Presence Of Cerebral Infarction Research Articles

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of COVID-19 infection among cancer patients during the December 2022 - February 2023 Omicron variant outbreak.

To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic impacts of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection among cancer inpatients during the December 2022 - February 2023 surge, in order to provide scientific evidence for clinical treatment and prevention and control measures. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical features, prognosis, and vaccination status of cancer in-patients infected with the Omicron variant during the COVID-19 pandemic of December 2022 - February 2023. A total of 137 cancer inpatients were included in the study, with a median age of 61 years, and 75 patients (54.74%) were male. The main symptoms were cough (69 cases, 50.36%), expectoration (60 cases, 43.80%), and fever (53 cases, 39.69%). Chest CT examination revealed bilateral pneumonia in 47 cases (34.31%, 47/137) and pleural effusion in 24 cases (17.52%, 24/137). Among the cancer patients, 116 cases (84.67%, 116/137) had solid tumors, and 21 cases (15.33%, 21/137) had hematologic malignancies, with the main types being breast cancer (25 cases, 18.25%) and lung cancer (24 cases, 17.52%). Among the cancer patients, 46 cases (33.58%) were asymptomatic, 81 cases (59.12%) had mild disease, 10 cases (7.30%) had severe infection, and 8 cases (5.84%) died. A total of 91 patients (66.42%) had been vaccinated, with 58 patients (42.34%) receiving three doses. Multivariate analysis showed that cerebral infarction and hypoproteinemia were risk factors for death from COVID-19 infection. Cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron typically exhibit mild disease manifestations, but some cancer patients infected with the Omicron variant might progress to severe illness, and even death, necessitating close monitoring and attention during the early stages of infection. Additionally, the presence of cerebral infarction and hypoproteinemia significantly increases the risk of death.

Pulsatility index of superficial temporal artery was associated with cerebral infarction after direct bypass surgery for moyamoya disease

ObjectiveDirect bypass surgery by superficial temporal artery (STA) – middle cerebral artery anastomosis is an established procedure for moyamoya disease (MMD). However, some patients may develop cerebral infarction (CI) due to the watershed shift phenomenon after the surgery. This study sought to investigate the correlation between the postoperative changes of STA flow as well as cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the incidence of CI after direct bypass surgery for MMD. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of 62 hemispheres in 50 subjects who underwent direct bypass surgery for MMD. All subjects underwent pre- and post-operative MR imaging, ultrasound evaluation of STA, and single-photon emission computed tomography. The presence of CI was correlated with preoperative CBF, the delta difference of each value of the STA between before and after the surgery, and the postoperative increase ratio of CBF. ResultsAll bypass procedures were patent, and CI was observed in 4 cases (6.4%). There was no significant association between the incidence of CI and both pre- and post-operative CBF. However, there was a significant difference in delta pulsatility index (PI) of the STA between cases with or without CI (-0.38±0.22 and -0.87±0.63, respectively, p=0.03). Whereas, other factors did not show any significant differences between those with or without CI. ConclusionsA relatively high postoperative PI of the STA was significantly associated with the incidence of CI after direct bypass surgery for MMD. A larger study is needed to confirm these findings.

