Ipsilateral Ischemic Stroke Research Articles

Long-term outcome followed for more than 5 years after revascularization surgery for the treatment of atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease: poor outcome prediction using machine learning and analysis of the results.

Cerebral revascularization for the treatment of atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease (ASOD) was found to have no benefit compared with medical treatment. However, there is also criticism that with sufficiently long-term follow-up, a crossover might emerge demonstrating the advantages of surgery. Therefore, we examined the long-term outcome of cerebral revascularization performed on patients with carefully selected ASOD at our center. Patients undergoing bypass surgery for non-moyamoya ischemic disease were retrospectively identified. The inclusion criteria were symptomatic ASOD with hemodynamic insufficiency, follow-up of more than 5 years, and stroke or surgical complications during follow-up. The clinical course and radiological findings were investigated. Poor outcomes were predicted using machine learning (ML) models, and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) values and feature importance of each model were analyzed. A total of 109 patients were included from 2007 to 2018. The 30-day risk of any stroke or death was 6.4% (7/109). The risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke during median follow-up of 116 months was 7.3% (8/109). The SHAP values showed that previously and empirically known stroke risk factors exert a relatively consistent effect on the prediction of models. The number of lesions with stenosis > 50% (odds ratio [OR] 5.77), age (OR 1.13), and coronary artery disease (OR 5.73) were consistent risk factors for poor outcome. We demonstrated an acceptable long-term outcome of cerebral revascularization surgery for patients with hemodynamically insufficient and symptomatic ASOD. Multicenter studies are encouraged to predict poor outcomes and suitable patients with large numbers of quantitative and qualitative data.

Results of Carotid Endarterectomy Performed at Different Times During the Acute Period of Ischemic Stroke

AIM OF STUDY. To compare the results of carotid endarterectomy performed at different times (1st, 2nd and 3rd week) of the acute period of ischemic stroke.MATERIAL AND METHODS. In the acute period of ischemic stroke (1–21 days), 92 patients with symptomatic stenosis of the internal carotid artery of 50% or more were operated on using carotid endarterectomy . There were 66 men and 26 women. The average age was 65.7±8.4 years. All patients were divided into three groups depending on the timing of the operation: Group 1, where the operation was performed on the 1st week of stroke (n=48); Group 2, where the operation was performed on the 2nd week after stroke (n=28); Group 3, where carotid endarterectomy was performed on the 3rd week after stroke (n=16). In-hospital endpoints of the study in each group were ipsilateral ischemic stroke, any other stroke (contralateral ischemic or hemorrhagic), myocardial infarction, wound hemorrhagic complications requiring repeated operation and surgical hemostasis, death, and major adverse cardiovascular events (stroke + myocardial infarction + fatal outcome).RESULTS. There were no postoperative ipsilateral ischemic strokes, myocardial infarctions, or deaths in the study group (92 patients). In the overall group of patients (n = 92), the incidence of any postoperative stroke was 2.2% (2 patients): one hemorrhagic stroke on the side of carotid endarterectomy (group 3) and one contralateral ischemic stroke on the first postoperative day in a patient with bilateral critical stenosis of the internal carotid artery (group 1). Postoperative wound hematoma, which required revision and bleeding arrest in the early postoperative period, developed in one (1.1%) patient in Group 1. The overall incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was 2.2% or 2 patients. In all three groups, a statistically significant and positive effect in regression of the initial neurological deficit was obtained at discharge. In patients operated in the first week after stroke, the neurological deficit at discharge according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin scale was the lowest. In general, 31.3%, 17.9% and 12.5% of patients in groups 1, 2 and 3 were discharged without neurological deficit (0 points according to the NIHSS scale), respectively.CONCLUSIONS. Carotid endarterectomy performed in the acute period of ischemic stroke is a safe surgical intervention in the prevention of recurrent ipsilateral ischemic events. The most positive neurological dynamics and the least neurological deficit at discharge were achieved after operations performed in the first week of ischemic stroke.

