Outcome In Acute Stroke Patients Research Articles

Communicating Arteries and Leptomeningeal Collaterals: A Synergistic but Independent Effect on Patient Outcomes after Stroke.

The collateral system is a compensatory mechanism activated in the acute phase of an ischemic stroke. It increases brain perfusion to the hypoperfused area. Arteries of the Willis' circle supply antegrade blood flow, while pial (leptomeningeal) arteries direct blood via retrograde flow. The aim of our retrospective study was to investigate the relationship between both collateral systems, computed tomography perfusion (CTP) values, and functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. Overall, 158 patients with anterior circulation stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were included in the study. We analyzed the presence of communicating arteries and leptomeningeal arteries on computed tomography angiography. Patients were divided into three groups according to their collateral status. The main outcomes were the rate of functional independence 3 months after stroke (modified Rankin scale score, mRS) and mortality rate. Our study suggests that the collateral status, as indicated by the three groups (unfavorable, intermediate, and favorable), is linked to CT perfusion parameters, potential recuperation ratio, and stroke outcomes. Patients with favorable collateral status exhibited smaller core infarct and penumbra volumes, higher mismatch ratios, better potential for recuperation, and improved functional outcomes compared to patients with unfavorable or intermediate collateral status.

Sex differences in the correlation between white matter hyperintensity and 3-month outcome in acute stroke patients

BackgroundThe severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) has been shown to be an independent predictor of poor stroke outcome, but the effect of sex on this correlation has not been investigated further. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to assess whether there was a sex difference between the severity of WMH and poor stroke outcome. MethodsThis retrospective study included 449 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who received intravenous thrombolysis. WMH severity was graded based on the Fazekas scale. The association between WMH severity and stroke outcome was explored through multivariable regression analyses in men and women. ResultsAmong women, when dividing WMH severity into tertiles, T3 (Fazekas scale >3) had a 5.334 times higher risk for unfavorable outcomes than T1 (Fazekas scale <2) (p-trend = 0.026) in the adjusted model. In addition, moderate-severe WMH (Fazekas scale 3–6) had a 3.391 (1.151–9.991) times higher risk than none-mild WMH (Fazekas scale 0–2) (p = 0.027). ConclusionsThe risk of unfavorable outcomes increased proportionally with the enlargement of the WMH severity in females, suggesting the sex-specific value of the WMH severity in optimizing the risk stratification of stroke.

Abstract TMP54: Persistent Penumbral Profiles Indicate a Potentially Good Outcome in Acute Stroke Patients Without Major Reperfusion

Background: It is acknowledged that penumbra can exist beyond 24 hours after stroke onset. The aim of this study was to explore the association between penumbral persistence at 24-72 hours and clinical outcomes in patients who did not achieve major reperfusion. Methods: Eligible patients participating in the International Stroke Perfusion Imaging Registry with repeated 24-72 hours perfusion imaging were included in this study. Persistent penumbra was evaluated as the volume of hypoperfusion lesion on repeated perfusion imaging divided by infarct volume on the follow-up imaging at 24-72 hours post arrival. Short-term clinical outcomes were defined as neurological deterioration at 24-72 hours and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 at discharge. Long-term outcome was defined as mRS 0-2 at 3 months. The association between persistent penumbra and clinical outcomes was explored using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Results: A total number of 203 patients were included in this study. Persistent penumbra was associated with decreased odds of neurological deterioration at 24-72 hours (multivariable-adjusted OR=0.3, P=0.01) and increased odds of mRS 0-2 at 3 months (multivariable-adjusted OR=2.7, P=0.03). Persistent penumbra was not associated with mRS 0-2 at discharge (multivariable-adjusted OR=2.5, P=0.30). Discussion: Persistent penumbra in acute stroke patients without major reperfusion was generally associated with a better clinical outcome. This evidence suggested that there were patients with persistent hemodynamic support, for whom major reperfusion might not be pivotal to achieve a good clinical outcome. How to identify these patients and what treatment strategy can be made to stabilize the hemodynamics need future investigation.