Stellate Ganglion Block and Intraarterial Spasmolysis in Patients with Cerebral Vasospasm: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BackgroundIn patients with symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (CV) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who do not respond to medical therapy, urgent treatment escalation has been suggested to be beneficial for brain tissue at risk. In our routine clinical care setting, we implemented stellate ganglion block (SGB) as a rescue therapy with subsequent escalation to intraarterial spasmolysis (IAS) with milrinone for refractory CV.MethodsIn this retrospective analysis from 2012 to 2021, patients with CV following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who received an SGB or IAS were identified. Patients were assessed through neurological examination and transcranial Doppler. Rescue therapy was performed in patients with mean cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) ≥ 120 cm/s and persistent neurological deterioration/intubation under induced hypertension. Patients were reassessed after therapy and the following day. The Glasgow Outcome Scale was assessed at discharge and 6-month follow-up.ResultsA total of 82 patients (mean age 50.16 years) with 184 areas treated with SGB and/or IAS met the inclusion criteria; 109 nonaffected areas were extracted as controls. The mean CBFV decrease in the middle cerebral artery on the following day was − 30.1 (± 45.2) cm/s with SGB and − 31.5 (± 45.2) cm/s with IAS. Mixed linear regression proved the significance of the treatment categories; other fixed effects (sex, age, aneurysm treatment modality [clipping or coiling], World Federation of Neurological Surgeons score, and Fisher score) were insignificant. In logistic regression, the presence of cerebral infarction on imaging before discharge from the intensive care unit (34/82) was significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale ≤ 3) at follow-up.ConclusionsStellate ganglion block and IAS decreased CBFV the following 24 h in patients with CV. We suggest SGB alone for patients with mild symptomatic CV (CBFV < 180 cm/s), while subsequent escalation to IAS proved to be beneficial in patients with refractory CV and severe CBFV elevation (CBFV ≥ 180 cm/s).

Features of cognitive disorders in patients with different forms of neurological and ischemic complications who underwent cardiac surgery

Objective — to study the features of cognitive impairment in patients with various forms of neurological and ischemic complications who underwent cardiac surgery (CS), to consider the data obtained in the development of rehabilitation programs for this category of patients.&#x0D; Methods and subjects. We examined 700 patients who were treated at the Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine after undergoing CS with an artificial circulation procedure. The sample size is extremely large, and makes it possible to transfer the results to the entire population of patients who have suffered from CS. Among the examined patients the following groups were identified: a) patients with cerebral infarction (CI) in the postoperative period, numbering 86 people, the performance of patients in this group was compared with patients with CS without myocardial infarction in the postoperative period, numbering 614 people taken from the same sample); b) patients with signs of postoperative encephalopathy, numbering 217 people (which included patients with CI). The performance of patients in this group was compared with that of 483 patients with CS without signs of postoperative encephalopathy, taken from the same sample.&#x0D; The study was conducted using the Trail Making Test, TMT (R. M. Reitan, Wolfson D., 1993); Verbal Fluency Test, VFT (M. D. Lezak, 1995); Stroop Color Interference Test (J. R. Stroop, 1935); Luria’s test for memorizing ten unrelated words (Luria AR, 1969). Statistical analysis of differences in the quantitative values of indicators was performed using the nonparametric Mann‑Whitney test.&#x0D; Results. Our study found significant cognitive impairment in patients with CS. It was found that the presence of ischemic and neurological complications in the postoperative period significantly impairs cognitive function. The most significant negative impact on the cognitive sphere has the presence of CI in the postoperative period: patients with CI showed signs of severe cognitive deficits. Manifestations of cognitive deficits were also found in patients with postoperative encephalopathy, although the quantitative indicators characterizing cognitive functioning in this group of patients were better than in patients with CI.&#x0D; Conclusions. The identified patterns should be taken into account when developing treatment, rehabilitation and preventive measures for patients with CS.&#x0D;

Lower Body Temperature Independently Predicts Delayed Cerebral Infarction in the Elderly With Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm.

Purpose: To assess the correlation between admission body temperature and delayed cerebral infarction in elderly patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysm (IA).Methods: Patients with ruptured IA diagnosed between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a non-infarction and an infarction group based on the presence of cerebral infarction after treatment. The demographic and clinical information of the patients was gathered. Outcomes at the 3-month follow-up were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale. Correlation between admission body temperature and cerebral infarction was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the specificity and sensitivity of admission body temperature to predict cerebral infarction.Results: A total of 426 patients (142 men and 284 women) with ruptured IA were enrolled. Elderly patients with cerebral infarction (12.4%) had a lower body temperature at admission (p < 0.001), higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes (p = 0.051 and p = 0.092, respectively), and higher rate of poor outcomes (p < 0.001). Admission body temperature was independently associated with cerebral infarction (odds ratio [OR] = 5.469, p < 0.001); however, hypertension (OR = 0.542, p = 0.056), diabetes (OR = 0.750, p = 0.465), and aneurysm size (OR = 0.959, p = 0.060) showed no association. An inverse correlation between admission body temperature and the incidence of cerebral infarction was observed (Spearman's r =−0.195, p < 0.001). An admission body temperature of 36.6°C was able to distinguish infarction and non-infarction patients. The area under the ROC curve was 0.669 (specificity, 64.15%; sensitivity, 81.50%; p < 0.001).Conclusions: Lower body temperature at admission (≤36.6°C) is an independent predictor of delayed cerebral infarction in elderly patients who have undergone treatment for ruptured IA. Therefore, it could be a risk factor for adverse outcomes of IA.

