Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke with Active Cancer

Clinical analysis of twenty-one cases of acute ischemic stroke related to Trousseau syndrome

BACKGROUND

Trousseau syndrome (TS) is relatively rare and easily overlooked by clinicians, causing misdiagnosis and affecting subsequent treatment.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, clinical features, laboratory examination, imaging features, treatment, and prognosis of patients with TS were discussed.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

From February 2018 to April 2022, cases of 21 patients with malignant tumors complicated by acute ischemic stroke (AIS) were admitted to the Neurology Department of the hospital, and were retrospectively analyzed and discussed based on the literature.

RESULTS

Twenty-one cases were included in the study. Of these, 95.23% (20/21) developed AIS 6-21 months after the onset of malignant tumors, 9.52% (2/21) had ischemic stroke as the first symptom, 4.76% (1/21) had recurrent ischemic stroke, and 14.29% (3/21) subsequently experienced venous and arterial thrombosis events; 80.95% (17/21) were pathologically confirmed to have adenocarcinoma; and 90.47% (19/21) of infarction cases involved multiple blood vessel feeding sites. MRI showed multiregional, multifocal patchy infarcts. D-dimer concentration was higher than normal in all patients. In addition, 61.90% (13/21) of the patients had poor outcomes according to mRS.

CONCLUSION

TS is a rare clinical type. It is often associated with adenocarcinoma, and the treatment is different from that of conventional cerebral infarction and the prognosis is very poor. In clinical practice, for AIS of unknown cause, if MRI shows multiple small lesions accompanied by a significant increase in D-dimer, routine screening for latent malignant tumors is recommended.

Clinical and radiological differentiation between Trousseau syndrome and cardiogenic embolism: a retrospective case-control study

Background

Trousseau syndrome (TS) is a thromboembolic event in cancer patients caused by abnormalities in coagulation and fibrinolytic mechanisms. Acute multiple cerebral infarction (AMCI) is a rare form of TS. This study aimed to discuss the differentiation of clinical and radiographic characteristics between TS and cardiogenic embolism (CE) with AMCI as the main manifestation.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 69 patients with TS-AMCI and 105 patients with CE-AMCI who were treated at Shandong Provincial Hospital between August 2018 and October 2022. The clinical baseline data, laboratory indices, and imaging characteristics of the two groups were compared. A logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of TS-AMCI, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the predictive value of the risk factors.

Results

In relation to the clinical data, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups of patients in terms of the lipid and coagulation indices. D-dimer [odds ratio (OR) =4.459, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.871-10.625; P=0.001] and triglyceride (OR =6.001, 95% CI: 2.375-15.165; P<0.001) were independent risk factors for TS-AMCI. In relation to the radiographic characteristics, the infarctions in the TS-AMCI group were widely distributed in multiple arterial supply areas [23 (33.3%) vs. 10 (9.5%); P<0.001]. More importantly, bilateral anterior + posterior circulation was also an independent risk factor for TS-AMCI (OR =15.005, 95% CI: 1.757-128.17; P=0.013).

Conclusions

Unexplained AMCI in the cancer-prone age group, abnormalities in the lipid and D-dimer levels, and infarction foci involving multiple arterial blood supply areas suggested a high probability of TS.

Treatment of acute ischemic stroke in patients with active malignancy: insight from a comprehensive stroke center

Background

Despite the high incidence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in cancer patients, there is still no consensus about the safety of recanalization therapies in this cohort.

Objectives

In this observational study, our aim was to investigate the bleeding risk after acute recanalization therapy in AIS patients with active malignancy.

Methods and Study Design

We retrospectively analyzed observational data of 1016 AIS patients who received intravenous thrombolysis with rtPA (IVT) and/or endovascular therapy (EVT) between January 2017 and December 2020 with a focus on patients with active malignancy. The primary safety endpoint was the occurrence of stroke treatment-related major bleeding events, that is, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and/or relevant systemic bleeding. The primary efficacy endpoint was neurological improvement during hospital stay (NI).

Results

None of the 79 AIS patients with active malignancy suffered from stroke treatment-related systemic bleeding. The increased rate (7.6% versus 4.7%) of SICH after therapy compared to the control group was explained by confounding factors. A total of nine patients with cerebral tumor manifestation received acute stroke therapy, two of them suffered from stroke treatment-related intracranial hemorrhage remote from the tumor, both asymptomatic. The group of patients with active malignancy and the control group showed comparable rates of NI.

