Lower Ticagrelor Dosing in the Dual Antiplatelet Regimen for Neurointerventional Procedures

BACKGROUND

Ticagrelor, a P2Y12 inhibitor, offers a rapid onset and consistent platelet inhibition, making it a viable alternative for dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The optimal ticagrelor dose for neurointerventional procedures, however, remains unclear. We report our experience with ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily plus aspirin 81 mg daily compared with the standard aspirin and clopidogrel regimen for intracranial stenting.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database, identifying consecutive patients who underwent intracranial stenting for aneurysm treatment or intracranial atherosclerosis. Patients received either ticagrelor 60 mg with aspirin or aspirin with clopidogrel 75 mg daily. Primary outcomes included peri-procedural ischemic and/or hemorrhagic events within 30 days. Secondary outcomes were the median P2Y12 reaction unit and in-stent stenosis rates at 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Among 119 patients, 59 received ticagrelor and 60 (50.4%) received clopidogrel. Baseline characteristics including age and gender were comparable between the two groups, although the ticagrelor group had a higher proportion of African-American patients. The majority of patients underwent aneurysm treatment (n=105; 88.23%), while the remainder received stenting for intracranial atherosclerosis (n=14; 11.77%). No ischemic events occurred in either group and intracranial hemorrhage rates were comparable (1.7% in both groups). The median P2Y12 reaction unit was significantly lower in the ticagrelor group (69 vs 126, P<0.001). In-stent stenosis rates were lower with ticagrelor (5% vs 21%).

CONCLUSION

Ticagrelor 60 mg for DAPT in intracranial stenting is safe and effective. Larger prospective studies may be required to validate these findings.

Radiographic predictors of neurologic outcomes in patients with basilar artery occlusion: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND

Randomized controlled trials indicate functional and mortality benefits in endovascular therapy for basilar artery occlusion (BAO). However, these studies only include patients who meet specific prognostic scores. This study investigates radiographic predictors of posterior circulation territory infarcts that may predict neurologic outcome at 90-day post-intervention.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of a prospectively maintained thrombectomy database of all patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for BAO. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, baseline functional status (mRS), and severity of presenting neurologic deficits (NIHSS) were collected. Pc-ASPECTS, posterior circulation collateral score (PCCS), and basilar artery on computed tomography angiography (BATMAN) measured radiographic characteristics. Core infarct territory was identified. Primary outcomes were good neurologic outcome (mRS 0-3) and poor neurologic outcome (mRS 4-6) at 90-day post-thrombectomy. 90-day mortality was a secondary outcome.

RESULTS

About 21.5% of patients achieved a good neurologic outcome. About 32.3% of patients were deceased at 90 days. Receiver operating characteristic analysis shows PCCS collateral scores (AUC = 0.74, SE = 0.03, CI = 0.62-0.74) and BATMAN (AUC = 0.72, SE = 0.04, CI = 0.35-0.49) have potential to differentiate between those with good neurologic outcome from those with poor neurologic outcome. Although there was no statistically significant difference in AUC between the three curves, pc-ASPECTS score trended toward being weaker predictor of neurologic outcome (AUC = 0.49, SE = 0.04, CI = 0.35-0.49). There were significant associations between 90-day poor neurologic outcome and established infarcts within the pons (p = 0.01), left cerebellum (p = 0.01), and left occipital lobe (p = 0.03) on pre-thrombectomy CT.

CONCLUSION

Low BATMAN and PCCS collateral scores can be predictors of poor neurologic outcomes at 90-day post-thrombectomy for BAO while pc-ASPECTS score may be a weaker predictor of outcome.

First in-human use of super large-bore novel 0.092-inch catheter positioned in M1 segment of middle cerebral artery for aspiration thrombectomy

An octogenarian patient with a medical history of hypertension and prior stroke (baseline modified Rankin Scale score of 1) presented with acute onset left-sided hemiplegia and neglect and was found to have a right middle cerebral artery M1 occlusion, likely from an embolic clot as there was no hint of intracranial atherosclerosis or dissection in the CT scan. He underwent emergent EVT using direct aspiration technique via a novel super large-bore 0.092-inch ID catheter, which was positioned in the M1 segment. This is the first clinical report of using a 0.092-inch ID catheter in the M1 segment, which resulted in full recanalisation (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score 3 (TICI3)) of the artery without any adverse events. The patient had significant early clinical improvement, and a follow-up imaging revealed a relatively small infarct size and no haemorrhagic complications. Utilisation of super large-bore 0.092-inch ID catheter for direct aspiration in proximal large vessel occlusion might further optimise the efficacy of the aspiration pass by increasing the aspiration force and inducing local flow arrest.

Extinction-Based Exposure Therapies Using Virtual Reality

The focus of this chapter is an overview of integrating virtual reality (VR) technology within the context of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders, a gold standard treatment, with a focus on how VR can help facilitate extinction learning processes integral to these interventions. The chapter will include an overview of advantages of incorporating VR within exposure therapy, and benefits specifically within an inhibitory learning approach for extinction training. A review of the empirical literature on the effectiveness of VR exposure therapy for specific phobia and PTSD will be provided, as well as practical overview of how to effectively incorporate VR within exposure therapy.