Abstract P708: Artificial Intelligence Enabled-Electrocardiography for the Detection of Cerebral Infarcts in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an established risk factor for ischemic stroke, but it can be paroxysmal and may go undiagnosed. An artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled ECG acquired during normal sinus rhythm was recently shown to detect silent AF. The objective of this study was to determine if AI-ECG AF score is associated with presence of cerebral infarcts. Methods: Participants from a population-based study ages 30 to 95 years with T2 fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI obtained between October 10, 2011, and November 2, 2017 were considered for inclusion. Participants without ECG were excluded. AI-ECG score was calculated using most recent ECG with normal sinus rhythm at the time of MRI. Presence of infarcts was determined on FLAIR MRI scans. Logistic regression was run to evaluate the relationship between AI-ECG AF score and presence of cerebral infarcts. Similar analyses were performed using history of AF rather than AI-ECG AF score as predictor. Age and sex were included as covariates. We also examined whether a high-threshold AI-ECG score was associated with infarcts. In a prior study, an AI-ECG AF score &gt; 0.5 was associated with a cumulative incidence of AF of 21.5% at 2 years and 52.2% at 10 years. Results: This study included 1,373 individuals. Average age was 69.6 years and 53% of participants were male. There were 136 (10%) individuals with ECG-confirmed AF; 1237 (90%) participants had no AF history. Of participants with AF, 23% (n=31) were on anticoagulation, 47% (n=64) were on antiplatelet and 18% (n=24) were on dual therapy. Only 1.3% (n=16) of patients without AF were on anticoagulation and 47% (n=578) were on antiplatelet therapy. Ischemic infarcts were detected in 214 (15.6%) patients. As a continuous measure AI-ECG was associated with infarcts but not after adjusting for age and sex (p=0.46). AI-ECG AF score &gt; 0.5 was associated with infarcts ( p &lt; 0.001); even after adjusting for age and sex ( p = 0.03). History of AF was also associated with infarcts after adjusting for age and sex ( p = 0.018). Conclusion: AI-ECG AF score and history of AF were associated with presence of cerebral infarcts after adjusting for age and sex. This tool could be useful in select patients with cryptogenic stroke but further investigation would be required.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the fetal brain in monochorionic diamniotic twin gestation: correlation of cerebral injury with ultrasound staging and survival outcomes.

The current staging system of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is based on the ultrasound criteria and does not consider the cerebral injury. To assess the incidence of cerebral damage on fetal MRI and correlate abnormal cerebral diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) findings with survival outcome and the ultrasound staging of TTTS. We conducted a retrospective review of MRI/DWI of fetal brains and the electronic medical records in monochorionic diamniotic twin gestations. Axial DWI of each fetal brain was performed on 1.5-tesla (T) clinical magnet with b values of 0s/mm2 and 700s/mm2. We correlated MRI/DWI abnormalities with the Quintero staging system and survival outcomes of the fetuses. Thirty-four pregnancies (68 fetuses) with 42 fetal cerebral abnormalities were identified by MRI/DWI alone. Of these 42 fetal cerebral abnormalities, 33 fetal brain lesions were visible only on DWI (n=25 donor, n=8 recipients; n=30 unilateral, n=3 bilateral; n=26 diffuse, n=7 focal). Quintero staging in these 34 pregnancies was as follows: 9 Stage I, 7 Stage II, 13 Stage III, 4 Stage IV, 1 Stage V. There was no significant correlation between the presence of cerebral infarction or hemorrhage using MRI/DWI and ultrasound staging (P=0.138). The overall survival rate was 63.2% (43/68). There was a significant correlation between the presence of cerebral infarction or hemorrhage on MRI/DWI and delivery status (P=0.009). Abnormal cerebral imaging findings on MRI/DWI from hypoxic-ischemic injury or hemorrhage can be seen at the beginning of the second trimester and do not correlate with the current ultrasound staging system; however, they do correlate with decreased survival. Fetal cerebral abnormalities could be incorporated into the TTTS staging system as an independent risk factor.