Abstract WMP69: Brain Atrophy and White Matter Disease Agreement on NCCT and MRI in Ischemic Stroke

Background: NCCT is the most widely used parenchymal imaging for acute stroke. Evaluations of brain frailty measures like atrophy and white matter disease (WMD) are becoming increasingly relevant in stroke outcome prediction but are conventionally thought to be best seen on MRI. We assessed the agreement between baseline NCCT and follow-up MRI ratings of brain atrophy and WMD and compared their predictive validity in relation to 90-day functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke. Methods: In this post-hoc analysis of baseline NCCT and follow-up MRI data from the Alteplase compared to Tenecteplase (AcT) randomised-controlled trial, expert readers (stroke neurologists and radiologists) assessed atrophy using the global cortical atrophy (GCA), Koedam, and medial temporal lobe atrophy scales. WMD was measured using the Fazekas scale. Binary agreement (none-mild vs. moderate-severe) and agreement across the full range of scores between atrophy and WMD measures on NCCT and MRI were calculated using Gwet’s agreement coefficient (AC1). Logistic regressions and Delong’s test were used to compare the area under the curve (AUC) for the prediction of 90-day modified Rankin score (mRS) 0-1 when using NCCT vs MRI-based ratings for each atrophy and WMD variable. Results: Of 1577 patients included in the AcT trial, 491 had interpretable NCCT+MRI. Binary agreement was substantial (AC1:0.68-0.80) for deep and total WMD scores, Koedam scale and frontal GCA. Almost perfect binary agreement (AC1:0.81-0.97) was found for all other measures. Deep white matter showed a significant difference between NCCT and MRI ratings for predicting 90-day mRS 0-1 (MRI AUC = 0.61 [0.56-0.66], CT AUC = 0.56 [0.50-0.60], p = 0.01, Delong p = 0.02) There was no significant difference in predicting 90-day mRS for the other variables (all p &gt; 0.12, GCA: MRI AUC = 0.54 [0.49-0.60] CT AUC = 0.53 [0.47-0.58], p = 0.58, Delong p = 0.86). Conclusion: NCCT ratings of brain atrophy and WMD by experts have substantial to almost-perfect agreement with MRI atrophy and WMD ratings and achieve similar prediction of 90-day mRS 0-1 functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. This implies that it is reasonable to use NCCT scans to evaluate these brain frailty measures in clinical practice and in stroke trials.

Abstract TP113: Racial Disparities in Dysphagia Screening Outcomes Among Acute Stroke Patients at a United States Comprehensive Stroke Center

Introduction: Screening for dysphagia is vital in post-stroke care, with the Yale Swallow Protocol being a widely recognized tool. While passing the screening indicates a lower risk of dysphagia, racial disparities in screening results may also preclude patients from receiving a more comprehensive evaluation. Objective: This study aimed to investigate racial disparities in dysphagia screening outcomes in acute stroke patients at high risk for dysphagia based on initial NIHSS, explicitly focusing on the likelihood of black patients compared to non-black patients passing the Yale Swallow Protocol screening. Methods: Using data from a single US comprehensive stroke center, we examined the Yale Swallow Protocol dysphagia screening results amongst patients admitted for acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke with an initial NIHSS of 12 or greater between January 1 and December 31, 2022. Our NIHSS inclusion criteria was based on prior literature proposing an NIHSS score of 12 as a cutoff for a formal swallow evaluation. The primary outcome was the rate of passing the Yale Swallow Protocol screening, with data stratified by race. The association between race and swallow screening results was assessed using the chi-square test. A p-value of &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: This study included 243 acute ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke patients, of which 99 were black. The chi-square test revealed a significant association between race and passing the dysphagia screen (p &lt;0.05). The odds of passing dysphagia screening were 2.13 times higher in black vs. non-black patients (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.67-2.73). No statistically significant associations were found between passing the dysphagia screen and other factors such as age, gender, or NIHSS (p &gt;0.05 for all). Conclusion: These results underscore significant racial disparity in dysphagia screening outcomes, with black patients more likely to pass the initial screening. These findings raise concerns about potential missed opportunities for comprehensive speech and language pathology assessments in black patients. Further research to understand the underlying reasons for these disparities is needed to ensure comprehensive and equitable care for all patients.