Circulating microRNAs in Carotid Atherosclerosis: Complex Interplay and Possible Associations with Atherothrombotic Stroke.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder which remains the main cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with carotid atherosclerosis (CA) being a major cause of ischemic stroke. Epigenetic regulation plays a significant role in CA progression and stroke, yet the impact of circulating microRNA expression, associated with atherogenesis, has not been clearly defined. We included 81 patients with moderate-severe CA (mean age 67 ± 7 years, 53% male), 42% of whom had prior ipsilateral ischemic stroke (i.e., were symptomatic). A total of 24 miRs were identified and their plasma expression levels were measured. We observed that several microRNAs were up-regulated in stroke survivors, namely miR-200c-3p (30.6 vs. 29.7, p = 0.047), miR-106b-3p (31.01 vs. 30.25, p = 0.004), and miR-494-5p (39 vs. 33, p < 0.001), while others (miR183-3p [25.5 vs. 28.6, p < 0.001], miR-126-5p [35.6 vs. 37.1, p = 0.03], and miR-216-3p [12.34 vs. 16.2, p < 0.001]) had lower plasma levels in symptomatic patients. In a multivariable logistic regression model for symptomatic CA, the only miRs showing statistical significance were miR-106b-5p, miR-183-3p, miR-216-3p, and miR-494-5p. Cluster analysis demonstrated differential miR expression in CA patients depending on their stroke status. Epigenetic modulation, represented as complex interplay between circulating miRs of different atherogenic potential, may play a significant role in CA development and progression. In our study, we show possible candidates for future research regarding CA and stroke.

Potential of BMI as a screening indicator for extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery in patients with symptomatic artery occlusion: a post-hoc analysis of the CMOSS trial.

To investigate the association between BMI and the incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with symptomatic artery occlusion, and further to evaluate the utility of BMI as a screening tool for identifying candidates for extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery. The authors analyzed the relationship between BMI and the occurrence of ipsilateral ischemic stroke (IIS) among patients receiving only medical management in the Carotid or Middle cerebral artery Occlusion Surgery Study (CMOSS). Additionally, the authors compared the primary endpoint of CMOSS-stroke or death within 30 days, or IIS after 30 days up to 2 years-among patients with varying BMIs who underwent either surgery or medical treatment. Of the 165 patients who treated medically only, 16 (9.7%) suffered an IIS within 2 years. BMI was independently associated with the incidence of IIS (hazard ratio: 1.16 per kg/m 2 ; 95% CI: 1.06-1.27). The optimal BMI cutoff for predicting IIS was 24.5kg/m 2 . Patients with BMI ≥24.5kg/m 2 experienced a higher incidence of IIS compared to those with BMI <24.5kg/m 2 (17.4 vs. 0.0%, P <0.01). The incidence of the CMOSS primary endpoint was significantly different between the surgical and medical groups for patients with BMI ≥24.5kg/m 2 (5.3 vs. 19.8%, P <0.01) and those with BMI <24.5kg/m 2 (10.6 vs. 1.4%; P =0.02). Surgical intervention was independently associated with a reduced rate of the CMOSS primary endpoint in patients with BMI ≥24.5kg/m 2 . Data from the CMOSS trial indicate that patients with BMI ≥24.5kg/m 2 are at a higher risk of IIS when treated medically only and appear to derive greater benefit from bypass surgery compared to those with lower BMIs. Given the small sample size and the inherent limitations of retrospective analyses, further large-scale, prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.

In-hospital recurrent stroke in ipsilateral carotid web patients undergoing thrombectomy.

Carotid artery web is a possible cause of ischemic stroke, especially in young patients who lack conventional risk factors. The immediate and long-term outcomes are not well studied. We aimed to determine the association between an ipsilateral carotid web and in-hospital stroke recurrence. We analyzed data from adult patients admitted with an acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion at a Comprehensive Stroke Center between July 2015 and March 2023. The primary outcome was in-hospital stroke recurrence and secondary outcome was in-hospital recurrent LVO. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the association between ipsilateral carotid web and recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent LVO. Of the 1463 patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion, 27 (1.8%) had an ipsilateral carotid artery web. Patients with carotid web were younger (median age (IQR), 60 years (53-67 years) versus 74 years (62-84 years), P < 0.01) and less likely to be Caucasian (60% vs. 80%, p = 0.014). Of the 27 patients with carotid web, 18 (70%) had no identifiable competing stroke mechanism. When compared to patients without ipsilateral carotid web, those with an ipsilateral carotid web had a higher risk of recurrent ischemic stroke (adjusted RR: 4.38, 95% CI: 1.38-13.85) and recurrent ipsilateral large vessel occlusion (adjusted RR: 4.49, 95% CI: 1.41-14.21). Carotid webs are an under recognized cause of acute large vessel occlusion and are associated with higher risk of early recurrence. Studies are needed to validate our findings and test early revascularization strategies in patients with symptomatic carotid artery webs.

