Cholesterol reducer and thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients

Risk Factors Associated With Exclusion of Obese Patients Ischemic Stroke With a History of Smoking From Thrombolysis Therapy

The objective of this study is to determine risk factors that may contribute to exclusion decision from recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with a combined current or history of smoking and obesity. This study was conducted on data from 5469 patients with AIS collected from a regional stroke registry. Risk factors associated with inclusion or exclusion from rtPA were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for each risk factor were used to predict the increasing odds of an association of a specific risk factor with exclusion from rtPA. In the adjusted analysis, obese patients with AIS with a history of smoking (current and previous) excluded from rtPA were more likely to present with carotid artery stenosis (OR = 0.069, 95% CI 0.011-0.442), diabetes (OR = 0.604, 95% CI 0.366-0.997), higher total cholesterol (OR = 0.975, 95% CI 0.956-0.995), and history of alcohol use (OR = 0.438, 95% CI 0.232-0.828). Higher NIHSS score (OR = 1.051, 95% CI 1.017-1.086), higher triglycerides (OR = 1.004, 95% CI 1.001-1.006), and higher high-density lipoprotein (OR = 1.028, 95% CI 1.000-1.057) were associated with the inclusion for rtPA. Our findings reveal specific risk factors that contribute to the exclusion of patients with AIS with a combined effect of smoking and obesity from rtPA. These findings suggest the need to develop management strategies to improve the use of rtPA for obese patients with AIS with a history of smoking.

Age Stratification and Stroke Severity in the Telestroke Network

BACKGROUND

Age is one of the most important risk factors for stroke, and an estimated 75% of strokes occur in people 65 years old and above. Adults > 75 years of age experience more hospitalizations and higher mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate how age and various clinical risk factors affect acute ischemic stroke (AIS) severity in two age categories.

METHODS

This retrospective data analysis study was conducted using data collected from the PRISMA Health Stroke Registry between June 2010 and July 2016. Baseline clinical and demographic data were analyzed for 65-74-year-old patients and those ≥ 75 years of age. This study aimed to investigate risk factors associated with stroke severity in these two age categories of AIS patients treated in telestroke settings.

RESULTS

An adjusted multivariate analysis showed that the acute ischemic stroke (AIS) population of 65-74-year-old patients experiencing heart failure (odds ratio (OR) = 4.398, 95% CI = 3.912-494.613, p = 0.002) and elevated high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (OR = 1.066, 95% CI = 1.009-1.126, p = 0.024) trended towards worsening neurological function, while patients experiencing obesity (OR = 0.177, 95% CI = 0.041-0.760, p = 0.020) exhibited improved neurological functions. For the patients ≥ 75 years of age, direct admission (OR = 0.270, 95% CI = 0.085-0.856, p = 0.026) was associated with improved functions.

CONCLUSIONS

Heart failure and elevated HDL levels were significantly associated with worsening neurologic functions in patients aged 65-74. Obese patients and individuals ≥ 75 years of age who were directly admitted were most likely to exhibit improving neurological functions.

Age Stratification in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Heart Failure

Background and Purpose. Heart failure (HF) is considered one of the major risk factors associated with the severity of acute ischemic stroke(AIS). The risk factors associated with stroke severity in AIS with a history of HF is not fully understood. Methods. A prospectively maintained database from comprehensive stroke centers in PRISMA Health Upstate Sc, was analyzed for patients with AIS and a history of HF from January 2010 to 30 June 2016. The primary outcome was risk factors associated with a National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) < 7 indicating lower severity and a score ≥ 7 indicating high severity for 65−74 age category and ≥75 years age category for AIS-HF patients. Univariate analysis was used to determine risk factors based on age categories and stroke severities, while multivariable analysis was used to adjust for the effect of confounding variables. Results: A total 367 AIS-HF patients were identified in this study, 113 patients were between 65−74 years old, while 254 patients were in the ≥75 years old age category. In the adjusted analysis for 65−74 age category, history of smoking (OR = 0.105, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.018−0.614, p = 0.012), triglycerides (Odd ratio(OR) = 0.993, 95% (CI): 0.987−0.999, p = 0.019), and International Normalized Ratio (INR) (OR = 0.454, 95% CI: 0.196−1.050, p = 0.045), and direct admission treatment (OR = 0.355, 95% CI: 0.137−0.920, p = 0.033) were associated with a lower stroke severity, elevated heart rate (OR = 1.032, 95% CI: 1.009−1.057, p = 0.007) was associated with a higher stroke severity. For the ≥75 years old age category, previous stroke (OR = 2.297, 95% CI: 1.171−9.852, p = 0.024), peripheral vascular disease (OR = 6.784, 95% CI: 1.242−37.065, p = 0.027), heart rate (OR = 1.035, 95% CI: 1.008−1.063, p = 0.012), and systolic blood pressure (OR = 1.023, 95% CI: 1.005−1.041, p = 0.012) were associated with a higher severe stroke severity. Conclusions: After adjusting for the effect of potential confounders, more risk factors were associated with a high severity of stroke among ≥75 years old compared with 65−74 years old AIS-HF patients. Elevated heart rate was an independent risk factor associated with stroke severity in 65−74 and ≥75 years old AIS-HF patients. Elevated heart rate and other identified risk factors should be managed to reduce stroke severity among elderly AIS-HF patients.

