The Impact of Diabetes Mellitus and Admission Hyperglycemia on Clinical Outcomes after Recanalization Therapies for Acute Ischemic Stroke: STAY ALIVE National Prospective Registry

Type 2 diabetes remodels collateral circulation and promotes leukocyte adhesion following ischemic stroke

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with impaired leptomeningeal collateral compensation and poor stroke outcome. Neutrophils tethering and rolling on endothelium after stroke can also independently reduce flow velocity. However, the chronology and topological changes in collateral circulation in T2DM is not yet defined. Here, we describe the spatial and temporal blood flow dynamics and vessel remodeling in pial arteries and veins and leukocyte- endothelial adhesion following middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke using two-photon microscopy in awake control and T2DM mice. Relative to control mice prior to stroke, T2DM mice already exhibited smaller pial vessels with reduced flow velocity. Following stroke, T2DM mice displayed persistently reduced blood flow in pial arteries and veins, resulting in a poor recovery of downstream penetrating arterial flow and a sustained deficit in microvascular flow. There was also persistent increase of leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium of veins, coincided with elevated neutrophils infiltration into brain parenchyma in T2DM mice compared to control mice after stroke. Our data suggest that T2DM-induced increase in chronic inflammation may contribute to the remodeling of leptomeningeal collateral circulation and the observed hemodynamics deficiency that potentiates poor stroke outcome.

Highlights

Blood flow and leukocyte imaging in awake mice by two-photon microscopy before and after stroke under physiological conditionsT2DM induces collateral remodeling prior to strokeT2DM reduces blood flow and impedes recovery in pial arteries and veins after ischemic strokePoor recovery of penetrating arterial flow and sustained deficit in microvascular flow after ischemic stroke in T2DM miceT2DM increases persistent leukocyte adhesion to endothelium of veins and elevates neutrophils infiltration into the brain parenchyma after ischemic stroke.

Associations of diabetes status and glucose measures with outcomes after endovascular therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke: an analysis of the nationwide TREAT-AIS registry

Background

Hyperglycemia affects the outcomes of endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study compares the predictive ability of diabetes status and glucose measures on EVT outcomes using nationwide registry data.

Methods

The study included 1,097 AIS patients who underwent EVT from the Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke. The variables analyzed included diabetes status, admission glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), admission glucose-to-HbA1c ratio (GAR), and outcomes such as 90-day poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≥ 2) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH). Multivariable analyses investigated the independent effects of diabetes status and glucose measures on outcomes. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to compare their predictive abilities.

Results

The multivariable analysis showed that individuals with known diabetes had a higher likelihood of poor functional outcomes (odds ratios [ORs] 2.10 to 2.58) and SICH (ORs 3.28 to 4.30) compared to those without diabetes. Higher quartiles of admission glucose and GAR were associated with poor functional outcomes and SICH. Higher quartiles of HbA1c were significantly associated with poor functional outcomes. However, patients in the second HbA1c quartile (5.6-5.8%) showed a non-significant tendency toward good functional outcomes compared to those in the lowest quartile (<5.6%). The ROC analysis indicated that diabetes status and admission glucose had higher predictive abilities for poor functional outcomes, while admission glucose and GAR were better predictors for SICH.

Conclusion

In AIS patients undergoing EVT, diabetes status, admission glucose, and GAR were associated with 90-day poor functional outcomes and SICH. Admission glucose was likely the most suitable glucose measure for predicting outcomes after EVT.

Exploring functional abilities and competing risks among stroke patients: a longitudinal and survival analysis study at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate competing risks and functional ability measures among patients who had a stroke.

DESIGN

A joint model comprising two related submodels was applied: a cause-specific hazard submodel for competing drop-out and stroke-related death risks, and a partial proportional odd submodel for longitudinal functional ability.

SETTING

Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 400 patients who had a stroke from the medical ward outpatient stroke unit at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, who were treated from September 2018 to August 2021.

RESULTS

Among the 400 patients who had a stroke, 146 (36.5%) died and 88 (22%) dropped out. At baseline, 14% of patients had no symptoms and/or disability while 24% had slight disability, and 25% had severe disability. Most patients (37.04%) exhibited moderate functional ability. The presence of diabetes increased the cause-specific hazard of death by 3.95 times (95% CI 2.16 to 7.24) but decreased the cause-specific hazard of drop-out by 95% (aHR 0.05; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.46) compared with non-diabetic patients who had a stroke.

CONCLUSION

A substantial proportion of patients who had a stroke experienced mortality and drop-out during the study period, highlighting the importance of considering competing risks in stroke research. Age, diabetes, white cell count and stroke complications were significant covariates affecting both longitudinal and survival submodels. Compared with stand-alone models, the joint competing risk modelling technique offers comprehensive insights into the disease's transition pattern.

Endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke in Saudi Arabia: A single-center experience

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy-treated patients in King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of acute ischemic stroke patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy. Patients were included in the study between January 2015 and December 2022. Good outcomes were defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0-2 at 90 days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent factors associated with good outcomes.

RESULTS

During the study period, 369 patients with acute ischemic stroke (mean ± SD age, 61/- 15.1 yrs; 55.4 % male) underwent mechanical thrombectomy. Median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) 15. Intravenous thrombolysis was administered to 34.5 % of the patients. Successful recanalization in the anterior circulation was achieved in 84.8 % of patients. Data from mRS performed after 90 days in the anterior circulation were available for 71.2 % of the patients. Of these, 41 % showed a good outcome, and the mortality rate was 22.4 %. The significant factors associated with good outcomes were age, NIHSS score, Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS), and short arterial puncture to recanalization.

CONCLUSION

The number of patients who underwent endovascular thrombectomy has increased over time. The treatment outcomes and mortality were comparable with those of previous endovascular thrombectomy registries despite the high prevalence of DM, lower ASPECT score, and prolonged onset-to-recanalization time.