Conclusion

Recanalization therapy in AIS patients with active malignancy was not associated with a higher risk for stroke treatment-related systemic or intracranial bleeding. IVT and/or EVT can be regarded as a safe therapy option for AIS patients with active malignancy.

Safety of intravenous thrombolysis for ischemic stroke in patients with hematologic malignancies: A single institution experience

BACKGROUND

Data on safety of thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients with hematologic malignancy is not well established. We report our single institution experience with thrombolysis in this patient population.

METHODS

We identified patients with pathology-confirmed hematologic malignancy from 2000-2022. Primary exposure was presence of AIS and receipt of intravenous (IV) thrombolysis. Primary outcome was safety of IV thrombolysis in this patient population. Safety was measured through imaging review for hemorrhagic transformation, post-stroke mortality, and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days.

RESULTS

Among 45,894 patients with hematologic malignancy, 1,099 (2.4%) were identified as having a suspected AIS. Twenty (1.8%) received IV tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for AIS, three underwent endovascular intervention, and 17 had AIS confirmed on MRI. Two patients with confirmed AIS experienced hemorrhagic transformation, one of which was symptomatic. Most patients (n=10, 59%) were functionally independent (mRS 0-2) at 90 days post-stroke, including all patients with active hematologic malignancy at the time of stroke (n=3). Four patients died within 90 days of AIS. None of these deaths were patients with active hematologic malignancy at the time of stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

Without other contraindications, IV alteplase should be considered for management of AIS in patients with hematologic malignancy. The safety profile of tPA administration in this patient population may be similar to the general population, whether underlying hematologic malignancy is active or in remission.

Systemic thrombolysis in patients with acute stroke and active cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Cancer patients frequently have concomitant cerebrovascular diseases, which significantly worsen their prognosis. Prospective studies validating intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) safety profile in patients with acute ischemic stroke and active cancer are still lacking. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate IVT's efficacy and safety profile in acute ischemic stroke patients with comorbid active cancer. We included in a meta-analysis all relevant published studies, including patients with acute ischemic stroke with or without active cancer and receiving IVT, according to recommendations for IVT treatment for acute ischemic stroke. The primary outcomes were: any intracerebral hemorrhage, all-cause mortality, and good functional outcome reported as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤ 2 at the end of the scheduled follow-up period. We included 11 studies in the meta-analysis. IVT was not associated with a significant increase in the incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage (OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.85-2.14; I2 76%), nor with a significant increase in death for any cause (OR 1.26; 95% CI 0.91-1.75; I2 71%); furthermore, IVT did not influence mRS between cancer and non-active cancer stroke patients (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.35-1.49; I2 59%). IVT seems safe and effective in patients with ischemic stroke and concomitant cancer. Due to the low overall quality of the evidence, high-quality randomized controlled trials with adequate sample sizes are needed.

In-Hospital Outcomes and Recurrence of Acute Ischemic Stroke in Patients With Solid Organ Malignancy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of solid organ malignancies on the in-hospital outcomes and recurrent strokes among patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

METHODS

Adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of AIS were identified from the Nationwide Readmissions Database from 2016 to 2018. Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the use of acute stroke interventions and clinical outcomes in patients with and without malignancy. Survival analysis was used to evaluate the risk of readmission due to recurrent stroke after discharge.

RESULTS

There were 1,385,840 hospitalizations due to AIS (mean ± SD age 70.4 ± 14.0 years, female 50.2%). Of these, 50,553 (3.7%) had a concurrent diagnosis of solid organ malignancy. The 5 most common malignancies included lung cancer (24.6%), prostate cancer (13.2%), breast cancer (9.3%), pancreatic cancer (6.5%), and colorectal cancer (6.2%). After adjustment for baseline differences, patients with malignancy were more likely to have intraparenchymal hemorrhage (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.19), in-hospital mortality (OR 2.15, 95% CI 2.04-2.28), and discharge disposition other than to home (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.64-1.75). Patients with malignancy were less likely to receive IV thrombolysis (tissue plasminogen activator [tPA]) and were more likely to undergo mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Among the subgroups of patients treated with tPA or MT, the outcomes were comparable between patients with and without malignancy, except patients with lung cancer remained at a higher risk of mortality and adverse disposition despite these acute stroke interventions. Patients with malignancy were at a higher risk of readmission due to recurrent AIS within 1 year of discharge (hazards ratio 1.18, 95% CI 1.11-1.25), and this risk was driven specifically by the lung and pancreatic cancers.