Lack of Association Between Gaseous Microembolisms Assessed by a Single Detection Device and Cerebral Complications in Cardiac Surgery Patients

To assess the association between total volume and number of gaseous microemboli (GME) in the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit and the occurrence of new postoperative cerebral infarctions and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Predefined subanalyses of the randomized controlled Perfusion Pressure Cerebral Infarcts (PPCI) trial. Primary heart center in a university hospital. A total of 143 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Patients were allocated 1:1 to a low-target mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 40 to 50 mmHg or a high-target MAP of 70 to 80 mmHg during CPB with a fixed pump flow of 2.4 liters per minute per square meter body surface area plus 10% to 20%. The total volume and number of GME in the CPB circuit were assessed by the Bubble Counter Clinical 200® (GAMPT GmbH). New cerebral infarcts were identified by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) 3 to 6 days after surgery. The median number of GME per patient was 8069 (range 1,523-204,095) with a median total volume of 1.2 μL (range 0.07-48 μL). A total of 66 (46%) patients had DWI detected cerebral infarcts postoperatively, and 36 (28%) patients had POCD after 7 days. The authors found no significant association between volume or number of GME with MAP target allocation, presence of cerebral infarction, or POCD. The authors found no significant associations between volume or number of GME with the occurrence of cerebral infarction or cognitive dysfunction in cardiac surgery patients.

Frequency and Impact of Cerebral Infarctions in Patients With Tuberculous Meningitis.

Background and Purpose- Cerebral infarctions complicate a variable proportion of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) cases and adversely affect outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictors of cerebral infarcts in patients with TBM and to assess their impact on mortality. Methods- The study was based on a retrospective chart review of all patients with TBM admitted to a tertiary care hospital between 2002 and 2013. Data were collected on basic demographics, conventional vascular risk factors, radiological findings, severity of TBM, and neurological outcomes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.0. Binary logistic regression was done to determine the factors predictive of cerebral infarcts and of mortality in patients with TBM. Results- A total of 559 patients were admitted with TBM during the study period. Mean age was 41.9 years (SD, 17.7 years), and 47% were women. A quarter of the patients had stage III disease. One hundred forty-four (25.8%) patients had cerebral infarcts on brain imaging of which 3 quarters were acute or subacute. Those with cerebral infarcts were more likely to be >40 years of age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.7) and to have hypertension (AOR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.8), dyslipidemia (AOR, 9.7; 95% CI, 3.8-24.8), and diabetes mellitus (AOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.6). Presence of cerebral infarction was an independent predictor of mortality among patients with TBM (AOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.22-3.5). Conclusions- Cerebral infarcts complicate a substantial proportion of TBM cases. Conventional vascular risk factors are the most important predictors of infarction, and future efforts need to focus on these high-risk patients with TBM to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Midlife Systemic Inflammation, Late-Life White Matter Integrity, and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

