Incidence Of Stroke In Patients Research Articles

Effect of Statins on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Coronary Artery Spasm: A Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the effect of statins on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) related to coronary artery spasm (CAS) and to evaluate the effectiveness of statins in patients with CAS. A systematic search of electronic databases, including Google Scholar, the Cochrane Central RegisterofControlled Trials, and PubMed, was conducted. These studies were all published in English, and the databases were searched from inception to July 2021. All articles were evaluated independently by 2 researchers on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the research, data about the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events in CAS patients undergoing statin therapy was included and divided into different subgroups. A random effects model was conducted to synthesize the data. Five cohort studies were included in the analysis. These results indicated that statins failed to reduce the incidence of stroke in patients with CAS in general. However, subgroup analysis revealed that statins were more effective in improving outcomes for CAS patients without severe coronary stenosis compared with those with severe coronary stenosis. Statins may have a potential benefit in patients with CAS who do not have coronary stenosis. To investigate these findings further, future prospective, randomized controlled research will be required.

Association between up-front surgery and risk of stroke in U.S. veterans with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

6057 Background: Cardiovascular disease and stroke are important causes of long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Cancer treatments including radiotherapy to the neck and chemotherapy have been associated with increased risk of stroke. In the era of treatment de-intensification for OPSCC, up-front surgical treatment has been proposed as one strategy that allows for de-escalation or avoidance of (chemo)radiotherapy. We sought to quantify the cumulative incidence of stroke in patients treated for non-metastatic OPSCC, and then evaluate whether patients receiving up-front surgery for OPSCC have decreased risk of stroke compared to those undergoing non-surgical treatment. Methods: We identified a cohort of 10,436 United States veterans diagnosed with non-metastatic OPSCC from 2000-2020, of whom 2,717 received up-front surgery (with or without perioperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) and 7,719 received non-surgical therapy (definitive radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy). We estimated the cumulative incidence of stroke in this population, accounting for death as a competing risk. To assess the association between up-front surgery and risk of stroke, we generated a propensity score for the probability of receiving surgical treatment and used inverse probability weighting to construct pseudo-populations balanced on all potential confounders. Cox regression models of the inverse probability weighted population were used to estimate the cause-specific hazard ratio of stroke associated with surgical vs non-surgical treatment. Results: The 10-year cumulative incidence of stroke was 12.5% (95% CI 11.8-13.23) and death was 57.3% (95% CI 56.2-58.4). Up-front surgical patients who underwent perioperative (chemo)radiotherapy had shorter radiation and chemotherapy courses compared to non-surgical patients, suggestive of lower treatment intensity. Propensity score generation and inverse probability weighting yielded good overlap and covariate balance between surgical and non-surgical treatment groups. The inverse probability weighted cause-specific hazard ratio of stroke associated with up-front surgical treatment was 0.77 (95% CI 0.66-0.91, p = 0.002). This association was consistent across subgroups defined by age ( > /≤65 years) and baseline cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes). Conclusions: In over 10,000 US veterans with OPSCC, cumulative incidence of stroke was 12.5% at 10 years. Up-front surgical treatment was associated with a 23% reduced risk of stroke compared to definitive (chemo)radiotherapy. These findings present an important additional risk-benefit consideration to factor into treatment decisions and patient counseling, and should motivate future studies to examine cardiovascular events in this high-risk population.

Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Incident Stroke Risk in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Patients with mild cognitive impairment may be at higher risk of incident stroke, but the effect of intensive blood pressure (BP) control on that risk has not been explored. We performed a post hoc analysis of SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) and included patients with a baseline Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 19 to 25 and without a prior history of stroke. The primary outcome was incident stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) during follow-up. We report the unadjusted cumulative risk of our primary outcome by SPRINT randomization arm (intensive versus standard BP control) and also fit Cox models to the primary outcome and adjusted for patient age at randomization, race/ethnicity, sex, baseline BP, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, and smoking. We included 5091 patients (mean age 68.2, 44% female, 56.7% non-Hispanic White, and 50.2% randomized to intensive BP control), of which 95/5091 (1.9%) had an incident stroke during a mean of 3.8±0.9 years of follow-up. The risk of incident stroke in patients randomized to standard BP control was 57/2536 (2.3%) and to intensive BP control was 38/2555 (1.5%; P=0.045). In the adjusted Cox model, the hazard ratio for incident stroke events with intensive BP control was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.43-0.98; P=0.040). Although the SPRINT trial failed to show a reduction in stroke with intensive BP control for all subjects, those with a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score consistent with mild cognitive impairment at baseline had an association between intensive BP control and lower risk of incident stroke. Future trials of primary prevention of stroke may benefit from enrichment using baseline vascular biomarkers of elevated risk, such as mild cognitive impairment.