DISCUSSION

While patients with malignancy generally have worse in-hospital outcomes compared to those without, there is considerable variation in these outcomes according to the different cancer types and the use of acute stroke interventions. The use of tPA and MT is generally safe for eligible patients with an underlying malignancy. Patients with lung and pancreatic cancers have a higher early risk of recurrent stroke and might need more intensive surveillance and careful institution of the optimal secondary prevention measures.

Stroke in patients with cancer in the era of hyper-acute stroke intervention

OBJECTIVE

The natural history of patients with stroke and cancer remains poorly understood in the modern era of hyper-acute stroke therapies (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and endovascular clot retrieval (ECR)). Prior to these advances in stroke treatment, a highly cited study reported median overall survival (mOS) 4.5 months after stroke in a cohort of patients with cancer (2004, n=96). Our aim is to evaluate outcome following stroke for patients with cancer in this modern era. Our hypothesis is that patients with stroke and cancer have better outcome than in earlier studies.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Retrospective analysis of admission to a tertiary Stroke Unit between January 2015 and September 2017 (N=1910), evaluation of hospital records and cancer treatment records.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Cancer was categorised as early stage (stage I and II) and advanced stage (stage III or IV, using the RD-Staging system). Survival analysis was performed in R.

RESULTS

There were 143 stroke patients with cancer (62% male) with mean age 73.2 +/- 12.5 years. Ischemic stroke occurred in 74.1% and 45 of 106 patients (42.5%) received intravenous thrombolysis (34/45) and / or endovascular clot retrieval (11/45). One patient who received ECR died within 30-days of stroke. Those with early-stage disease had mOS of 19.6 months (IQR 3.1, 31.5 months) and in advanced stage cancer mOS was 2.5 months (IQR 0.4, 6.3 months, p<0.01) CONCLUSION: In the modern era of stroke therapy, our cohort of patients with advanced cancer have lower survival post-stroke compared to those with early-stage cancer. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Use of Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke Management in Patients with Active Malignancies: A Topical Review

OBJECTIVES

Our review aims to present existing data on the safety of Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) use in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with concomitant central nervous system or systemic malignancies, with attention to special circumstances pertaining to specific cancer subtypes to help in acute decision making, especially for neurologists and emergency medicine physicians.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted on electronic databases inclusive of Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL for articles published or available in English between January 1, 2000 to June 1, 2020 using the following search terms: "acute ischemic stroke," "cerebrovascular disease," "Intravenous thrombolysis," "tissue plasminogen activator," "cancer patients," and "neoplasm".

CONCLUSION

Recognition of stroke symptoms in patients with active cancer, in particularly those involving the brain, requires astute clinical judgement. Decision-making can be improved by understanding baseline functional status, cancer prognosis and expected disability from stroke, as well as utilizing diagnostic modalities such acute MRI where needed. While this article does not encourage use of IVT in patients with all malignancies, it lays the groundwork for decision making should thrombolysis be a consideration in a patient with AIS in a cancer patient.

Clinical practice: intravenous thrombolysis in a patient with active cancer who experienced wake-up stroke

After reviewing the diagnosis and treatment process of a patient with active cancer who experienced wake-up stroke, we have summarized the clinical manifestations, laboratory examination results, imaging features, pathological results, and treatment in this report. Patients with active cancer who experience wake-up stroke often have mild neurological deficits at the time of onset. For the patient in this study, laboratory test results were mainly characterized by abnormal coagulation function and elevated tumor markers. The brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images were characterized by involvement of both the arterial and venous systems. Thrombolytic therapy during the window period can improve the symptoms of neurological deficits. Overall, anticoagulation therapy was safe and effective in our patient.

Admission Glucose Levels May Increase the Risk for Early Neurological Deterioration in Females With Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and purpose: Early neurological deterioration (END) is associated with poor outcome for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Patients with hyperglycemia have increased risk for stroke and tend to have poor outcome with and without diabetes after stroke. The present study aimed to determine if blood glucose was associated with END and if sex difference was present in the development of END in AIS patients.

Methods: A total of 220 consecutive patients (both males and females) with AIS between 2012 and 2015 were screened for this retrospective study. After exclusion, 213 patients were included for analysis. Propensity-score matching was used for normalization of variables including stroke severity, time from symptom onset to treatment, and treatment methods.