Adding Tirofiban on Top of Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator May Improve Clinical Outcome in Acute Stroke Patients.

Adding Tirofiban on Top of Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator May Improve Clinical Outcome in Acute Stroke Patients.

Predicting outcome in acute stroke with large vessel occlusion-application and validation of MR PREDICTS in the ESCAPE-NA1 population.

Predicting outcome after endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke is challenging. We aim to investigate differences between predicted and observed outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with endovascular treatment and to evaluate the performance of a validated outcome prediction score. MR PREDICTS is an outcome prediction tool based on a logistic regression model designed to predict the treatment benefit of endovascular treatment based on the MR CLEAN and HERMES populations. ESCAPE-NA1 is a randomized trial of nerinetide vs. placebo in patients with acute stroke and large vessel occlusion. We applied MR PREDICTS to patients in the control arm of ESCAPE-NA1. Model performance was assessed by calculating its discriminative ability and calibration. Overall, 556/1105 patients (50.3%) in the ESCAPE-NA1-trial were randomized to the control arm, 435/556 (78.2%) were treated within 6 h of symptom onset. Good outcome (modified Rankin scale 0-2) at 3 months was achieved in 275/435 patients (63.2%), the predicted probability of good outcome was 52.5%. Baseline characteristics were similar in the study and model derivation cohort except for age (ESCAPE-NA1: mean: 70 y vs. HERMES: 66 y), hypertension (72% vs. 57%), and collaterals (good collaterals, 15% vs. 44%). Compared to HERMES we observed higher rates of successful reperfusion (TICI 2b-3, ESCAPE-NA1: 87% vs. HERMES: 71%) and faster times from symptom onset to reperfusion (median: 201 min vs. 286 min). Model performance was good, indicated by a c-statistic of 0.76 (95%confidence interval: 0.71-0.81). Outcome-prediction using models created from HERMES data, based on information available in the emergency department underestimated the actual outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion receiving endovascular treatment despite overall good model performance, which might be explained by differences in quality of and time to reperfusion. These findings underline the importance of timely and successful reperfusion for functional outcomes in acute stroke patients.

Blood pressure variability predicts poor outcomes in acute stroke patients without thrombolysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Stroke is a significant medical condition, and blood pressure stands out as the most prevalent treatable risk factor associated with it. Researches link blood pressure variability (BPV) with stroke; however, the specific relationship between with the outcomes of stroke patients remains unclear. As blood pressure variability and mean blood pressure are interrelated, it remains uncertain whether BPV adds additional information to understanding the outcome of acute stroke patients. To systematically review studies investigating the association between blood pressure variability and prognosis in acute stroke patients. Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for English language full-text articles from the inception to 1 January 2023. Stroke patients aged ≥ 18years were included in this analysis. Stroke types were not restricted. This meta-analysis shows that higher systolic blood pressure variability is linked to a higher risk of poor outcome, including function disability, mortality, early neurological deterioration, and stroke recurrence, among acute stroke patients without thrombolysis. A higher diastolic blood pressure variability is linked with to a higher risk of mortality and functional disability. This review reveals that blood pressure variability is a novel and clinically relevant risk factor for stroke patients' outcome. Future studies should investigate how best to measure and define BPV in acute stroke. Larger studies are warranted to provide more robust evidence in this area.

The relationship between temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index in sarcopenia with mortality and third-month functional outcomes in patients after acute stroke.