Stroke Severity in Ischemic Stroke Patients with a History of Diastolic Blood Pressure Treated in a Telestroke Network

Background: The relationship between diastolic blood pressure (DBP), risk factors, and stroke severity in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients treated in a telestroke network is not fully understood. The present study aims to determine the effect of risk factors on stroke severity in AIS patients with a history of elevated DBP. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data on stroke severity for AIS patients treated between January 2014 and June 2016 treated in the PRISMA Health telestroke network. Data on the severity of stroke on admission were evaluated using NIHSS scores ≤7 for reduced, and >7 for increased, stroke severity. DBP was stratified as ≤80 mmHg for reduced DBP and >80 mmHg for elevated DBP. The study’s primary outcomes were risk factors associated with improving neurologic functions or reduced stroke severity and deteriorating neurologic functions or increased stroke severity. The associations between risk factors and stroke severity for AIS with elevated DBP were determined using multi-level logistic and regression models. Results: In the adjusted analysis, AIS patients with a DBP ≤ 80 mmHg, obesity (OR = 0.388, 95% Cl, 0.182−0.828, p = 0.014) was associated with reduced stroke severity, while an increased heart rate (OR = 1.025, 95% Cl, 1.001−1.050, p = 0.042) was associated with higher stroke severity. For AIS patients with a DBP > 80 mmHg, hypertension (OR = 3.453, 95% Cl, 1.137−10.491, p = 0.029), history of smoking (OR = 2.55, 95% Cl, 1.06−6.132, p = 0.037), and heart rate (OR = 1.036, 95% Cl, 1.009−1.064, p = 0.009) were associated with higher stroke severity. Caucasians (OR = 0.294, 95% Cl, 0.090−0.964, p = 0.002) and obesity (OR = 0.455, 95% Cl, 0.207−1.002, p = 0.05) were more likely to be associated with reduced stroke severity. Conclusions: Our findings reveal specific risk factors that can be managed to improve the care of AIS patients with elevated DBP treated in the telestroke network.

Analysis of severity in ischemic stroke patients with coronary artery disease in the telestroke network

Aim: This study investigated demographic and clinical risk factors associated with severity in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials & methods: Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine specific factors associated with worsening or improving neurologic functions among AIS patients with CAD treated in the telestroke. Results: AIS patients with CAD, peripheral vascular disease (OR: 3.995; 95% CI: 1.035-15.413; p = 0.044) and hypertension (OR: 6.056; 95% CI: 1.207-30.374; p = 0.029) were associated with worsening neurologic functions. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the need to develop strategic management to improve the care of AIS patients with a history of CAD that present with hypertension and peripheral vascular disease in the telestroke network.

Stroke severity among men and women acute ischemic stroke patients in the telestroke network

Introduction

This study investigates gender differences among stroke patients treated in the telestroke network using specific risk factors that contribute to stroke severity.

Methods

We examined gender differences in stroke severity among 454 patients hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The logistic regression model was used to predict clinical risk factors associated with stroke severity in men and women AIS patients.