Results: END was present in 68 patients (31.9%). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the risk of END was significantly higher in males with AIS than in females (P < 0.001), and admission blood glucose level was independently associated with END (P < 0.001). However, subgroup analysis demonstrated that admission glucose levels were significantly associated with increased risk for END only in females, but not in males (P = 0.008). When the cutoff value of 107.1 mg/dL was used, the admission blood glucose level had a significant predictive value for END prediction with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 53% in female patients.

Conclusions: The data demonstrated that sex difference was present for the development of END in AIS patients with an increased risk for males. The present study also showed that admission glucose level could be an important predicting factor for END in female patients with AIS.

Efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke in cancer patients: a systemic review and meta-analysis

The efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in cancer patients remained uncertain due to low level evidence in the latest guideline for AIS. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of IVT in cancer patients with stronger evidence. We searched Medline, Embase, CENTRAL and ClinicalTrials.gov until April 2020 for studies reporting outcomes of functional independence, hemorrhagic transformation (HT), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH), major bleeding (MB), in-hospital mortality or 3-month mortality after IVT for AIS in cancer patients. For each outcome, the odds ratio between cancer and non-cancer patients, the risk difference between gastrointestinal and other malignancy, and the proportion in cancer patients were calculated. The meta-analysis showed no significant difference between cancer and non-cancer patients in favorable outcome, HT, SICH, MB, in-hospital mortality and 3-month mortality. Furthermore, there's no significant difference between patients with gastrointestinal and other malignancy in favorable outcome, HT, SICH, MB and 3-month mortality. In race-based subgroup analysis, Asians implied greater likelihood of HT and SICH than non-Asians. Therefore, the study confirmed and strengthened the validity of the guideline with stronger evidence that cancer shouldn't be an exclusion criterion of IVT. Inconsistent with the guideline, gastrointestinal malignancy may not remain an absolute contraindication of IVT while Asians implied increased HT and SICH, which needed further exploration.

D-dimer and diffusion-weighted imaging pattern as two diagnostic indicators for cancer-related stroke: A case-control study based on the STROBE guidelines

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors and elucidate the clinical characteristics of cancer-associated ischemic stroke to differentiate it from conventional ischemic stroke in China and East Asia. Between June 2012 and June 2016, a retrospective analysis was performed on 609 stroke patients with cancer. They were divided into 3 groups: cancer-stroke group (CSG, 203 cases), stroke group (SG, 203 cases), and cancer group (CG, 203 cases). The D-dimer levels and diffusion-weighted imaging lesion (DWI) pattern were compared to an age- and sex-matched control group. The most common cancer types were colorectal cancer (20.2%) and lung cancer (18.72%). The average D-dimer level in stroke patients and cancer patients were 0.34 and 1.50 mg/L, respectively. The descending levels of D-dimer from cancer types were lung cancer (2.06 mg/L), pancreas (1.74 mg/L), gastric (1.61 mg/L), among others. Univariate analysis of the CSG and the others shows there were significant differences in the prevalence of the levels of D-dimer and DWI pattern, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and thrombus. CSG has a unique pathological characteristic including high plasma D-dimer levels and multiple vascular lesions. The results show that D-dimer and DWI can be used as diagnostic index in clinical practice.

Contemporary utilization patterns and outcomes of thrombolytic administration for ischemic stroke among patients with cancer

BACKGROUND

Thrombolytic therapy significantly improves outcomes among patients with acute ischemic stroke. While cancer outcomes have dramatically improved, the utilization, safety, and mortality outcomes of patients with cancer who receive thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke are unknown.

METHODS

Using a national database, we identified all hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke requiring thrombolytic therapy between 2003 and 2015. Patients with contraindications to thrombolytic therapy were excluded. Following propensity score matching for comorbidity burden, trends in thrombolytic therapy use and its effect on in-hospital mortality, intracranial or all-cause bleeding, and the combined endpoint of mortality and all-cause bleeding, by presence/absence of cancer were evaluated. We also evaluated 30- and 90-day readmission rates post-thrombolytic therapy administration.