Prediction of Stroke After the COVID-19 Infection.

Although several studies have been published about COVID-19, ischemic stroke is known yet as a complicated problem for COVID-19 patients. Scientific reports have indicated that in many cases, the incidence of stroke in patients with COVID-19 leads to death. The obtained mathematical equation in this study can help physicians' decision-making about treatment and identification of influential clinical factors for early diagnosis. In this retrospective study, data from 128 patients between March and September 2020, including their demographic information, clinical characteristics, and laboratory parameters were collected and analyzed statistically. A logistic regression model was developed to identify the significant variables in predicting stroke incidence in patients with COVID-19. Clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters for 128 patients (including 76 males and 52 females; with a mean age of 57.109±15.97 years) were considered as the inputs that included ventilator dependence, comorbidities, and laboratory tests, including WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet count, C-reactive protein, blood urea nitrogen, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Receiver operating characteristic-area under the curve (ROC-AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were considered indices to determine the model capability. The accuracy of the model classification was also addressed by 93.8%. The area under the curve was 97.5% with a 95% CI. The findings showed that ventilator dependence, cardiac ejection fraction, and LDH are associated with the occurrence of stroke and the proposed model can predict the stroke effectively.

Incident Stroke and Its Influencing Factors in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and/or Hypertension: A Prospective Cohort Study.

ObjectiveTo understand the incidence of stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and/or hypertension (HTN), and provide a basis for the prevention of stroke in these patients.MethodsA prospective cohort study was performed for adults with T2DM and/or HTN. The follow-up period was 1 year. The incidence and recurrence rate of stroke was calculated and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard was used to analyze influencing factors of stroke occurrence and recurrence in the follow-up of patients with T2DM and/or HTN.ResultsOf the 1,650 patients with T2DM and/or HTN, 1,213 patients had no history of stroke. After 1 year of follow-up, 147 new stroke cases occurred, and the incidence rate of stroke was 12.1%. Among the patients who had stroke history (413), there were 116 cases of stroke with a recurrence rate of 26.5%. Seven risk factors were independently associated with stroke occurrence among patients without stroke history, included smoking, abnormal total cholesterol abnormal low-density lipoprotein patients with comorbid T2DM with HTN, physical inactivity, carotid artery stenosis (CAS), and higher scores of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Higher scores of NHISS and CAS were independent risk factors for the recurrence of stroke among patients with stroke history.ConclusionsPatients with T2DM and/or HTN have a higher rate of new stroke and recurrence after 1-year follow-up. Actively identifying the controllable risk factors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, will help reduce the risk of stroke and recurrence in patients with T2DM and HTN.

