Safety and efficacy of intravascular therapy in patients with progressive stroke caused by intracranial large vascular occlusion exceeding the time window of 24 hours

PURPOSE

To compare endovascular and drug therapies for efficacy and safety in patients with a progressive stroke caused by intracranial large vascular occlusion exceeding the time window of 24 hours.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 58 patients with progressive stroke caused by large intracranial vascular occlusion exceeding the time window of 24 hours treated in the stroke center of our hospital for three years were retrospectively analyzed . According to the applied therapy, 58 patients were divided into the endovascular (n = 19) and drug (n = 39) therapy groups. Then, modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rates, mortality rates and adverse events were assessed in both groups within 90 days.

RESULTS

The 90-day good prognosis rate was significantly higher in the endovascular therapy group compared with the drug group (68.4% VS 38.5%, odds ratio [OR] = 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.92; P = 0.032). The 90-day NIHSS scores were lower in the endovascular therapy group compared with the drug group (3.3 ± 2.6 VS 5.2 ± 3.0, OR = -1.89; 95%CI, -3.50 to -0.27; P = 0.023). Meanwhile, the proportion of patients with a Barthel index of 90-100 was significantly higher in the endovascular therapy group compared with the drug group (53.0% VS 25.6%, OR = 0.31; 95%CI, 0.10-0.98; P = 0.042). Finally, both groups showed similar rates of adverse events.

CONCLUSION

In patients with progressive stroke caused by large intracranial vascular occlusion exceeding 24 hours, endovascular therapy probably results in improved efficacy at 90 days compared with drug therapy, without increasing the rates of adverse effects.

Reperfusion therapy in acute ischemic stroke: dawn of a new era?

Following the success of recent endovascular trials, endovascular therapy has emerged as an exciting addition to the arsenal of clinical management of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). In this paper, we present an extensive overview of intravenous and endovascular reperfusion strategies, recent advances in AIS neurointervention, limitations of various treatment paradigms, and provide insights on imaging-guided reperfusion therapies. A roadmap for imaging guided reperfusion treatment workflow in AIS is also proposed. Both systemic thrombolysis and endovascular treatment have been incorporated into the standard of care in stroke therapy. Further research on advanced imaging-based approaches to select appropriate patients, may widen the time-window for patient selection and would contribute immensely to early thrombolytic strategies, better recanalization rates, and improved clinical outcomes.

Neuroprotection by peripheral nerve electrical stimulation and remote postconditioning against acute experimental ischaemic stroke

OBJECTIVE

Local electrical stimulation (ES) was reported to protect the brain during ischaemic injury, while the protective effect of limb remote ischaemic postconditioning (RIPostC) was confirmed. The aim of this study was to explore whether remote peripheral nerve ES exerted neuroprotection and whether this procedure shared the same neuroprotective mechanism underlying RIPostC.

METHODS

Stroke in Sprague-Dawley rats was induced by distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO). Rats were divided into five groups: dMCAO, RIPostC, ES, nerve resection (NR) + ES and RIPostC+ES. Twenty-four hours after reperfusion, rats were examined for neurobehavioural function, including forelimb fault placing test, Ludmila Belayev 12 score test, and infarct volume. The expression of Bcl-2 and cleaved-caspase-3 in ischaemic cortex was assessed by Western blot.

RESULTS

In forelimb fault placing test, as compared to the highest score in the stroke-only group, RIPostC, ES and RIPostC+ES groups showed a significantly (P < 0.01) lower score. The results were similar for the Ludmila Belayev 12 score test. The infarct volume of the treatment groups also exhibited significant (P < 0.01) reduction as compared to the stroke-only group. The volume of infarct tissue in the combination of RIPostC+ES was significantly less than RIPostC and ES alone (P < 0.05). Furthermore, NR blocked the ES's protection (P < 0.05) as compared to the ES group by using above-mentioned methods. Bcl-2 was upregulated, while cleaved-caspase-3 was downregulated in the experimental groups as compared to the control group. No difference was found among the experimental groups.

DISCUSSION

Peripheral nerve ES appears to have a neuroprotective effect in a rat dMCAO model. This effect may indicate a neural protective mechanism underlying beneficial effect of RIPostC.

Thrombolysis and reperfusion: advanced understanding of early management strategies in acute ischemic stroke

Currently, intravenous (IV) thrombolysis within 3 hours from stroke onset is the only approved treatment in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Although effective, the definition of therapeutic time window and appropriate patient selection still remains controversial. Notably, early endovascular treatment strategies may serve as an adjunct therapy for time window extension in AIS. In this article, we review the safety and efficacy of IV thrombolysis in AIS as it pertains to the optimal time window, the selection of eligible patients, and in combination with endovascular treatment. Combined clinical application of IV thrombolysis and endovascular therapy may improve the therapeutic outcomes for AIS patients.