It is currently unclear whether midlife systemic inflammation promotes the development of white matter (WM) abnormalities and small vessel disease in the elderly. We examined the association of midlife systemic inflammation with late-life WM hyperintensity volume, deep and periventricular WM microstructural integrity (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity [MD]), cerebral infarcts, and microbleeds in a biracial prospective cohort study. Linear and logistic regression examined the relation between midlife high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP)-a nonspecific marker of inflammation-and brain magnetic resonance imaging markers assessed 21 years later in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We included 1485 participants (baseline age, 56[5]; 28% black). After adjusting for demographic factors and cardiovascular disease, each SD increase in midlife CRP was associated with lower fractional anisotropy (-0.09 SD; 95% confidence interval, -0.15 to -0.02) and greater MD (0.08 SD; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.15) in deep WM and lower fractional anisotropy (-0.07 SD; 95% confidence interval, -0.13 to 0.00) in periventricular WM. We found stronger associations between CRP and periventricular WM microstructural integrity among black participants (P interaction=0.011). Although an association between higher CRP levels and greater WM hyperintensity volume was found only among APOE ε4-positive participants in our primary analysis (0.14 SD; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.26; P interaction=0.028), this relationship extended to the entire sample after accounting for differential attrition. Midlife CRP was not associated with the presence of cerebral infarcts or microbleeds in late life. Our findings support the hypothesis that midlife systemic inflammation may promote the development of chronic microangiopathic structural WM abnormalities in the elderly.

Factors associated with increased white matter hyperintense lesion (WMHI) load in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Introduction White matter hyperintense (WMHI) lesions are the most common finding in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Objective The objective of this article is to determine the clinical factors associated with an increase in WMHI lesion load among SLE patients. Method A total of 83 SLE patients with MRI of the brain from National University of Malaysia Medical Centre were included. The WMHI lesion load was determined using the Scheltens score and Fazekas scale, and their distribution was divided into the deep white matter (DWMHI) and periventricular (PVH) regions. The clinical correlates of WMHI lesions were initially determined using univariate analyses and subsequently multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine the independent factors of increased WMHI lesion load. Results MRI of the brain of 46 patients who had WMHI lesions were compared with 37 patients with normal MRI. We found significant association between the presence of WMHI lesions and age, presence of cerebral infarcts, positive antiphospholipid antibody (aPL), active disease, neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) and disease damage. Age, SLEDAI scores, cerebral infarcts and disease damage were significantly associated with higher DWMHI and PVH Scheltens scores. Meanwhile, patients with active lupus nephritis (LN), lower serum albumin and more severe proteinuria were associated with larger Fazekas WMHI lesions. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that the independent factors associated with presence of WMHI lesions were positive aPL and SLEDAI scores ( p < 0.05). Higher WMHI Scheltens scores in both DWMHI and PVH were associated with presence of cerebral infarct but higher PVH lesion load was significantly associated with active SLE disease. Conclusion Presence of WMHI lesions in SLE was significantly associated with cerebral infarcts, aPL and high general SLE activity, suggesting both inflammation and ischaemia as the underlying pathology of these lesions.

Medicare Expenditure Correlates of Atrophy and Cerebrovascular Disease in Older Adults

Background/Study Context: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of cerebrovascular disease and atrophy are common in older adults and are associated with cognitive and medical burden. However, the extent to which they are related to health care expenditures has not been examined. We studied whether increased Medicare expenditures were associated with brain markers of atrophy and cerebrovascular disease in older adults.Methods: A subset of participants (n = 592; mean age = 80 years; 66% women) from the Washington Heights Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP), a community-based observational study of aging in upper Manhattan, received high-resolution MRI and had Medicare expenditure data on file. We examined the relationship of common markers of cerebrovascular disease (i.e., white matter hyperintensities and presence of infarcts) and atrophy (i.e., whole brain and hippocampal volume) with Medicare expenditure data averaged over a 10-year period. Main outcome measures were (a) mean Medicare payment per year across the 10-year interval; (b) mean payment for outpatient care per year; and (c) mean payment for inpatient care per year of visit. In addition, we calculated the ratio of mean inpatient spending to mean outpatient spending as well as the ratio of mean inpatient spending to mean total Medicare spending.Results: Increased Medicare spending was associated with higher white matter hyperintensity volume, presence of cerebral infarcts, and smaller total brain volume. When examining specific components of Medicare expenditures, we found that inpatient spending was strongly associated with white matter hyperintensity volume and that increased ratios of inpatient to outpatient and inpatient to total spending were associated with infarcts.Conclusion: Medicare costs are related to common markers of “silent” cerebrovascular disease and atrophy.