Results

In the adjusted analysis among women patients, increasing age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.017–1.085, p = 0.003) and higher heart rate (OR = 1.031, 95% CI: 1.005–1.058, p = 0.021) were associated with worsening neurological functions, while direct admission (OR = 0.191, 95% CI: 0.079–0.465, p < 0.001) was associated with improving neurologic functions. Among men, hypertension (OR = 3.077, 95% CI: 1.060–8.931, p = 0.039) and higher international normalized ratio (INR) (OR = 21.959, 95% CI: 1.489–323.912, p = 0.024) were associated with worsening neurologic functions, while Caucasian (OR = 0.181, 95% CI: 0.062–0.526, p = 0.002) and obesity (OR = 0.449, 95% CI: 0.203–0.99, p = 0.047) were associated with neurologic improvement.

Conclusion

Increasing age and heart rate in women, hypertension and greater INR in men contribute to worsening neurologic functions. There is a need to develop strategies to improve the care of both men and women in the telestroke network.

Acute Ischemic Stroke and Heart Failure: Stroke Risk Factors Associated with Exclusion from Thrombolytic Therapy

Objective: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with congestive heart failure (HF) that present with various risk factors are less likely to receive recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA). The risk factors associated with excluding AIS patients with congestive heart failure (AIS-HF) from rtPA therapy have not been fully established. Methods: Retrospective data for 5469 AIS patients comprised of 590 AIS patients with HF and 4879 AIS patients without HF were collected from a regional stroke registry between January 2010 and June 2016. Baseline risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis to determine the risk factors associated with rtPA exclusion in AIS-HF patients. Results: In the adjusted analysis, AIS-HF patients that that did not receive rtPA were more likely to be older (OR = 0.982, 95% CI, 0.966-1, P = .020), presented with coronary artery disease (OR = 0.618, 95% CI, 0.391-0.98, P = .040), and with an elevated INR (OR = 0.326, 95% CI, 0.129-0.82, P = .018). AIS-HF patients that were included for rtPA therapy were more likely to show improvement in ambulatory status (OR = 1.69, 95% CI, 1.058-2.7, P = .028). The discriminating power of the model was strong with an area under the curve (AUROC) = 0.668 (95% CI, 0.611-0.724, P < .001). Conclusion: Our study establishes the associations between stroke risk factors and exclusion from rtPA therapy. This finding suggests the need to develop management strategies for older HF patients with carotid artery disease and an elevated INR to improve their eligibility for rtPA treatment following an acute ischemic stroke.

Risk factors and ambulatory outcome in ischemic stroke patients with pre-stroke depression

OBJECTIVE

It is well known that post-stroke depression might be a negative factor for stroke recovery, however there is limited evidence to establish the link between pre-stroke depression and stroke outcome such motor recovery. The objective is to determine clinical risk factors in ischemic stroke patients with pre-stroke depression that are associated functional ambulatory outcome.

METHODS

Data from acute ischemic patients from a regional stroke registry were collected for consecutive recombinant tissue plasminogen activator(rtPA)-treated acute ischemic stroke patients between January 2010 and June 2016. Logistic regression model was used to predict risk factors that served as predictive variables, while the increase or reduce odds of improvement in ambulatory outcome was considered as the primary outcome. Multicollinearity and possible interactions among the independent variables were analyzed using the variance inflation factor.

RESULTS

A total of 1446 patients were eligible for recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) and 596 of these patients received rtPA. Of the 596 ischemic stroke patients, 286 patients presented with recent pre-stroke depression, 310 had no pre-stroke depression. Carotid artery stenosis (OR = 11.577, 95% CI, 1.281-104.636, P = 0.029) and peripheral vascular disease (OR = 18.040, 95% CI, 2.956-110.086, P = 0.002) were more likely to be associated with increase odds of improvement in ambulation in patients with no pre-stroke depression treated with rtPA, while antihypertensive medications (OR = 0.192, 95% CI, 0.035-1.067, P = 0.050),previous TIA (OR = 0.177, 95% CI, 0.038-0.818, P = 0.027), and congestive heart failure (OR = 0. 0.160, 95% CI, 0.030-0.846, P = 0.031) were associated with reduced odds of improvement in ambulation. In addition, carotid artery stenosis (OR = 0.078, 95% CI, 0.10-0.614, P = 0.015, congestive heart failure (OR = 0.217, 95% CI, 0.318-0.402, P = 0.030), previous TIA (OR = 0.444, 95% CI, 0.517-0.971, P = 0.012), higher NIHSS scores ((OR = 0.887, 95% CI, 0.830-0.948, P < 0.001), and antihypertensive medications (OR = 0.810, 95% CI, 0.401-0.529, P = 0.019) were associated with the reduced odd of improvement in ambulation in an ischemic stroke population with pre-stroke depression treated with rtPA.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that more risk factors were associated with the decreased odds of an improvement in ambulation following thrombolytic therapy in an ischemic stroke population with pre-stroke depression when compared with those without pre-stroke depression. This finding maybe helpful in the development of management strategies to increase the use of thrombolytic therapy for pre-stroke depressed ischemic stroke to increased their eligibility for rtPA.