Abstract 107: Effect Of Intensive Blood Pressure Control On Incident Stroke Risk In Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at higher risk of incident stroke, but the effect of intensive blood pressure (BP) control on that risk has not been explored. Methods: We performed a post-hoc analysis of the SPRINT trial and included patients with a baseline Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 20-26 and without a prior history of stroke. The primary outcome was incident stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) during follow-up. We estimated the risk of our primary outcome by SPRINT randomization arm (intensive vs. standard BP control) and fit Cox models for the primary outcome, adjusting for patient age, race, sex, baseline blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, and smoking. We also verified the proportional hazards assumption of our final model. Results: We included 5507 patients (mean age 67.8 + 9.4 years, 66.6% male, 59.5% non-Hispanic white, and 50.1% randomized to intensive BP control), of which 94/5507 (1.7%) had an incident stroke during a mean of 3.8±0.9 years of follow-up. The risk of incident stroke in patients randomized to intensive BP control was 37/2762 (1.3%) and to standard BP control was 57/2745 (2.1%). In the adjusted Cox model, the hazard ratio for incident stroke events with intensive BP control was 0.63 (95% CI 0.42-0.96, p=0.03). The Kaplan-Meier curve by randomization arm is seen in Figure 1. Conclusion: Although the SPRINT trial failed to show a reduction in stroke with intensive BP control for all subjects, those with MCI at baseline may benefit from intensive BP control to lower risk of incident stroke. Future trials of primary prevention of stroke or vascular cognitive impairment and dementia could benefit from enrichment using baseline biomarkers of elevated risk, such as mild cognitive impairment.

Association of Brachial Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity With New Onset Stroke in Hypertensive Patients Aged Less Than 65 With Normal Fasting Glucose Among Chinese Community-Based Population.

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown an association of stroke and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). However, due to limitations on total population size and small numbers of stroke cases, lack of power has prevented further detection among subgroups such as age and laboratory testing.MethodsA total of 19217 participants including 660 incident stroke patients were pooled in the present study. Participants were divided to 2 groups, aged less than 65 years [56.0 (50.0, 61.0)] and aged 65 years or more [70.0 (67.0, 74.0)].ResultsAfter adjustment for demographic, anthropometric, and laboratory parameters, the incident stroke was positively associated to baPWV in the group aged less than 65 years (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.05–1.28), but not in the older group aged 65 or more. When baPWV was assigned as quartiles, a significant, increased risk of new-onset stroke was found in quartiles 3-4 compared with quartile 1. In addition, the predictive value of baPWV for incident stroke was modified by fasting glucose in participants aged less than 65 years (P-interaction = 0.010). An increase in baPWV was strongly, positively associated to new-onset stroke in the subgroup of normal fasting glucose (< 5.6 mmol/L) (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.15 - 1.57), but no effect was seen in the impaired fasting glucose (5.6-7.0 mmol/L) or diabetic fasting glucose (> 7.0 mmol/L) subgroups.ConclusionsIncreased baPWV was significantly associated with new-onset stroke in a hypertensive population aged less than 65 years. Particularly, it is of great importance to monitor baPWV for predicting incident stroke in “relatively healthy” hypertensive patients, i.e. aged less than 65 years with normal fasting glucose.

Influence of Haptoglobin Polymorphism on Stroke in Sickle Cell Disease Patients.

This review outlines the current clinical research investigating how the haptoglobin (Hp) genetic polymorphism and stroke occurrence are implicated in sickle cell disease (SCD) pathophysiology. Hp is a blood serum glycoprotein responsible for binding and removing toxic free hemoglobin from the vasculature. The role of Hp in patients with SCD is critical in combating blood toxicity, inflammation, oxidative stress, and even stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blocked vessel decreases oxygen delivery in the blood to cerebral tissue and is commonly associated with SCD. Due to the malformed red blood cells of sickle hemoglobin S, blockage of blood flow is much more prevalent in patients with SCD. This review is the first to evaluate the role of the Hp polymorphism in the incidence of stroke in patients with SCD. Overall, the data compiled in this review suggest that further studies should be conducted to reveal and evaluate potential clinical advancements for gene therapy and Hp infusions.

Reduced Incidence of Stroke in Patients with Gout Using Benzbromarone.

Gout is strongly associated with the incidence of atherosclerotic events, including stroke and myocardial infarction. Considering the increased prevalence of stroke in the population with gout, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of benzbromarone, a uricosuric agent, on the incidence of stroke in the population with gout. We used data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Registration Database (NHIRD). The benzbromarone user cohort included 15,143 patients; each patient was age- and sex-matched with one non-user randomly selected from the population with gout. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of benzbromarone on the incidence of stroke in the population with gout. The incidence of stroke was significantly lower in benzbromarone users than in benzbromarone non-users. The HR for the incidence of stroke was lower in male benzbromarone users than in non-users. An analysis of three age groups (<40, 40–59, and ≥60 years) indicated that the HRs in those aged 40–59 years and ≥60 years were significantly lower among benzbromarone users than non-users. In the population with gout, the incidence of stroke was lower in benzbromarone users than in benzbromarone non-users.

