Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm Detected after Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Stroke

The risk of intravenous thrombolysis-induced intracranial hemorrhage in Taiwanese patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysm

Background

The presence of an intracranial aneurysm is contraindicated to recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) treatment for acute ischemic stroke. However, it is difficult to exclude asymptomatic intracranial aneurysms by using conventional, noncontrast head computed tomography (CT), which is the only neuroimaging suggested before r-tPA. Recent case reports and series have shown that administering r-tPA to patients with a pre-existing aneurysm does not increase the bleeding risk. However, Asians are known to have a relatively higher bleeding risk, and little evidence is available regarding the risk of using r-tPA on Asian patients with intracranial aneurysms.

Methods

Medical records from the Shuang Ho hospital stroke registration between July 2010 and December 2014 were retrospectively reviewed, and 144 patients received r-tPA. Unruptured intracranial aneurysms were detected using CT, or magnetic resonance or conventional angiography after r-tPA. The primary and secondary outcomes were the difference in overall intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and symptomatic ICH after r-tPA. The differences were analyzed using Fisher’s exact or Mann–Whitney U tests, and p < 0.05 was defined as the statistical significance.

Results

A total of 144 patients were reviewed, and incidental unruptured intracranial aneurysms were found in 11 of them (7.6%). No significant difference was observed in baseline demographic data between the aneurysm and nonaneurysm groups. Among patients with an unruptured aneurysm, two had giant aneurysms (7.7 and 7.4 mm, respectively). The bleeding risk was not significant different between aneurysm group (2 out of 11, 18%) with nonaneurysm group (7 out of 133, 5.3%) (p = 0.14). None of the patients with an unruptured aneurysm had symptomatic ICH, whereas one patient without an aneurysm exhibited symptomatic ICH.

Conclusions

The presence of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm did not significantly increase the risk of overall and symptomatic ICH in Taiwanese patients after they received r-tPA.

Scientific Rationale for the Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Intravenous Alteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Purpose—

To critically review and evaluate the science behind individual eligibility criteria (indication/inclusion and contraindications/exclusion criteria) for intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (alteplase) treatment in acute ischemic stroke. This will allow us to better inform stroke providers of quantitative and qualitative risks associated with alteplase administration under selected commonly and uncommonly encountered clinical circumstances and to identify future research priorities concerning these eligibility criteria, which could potentially expand the safe and judicious use of alteplase and improve outcomes after stroke.

Methods—

Writing group members were nominated by the committee chair on the basis of their previous work in relevant topic areas and were approved by the American Heart Association Stroke Council’s Scientific Statement Oversight Committee and the American Heart Association’s Manuscript Oversight Committee. The writers used systematic literature reviews, references to published clinical and epidemiology studies, morbidity and mortality reports, clinical and public health guidelines, authoritative statements, personal files, and expert opinion to summarize existing evidence and to indicate gaps in current knowledge and, when appropriate, formulated recommendations using standard American Heart Association criteria. All members of the writing group had the opportunity to comment on and approved the final version of this document. The document underwent extensive American Heart Association internal peer review, Stroke Council Leadership review, and Scientific Statements Oversight Committee review before consideration and approval by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee.

Results—

After a review of the current literature, it was clearly evident that the levels of evidence supporting individual exclusion criteria for intravenous alteplase vary widely. Several exclusionary criteria have already undergone extensive scientific study such as the clear benefit of alteplase treatment in elderly stroke patients, those with severe stroke, those with diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia, and those with minor early ischemic changes evident on computed tomography. Some exclusions such as recent intracranial surgery are likely based on common sense and sound judgment and are unlikely to ever be subjected to a randomized, clinical trial to evaluate safety. Most other contraindications or warnings range somewhere in between. However, the differential impact of each exclusion criterion varies not only with the evidence base behind it but also with the frequency of the exclusion within the stroke population, the probability of coexistence of multiple exclusion factors in a single patient, and the variation in practice among treating clinicians.

Systemic thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the safety of IV thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients harboring unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) in a multicenter study and a comprehensive meta-analysis of available case series.