Safety and Efficacy of Conscious Sedation Versus General Anesthesia for Distal Vessel Thrombectomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Anesthesia modality for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for distal and medium vessel occlusions remains an open question. General anesthesia (GA) may offer advantages over conscious sedation (CS) because of reduced patient movement facilitating catheter navigation, but concerns persist about potential delays and hypotension affecting collateral circulation.

METHODS

In our prospectively maintained stroke registry from December 2014 to July 2023, we identified patients with distal and medium vessel occlusions defined as M2, M3, or M4 occlusion; A1 or A2 occlusion; and P1 or P2 occlusion, who underwent EVT for acute ischemic stroke. We compared patients who received CS with those who received GA. Primary outcomes were early neurological improvement (ENI), successful reperfusion, first-pass effect, and good outcome at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 90-day mortality.

RESULTS

Of 279 patients, 69 (24.7%) received GA, whereas 193 (69.2%) received CS. CS was associated with higher odds of ENI compared with GA (odds ratio [OR] 2.59, 95% CI [1.04-6.98], P < .05). CS was also associated with higher rates of successful reperfusion (OR 2.33, 95% CI [1.11-4.93], P < .05). CS nonsignificantly trended toward lower rates of mortality (OR 0.51, 95% CI [0.2-1.3], P = .16). No differences in good outcome at 90 days, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or first-pass effect were seen.

CONCLUSION

The use of CS during EVT seems to be safe and feasible with regard to successful recanalization, hemorrhagic complications, clinical outcome, and mortality. In addition, it may be associated with a higher rate of ENI. Further randomized studies in this specific EVT subpopulation are warranted.

Endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke in patients with pre-existing disability

BACKGROUND

Approximately one in three patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) suffer from a premorbid disability prior to their incident AIS. These patients have largely been excluded from clinical trials of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for the treatment of AIS and current literature remains unclear regarding the safety and efficacy of EVT in these patients.

METHODS

We queried our prospectively maintained registry of patients with AIS from December 1, 2014 to October 31, 2023 to identify all patients who underwent EVT. Patients were stratified by their baseline modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score into those with (mRS 2-5) and without (mRS 0-1) baseline disability. Univariate analyses using the χ2 test for categorical variables and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables were performed to compare demographics between the two groups. Generalized logistic and linear regression models for multivariable analysis were used to compare outcomes between the groups.

RESULTS

Of a total of 1489 patients, 367 (24.6%) had a pre-existing disability. Patients with baseline disability were older (79.6 years vs 67.7 years, P<0.001), more likely to be female (65.7% vs 45.9%, P<0.001), and had higher rates of stroke risk factors. There were higher odds of return to baseline (90-day ΔmRS =<0: OR 2.83, P<0.001) and 90-day ΔmRS =<1 (OR 2.94, P<0.001) for patients with baseline disability post-EVT compared with their healthier counterparts. There was no relative adjusted increase in symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage or 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

EVT appears to be safe and effective in patients with baseline disability, often associated with a return to their premorbid functional status at 90 days.

Higher intracranial positioning of an 8 Fr guide catheter improves efficacy of aspiration thrombectomy in large vessel occlusion stroke

BACKGROUND

Higher positioning of a large bore guide catheter during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is hypothesized to potentially improve thrombectomy success.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracranial guide catheter placement during EVT using a multicenter database.

METHODS

We reviewed data on consecutive patients undergoing EVT for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) at three comprehensive stroke centers between October 2019 and December 2022. Participants were allocated to one of two cohorts: intracranial (n=141)-guide catheter tip positioned in the petrous carotid or further distal; and control (n=285)-guide catheter tip below the petrous carotid. Primary outcome was excellent reperfusion (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Ischemia (TICI) 2c or better), first pass effect (TICI 2c or better after one pass), and arterial access to final reperfusion time. The unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Fisher's exact test were used to compare themeans, medians and proportions of the two groups, respectively. P values & lt;0.05 were considered statistically significant two cohorts.

RESULTS

A total of 426 patients were included in the analysis. Patients with guide catheter location in the petrous segment or further distal had a significantly higher first-pass effect (111/284, 39.1% vs 37/141, 26.2%, P=0.009). There was no significant difference in final excellent recanalization rates between groups (202/285, 70.9% vs 92/141, 65.2%, P=0.266). Furthermore, intracranial positioning of the guide catheter was associated with significantly shorter time to final recanalization (median 21.0 (13.0-38.0) min vs 30.0 (17.0-48.0) min, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Positioning a large bore guide catheter in the petrous segment or further distal resulted in a significantly higher rate of first pass effect, faster procedural times, and equivalent final excellent reperfusion rates compared with more proximal guide catheter placement for patients with anterior circulation LVO.