RESULTS

We identified 237,687 acute ischemic stroke hospitalizations requiring thrombolytic therapy, of which 26,328 (11%) had an underlying cancer. Over the study period, thrombolytic therapy use increased across all acute ischemic stroke admissions, irrespective of cancer presence (12.4/1000 in 2003 to 81.1/1000 in 2015, P < 0.0001). However, thrombolytic therapy utilization differed by cancer presence (4.8% cancer vs.·5.1% non-cancer, P = 0.001). There was no difference in intracranial bleeding (9.6% vs. 9.7%), all-cause bleeding (13.2% vs. 13.2%), or in-hospital mortality (7.6% vs. 7.2%). While there was no difference in 30-day readmission rates by cancer presence (24% vs. 29%, P = 0.40), at 90-days, cancer patients saw higher readmission rates (17.2% vs. 13.3%, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Contemporary thrombolytic therapy use for acute ischemic stroke has risen, irrespective of presence of cancer. Yet, patients with comorbid cancer appear to see lower rates of thrombolytic therapy use for acute ischemic stroke, despite no difference in the rate of intracranial bleeding or mortality after adjustment for comorbidities.

Stroke-Like Presentation of Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration: a Single-Center Experience and Review of the Literature

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is usually thought to have a subacute progression over several weeks. We report herein incidence and clinical features of hyperacute onset PCD, a vertebrobasilar stroke mimic. We performed a retrospective analysis of all suspected PCD cases referred to the Udine University Hospital between 2009 and 2017. Our center provides the only neuroimmunology laboratory for three provinces of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Italy (983,190 people as of January 1, 2017). Inclusion criteria were (1) abrupt onset of neurological symptoms; (2) initial consideration of a vascular etiology; (3) final diagnosis of "definite PCD." We also carried out a systematic review of the literature in order to identify previous stroke-like PCD cases. Between 2009 and 2017, 24 patients received a final diagnosis of PCD. The age-standardized incidence rate of PCD was 0.22/100,000 person-years. Two cases (8.3%) had a stroke-like onset, with an incidence of 0.02/100,000 person-years. Additionally, 10 previously reported stroke-like PCD cases were identified. Among all cases (n = 12), 67% were female; median age was 51 years (range, 22-69). An associated cancer was discovered in all cases. Brain imaging was normal in most (75%) of the patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed inflammatory alterations in 73% of the cases. Cancer treatment was more effective than immunotherapy in improving the neurological syndrome. Typical patients with hyperacute PCD are middle-aged women with normal brain imaging, inflammatory markers in CSF, and cancer. Surgery of the underlying cancer is probably the best treatment. PCD must be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute-onset ataxia and/or vertigo.

Thrombolytic therapy in older acute ischemic stroke patients with gastrointestinal malignancy or recent bleeding

Background

There are limited data on the safety of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) for treating acute ischemic stroke in patients with gastrointestinal malignancy or recent gastrointestinal bleeding within 21 days of their index stroke.

Aims

To evaluate clinical outcomes in patients treated with rtPA for acute ischemic stroke who had gastrointestinal malignancy or recent gastrointestinal bleeding.

Methods

We identified patients who were treated with rtPA for acute ischemic stroke between 2/2009 and 12/2015 from the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke linked to Medicare claims data. Gastrointestinal malignancy and recent gastrointestinal bleeding were defined as any gastrointestinal malignancy hospitalisation within one year prior to acute ischemic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding hospitalisation within 21 days prior to acute ischemic stroke, respectively. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality and bleeding complications.

Results

Among 40,396 patients aged 65 years or older treated with rtPA for acute ischemic stroke from 1522 sites (mean age [SD] 81.0 [8.1] years; 41.9% women), 136 (0.3%) had gastrointestinal malignancy (n = 96) or recent gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 43). Patients with gastrointestinal malignancy or bleeding had more severe stroke than those without (median NIHSS [interquartile range]: 14.0 [8.0-19.0] vs. 11.0 [6.0-18.0]). The rates of in-hospital mortality and life-threatening systemic haemorrhage were not significantly different between those with and without gastrointestinal malignancy or bleeding (mortality: 10.3% vs. 9.0%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.01, 95%CI 0.58-1.75; bleeding: 2.3% vs. 1.2%, aOR 1.72, 95%CI 0.58-5.11).

Conclusions

In this observational cohort, we did not find increased risk of in-hospital mortality and bleeding in rtPA-treated patients with gastrointestinal malignancy or recent gastrointestinal bleeding.