Especially in recent years, temporal muscle thickness has been used as an important parameter for sarcopenia in neurological disorders. In addition, triglyceride glucose index was evaluated separately in studies conducted in terms of coronary diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, body mass index and acute stroke. In this clinical study, unlike the others, both temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index were evaluated together in acute stroke patients in terms of sarcopenia. We aimed to investigate the relationship between temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index, which is atherosclerotic index, with mortality and 3rd month functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. In this retrospective study, 147 patients admitted to Ankara City Hospital with the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke between January 2021 and September 2022 were evaluated. Fasting triglyceride glucose indexes of the patients were calculated. The temporal muscle thickness measurement of the patients was performed by the radiologist using computed tomography images. Those who scored 3 or higher on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the third month were considered to have poor functional outcome. A significant cutoff point was found for estimating mortality for the temporal muscle thickness parameter [area under the curve for a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.636; P = .012]. The cutoff point was obtained as ≤ 5.2. Sensitivity value was 65%, specificity value was 65%, the positive predictive value (PPV) value was 42.62% and the negative predictive value (NPV) value was 82.28%. Similarly, for the triglyceride glucose index parameter, there was a significant cutoff point in estimating mortality (AUC = 0.673; P = .003). The cutoff point was obtained as ≥ 8.23. Sensitivity value was 91.18%, specificity value was 13%, PPV value was 26.96% and NPV value was 81%. Temporal muscle thickness and triglyceride glucose index parameters were found to be statistically important parameters of sarcopenia. It was concluded that the evaluation of these 2 parameters in terms of both mortality and sarcopenia in acute stroke patients is important in the evaluation of neurological and cardiac disorders.

326 Pre-morbid sleep disturbance and its association with stroke severity: results from the international INTERSTROKE study

Abstract Background We have previously shown that disturbances in sleep to be associated with acute stroke, but their association with stroke severity is less certain. In the INTERSTROKE study, we evaluated the association of pre-morbid sleep disturbance with stroke severity and functional outcome in acute stroke patients. Methods INTERSTROKE was an international case–control study of first acute stroke. This analysis comprised cases who completed a standardised questionnaire concerning nine symptoms of sleep disturbance (sleep onset latency, duration and quality, nocturnal awakening, napping, snoring, snorting and breathing cessation) in the prior month (n = 2,361). Two indices were derived representing sleep disturbance (range 0–9) and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA; range 0–3) symptoms. The modified-Rankin score (m-RS) was used to measure stroke severity at initial assessment and functional outcome at 1-month follow-up. Severe stroke was defined as an m-RS of &amp;gt;3, and functional deterioration was defined as an increase in m-RS at 1-month. Logistic regression was used to estimate the magnitude of association between symptoms and stroke severity. Results The mean age of participants was 62.9 years, with 42% female, 80% diagnosed with ischaemic stroke and 17% reporting &amp;gt;5 sleep symptoms. On multivariable analysis, there was a graded association between increasing number of sleep disturbance symptoms and initially severe stroke (2–3: Odds Ratio [OR]:1.44; 95% CI [Confidence Interval]:1.07–1.94, 4–5: OR:1.66; CI:1.23–2.25, &amp;gt;5: OR:2.58; CI:1.83–3.66). Having &amp;gt;5 sleep disturbance symptoms was associated with a significant increased odds of functional deterioration at 1-month (OR:1.54; CI:1.01–2.34). A higher OSA score (2–3 vs 0–1) was also associated with a significant increased odds of initially severe stroke (OR:1.48; CI:1.20–1.83) but not functional deterioration at 1-month (OR:1.19; CI:0.93–1.52). Conclusion Symptoms of sleep disturbance were common and associated with an increased odds of severe stroke and functional deterioration at 1-month. Interventions to modify sleep disturbance may help prevent disabling stroke/improve functional outcome after stroke, and should be the subject of future research.