Association of carotid artery and lower-extremity artery atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease or cerebral infarction in type 2 diabetes

Objective To investigate the association of carotid artery and lower-extremity artery atherosclerosis to coronary heart disease or cerebral infarction in diabetes mellitus. Methods Medical records of 1 503 hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes aged(55.8±12.9)years were collected. Doppler-ultrasound of the carotid and lower-extremity arteries was used to assess the intima-media thickness, plaques, and diameter of the vessels. The degrees of carotid and lower-extremity artery atherosclerosis were classified into free of atherosclerosis(Grade 1), increased intima-media thickness(Grade 2), presence of plaques(Grade 3), and stenosis≥20%(Grade 4). Histories of coronary heart disease and cerebral infarction were obtained from the medical records. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate OR(95%CI)for the presence of coronary heart disease and cerebral infarction. Results Multivariate adjusted ORs(95%CI)for the presence of coronary heart disease were 2.30(1.17-4.53)and 4.05(1.88-8.74)in patients at Grade 3 and Grade 4 in carotid arteries, respectively, as compared with patients at Grade 1 in carotid arteries. The ORs(95%CI)for the presence of cerebral infarction were 1.95(1.22-3.10)and 2.68(1.50-4.77)in patients at Grade 3 and Grade 4 in carotid arteries, respectively. Multivariate adjusted ORs(95%CI)for the presence of coronary heart disease were 2.39(0.99-5.74)and 4.10(1.44-11.67)in patients at Grade 3 and Grade 4 in lower-extremity arteries, respectively, as compared with patients at Grade 1 in lower-extremity arteries. For the presence of cerebral infarction, the ORs(95%CI)were 2.20(1.05-4.63), 3.60(1.82-7.10), and 3.15(1.32-7.50)in patients at Grade 2, Grade 3, and Grade 4 in lower-extremity arteries, respectively. Patients at Grade 3 or Grade 4 in both vascular locations were at a higher risk of coronary heart disease or cerebral infarction as compare with patients at Grade 1-2 in both vascular locations, whereas the risk was not significantly increased in patients at Grade 3-4 in only one vascular location. Conclusions The simple method of assessing the degree of arterial atherosclerosis can be used to evaluate carotid artery and lower-extremity artery atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients with plaques or stenosis in both vascular locations were with a significantly increased risk of coronary heart disease or cerebral infarction if they were evaluated concurrently. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2016, 32: 989-994) Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Atherosclerosis; Coronary heart disease; Cerebral infarction; Carotid artery degree