POSA173 Onset of Stroke in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome Following Hospitalisation for Severe COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Literature Review

An increased risk of thrombotic or cerebrovascular complications has been documented in patients with acute COVID-19. It is not yet known if an increased risk of stroke is true for patients in long-term recovery from severe hospitalised COVID-19. This systematic literature review (SLR) aimed to assess the onset of cerebrovascular events (including stroke) in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome ≥4 weeks following hospitalisation for severe COVID-19 infection. Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane were searched from January 2020 to June 2021 to identify relevant clinical studies reporting the incidence of post-discharge cerebrovascular events following a severe COVID-19 infection. Supplementary sources including conferences, reference lists and key organisation websites were scanned. The SLR was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines. A total of four studies were included from 3,789 identified articles. Two studies were conducted in the USA, one in Ukraine and one in Iran. Three studies had a short follow-up period and were conducted between February 2020 to May 2020; while one study reported data up to January 2021. Post-discharge timepoints ranged from 30 to 90 days. The incidence of stroke varied across the studies, ranging from 0.45% to 11.5%. Unsurprisingly, the study with the longest follow-up period reported the highest incidence of cerebrovascular events. Considering that limited data is available till date for patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome, newly published findings (via hand searching) from ongoing studies may be further included to minimise the paucity of evidence currently available. Despite the large number of peer-reviewed articles associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is limited published evidence demonstrating the incidence of stroke in patients who have recovered from severe COVID-19. Several studies are ongoing, and much-needed evidence is awaited from longitudinal studies that may document the risk of stroke in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Dual Antiplatelet Versus Single Antiplatelet in Post– Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation/Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Stroke Prevention: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: There is ambiguity on antiplatelet therapy for post–transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients for stroke prevention, but dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is routinely started despite lack of data on effectiveness and bleeding safety of DAPT versus single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT). This study aims to determine the effectiveness of DAPT versus SAPT in stroke prevention and assess bleeding safety. METHODS: A systematic search was done for randomized clinical trials involving DAPT and SAPT in patients who underwent TAVR. The primary outcome was stroke after 1 year of either DAPT and SAPT and life-threatening bleeding. Secondary end points included all-cause mortality. Trials were identified through systematic searches on the following databases (November 2019): Cochrane, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar and ClinicalTrials.gov and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Risk ratio was used for dichotomous outcomes. Heterogeneity among the studies for the meta-analysis was detected using a χ2 test (0.01 level of significance). Risk-of-bias assessment was done. RESULTS: There is a lower incidence of stroke in patients on DAPT, but with a higher incidence of life-threatening bleeding and major bleeding. There is also a lower incidence of all-cause mortality in SAPT. The statistical power of this meta-analysis is low due to small population size. CONCLUSION: Single antiplatelet therapy is comparable to DAPT in preventing stroke with the added benefit of a lower incidence of life-threatening and major bleeding and a lower incidence of all-cause mortality. KEYWORDS: antiplatelet therapy, bleeding, dual antiplatelet therapy, single antiplatelet therapy, mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, transcatheter aortic valve implantation

772 Incidence of stroke in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy implanted with a cardiac implantable electronic device