Pre-existing sarcopenia and swallowing outcomes in acute stroke patients

This study aimed to investigate the associations of pre-existing sarcopenia with swallowing function, oral intake level, and aspiration pneumonia in patients with acute stroke. This observational study included patients (≥60 years of age) with acute ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage within 7 days of onset who were screened for sarcopenia, malnutrition, and swallowing difficulties in a stroke-care unit within 48h of admission. Sarcopenia was defined by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia 2019 as having a low calf circumference, handgrip strength, and appendicular muscle mass index. The primary outcome was impaired oral intake (functional oral intake scale <5 points) at 3, 7, and 14 days after admission, and the secondary outcome was aspiration pneumonia during hospitalization. We enrolled 350 patients (median age of 77 years; 63% males) who underwent the aforementioned screening. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 34% of patients, and malnutrition was found in 66% of patients with sarcopenia. When compared with the comparison group (defined as patients with either or both normal calf circumference and handgrip strength), the sarcopenia group had significantly lower tongue pressure and a higher prevalence of dysphagia. Sarcopenia was associated with functional oral intake scale <5at 7 days (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.91-11.71); p=0.002) and 14 days (adjusted OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.47-10.53; p=0.006) and with aspiration pneumonia during hospitalization (adjusted OR, 6.12; 95% CI, 1.63-22.94; p=0.007). Acute stroke patients with sarcopenia may have weakness of the swallowing-related muscles which may lead to impaired oral intake and aspiration pneumonia.

PREDICTORS OF MORTALITY AND POOR FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE STROKE ADMITTED TO A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN PAKISTAN

Acute stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including Pakistan. Identifying the predictors of poor outcomes in acute stroke patients can help develop targeted interventions to improve patient outcomes. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 220 patients with acute stroke admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan between January 2022 and December 2022. The primary outcome measures were mortality and poor functional outcomes at discharge and 3-month follow-up. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of these outcomes. Older age, higher NIHSS score at admission, and comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and haemorrhagic stroke subtype were significant predictors of mortality and poor functional outcome. Longer hospital stays and lack of intravenous thrombolysis were also associated with poor functional outcomes. Of the 220 patients with acute stroke, 62 (28.2%) died during their hospital stay. 136 (61.8%) patients had poor functional outcomes at discharge, increasing to 161 (73.2%) at 3-month follow-up. This study identified several predictors of poor outcomes in acute stroke patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Early identification and management of modifiable risk factors, including comorbidities and stroke subtypes, may help improve outcomes in these patients.

Outcomes in patients with acute stroke treated at a comprehensive stroke center using telemedicine versus in-person assessments.

Telemedicine has been shown to be a safe and effective modality to assess and treat patients with acute stroke who present to a community hospital. There are no previous reports on using telemedicine to treat patients with acute stroke who present to a comprehensive stroke center. We report here the outcomes of patients with acute stroke treated in 2021 at our comprehensive stroke center using telemedicine versus an in-person assessment. Patients with acute ischemic stroke who were treated after either a telemedicine or in-person assessment at our hospital in 2021 were identified by a retrospective chart review. The primary outcomes collected were door-to-needle (DTN) time for alteplase (tPA) administration, door-to-puncture (DTP) time for endovascular thrombectomy, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) rates and 3-month mortality. There were 302 patients with acute stroke treated at our hospital in 2021. Of these, 18.2% (n = 55/302) were treated using telemedicine. There were no differences in any of the outcomes between patients treated using telemedicine versus an in-person assessment: DTN (35.5 min (n = 42) vs 33 min (n = 182), p < 0.76), DTP (86.5 min (n = 30) vs 85 min (n = 134), p < 0.97), sICH (0% (n = 0/55) vs 1.6% (n = 4/245, p < 0.59) or 3-month mortality (20.6% (n = 7/34) vs 22.1% (n = 40/181), p < 0.29). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report on outcomes for acute stroke patients treated using telemedicine at a comprehensive stroke center. In this study, there were no differences in outcomes between patients treated using telemedicine versus an in-person assessment.