Preoperative and postoperative predictors of long-term outcome after endovascular treatment of poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE An increasing number of patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) have received endovascular treatment. Endovascular treatment of poor-grade aSAH, however, is based on single-center retrospective studies, and predictors of long-term outcome have not been well defined. Using results from a multicenter prospective registry, the authors aimed to develop preoperative and postoperative prognostic models to predict poor outcome after endovascular treatment of poor-grade aSAH. METHODS A Multicenter Poor-grade Aneurysm Study (AMPAS) was a prospective and observational registry of consecutive patients with poor-grade aSAH. From October 2010 to March 2012, 366 patients were enrolled in the registry, and 136 patients receiving endovascular treatment were included in this study. Outcome was assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 12 months, and poor outcome was defined as an mRS score of 4, 5, or 6. Prognostic models were developed in multivariate logistic regression models. The area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) was used to assess the model's discriminatory ability, and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit tests were used to assess the calibration. RESULTS At 12 months, 64 patients (47.0%) had a poor outcome: 9 (6.6%) had an mRS score of 4, 6 (4.4%) had an mRS score of 5, and 49 (36.0%) had died. Univariate analyses showed that older age (p = 0.001), female sex (p = 0.044), lower Glasgow Coma Scale score (p < 0.001), a World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade of V (p < 0.001), higher Fisher grade (p < 0.001), modified Fisher grade (p < 0.001), and wider neck aneurysm (p = 0.026) were associated with a poor outcome. There was a trend toward a worse outcome in patients with anterior communicating artery aneurysms (p = 0.080) and in those with incompletely occluded aneurysms (p = 0.063). After endovascular treatment, the presence of cerebral infarction (p = 0.039), symptomatic vasospasm (p = 0.039), and pneumonia (p = 0.006) were associated with a poor outcome. Multivariate analyses showed that the preoperative prognostic model including age, a WFNS grade of V, modified Fisher grade, and aneurysm neck size had excellent discrimination with an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.80-0.92, p < 0.001), and a postoperative model that included these predictors as well as postoperative pneumonia had excellent discrimination (AUC = 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.93, p < 0.001). Both models had good calibration (p = 0.941 and p = 0.653, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Older age, WFNS Grade V, higher modified Fisher grade, wider neck aneurysm, and postoperative pneumonia were independent predictors of poor outcome after endovascular treatment of poor-grade aSAH. The preoperative model had almost the same discrimination as the postoperative model. Endovascular treatment should be carefully considered in patients with poor-grade aSAH with ruptured wide-neck aneurysms. ▪ CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE Type of question: prognostic; study design: retrospective cohort trial; evidence: Class I.

Atrial fibrillation and silent stroke: links, risks, and challenges.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, with a projected number of 1 million affected subjects in Germany. Changes in age structure of the Western population allow for the assumption that the number of concerned people is going to be doubled, maybe tripled, by the year 2050. Large epidemiological investigations showed that AF leads to a significant increase in mortality and morbidity. Approximately one-third of all strokes are caused by AF and, due to thromboembolic cause, these strokes are often more severe than those caused by other etiologies. Silent brain infarction is defined as the presence of cerebral infarction in the absence of corresponding clinical symptomatology. Progress in imaging technology simplifies diagnostic procedures of these lesions and leads to a large amount of diagnosed lesions, but there is still no final conclusion about frequency, risk factors, and clinical relevance of these infarctions. The prevalence of silent strokes in patients with AF is higher compared to patients without AF, and several studies reported high incidence rates of silent strokes after AF ablation procedures. While treatment strategies to prevent clinically apparent strokes in patients with AF are well investigated, the role of anticoagulatory treatment for prevention of silent infarctions is unclear. This paper summarizes developments in diagnosis of silent brain infarction and its context to AF.

Plasma homocysteine, Alzheimer and cerebrovascular pathology: a population-based autopsy study

Elevated plasma total homocysteine is associated with increased risk of dementia/Alzheimer's disease, but underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. This study investigated possible links between baseline homocysteine, and post-mortem neuropathological and magnetic resonance imaging findings up to 10 years later in the Vantaa 85+ population including people aged ≥85 years. Two hundred and sixty-five individuals had homocysteine and autopsy data, of which 103 had post-mortem brain magnetic resonance imaging scans. Methenamine silver staining was used for amyloid-β and modified Bielschowsky method for neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques. Macroscopic infarcts were identified from cerebral hemispheres, brainstem and cerebellum slices. Standardized methods were used to determine microscopic infarcts, cerebral amyoloid angiopathy, and α-synuclein pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging was used for visual ratings of the degree of medial temporal lobe atrophy, and periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities. Elevated baseline homocysteine was associated with increased neurofibrillary tangles count at the time of death: for the highest homocysteine quartile, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 2.60 (1.28-5.28). The association was observed particularly in people with dementia, in the presence of cerebral infarcts, and with longer time between the baseline homocysteine assessment and death. Also, elevated homocysteine tended to relate to amyloid-β accumulation, but this was seen only with longer baseline-death interval: odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 2.52 (0.88-7.19) for the highest homocysteine quartile. On post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging, for the highest homocysteine quartile odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 3.78 (1.12-12.79) for more severe medial temporal atrophy and 4.69 (1.14-19.33) for more severe periventricular white matter hyperintensities. All associations were independent of several potential confounders, including common vascular risk factors. No relationships between homocysteine and cerebral macro- or microinfarcts, cerebral amyoloid angiopathy or α-synuclein pathology were detected. These results suggest that elevated homocysteine in adults aged ≥85 years may contribute to increased Alzheimer-type pathology, particularly neurofibrillary tangles burden. This effect seems to be more pronounced in the presence of cerebrovascular pathology. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the impact of homocysteine-lowering treatments on dementia-related pathology.

