Abstract WP359: Microembolic Signals Are Associated With Stroke Readmission in Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Background: Microembolic signals (MES) identified by transcranial Doppler (TCD) are strong predictors of recurrent stroke in patients with carotid disease. In this study, we investigated the association of MES with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke readmission among ischemic stroke patients. Methods: We included a total of 789 patients (mean age 62±17 years, 55% male) who were consecutively admitted to Northwestern Memorial hospital with a diagnosis of stroke. All patients who underwent TCD studies within the first 48 hours of admission were included. Using an electronic database warehouse, patients were followed during 12 months for any hospital readmission due to ischemic stroke or TIA. Risk of stroke readmission was estimated using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Results: MES were detected in 95 patients on admission. During 12 months of follow-up, incidence rates for stroke and TIA readmission, and stroke readmission alone were 23.0 and 7.0 per 100 person-years across the entire cohort, respectively. In multivariate adjusted models, patients with MES, as compared to patients without MES, had 1.80-fold (95% CI=1.07, 2.53; p =0.008) higher risk of stroke and TIA readmission, and 2.30-fold (95% CI=1.13, 4.67, p =0.021) higher risk of readmission due to stroke alone. Conclusion: We showed that the presence of MES early after stroke admission is associated with higher risk of stroke and TIA readmission in stroke patients. This not only highlights the importance of identifying MES in the stroke population upon first admission, but also the need to further identify and implement therapeutic strategies to reduce stroke burden and prevent readmission in this high-risk population.