Choline-Containing Phospholipids in Stroke Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Globally, stroke is the second leading cause of death and disability. In different studies conducted previously, the choline-containing phospholipids citicoline and choline alphoscerate have been proposed as adjuvants in the treatment of acute strokes. A systematic review was conducted to provide updated information on the effects of citicoline and choline alphoscerate in patients with acute and hemorrhagic strokes. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant materials. Data were pooled, and odds ratios (OR) were reported for binary outcomes. Using mean differences (MD), we evaluated continuous outcomes. A total of 1460 studies were reviewed; 15 studies with 8357 subjects met the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. In our study, citicoline treatment did not result in improved neurological function (NIHSS < 1, OR = 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87-1.27) or functional recovery (mRS < 1, OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 0.99-1.87) in patients with acute stroke. Choline alphoscerate improved neurological function and functional recovery in stroke patients based on the Mathew's scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Citicoline did not improve the neurological or functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. In contrast, choline alphoscerate improved neurological function and functional recovery and reduced dependency in stroke patients.

Total Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden Predicts the Outcome of Acute Stroke Patients after Intra-Arterial Thrombectomy

Introduction: Various types of cerebral small vessel diseases (cSVD) markers commonly coexist. The neurological function outcome is affected by their combined effect. To investigate the effect of cSVD on intra-arterial thrombectomy (IAT), our study aimed at developing and testing a model with fusing a combination of multiple cSVD markers as total cSVD burden to predict the outcome of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients after IAT treatment. Methods: From October 2018 to March 2021, continuous AIS patients with IAT treatment were enrolled. We calculated the cSVD markers identified by magnetic resonance imaging. The outcomes of all patients were assessed according to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days after stroke. The relationship between total cSVD burden and outcomes was analyzed by logistics regression analysis. Results: A total of 271 AIS patients were included in this study. The proportions of score 0∼4 in the total cSVD burden group (i.e., score 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 groups) were 9.6%, 19.9%, 23.6%, 32.8%, and 14.0%, respectively. The higher the cSVD score, the more patients with a poor outcome. Heavier total cSVD burden (1.6 [1.01∼2.27]), diabetes mellitus (1.27 [0.28∼2.23]), and higher national institute of health stroke scale (NIHSS) on admission (0.15 [0.07∼0.23]) were associated with poor outcome. In the two Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression models, model 1 using age, duration from onset to reperfusion, Alberta stroke program early CT score (ASPECTS), NIHSS on admission, modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) and total cSVD burden as variables perform well on predicting short-term outcome in area under curve (AUC) of 0.90. Model 2, including all of the variables above except cSVD, showed less predictive capability than model 1 (AUC 0.90 vs. 0.82, p = 0.045). Conclusions: The total cSVD burden score was independently associated with the clinical outcomes of AIS patients after IAT treatment and it may be a reliable predictor for poor outcomes of AIS patients after IAT treatment.

Sex and gender differences in acute stroke care: metrics, access to treatment and outcome. A territorial analysis of the Stroke Code System of Catalonia.

Previous studies have reported differences in the management and outcome of women stroke patients in comparison with men. We aim to analyze sex and gender differences in the medical assistance, access to treatment and outcome of acute stroke patients in Catalonia. Data were obtained from a prospective population-based registry of stroke code activations in Catalonia (CICAT) from January/2016 to December/2019. The registry includes demographic data, stroke severity, stroke subtype, reperfusion therapy, and time workflow. Centralized clinical outcome at 90 days was assessed in patients receiving reperfusion therapy. A total of 23,371 stroke code activations were registered (54% men, 46% women). No differences in prehospital time metrics were observed. Women more frequently had a final diagnosis of stroke mimic, were older and had a previous worse functional situation. Among ischemic stroke patients, women had higher stroke severity and more frequently presented proximal large vessel occlusion. Women received more frequently reperfusion therapy (48.2% vs 43.1%, p < 0.001). Women tended to present a worse outcome at 90 days, especially for the group receiving only IVT (good outcome 56.7% vs 63.8%; p < 0.001), but not for the group of patients treated with IVT + MT or MT alone, although sex was not independently associated with clinical outcome in logistic regression analysis (OR 1.07; 95% CI, 0.94-1.23; p = 0.27) nor in the analysis after matching using the propensity score (OR 1.09; 95% CI, 0.97-1.22). We found some differences by sex in that acute stroke was more frequent in older women and the stroke severity was higher. We found no differences in medical assistance times, access to reperfusion treatment and early complications. Worse clinical outcome at 90 days in women was conditioned by stroke severity and older age, but not by sex itself.