Cancer and Cerebrovascular Disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the latest information about the interactions between cancer and cerebrovascular disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

Additional data support the finding that both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are important complications of cancer or its treatment. Reperfusion therapy is being given successfully to patients with stroke complicating cancer. Hemorrhagic stroke may occur with metastatic disease to the brain, coagulopathies from cancer, in particular leukemia, or as complications of chemotherapy. Ischemic stroke also may be a complication of metastatic disease with local invasion of vessels, a pro-thrombotic disorder such as non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), or secondary to chemotherapy. Stroke also is a potential consequence of radiation therapy to the head and neck. Venous sinus thrombosis may develop with hematologic malignancies or chemotherapy. Although many patients will have a history of cancer at the time of stroke, a cerebrovascular event may be the initial manifestation of a malignancy.

Stroke in malignancy: complexities of diagnosis and management: a case report

BACKGROUND

Although there is an established association between cancer and stroke, the role of malignancy as a causative agent or comorbidity is not always clear. Moreover, there are no established guidelines on the acute treatment of cancer-associated stroke or optimal anticoagulation. This case report illustrates the significance of these practice gaps.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 62-year-old Caucasian woman presented to our institute with acute neurological deficits and was found to have an occluded left middle cerebral artery on a computed tomographic angiogram. She was administered intravenous alteplase and underwent unsuccessful endovascular clot retrieval. Besides smoking and her age, she had no cerebrovascular risk factors, and the results of baseline investigations for the cause of stroke were negative. Subsequent computed tomography of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis showed metastatic malignancy, and in the context of a significantly elevated serum cancer antigen 19-9, we suspected a pancreatic primary cancer. A transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated mitral regurgitation but no visible vegetation. The patient died of her illness. We made a diagnosis of cancer-associated stroke, specifically a likely case of nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.

CONCLUSIONS

This case highlights the importance of having a high threshold of suspicion for malignancy as a cause of stroke.

Contemporary impacts of a cancer diagnosis on survival following in-hospital cardiac arrest

AIM

The objective of this study was to determine whether survival and post-arrest procedural utilization following in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) differ in patients with and without comorbid cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all adult (age ≥18 years old) hospital admissions complicated by IHCA from 2003 to 2014 using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset. Utilizing propensity score matching using age, gender, race, insurance, all hospital level variables, HCUP mortality score, diabetes, hypertension and cardiopulmonary resuscitation use, rates of survival to hospital discharge and post-arrest procedural utilization were compared.

RESULTS

From 2003 to 2014, there were a total of 1,893,768 hospitalizations complicated by IHCA, of which 112,926 occurred in patients with history of cancer. In a propensity matched cohort from 2012 to 2014, those with cancer were less likely to survive the hospitalization (31% vs. 46%, p < 0.0001). Following an IHCA, rates of procedural utilization in patients with cancer were significantly less when compared to those without a concurrent malignancy: coronary angiography (4.0% vs. 13.0%), percutaneous coronary intervention (2.2% and 8.0%), targeted temperature management (0.8% vs. 6.0%); p < 0.0001 for all comparisons. This patient population was less likely to have acute coronary syndrome (12.6% vs. 27.0%) or congestive heart failure (24.5% vs. 38.2%); p < 0.0001 for both comparisons. Survival improved in both groups over the study period (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a history of cancer who sustain IHCA are less likely to receive post-arrest procedures and survive to hospital discharge. Given the expected rise in the rates of cancer survivorship, these findings highlight the need for broader application of potentially life-saving interventions to lower risk cancer patients who have sustained a cardiac arrest.

Safety and Efficacy of Reperfusion Therapies for Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Active Malignancy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Epidemiological correlations between active malignancy (AM) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are well-established. However, the effect of reperfusion strategies, particularly mechanical thrombectomy (MT), has been barely investigated in patients with AIS and AM. We aim to evaluate safety and efficacy of reperfusion strategies in such patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a case-control analysis comparing patients with AM and AIS (AM group) to a group of cancer-free patients with AIS (control group). All enrolled patients underwent reperfusion therapies (i.e. intravenous thrombolysis, MT, intravenous thrombolysis plus MT). Main outcomes were 3-month functional independence, successful reperfusion, 3-month mortality, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

RESULTS

Total 24 patients with AM and AIS (mean age: 69 ± 10.1) were individually matched to 24 control patients (mean age: 70.7 ± 9.3). In both groups 50% were treated with MT, 46% with intravenous thrombolysis and 4% with intravenous thrombolysis plus MT. No difference were found in successful reperfusion, 3-month functional independence, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and mortality. However an overall mortality of 33% in the AM group was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Reperfusion strategies for AIS patients with AM seem to be safe and effective. However an individualized approach to understand cancer stage and life-expectation is warranted.