Management of Severe Bilateral Symptomatic Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis: Case Report and Literature Review.

Multiple strategies for tandem severe carotid artery stenosis are reported: bilateral carotid artery endarterectomy (CEA), bilateral carotid artery stenting (CAS), and hybrid procedures (CEA and CAS). The management is controversial, considering the reported high risk of periprocedural stroke, hemodynamic distress, and cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome. We present the case of a 64-year-old patient with severe symptomatic bilateral internal carotid artery stenosis (95% stenosis on the left internal carotid artery with recent ipsilateral watershed anterior cerebral artery-medial cerebral artery (ACA-MCA) and medial cerebral artery-posterior cerebral artery (MCA-PCA) ischemic strokes and 90% stenosis on the right internal carotid artery with chronic ipsilateral frontal ischemic stroke) managed successfully with staged CEA within a 3-day interval. The patient had a history of coronary angioplasty and stenting. Strategies for brain protection included shunt placement after the evaluation of carotid stump pressure, internal carotid backflow, and near-infrared spectroscopy. A collagen and silver-coated polyester patch was used to complete the endarterectomy using a 6.0 polypropylene continuous suture in both instances. Management also included neurological consults after extubation, dual antiplatelet therapy, head CT between the two surgeries, myocardial ischemia monitoring, and general anesthesia. Staged CEA with a small time interval between surgeries can be an option to treat tandem symptomatic carotid artery stenosis in highly selected patients. The decision should be tailored according to the patient's characteristics and should also be made by a cardiology specialist, a neurology specialist, and an anesthesia and intensive care physician.

Individualized MRI-based stroke PRediction scOre using plaque Vulnerability for symptomatic carotid artEry disease patients (IMPROVE).

In TIA and stroke patients with carotid stenosis, estimations of future ipsilateral ischemic stroke risk and treatment decisions are currently primarily based on the degree of stenosis. Intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), which can be readily visualized on carotid MRI, is increasingly established as an easy to assess and a very strong and independent predictor for ipsilateral stroke risk, stronger than any clinical risk factor. We developed a clinical prediction model (IMPROVE) incorporating IPH, degree of stenosis, and clinical risk factors to select patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis at high risk for stroke. IMPROVE was developed on pooled clinical and MRI data from five cohort studies of 760 recent TIA or minor stroke patients with carotid plaque who received optimal medical treatment. We used Cox proportional hazards models to determine the coefficients of IMPROVE. IMPROVE was internally validated using bootstrapping and converted to one- and three-year ipsilateral ischemic stroke risk. The development dataset contained 65 ipsilateral incident ischemic strokes that occurred during a median follow-up of 1.2 years (IQR: 0.5-4.1). The IMPROVE model includes five predictors, which are in order of importance: degree of stenosis, presence of IPH on MRI, classification of last event (cerebral vs ocular), sex, and age. Internal validation revealed a good accuracy (C-statistic: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.77-0.87) and no evidence for miscalibration (calibration slope: 0.93). Using presence of IPH on MRI and only four conventional parameters, the IMPROVE model provides accurate individual stroke risk estimates, which may facilitate stratification for revascularization.

Qualifying Event and Recurrence of Ischemic Stroke in Symptomatic Artery Occlusion: A Post Hoc Analysis of CMOSS.

The authors aimed to elucidate the relationship between latest ischemic event and the incidence of subsequent ischemic stroke in patients with symptomatic artery occlusion. We analyzed the association between qualifying event-the latest ischemic event (transient ischemic attack [TIA] or stroke)-and the incidence of ipsilateral ischemic stroke in patients with symptomatic artery occlusion treated with medical therapy alone in CMOSS (Carotid or Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Surgery Study). The incidence of CMOSS primary outcomes, including any stroke or death within 30 days after randomization or ipsilateral ischemic stroke between 30 days and 2 years, between the bypass surgical and medical groups, stratified by qualifying events, was also compared. Of the 165 patients treated with medical therapy alone, 75 had a TIA and 90 had a stroke as their qualifying event. The incidence of ipsilateral ischemic stroke did not significantly differ between patients with a TIA and those with a stroke as their qualifying event (13.3% versus 6.7%, P=0.17). In multivariate analysis, the qualifying event was not associated with the incidence of ipsilateral ischemic stroke. There were no significant differences in the CMOSS primary outcomes between the surgical and medical groups, regardless of the qualifying event being TIA (10.1% versus 12.2%, P=0.86) or stroke (6.7% versus 8.9%, P=0.55). Among patients with symptomatic artery occlusion and hemodynamic insufficiency, the risk of subsequent ipsilateral ischemic stroke does not appear to be lower in patients presenting with a TIA compared with those with a stroke. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01758614.