Clinical Risk Factors Associated with Ambulatory Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Smokers Treated with Thrombolytic Therapy

BACKGROUND

Patients who have suffered an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and are smokers may have a better outcome following thrombolytic therapy when compared with non-smokers. While this finding is controversial, data on baseline clinical risk factors to predict treatment efficacy of thrombolytic therapy using ambulatory status in patients who suffered AIS and are smokers is not common.

METHODS

Between 2010 and 2016, retrospective data on patients who have suffered an AIS and received recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) were obtained from Greenville health system registry. Assessment of clinical risk factors and the likelihood of an improvement in post-stroke ambulation among smokers and non-smokers was carried out using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 1001 patients, 70.8% were smokers and 29.2% non-smokers. Among the smokers and non-smokers, 74.6% and 84.6% improvement in ambulation respectively at discharge. The odds of improved ambulation decrease among smokers as age group increases compared to those below 50 [(60-69 years, aOR, 0.30, 95% C.I, 0.108-0.850, p < 0.05), (70-79 years aOR, 0.27, 95% C.I, 0.096-0.734, p < 0.05), (80+ years aOR, 0.16, 95% C.I, 0.057-0.430, P < 0.01). Patients with National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Score (NIHSS) score > 7 (reference <7) were 91% less likely to have improved ambulation among smokers and non-smokers (aOR, 0.09, 95% C.I, 0.055-0.155, P = 0.01), and (aOR, 0.08, 95% C.I, 0.027-0.214, P = 0.01) respectively. Atrial fibrillation was an independent predictor of decreased improvement in ambulation only among smokers (aOR, 0.58, 95% C.I, 0.356-0.928 P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that elderly smokers with atrial fibrillation would benefit more from aggressive management of atrial fibrillation than non-smokers.

Gender differences in comorbidities and risk factors in ischemic stroke patients with a history of atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia and has been identified as a major risk factor for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Gender differences in the disease process, causative mechanisms and outcomes of AF have been investigated. In the current study, we determined whether there is a gender-based disparity in AIS patients with baseline AF, and whether such a discrepancy is associated with specific risk factors and comorbidities.

METHODS

Baseline factors including comorbidities, risk and demographic factors associated with a gender difference were examined using retrospective data collected from a registry from January 2010 to June 2016 in a regional stroke center. Univariate analysis was used to differentiate between genders in terms of clinical risk factors and demographics. Variables in the univariate analysis were further analyzed using logistic regression. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each factor were used to predict the increasing odds of an association of a specific comorbidity and risk factor with the male or female AIS with AF.

RESULTS

In the population of AIS patients with AF, a history of drug and alcohol use (OR = 0.250, 95% CI, 0.497-1.006, P = 0.016), sleep apnea (OR = 0.321, 95% CI, 0.133-0.777, P = 0.012), and higher serum creatinine (OR = 0.693, 95% CI, 0.542-0.886 P = 0.003) levels were found to be significantly associated with the male gender. Higher levels of HDL-cholesterol (OR = 1.035, 95% CI, 1.020-1.050, P < 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (OR = 1.006, 95% CI, 1.001-1.011, P = 0.012), and the inability to ambulate on admission to hospital (OR = 2.258, 95% CI, 1.368-3.727, P = 0.001) were associated with females.

CONCLUSION

Our findings reveal that in the AIS patients with atrial fibrillation, migraines, HDL, LDL and poor ambulation were associated with females, while drugs and alcohol, sleep apnea, and serum creatinine level were associated with male AIS patients with AF. Further studies are necessary to determine whether gender differences in risk factor profiles and commodities require consideration in clinical practice when it comes to AF as a risk factor management in AIS patients.