Role of arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance perfusion in acute ischemic stroke

BackgroundArterial spin labeling (ASL) is a recently used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion technique in acute cerebrovascular stroke conditions; it can detect the hypo perfused areas on basis of qualitative and quantitative measurements and also identify the area at risk known as penumbra by detecting the diffusion/perfusion mismatch. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of ASL perfusion technique in management of acute ischemic stroke and its ability to predict the clinical outcome of acute stroke patients. The study was prospectively carried out on 33 patients clinically presented with acute stroke from the first of August 2020 till the first of August 2021. All cases were clinically assessed by stroke consultant followed by brain imaging including conventional MRI and ASL perfusion technique, based upon which management was established. These imaging data were correlated with the clinical outcome after 3 months using Modified Rankin Scale.ResultsSixteen cases (48.48%) showed ischemic penumbra with diffusion perfusion mismatch with three cases presenting within the first 4 h managed by intravenous thrombolytic therapy and 13 cases presenting later than 4 h, 10 of whom were managed by endovascular intervention. The group with ischemic penumbra showed significant positive correlation with favorable clinical outcome while the group without ischemic penumbra showed significant positive correlation with poor clinical outcome. Quantitative ASL values were statistically significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in patients with favorable clinical outcome than those with poor clinical outcome. The estimated cut off values of ASL absolute cerebral blood flow and relative cerebral blood flow to predict favorable or poor outcome using ROC curve analysis were 19 ml/100gm/min and 74% compared to the contralateral side respectively.ConclusionThe use of MRI as a primary diagnostic tool in arterial ischemic stroke with the application of non-contrast ASL perfusion sequence allows precise detection of perfusion deficit and diffusion perfusion mismatch (penumbra) and provides a reliable insight into outcome prediction.

Abstract WMP11: Health-related Quality Of Life After Thrombolysis In Acute Stroke: Results From The Act Trial

Background and aims: Recent evidence from thrombolysis trials indicate the non-inferiority of the Tenecteplase (TNK) to the Alteplase (TPA) with respect to functional outcomes in acute stroke patients. This study examines the predictors of patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in acute stroke patients who received thrombolysis therapy. Methods: Data were used from all acute stroke patients included in AcT, a pragmatic, registry-linked randomized trial comparing TNK with TPA. HRQOL at 90-day post-randomization was assessed using the EuroQol-5D-5L (EQ-5D) visual analogue scale (VAS). Based on the Canadian norms, health state utilities were estimated from the EQ-5D items using the EQ-5D time trade-off approach. Tobit regression model and linear mixed-effects regression were used to evaluate the adjusted effect of type of treatment on health utility scores and VAS score, respectively. Results: Of the 1262 patients included in this analysis, 647(51.3%) were administered the TNK, 584(46.3%) were female, and 380(30.1%) were greater than or equal to 80 years old. There was no significant adjusted effect of the type of thrombolysis on health utility scores (adjusted beta coefficient [95%CI] = 0.029 [-0.001, 0.062]), but patients who received TNK reported higher adjusted VAS scores than those that received TPA [adjusted beta coefficient [95%CI] = 2.1 [-0.29, 4.49]). Older age (p &lt; 0.01), female sex (p = 0.01), higher NIHSS score (p &lt; 0.01) were associated with lower health utilities and VAS scores. Conclusion: There is no differential effect of the type of thrombolysis on patient-reported global HRQOL and health state utilities of acute stroke patients. Disparities in HRQOL were mainly explained by sex, age, and disease severity.