Carotid atherosclerotic plaque microcalcification is independently associated with recurrent neurovascular events: A pilot study.

Microcalcification and macrocalcification are critical processes in atherosclerotic plaque progression, though how these processes relate to the risk of stroke recurrence in symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis is poorly understood. We performed a post hoc analysis of data from the ICARUSS (Imaging Carotid Atherosclerosis in the Recovery and Understanding of Stroke Severity) study, where individuals with acute ischemic stroke originating from ipsilateral carotid stenosis of ⩾ 50% underwent 18F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography (NaF-PET) to measure microcalcification. Tracer uptake was quantified using maximum tissue-to-background ratio (TBRmax). Macrocalcification was measured on computed tomography (CT) using Agatston scoring. Patients were followed up for 6 months for recurrent ipsilateral neurovascular events. Five (27.8%) of 18 individuals had a recurrent ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Ipsilateral carotid plaque NaF uptake at baseline was higher in those with recurrent events compared to those without, and this association remained after adjustment for other vascular risk factors (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.24, 1.03-1.50). Macrocalcification score in the symptomatic artery was also significantly independently associated with ipsilateral recurrence, but the effect size was relatively smaller (aOR = 1.12, 1.06-1.17 for each 100 unit increase). Our findings indicate that microcalcification in symptomatic carotid plaques is independently associated with ipsilateral ischemic stroke recurrence. Furthermore, differences in the extent of active microcalcification in macrocalcified plaques may help explain variation in the relationship between calcified carotid plaques and stroke recurrence reported in the literature. Our pilot study indicates that evaluation of carotid artery microcalcification using NaF-PET may be a useful method for risk-stratification of carotid atherosclerosis, though our findings require confirmation in larger cohorts.

Associations between carotid plaque shape, biomechanical parameters, and ischemic stroke in mild carotid stenosis with a single plaque.

This cross-sectional cohort-comparison observational study investigated the value of high-frame-rate vector flow (V Flow) imaging for evaluating differences in carotid plaque shape and biomechanical parameters in patients with mild stenosis according to a recent history of ipsilateral ischemic stroke. The present study included 352 patients from February 2023 to October 2023, who were categorized as symptomatic or asymptomatic based on a history of recent ischemic stroke and ipsilateral ischemic lesions detected on head computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. A Mindray Resona R9 system was used for B-mode ultrasonography and V Flow imaging. The upstream and downstream surfaces of the plaques were examined at the carotid bifurcation for wall shear stress (WSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), and turbulence index, which performed peri-plaque biomechanical condition. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine associations between plaque shape, V Flow parameters, and ischemic stroke. Symptomatic patients exhibited higher WSS values for the upstream and downstream surfaces of carotid plaque, as well as higher OSI and turbulence index values for the downstream surface. Type Ⅲ plaques and higher WSS and OSI values for the downstream surface of the plaque were significantly associated with ischemic stroke. Type Ⅲ plaques were more prevalent in symptomatic patients and demonstrated much higher WSS and OSI values for the downstream plaque surface in both groups. High-frame-rate V Flow imaging could assess peri-plaque biomechanical forces and may provide effective imaging biomarkers for early prediction of ischemic stroke in patients with mild stenosis.