Abstract Aims Incidence of stroke in patients with an advanced stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is associated with adverse outcome, impaired quality of life and loss of productivity. Still today, however, the real burden of stroke in both patients with and without atrial fibrillation (AF) is unresolved. To assess the prevalence and incidence of AF and stroke in patients with an advanced stage HCM implanted with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) at our institution, a long-standing high flow referral centre for cardiomyopathies. Methods and results Clinical and instrumental data of HCM patients implanted with CIEDs [either pacemakers (PM) or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)] from 1998 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were site-designated diagnosis of HCM, age at diagnosis &amp;gt;18 years, Follow-up &amp;gt;1 year. HCM phenocopies (e.g. Fabry disease) were carefully excluded. Patients were divided into three categories according to presence of AF (‘AF prior to CIED implantation’ vs. ‘AF after CIED implantation’ vs. ‘sinus rhythm’). Outcome was measured against incidence of thromboembolic events [stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)] at Follow-up. Patients were also stratified by left atrial diameter (LAD) in two groups (&amp;lt;47 vs. &amp;gt; 48mm). Of 1861 patients followed at our Unit, a total of 185 (9.9%) patients implanted with a CIED were included (57% men, mean age at implantation 54 ± 17 years). At baseline, AF was present in 72 (36%) patients. Mean CHA2DS2VASc was 1.7 + 1.3 with no differences among patients with or without AF. Patients with AF at baseline had a more pronounced LAD dilation (51 ± 7 vs. 44 ± 8, P &amp;lt; 0.001) and a lower ejection fraction (55 ± 11 vs. 64 ± 12, P &amp;lt; 0.001). After 5.0 ± 3.8 years from CIED implantation, de novo AF was detected in 24 (21%) individuals, resulting in an annual incidence rate of 4.1%/year. Overall, 89 (48%) of patients remained is sinus rhythm. Stroke/TIAs were reported in 19 (10.3%) patients: seven (37%, 1.1%/year) occurred in patients with prior history of AF, three (16%, 2.2%/year) in patients with de novo AF, and nine (63%, 2.3%/year) in patients with no history of arrhythmias documented at CIED interrogation. Among patients in sinus rhythm, those with a LAD &amp;gt; 48 mm had the greatest risk of stroke (4.8%/year vs. 0.5%/year, P &amp;lt; 0.01, for LAD &amp;gt; 48 vs. LAD &amp;lt; 47, respectively). At multivariable analysis, after adjustment for CHA2DS2VASc, AF, and obstructive physiology, only LAD was associated with a higher risk for stroke (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03–1.11, P &amp;lt; 0.001). Conclusions In a large cohort of consecutive high risk HCM patients referred to CIED implantation, the incidence of stroke was high, with 1-in-10 patients experiencing at least one event. Among patients in sinus rhythm, those with a marked left atrial dilatation were at highest risk of ischaemic stroke, suggesting the existence of an unmet need to stratify risk of stroke even in patients with no detected arrhythmias.

Incident stroke in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: A meta‐analysis

AbstractBackgroundWe aimed to describe the risk of stroke in patients with Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and to compare it with matched controls without AD.MethodWe conducted a systematic review of all studies reporting incident stroke in AD patients according to the PRISMA guidelines. We included studies which: 1) reported ≥50 patients with a diagnosis of AD; 2) reported a retrospective or prospective follow‐up period; 3) specifically reported the occurrence of ischemic stroke and/or non‐traumatic ICH and/or stroke (all types) during the follow‐up period. We assessed the quality of studies using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross‐Sectional Studies provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Using random effects meta‐analyses, we pooled the incidence rates and incidence rate ratios (IRR) of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and stroke (all types) in AD patients.ResultTwenty‐nine (29) articles reporting incident ischemic stroke and/or incident ICH and/or incident stroke (all types) in patients with AD and were included in the meta‐analyses. The majority of studies was judged to have a fair quality. In patients with AD the incidence rates were 13.0 per 1000 person‐years for ischemic stroke, 3.4 per 1000 person‐years for ICH and 15.4 per 1000 person years for stroke (all types). When compared to matched controls without AD, incidence rate for ICH in AD patients was significantly higher (IRR 1.67, 95%CI 1.43‐1.96), but similar for ischemic stroke. Significant study heterogeneity was found in the meta‐analyses of incidence rates of ischemic stroke and stroke (all types) and moderate for studies reporting ICH.ConclusionIncident stroke is not a rare event in AD population. AD is associated with an increased risk of ICH which warrants further clarification. The significant risk of bias and heterogeneity among the studies, as well as the lack of information on possible confounding variables, does warrant the need for better quality studies on the overlap of the two neurological disorders with the highest disease burden worldwide.

