L, which yielded a sensitivity of 83.7% and a specificity of 81.5%, the area under the curve was 0.862(95% confidence interval [CI], 0.811-0.912).

CONCLUSION

We had shown that plasma D-dimer levels increased with increasing severity of stroke as defined by the NIHSS score and infarct volume. These associations were independent other possible variables. In addition, cardioembolic strokes can be distinguished from other stroke etiologies by measuring plasma D-dimer levels very early (0-48 hours from stroke symptom onset).