Impact of Cerebral Revascularization on Pial Collateral Flow in Patients With Unilateral Moyamoya Disease Using Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Angiography.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic steno-occlusive disease of the intracranial circulation that depends on neoangiogenesis of collateral vessels to maintain cerebral perfusion and is primarily managed with cerebral revascularization surgery. A quantitative assessment of preoperative and postoperative collateral flow using quantitative magnetic resonance angiography with noninvasive optimal vessel analysis (NOVA) was used to illustrate the impact of revascularization on cerebral flow distribution. A retrospective review of patients with unilateral MMD who underwent direct, indirect, or combined direct/indirect cerebral revascularization surgery was conducted between 2011 and 2020. Using NOVA, flow was measured at the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), ACA distal to the anterior communicating artery (A2), middle cerebral artery (MCA), posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and PCA distal to the posterior communicating artery (P2). Pial flow (A2 + P2) and collateral flow (ipsilateral [A2 + P2])-(contralateral [A2 + P2]) were measured and compared before and after revascularization surgery. Total hemispheric flow (MCA + A2 + P2) with the addition of the bypass graft flow postoperatively was likewise measured. Thirty-four patients with unilateral MMD underwent cerebral revascularization. Median collateral flow significantly decreased from 68 to 39.5 mL/min ( P = .007) after bypass. Hemispheres with maintained measurable bypass signal on postoperative NOVA demonstrated significant reduction in median collateral flow after bypass ( P = .002). Median total hemispheric flow significantly increased from 227 mL/min to 247 mL/min ( P = .007) after bypass. Only one patient suffered an ipsilateral ischemic stroke, and no patients suffered a hemorrhage during follow-up. NOVA measurements demonstrate a reduction in pial collateral flow and an increase in total hemispheric flow after bypass for MMD, likely representing a decrease in leptomeningeal collateral stress on the distal ACA and PCA territories. Further studies with these measures in larger cohorts may elucidate a role for NOVA in predicting the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic events in MMD.

Relationship between in-stent restenosis following carotid artery stenting and platelet reactivity to clopidogrel

ObjectiveTo analyze the relationship between in-stent restenosis (ISR) following carotid artery stenting (CAS) and platelet clopidogrel reactivity confirmed by the P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU) and inhibition rate (IR).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed...

Cartoid Near Occlusion: Time to Re-think Endarectomy?

Carotid near occlusion (CNO) treatment is still controversial. In the discussion of surgical revascularization of these patients, periprocedural complications and technical failure should be considered in addition to the long-term results. We examined the efficacy and safety of surgical treatment in CNO and non-CNO patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Data from 152 patients (118 male and 34 female) who underwent isolated CEA between January 2018 and June 2020 without critical contralateral lesions were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: CNO (n = 52) and non-CNO (n = 100). The groups were compared regarding postoperative transient ischemic attack (TIA), ipsilateral ischemic stroke, and mortality. The success rate of the procedure was 100% in the CNO group and 99% in the Non-CNO group. In the Non-CNO group, 1 patient had ipsilateral ischemic stroke on postoperative day 0, and this patient was treated with carotid artery stenting. While the number of patients who died in the non-CNO group was 3 (3%) overall, the exitus rate was 1 (1.9%) in the CNO group (P >.05). In the CNO group, retinal TIA was observed in 1 patient (1.9%), ischemic stroke in 2 patients (3.8%), and TIA in 1 patient (1.9%). In the non-CNO group; Retinal TIA was observed in 1 patient (1.0%), ischemic stroke in 2 patients (2.0%), and TIA in 2 patients (2.0%). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of postoperative neurologic complications and primary endpoints at 12-month follow-up (P >.05). Carotid endarterectomy is a safe, feasible, and advantageous procedure in selected CNO patients, as in non-CNO carotid artery patients. Therefore, we recommend a surgical approach to prevent neurological events in CNO patients.

Clinical Significance of Carotid Endarterectomy and Carotid Artery Stenting in Older Patients Over 80.

As the average life expectancy increases, neurosurgeons are likely to encounter patients aged 80 years and above with carotid stenosis; however, whether old age affects clinical post-treatment outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) remains inconclusive. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the outcomes following CEA or CAS in patients aged 80 years and above. This study included older over 80 years (n = 34) and younger patients (<80 years; n = 222) who underwent CEA or CAS between 2012 and 2022. All of them were followed up for a mean of 55 months. All-cause mortality, the incidence of vascular events, ability to perform daily activities, and nursing home admission rates were assessed. During follow-up periods, 34 patients (13.3%) died due to coronary artery disease, malignancy, and pneumonia, and the incidence was significantly higher in the elderly group than in the younger group (P = 0.03; HR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.53-5.56). The incidence of vascular events did not differ between the older group (29.5%) and the younger group (26.9%, P = 0.58); however, the incidence was significantly higher in patients with high-intensity plaques than in those without that (P = 0.008; HR, 2.83, 95%CI, 1.27-4.87). The decline in the ability to perform daily activities and increased nursing home admission rates were high in elderly patients (P < 0.01). Although the mortality rate was higher in the elderly group, subsequent vascular events were comparable to that in the younger group. The results suggest that CEA and CAS are safe and useful treatments for carotid stenosis in older patients, especially to prevent ipsilateral ischemic stroke.

