Hemorrhagic Transformation Of Infarction Research Articles

Prognostic Significance of Various Inflammation-Based Scores in Patients with Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke

The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between inflammation-based scores and prognosis of patients who had undergone mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large artery occlusion. A total of 411 patients were enrolled and inflammation-based scores, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), and monocyte/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) were calculated based on laboratory data. Prognoses were evaluated with unfavorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 3-6), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, hemorrhagic transformation of infarct, and mortality. Multivariate analyses were performed to explore the relationships of inflammation-based scores with various clinical outcomes. Patients with unfavorable outcome showed higher mean NLR and MHR but lower mean LMR than those with favorable outcome (NLR, 7.32 vs. 3.78, P ≤ 0.001; MHR, 1.42 vs. 1.15, P= 0.012; LMR, 2.76 vs. 3.70, P= 0.003). In multivariate analysis, higher NLR (≥5.1) (odds ratio [OR], 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.12; P= 0.014) and higher MHR (≥1.4) (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.10-1.74; P= 0.028), lower LMR (<2.5) (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.08-1.58; P= 0.032) were independently associated with unfavorable outcome. After MT, higher NLR, higher MHR, and lower LMR were found in patients with unfavorable outcome. Inflammation-based scores, such as NLR, LMR, and MHR, might be independent factors that can predict outcomes in patients with MT.

Association of High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein with Patient Prognosis Following Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

The aim of this investigation was to examine the association of hsCRP (highsensitivity C-reactive protein) with outcomes and prognosis of patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) after acute ischemic stroke (AIS). A total of 404 patients were enrolled, and outcomes included unfavorable clinical outcome at three months (modified Rankin Scale, mRS scores 3-6), the occurrence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) of the infarct. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to identify the cutoff value of hsCRP to discriminate between favorable and unfavorable outcomes. The association of hsCRP with outcomes was evaluated using a logistic regression model. The best cutoff value of hsCRP to distinguish between favorable and unfavorable outcomes at three months was identified as 3.0 mg/L (area under the curve, [AUC] 0.641, 95% confidence interval, [CI] 0.535-0.748; P = 0.014). In, multivariate analysis, patients with hsCRP ≥3 mg/L had more unfavorable outcome (odds ratio [OR] 1.72, 95% CI 1.42-2.02; P = 0.010), sICH (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.62-3.66; P = 0.004), and HT of infarct (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.42-2.02; P = 0.008) compared to those with hsCRP <1 mg/L. Our study demonstrates that patients with higher CRP levels had more unfavorable outcome, and exhibited higher sICH, and HT of infarct than those with lower CRP levels. Elevated hsCRP level, especially when higher than 3 mg/L, is an independent predictor for poor clinical prognosis in patients with MT for LVO.

Safety and Efficacy of Intra-arterial Tirofiban Injection During Mechanical Thrombectomy for Large Artery Occlusion.

The safety and effect of intra-arterial (IA) tirofiban, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, during the stent retriever mechanical thrombectomy (MT) was investigated. From January 2015 to May 2019, a total of 327 patients underwent mechanical thrombectomy of large artery occlusions (LAO). Patients were classified into two groups: MT with IA tirofiban (MTT) group and MT only (MTO, without IA tirofiban) group. Clinical outcomes, radiological results, and various complications, such as post thrombectomy hemorrhage, symptomatic hemorrhage, other systemic bleeding, and hemorrhagic transformation of infarct were evaluated by comparing the MTT group and MTO group. In addition, subgroup analysis was performed for patients who underwent MT with prior intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). The MTT group needed a lower mean number of stent passes and showed a re-occlusion rate as compared with the MTO group (P=0.038 and 0.022, respectively). Between the two groups, there were no statistically significant differences in post thrombectomy hemorrhage, symptomatic hemorrhage, other systemic bleeding complications, or hemorrhagic transformation of infarct (P = 0.511, 0.397, 0.429, and 0.355, respectively). In the subgroup analysis, similar findings were observed. The use of IA tirofiban during MT seems to be safe and potentially more effective than only MT without IA tirofiban, even in patients who used IV t-PA before MT.