Preoperative beta-blocker in ventricular dysfunction patients: need a more granular quality metric

BackgroundThe use of preoperative beta-blockers has been accepted as a quality standard for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. However, conflicting results from recent studies have raised questions concerning the effectiveness of this quality metric. We sought to determine the influence of preoperative beta-blocker administration before CABG in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.MethodsThe authors analyzed all cases of isolated CABGs in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50%, performed between 2012 January and 2017 June, at 94 centres recorded in the China Heart Failure Surgery Registry database. In addition to the use of multivariate regression models, a 1–1 propensity scores matched analysis was performed.ResultsOf 6116 eligible patients, 61.7% received a preoperative beta-blocker. No difference in operative mortality was found between two cohorts (3.7% for the non-beta-blockers group vs. 3.0% for the beta-blocker group; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.82 [95% CI 0.58–1.15]). Few differences in the incidence of other postoperative clinical end points were observed as a function of preoperative beta-blockers except in stroke (0.7% for the non-beta-blocker group vs. 0.3 for the beta-blocker group; adjusted OR 0.39 [95% CI 0.16–0.96]). Results of propensity-matched analyses were broadly consistent.ConclusionsIn this study, the administration of beta-blockers before CABG was not associated with improved operative mortality and complications except the incidence of postoperative stroke in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. A more granular quality metric which would guide the use of beta-blockers should be developed.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis is associated with incident stroke in patients with increased cardiovascular risk.

ObjectivesEarlier retrospective studies have suggested a relation between DISH and cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction. The present study assessed the association between DISH and incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with high cardiovascular risk.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, we included 4624 patients (mean age 58.4 years, 69.6% male) from the Second Manifestations of ARTerial disease cohort. The main end point was major cardiovascular events (MACE: stroke, myocardial infarction and vascular death). Secondary endpoints included all-cause mortality and separate vascular events. Cause-specific proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the risk of DISH on all outcomes, and subdistribution hazard models were used to evaluate the effect of DISH on the cumulative incidence. All models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, diabetes, non-HDL cholesterol, packyears, renal function and C-reactive protein.ResultsDISH was present in 435 (9.4%) patients. After a median follow-up of 8.7 (IQR 5.0–12.0) years, 864 patients had died and 728 patients developed a MACE event. DISH was associated with an increased cumulative incidence of ischaemic stroke. After adjustment in cause-specific modelling, DISH remained significantly associated with ischaemic stroke (HR 1.55; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.38), but not with MACE (HR 0.99; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.24), myocardial infarction (HR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.31), vascular death (HR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.68, 1.27) or all-cause mortality (HR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.16).ConclusionThe presence of DISH is independently associated with an increased incidence and risk for ischaemic stroke, but not with MACE, myocardial infarction, vascular death or all-cause mortality.

Incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with periodic limb movements in sleep: one-year follow-up

Objective. To assess the influence of periodic limb movements in sleep on the incidence of acute cardiovascular events. Design and methods. Fifty-six participants aged 60–75 years were included in the study. Eligibility criteria included no history of acute cardiovascular events and the presence of 1 or more risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Nocturnal actigraphy and cardiorespiratory monitoring were performed. Patients with apnea/hypopnea index &gt; 5/h were excluded (n = 6). Based on periodic limb movements index (PLMI) two groups were formed: main (PLMI ≥ 15/h, n = 26) and controls (PLMI &lt; 15/h, n = 24). The groups were prospectively observed during 1 year. The endpoints of the study were cases of acute cardiovascular events. Results. Despite the similar prevalence of common risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in two groups, the patients with PLMI ≥ 15/h have a higher incidence of ischemic stroke within 1 year (odds ratio 1,07). Conclusions. Elevated PLMI might be regarded as a potential predictor for higher risk for ischemic stroke. Nevertheless, further investigations in the field are needed.