Symptomatic Non-stenotic Carotid Disease in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source : Analysis of the ESCAPE-NA1 Trial.

Non-stenotic (< 50%) carotid disease may play an important etiological role in ischemic stroke classified as embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS). We aimed to assess the prevalence of non-stenotic carotid disease and its association with ipsilateral ischemic stroke. Data are from ESCAPE-NA1, arandomized controlled trial investigating the neuroprotectant nerinetide in patients with acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion (LVO). The degree of stenosis of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) and high-risk plaque features were assessed on baseline computed tomography (CT) angiography. We evaluated the association of non-stenotic carotid disease and ipsilateral stroke by age-adjusted and sex-adjusted logistic regression and calculated the attributable risk of ipsilateral stroke caused by non-stenotic carotid disease. After excluding patients with non-assessable imaging, symptomatic > 50% carotid stenosis and extracranial dissection, 799/1105 (72.1%) patients enrolled in ESCAPE-NA1 remained for this analysis. Of these, 127 (15.9%) were classified as ESUS. Non-stenotic carotid disease occurred in 34/127 ESUS patients (26.8%) and was associated with the presence of ipsilateral ischemic stroke (odds ratio, OR1.6, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.0-2.6, p = 0.049). The risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke attributable to non-stenotic carotid disease in ESUS was estimated to be 19.7% (95% CI -5.7% to 39%), the population attributable risk was calculated as 4.3%. Imaging features such as plaque thickness, plaque irregularity or plaque ulceration were not different between non-stenotic carotids with vs. without ipsilateral stroke. Non-stenotic carotid disease frequently occurs in patients classified as ESUS and is associated with ipsilateral ischemic stroke. Our findings support the role of non-stenotic carotid disease as stroke etiology in ESUS, but further prospective research is needed to prove acausal relationship.

Analysis of Extracranial Cerebrovascular Injuries: Clinical Predictors of Management and Outcomes

Optimal management of traumatic extracranial cerebrovascular injuries (ECVIs) remains undefined. We sought to evaluate the factors that influence management and neurologic outcomes (stroke and brain death) following traumatic ECVI. A retrospective review of a single level 1 trauma center's prospectively maintained data registry of patients older than 18years of age with a diagnosis of ECVI was performed from 2013 to 2019. Injuries limited to the external carotid artery were excluded. Patient demographics, type of injury, timing of presentation, Biffl Classification of Cerebrovascular Injury Grade, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and Abbreviated Injury Scale were documented. Ultimate treatments (medical management and procedural interventions) and brain-related outcomes (stroke and brain death) were recorded. ECVIs were identified in 96 patients. The primary mechanism of injury was blunt trauma (89.5% vs. 10.5%, blunt versus penetrating), with 70 cases (66%) of vertebral artery injury and 37 cases of carotid artery injury. Treatments included vascular intervention (6.5%) and medical management (93.5%). Overall outcomes included ipsilateral ischemic stroke (29%) and brain death (6.5%). In the carotid group, vascular intervention was associated with higher Biffl grades (mean Biffl 3.17 vs. 2.23; P=0.087) and decreased incidence of brain death (0% vs. 19%, P=0.006), with no difference seen in ISS scores. Brain death was associated with higher ISS scores (40.29 vs. 24.17, P=0.01), lower glascow coma score on arrival (3.57 vs. 10.63, P<0.001), and increased rates of ischemic stroke (71% vs. 30%, P=0.025). In the vertebral group, neither Biffl grade nor ISS were associated with treatment or outcomes. Regarding the timing of stroke in ECVI, there was no significant difference in the time from presentation to cerebral infarction between the carotid and vertebral artery groups (24.7hr vs. 21.20hr, P=0.739). After this window, 98% of the ECVI cases demonstrated no further aneurysmal degeneration or new neurological deficits beyond the early time period (mean follow-up 9.7months). Blunt cerebrovascular injuries should be viewed distinctly in the carotid and vertebral territories. In cases of injury to the carotid artery, Biffl grade and ISS score are associated with surgical intervention and neurologic events, respectively; vertebral artery injuries did not share this association. Neurologic deficits were detected in a similar time frame between the carotid artery and the vertebral artery injury groups and both groups had rare late neurologic events.