Substantial Observer Variability in the Differentiation Between Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Hemorrhagic Transformation of Infarction on CT Brain Imaging

CT remains the most commonly used imaging technique in acute stroke but is often delayed after minor stroke. Interobserver reliability in distinguishing hemorrhagic transformation of infarction from intracerebral hemorrhage may depend on delays to CT but has not been reported previously despite the clinical importance of this distinction. Initial CT scans with intraparenchymal hematoma from the first 1000 patients with stroke in the Oxford Vascular Study were independently categorized as intracerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic transformation of infarction by 5 neuroradiologists, both blinded and unblinded to clinical history. Thirty scans were reviewed twice. Agreement was quantified by the kappa statistic. Seventy-eight scans showed intraparenchymal hematoma. Blinded pairwise interrater agreements for a diagnosis of intracerebral hemorrhage ranged from kappa=0.15 to 0.48 with poor overall agreement (kappa=0.35; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.54) even after unblinding (kappa=0.41; 0.21 to 0.60). Blinded intrarater agreements ranged from kappa=0.21 to 0.92. Lack of consensus after unblinding was greatest in patients scanned >or=24 hours after stroke onset (67% versus 25%, P=0.001) and in minor stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale <or=5: 56% versus 29%, P=0.04) with disagreement in 75% of patients scanned >or=24 hours after minor stroke and in 48% of all 30-day stroke survivors in whom reliable diagnosis would be expected to influence long-term management. Reliability of diagnosis of intraparenchymal hematoma on CT brain scan in minor stroke is poor, particularly if scanning is delayed. Immediate brain imaging is justified in patients with minor stroke.

Low-molecular-weight heparin compared with aspirin for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke in Asian patients with large artery occlusive disease: a randomised study

SummaryBackgroundAcute stroke patients with large artery occlusive disease (LAOD) have a distinct pathophysiology and may respond differently to anticoagulation treatments. We compared the efficacy of a low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), nadroparin calcium, with aspirin in Asian acute stroke patients with LAOD.MethodsAcute ischaemic stroke patients with onset of symptoms less than 48 h and LAOD (diagnosed by transcranial doppler imaging, carotid duplex scan, or magnetic resonance angiography) were recruited. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either subcutaneous nadroparin calcium 3800 anti-factor Xa IU/0·4 mL twice daily or oral aspirin 160 mg daily for 10 days, and then all received aspirin 80–300 mg once daily for 6 months. This study is registered at www.strokecenter.org/trials (number 493).FindingsAmong 603 patients recruited, 353 (180 LMWH, 173 aspirin) had LAOD (300 had intracranial LAOD only, 42 had both intracranial and extracranial disease, and 11 had extracranial disease only). The proportion of patients with good outcomes at 6 months (Barthel index ≥85) was 73% in the LMWH group and 69% in the aspirin group (absolute risk reduction 4%; 95% CI −5 to 13). Analysis of prespecified secondary outcome measures showed a benefit in outcome for LMWH versus aspirin on the modified Rankin scale dichotomised at 0–1 (odds ratio 1·55, 95% CI 1·02–2·35). Haemorrhagic transformation of infarct and severe adverse events were similar in both groups. Post-hoc analyses of patients without LAOD, and all treated patients, showed similar proportions with a good outcome in aspirin and LMWH groups (78% vs 79% and 73% vs 75%, respectively).InterpretationOverall, the results do not support a significant benefit of LMWH over aspirin in patients with LAOD. The benefits indicated in most outcome measures warrant further investigation into the use of anticoagulation for acute stroke in patients with large artery atherosclerosis, particularly in intracranial atherosclerosis.

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Extensive haemorrhagic transformation of infarct: might it be an important cause of primary intracerebral haemorrhage?

Data from prior studies using serial imaging and post mortem data support the possibility that at least some cases of apparent primary intracerebral haemorrhage are due to early haemorrhagic transformation of infarct. If some primary intracerabral haemorrhage is actually early haemorrhagic transformation of infarct, then secondary stroke prevention for ischaemic stroke might be appropriate and so future studies should obtain data to determine the frequency of early major haemorrhagic transformation of infarct.