METHODS

We analyzed prospectively collected data from consecutive AIS patients treated with IVT during a 4-year period at 4 tertiary-care stroke centers. All patients routinely underwent CT or magnetic resonance angiography during hospitalization. The presence of UIA was documented on the basis of neuroradiology reports. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) was defined as imaging evidence of ICH combined with an increase in NIH Stroke Scale score of ≥4 points. A systematic meta-analysis of case series reporting safety of IVT in AIS with concomitant UIA was conducted according to PRISMA recommendations.

RESULTS

Among 1,398 AIS patients treated with IVT, we identified 42 cases (3.0%) harboring a total of 48 UIAs. The rates of symptomatic and asymptomatic ICH were 2.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] by adjusted Wald method: 0%-12.6%) and 7.1% (95% CI: 1.8%-19.7%), respectively. A total of 5 case series met our inclusion criteria for meta-analysis, and the pooled rate of sICH among 120 IVT-treated AIS patients harboring UIA was 6.7% (95% CI: 3.1%-13.7%). In the overall analysis of 5 case-series studies, the risk ratio of sICH did not differ between AIS patients with and without UIA (risk ratio = 1.60; 95% CI: 0.54-4.77; p = 0.40) with no evidence of heterogeneity across included studies (I(2) = 22% and p = 0.27 for Cochran Q test).

CONCLUSIONS

Our prospectively collected multicenter data, coupled with the findings of the meta-analysis, indicate the potential safety of IVT in AIS patients with UIA.

Is acute reperfusion therapy safe in acute ischemic stroke patients who harbor unruptured intracranial aneurysm?

Background

Intracranial aneurysms are currently considered as contraindication for intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke, very likely due to a possible increase in the risk of bleeding from aneurysm rupture; however, there is limited data available on whether intravenous thrombolysis is safe for acute ischemic stroke patients with pre-existing intracranial aneurysms.

Aims and/or hypothesis

To find out the safety of intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke patients who harbor unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and cerebrovascular images of all the patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke in our center from the beginning of 2006 till the end of April 2014. Those with unruptured intracranial aneurysm present on cerebrovascular images prior to acute reperfusion therapy were identified. Post-thrombolysis brain imaging was reviewed to evaluate for any intraparenchymal or subarachnoid hemorrhage related or unrelated to the aneurysm.

Results

A total of 637 patients received intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke in our center during an 8.3-year period. Thirty-three (5.2%) were found to have at least one intracranial aneurysms. Twenty-three (70%) of those received only intravenous thrombolysis, and 10 patients received combination of intravenous and intra-arterial throm-bolysis. The size of the largest aneurysm was 10 mm in maximum diameter (range: 2-10 mm). The mean size of aneurysms was 4.8 mm. No symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred among the 23 patients receiving only intravenous thrombolysis. Out of those who received a combination of intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis, one developed symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in the location of acute infarct, distant to the aneurysm location.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that neither intravenous thrombolysis nor combination of intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis increases the risk of aneurysmal hemorrhage in acute ischemic stroke patients who harbor unruptured intracranial aneurysms less than 10 mm in diameter. Their listing in exclusion criteria for intravenous throm-bolysis should be reconsidered to assure appropriate use of acute reperfusion therapy in this group of patients.

Successful Thrombolysis despite Having an Incidental Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm

Purpose. To report a case of successful thrombolysis performed in a patient with an incidental unruptured intracranial aneurysm and review the literature. Case Report. Patient admitted for ischemic stroke due to left posterior cerebral artery occlusion, with an incidental right middle cerebral artery aneurysm, who underwent treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) resulting in clinical improvement without complications. Conclusion. The presence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms is considered as a contraindication to thrombolysis, due to a potentially higher hemorrhagic risk of aneurysm rupture. Patients, otherwise, eligible for thrombolysis are usually excluded from receiving this emergent treatment, despite its potential benefits. A reevaluation of the strict exclusion criteria for thrombolysis in acute stroke patients should be considered.