Endovascular Recanalization for Nonacute Carotid Artery Occlusion: A Nationwide Registry‐Based Cohort Study

Background The management of nonacute symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion remains unsatisfactory. Endovascular recanalization has been reported to be feasible but associated with a noteworthy risk of postprocedural complications in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion. The present study aimed to investigate whether successful recanalization exerts clinical benefits over procedural risks. Methods We analyzed consecutive patients who underwent endovascular treatment of nonacute symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion in a nationwide prospective registry. The primary outcome was the ipsilateral ischemic stroke recurrence. Other outcomes of interest included all strokes and death during follow‐up, and 30‐day symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and all strokes after intervention. Results The final analysis included 511 patients. Endovascular revascularization was successful in 300 patients (58.7%) but failed in 211 patients (41.3%). Patients with successful recanalization had less time from the last ischemic event to the endovascular treatment as compared with patients with failed recanalization (median [interquartile range] days, 18 [12–33] versus 22 [14–50]; P =0.003). Successful recanalization was associated with a higher rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 30 days after intervention (odds ratio [OR], 7.99 [95% CI, 1.02–62.39]; P =0.047). Thirty‐day all strokes (OR, 1.91 [95% CI, 0.83–4.40]; P =0.128) and ischemic stroke (OR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.33–2.46]; P =0.839) did not differ significantly. During a median follow‐up of 37 months, patients with successful recanalization demonstrated a reduced risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.28 [95% CI, 0.13–0.59]; P &lt;0.001). The 5‐year risk of all strokes and death was likewise lower in patients with successful recanalization (restricted mean survival time difference, 3.77 months [95% CI, 0.16–7.38]; P =0.041). Conclusion Despite an increase in the 30‐day symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, successful recanalization was associated with reduced long‐term risk of ipsilateral ischemic stroke in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion.

High intensity plaque in carotid artery on magnetic resonance imaging predict long term major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events

Abstract Background Cardiocerebrovascular diseases remain the major cause of death in the world. The presence of carotid plaque is a surrogate marker for systemic atherosclerosis. High intensity plaque (HIP) in carotid artery on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was reported to be associated with the ipsilateral ischemic stroke as well as coronary artery disease. However, few studies have examined the impact of carotid HIP on long-term prognosis of cardiocerebrovascular disease. Purpose We investigated whether HIP in carotid artery associated with long term major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Method We retrospectively analyzed 241 patients suspected carotid artery stenosis and underwent MRI at our hospital between January 2002 and December 2004. Plaque imaging was performed with non-contrast T1 imaging, and we defined as HIP if plaque-to-myocardium signal-intensity ratio (PMR) ≥2.0. Patients were divided into the HIP group (n=134) or non-HIP group (n=107). The outcome of this study was first incidence of ischemic cardiac or cerebrovascular events. Cardiovascular events were defined as cardiac death (sudden death, fetal myocardial infarction) and non-fetal myocardial infarction. Cerebrovascular events were defined as cerebral infarction. We compared the cumulative incidents of MACCE between with or without HIP groups using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was carried out to assess whether HIP could be independent predicter of MACCE. Results Median age of study patients was 70 (inter quartile range; 65-75) and 215 (88.1%) patients were male, 185 patients (76.6%) had established vascular diseases. The median follow-up periods were 8.6 years (inter quartile range; 4.0-14.2 years). The presence of HIP was associated with MACCE (p&amp;lt;0.001). Multivariate analysis shows that the presence of HIP was an independent predicting factor for MACCE. When we analyzed incidence of each cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event, the presence of HIP was significantly associated with cerebrovascular events (p=0.004) and cardiovascular events(p=0.03), respectively. Conclusion The presence of carotid HIP was associated with long term prognosis for MACCE. Our findings indicate that carotid HIP is a surrogate marker for vulnerable patients with cardiocerebrovascular disease.

Clinical, imaging, and management features of symptomatic carotid web: Insight from CAROWEB registry.