Prognosis of ischemic stroke predicted by machine learning based on multi-modal MRI radiomics.

Increased risk of stroke is highly associated with psychiatric disorders. We aimed to conduct the machine learning model based on multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics predicting the prognosis of ischemic stroke. This study retrospectively analyzed 148 patients with acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation artery occlusion. Based on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, patients were divided into good (mRS ≤ 2) and poor (mRS > 2) outcome groups. Segmentation of the infarct region was performed by manually outlining a mask of the lesion on diffusion-weighted images (DWI) using MRIcron software. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fluid decay inversion recoverage (FLAIR), susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and T1-weighted (T1w) images were aligned to the DWI images and the radiomic features within the lesion area were extracted for each image modality. The calculations were done using pyradiomics software and a total of 4,744 stroke-related imaging features were automatically calculated. Next, feature selection based on recursive feature elimination was used for each modality and three radiomic features were extracted from each modality plus one feature from the lesion mask, for a total of 16 radiomic features. At last, five machine learning (ML) models were trained and tested to predict stroke prognosis, calculate the received operating characteristic (ROC) curves and other parameters, evaluate the performance of the models and validate their predictive efficacy by five-fold cross-validation. Sixteen radiomic features were selected to construct the ML models for prognostic classification. By five-fold cross-validation, light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) model-based muti-modal MRI radiomic features performed best in binary prognostic classification with accuracy of 0.831, sensitivity of 0.739, specificity of 0.902, F1-score of 0.788 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.902. The ML models based on muti-modal MRI radiomics are of high value for predicting clinical outcomes in acute stroke patients.

Cancer-Associated Stroke and Acute Endovascular Reperfusion Therapy.

Since stroke is often associated with cancer, acute stroke patients with cancer undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT) are not uncommon. Reportedly, the proportion of such cases is approximately 6%-7% of all stroke EVT cases. Ischemic stroke in patients with active cancer (cancer-associated stroke) includes not only strokes caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability but also coincident strokes due to common etiologies, strokes associated with tumor emboli, direct tumor invasion of blood vessels, and strokes associated with cancer therapy. Stroke caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability itself encompasses various entities, including paradoxical embolism, stroke due to nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, and in situ arterial occlusion due to disseminated intravascular coagulation or thrombotic microangiopathy. Thus, diverse mechanisms contribute to cancer-associated stroke, emphasizing the need to consider individualized treatment strategies for acute cases involving large vessel occlusion. Observational studies have shown that EVT for cancer-associated stroke results in poorer clinical outcomes, but with comparable rates of successful reperfusion and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage when compared with stroke patients without cancer. This suggests that denying patients EVT solely on the basis of comorbid active cancer is inappropriate, and decision-making should be shared with the patients and their families, preferably through a multidisciplinary team approach. Thrombi retrieved from patients with stroke caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability have unique characteristics, being predominantly platelet rich and difficult to retrieve. Preprocedural imaging and serum biomarkers, including the hyperdense vessel sign on non-contrast CT, susceptibility vessel sign on T2* or susceptibility-weighted MRI, three-territory sign on MRI, and D-dimer levels, are valuable in evaluating the stroke subtype and thrombus features. Thrombectomy techniques, such as contact aspiration and stent retriever monotherapy, have shown varying degrees of effectiveness for stroke caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability, warranting further study. After reperfusion therapy, appropriate treatment for the prevention of stroke recurrence should be initiated, considering the specific stroke subtypes. In conclusion, cancer-associated stroke encompasses diverse subtypes, and thrombi associated with stroke caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability present various challenges for thrombectomy. Individualized treatment approaches based on underlying mechanisms are essential for improving outcomes in acute stroke patients with active cancer. Optimization of preprocedural diagnosis, EVT techniques, and secondary prevention of stroke caused by cancer-related hypercoagulability will lead to better management of these patients and enhance their quality of life.