Lower risk of stroke after alcohol abstinence in patients with incident atrial fibrillation: a nationwide population-based cohort study

Abstract Background In a recent study, alcohol abstinence reduced the atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in patients with AF. However, the relationship between alcohol consumption and incident stroke in patients with AF per se remains unclear. Purpose To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption status (and its changes) after newly diagnosed AF and the risk of ischaemic stroke. Methods Using the Korean nationwide claims and health examination database, we included subjects who were newly diagnosed with AF between 2010 and 2016. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the status of alcohol consumption before and after AF diagnosis: non-drinkers; abstainers from alcohol after AF diagnosis; and current drinkers. The primary outcome was incident ischaemic stroke during follow-up. Results Among a total of 97,869 newly diagnosed AF patients, 51% were non-drinkers, 13% were abstainers, and 36% were current drinkers. After inverse probability of treatment weighting, baseline characteristics of three groups were well-balanced. Compared to current drinkers, abstainers and non-drinkers were associated with a lower risk of ischaemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77–0.96 for abstainers and HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.70–0.81 for non-drinkers, respectively). Amongst current drinkers, there was a dose-response relationship between the amount of alcohol consumption and the risk of ischaemic stroke. Conclusion Current alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with newly diagnosed AF, and alcohol abstinence after AF diagnosis could reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke. Lifestyle intervention, including attention to alcohol consumption, should be encouraged as a part of a comprehensive approach to AF management to improve clinical outcomes. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Incident stroke in patients with Alzheimer\u2019s disease: systematic review and meta-analysis

Vascular mechanisms are increasingly recognized in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but less is known about the occurrence of stroke in AD patients. We aimed to quantify the risk of stroke in patients with AD and compare the incidence rates (IR) of stroke in individuals without AD. Systematic search of Embase and MEDLINE between 1970 and 2020. Inclusion criteria: reports with ≥ 50 patients with non-familial AD, which reported the occurrence of stroke (all types) and/or ischemic stroke and/or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) during follow-up. Meta-analyses of pooled data using random-effects model were performed. IR were calculated for each study. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated for studies presenting a control-group without AD. Among 5109 retrieved studies, 29 (0.6%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria, reporting a total of 61,824 AD patients. In AD patients the IR were 15.4/1000 person-years for stroke (all types), 13.0/1000 person-years for ischemic stroke and 3.4/1000 person-years for ICH. When compared to controls without AD, incidence rate for ICH in AD patients was significantly higher (IRR = 1.67, 95%CI 1.43–1.96), but similar for ischemic stroke. Incident stroke is not a rare event in AD population. AD is associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage which warrants further clarification.

The incidence of stroke in patients with early echocardiography after acute myocardial infarction.

Left ventricular (LV) thrombus formation after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) increases the risk of stroke. In our center, most echocardiograms are performed within 2days post-STEMI. However, LV thrombi often become visible later. We assessed the 1-year incidence of stroke in patients without LV thrombus on echocardiography performed early (1-2days) vs. later (day ≥ 3) post-STEMI. This retrospective observational study included 416 patients with acute STEMI. Patients with atrial fibrillation were excluded. All patients underwent echocardiography during admission. Patients with stroke within 12months post-STEMI were identified from the hospital charts and administrative databases. Most echocardiograms (75%) were performed ≤ 2days post-STEMI. LV thrombus was identified in 12 patients. One (8.3%) patient with LV thrombus and 10 (2.5%) patients without LV thrombus suffered stroke within 12months post-STEMI. Most patients with stroke had apical akinesis. Most strokes occurred during the index admission or within 67days of STEMI. There was no significant difference in the incidence of stroke between the patients with early vs. later echocardiography post-STEMI. The incidence of stroke after STEMI is low and similar between patients with echocardiography performed early vs. later post-STEMI which supports our current clinical practice. Importantly, most strokes occur in patients without LV thrombus on early echocardiography. High reported mortality rate associated with stroke following STEMI justifies the need for further validation in prospective studies to identify patients who may benefit from repeat imaging to detect later LV thrombus formation, and how this will impact patient outcomes and healthcare costs.

The effectiveness of the prevention measures on stroke incidence in patients with ipsilateral carotid disease

article: The effectiveness of the prevention measures on stroke incidence in patients with ipsilateral carotid disease - Italian Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2021 June;28(2):53-5 - Minerva Medica - Journals