The rate of early neurological deterioration occurring after thrombolytic therapy: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

The rate of early neurological deterioration (END) occurring after thrombolytic therapy is controversial. To explore a more precise estimation of the rate, a meta-analysis was conducted in the present study.

METHODS

The relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Collaboration Database up to June 2018. The definition of END was prespecified according to the most commonly used definition: ≥4-point increase in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale between admission and 24 hr. The meta-analysis was performed by using the STATA 12.

RESULTS

Eleven studies with a total of 3,539 subjects, including 373 patients with END and 3,166 patients without END, were collected. The pooled analysis showed that the rate of END occurring after thrombolytic therapy was about 11.0% (95% CI: 7.8%-14.3%). Subgroup analysis by continent showed that the rate of END occurring after thrombolytic therapy of patients in Asia (15.9%, 95% CI: 7.4%-24.5%) was higher than in Europe (7.6%, 95% CI: 4.9%-10.3%) and in North America (11.8%, 95% CI: 8.5%-15.0%). Subgroup analysis by onset to treatment time (OTT) displayed that the rate of END occurring after thrombolytic therapy was 5.4% (95% CI: 1.2%-9.5%), 15.6% (95% CI: 9.6%-21.5%), and 18.5% (95% CI: 11.2%-25.8%) for the patients whose OTT ≤120.0 min, from 120.1 to 179.9 min, from 180.0 to 270.0 min, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The rate of END occurring after thrombolytic therapy is about 11.0%. This finding may provide a scientific reference for researchers to evaluate the efficacy and safety of thrombolytic therapy.

D-dimer >2.785 μg/ml and multiple infarcts ≥3 vascular territories are two characteristics of identifying cancer-associated ischemic stroke patients

BACKGROUND

The patterns and mechanisms underlying stroke in cancer patients differ from those of the conventional etiology. In this study, we further investigated the characteristics distinguishing cancer-associated ischemic stroke (CAIS) and the relationship of D-dimer value with CAIS.

METHODS

Sixty-one acute ischemic stroke patients with cancer (cancer group) and 76 stroke patients without cancer (control group) were recruited. Cerebrovascular distribution was divided into 3 circulations and 23 vascular territories, and acute multiple brain infarcts (AMBIs) were defined as discrete MRI diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesions in >1 vascular territory.

RESULTS

Cancer patients had higher average D-dimer and fibrinogen degradation product values, and fewer stroke risk factors. The numbers of infarct-affected vascular territories, AMBIs, and AMBIs in multiple circulations were significantly higher in the cancer group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the cutoff value of D-dimer was 2.785 μg/ml; and above features were particularly evident in cancer patients whose D-dimer values were >2.785 μg/ml, while those with D-dimer values ≤2.785 μg/ml were similar to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

D-dimer >2.785 μg/ml may be an effective cutoff value and a sensitive index for identifying CAIS patients. AMBIs in ≥3 vascular territories and AMBIs in both the anterior and posterior circulations are two imaging characteristics of CAIS.

Intravenous Thrombolysis in Ischemic Stroke Patients With Active Cancer

Introduction: It has been difficult to state specific guidelines for IV-tPA use in cancer patients. Many of the randomized tPA-trials included too few patients with cancer or excluded patients with cancer entirely. In this report, we aimed to study the use of IV-tPA in patients with active cancer and acute ischemic stroke. We also investigated if the cancer patients who received IV-tPA experienced adverse events.

Methods: All patients with ischemic stroke admitted to the Stroke Unit at Haukeland University Hospital were prospectively registered in the NORSTROKE database and every patient's medical record was searched for cancer diagnoses.

Results: Of 1,646 patients admitted with ischemic stroke, 82 (5.0%) patients had active cancer. The total number of patients treated with IV-tPA was 16.2%. Five patients with stroke and active cancer were treated with IV-tPA (6.1%) and none suffered adverse events. Of the patients with no history of cancer, 261 (16.7%) were treated with IV-tPA and 3.8% experienced tPA-related adverse events.

Conclusions: Few patients with active cancer receive thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. We report five cancer patients (three known and two occult) treated with IV-tPA for ischemic stroke without tPA-related adverse events.