Although carotid web (CaW) is increasingly diagnosed as a cause of cryptogenic stroke, data are still limited to monocentric small sample cohort. To broaden knowledge on symptomatic CaW, CAROWEB registry has been recently implemented. In a large cohort of symptomatic CaW patients, we described epidemiologic characteristics, admission clinical and imaging features, and the current management including the secondary preventive strategy choice made in comprehensive French Stroke Units. CAROWEB is an ongoing French observational multicenter registry enrolling consecutive CaW patients diagnosed after an ipsilateral ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Submitted cases were validated by two experienced neurologist and neuroradiologist. Clinical, imaging, and management features were collected for this study. Between June 2019 and December 2021, 244 cases were submitted by 14 centers, 42 rejected, and 202 included (IS, 91.6%; TIA, 7.9%; retinal infarction, 0.5%; mean age, 50.8 ± 12.2 years; female, 62.9%; Caucasian, 47.5%; Afro-Caribbean, 20.3%). IS patients showed median (interquartile range (IQR)) admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, 8 (2-15); intracranial artery occlusion, 71.8%; ipsilateral chronic cerebral infarction (CCI), 16.3%; and reperfusion treatment, 57.3%. CaW was not identified during the mechanical thrombectomy procedure in 30 of 85 (35.3%) patients. Secondary prevention was invasive in 55.6% (stenting, n = 80; surgery, n = 30). In multivariable analysis, the invasive therapeutic option was associated with ipsilateral CCI (odds ratio (OR): 4.24 (1.27-14.2), p = 0.019) and inversely associated with risk factors (OR: 0.47 (0.24-0.91), p = 0.025) and admission NIHSS score (OR: 0.93 (0.89-0.97), p = 0.001). CaW must be considered in all ethnic groups including Caucasians. Secondary prevention is heterogeneous in large French Stroke Centers. The absence of risk factors, milder severity strokes, and ipsilateral CCI were predictive variables of secondary invasive treatment. The high rate of invasive treatment suggests that medical treatment alone is deemed ineffective to avoid recurrence and emphasize the need of randomized trials.

171 Combined inflammatory biomarkers predict recurrent ipsilateral ischaemic stroke in patients with carotid atherosclerosis

Abstract Background Large-artery ischaemic stroke is associated with a high-risk of recurrence. Inflammation is important in the development and rupture of carotid plaque. It remains unknown if blood-biomarkers can reliably quantify vascular inflammation. We investigated whether blood-biomarkers were associated with recurrent ipsilateral Ischaemic Stroke (IS). Methods hsCRP and IL-6 were measured in blood-samples using immunochemiluminescence immunoassays from three cohort studies. Median follow-up was 3.9 years (IQR 1.6–5.8). The primary outcome was recurrent ipsilateral IS. Results Of 269 participants, 130 (48.3%) had severe CS (median age, 71 (IQR 64–78)). There were 19 ipsilateral recurrent IS in 1,046-patient-years follow-up. hsCRP was dichotomised at 2 mg/L and IL-6 at 7 pg/ml (expected-normal value for assay). 187 (69.5%) had hsCRP&amp;lt;2 mg/L and 170 (63.2%) had IL-6 ≥ 7 pg/ml. 146 (54.3%) participants had combined-raised hsCRP≥2 mg/L and IL-6 ≥ 7 pg/ml. On unadjusted Cox analysis, hsCRP≥2 mg/L was associated with increased risk of ipsilateral recurrent IS (HR 9.25, CI 1.24–69.2, p = 0.03) while IL-6 ≥ 7 pg/ml trended towards increased risk (HR 2.36, CI 0.79–7.1, p = 0.1.) However, combined raised-hsCRP/IL-6 was associated with an increased risk of recurrent ipsilateral IS (HR 3.58, CI 1.2–10.7, p = 0.02.) However, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking and time-to-phlebotomy, these associations attenuated. When patients were divided into three risk categories defined by levels of hsCRP and IL-6 (low [both markers low], intermediate [discordant markers], high [both markers raised]0, the rate of recurrent stroke increased across the categories, p = 0.013 for trend. The c-statistic for combined-raised hsCRP/IL-6 was 0.66 (CI 0.57–0.75) indicating prognostication better than chance to predict recurrent-ipsilateral IS. Conclusion Using blood inflammatory proteins in combination may add value in risk prediction in patients with carotid atherosclerosis, although this concept requires independent replication and validation in larger cohorts.