Atrial Fibrillation is Associated With Reduced Brain Volume and Cognitive Function Independent of Cerebral Infarcts

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with cognitive decline independent of stroke, suggesting additional effects of AF on the brain. We aimed to assess the association between AF and brain function and structure in a general elderly population. This is a cross-sectional analysis of 4251 nondemented participants (mean age, 76 ± 5 years) in the population-based Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study. Medical record data were collected for the presence, subtype, and time from first diagnosis of AF; 330 participants had AF. Brain volume measurements, adjusted for intracranial volume, and presence of cerebral infarcts were determined with magnetic resonance imaging. Memory, speed of processing, and executive function composites were calculated from a cognitive test battery. In a multivariable linear regression model, adjustments were made for demographic factors, cardiovascular risk factors, and cerebral infarcts. Participants with AF had lower total brain volume compared with those without AF (P<0.001). The association was stronger with persistent/permanent than paroxysmal AF and with increased time from the first diagnosis of the disease. Of the brain tissue volumes, AF was associated with lower volume of gray and white matter hyperintensities (P<0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively), but not of white matter hyperintensities (P = 0.49). Participants with AF scored lower on tests of memory. AF is associated with smaller brain volume, and the association is stronger with increasing burden of the arrhythmia. These findings suggest that AF has a cumulative negative effect on the brain independent of cerebral infarcts.

Significance of the Presence of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Asymptomatic Arteriosclerosis Affecting the Aorta and the Cerebral, Extra-cranial Carotid and Coronary Arteries

The presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is strongly associated with stroke and cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship between MetS and the localization of atherosclerosis at various sites remains uncertain. In this study, in order to reveal the relevance of MetS to atherosclerosis at several sites, we investigated the relationships among vascular risk factors, asymptomatic cerebral infarction and atherosclerosis in the aorta and carotid and coronary arteries in adults without overtly symptomatic cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease. The subjects in this study included 2,759 Japanese participants (1,845 men and 914 women, mean age: 52 years) with no history of stroke or cardiovascular events. The diagnosis of MetS was made based on modifications to criteria obtained from the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel. In all subjects, the presence of cerebral infarction in the extra-cranial carotid, coronary and aortic arteries was investigated using MRI, B-mode ultrasonography and CT. Of the 2,759 subjects, 796 (28.9%) fulfilled the criteria for MetS. The presence of MetS increased the odds ratio (OR) to 1.89 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-2.65, p-value <0.0001) for asymptomatic cerebral infarction, 1.70 (95% CI: 1.37-2.10, p-value <0.0001) for carotid arteriosclerosis, 2.07 (95% CI: 1.62-2.27, p-value <0.0001) for coronary calcification and 1.67 (95% CI: 1.33-2.09, p-value<0.0001) for aortic calcification. The presence of MetS was found to be significantly correlated with arteriosclerosis in all regions, including the cerebral small-vessels, extra-cranial carotid arteries, coronary arteries and abdominal aorta. MetS might be a predictor for small and large vessel disease throughout the body.

AD pathology and cerebral infarctions are associated with memory and executive functioning one and five years before death

We provide rigorous psychometric evidence for distinct patterns of cognitive impairment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral infarctions using 440 participants from the Religious Order Study. Latent variable models were used to decompose the effects of AD pathology and cerebral infarctions assessed at autopsy on overall cognition and specific neuropsychological tests at one and five years prior to death. Results support clinical and univariate psychometric analyses that memory impairment is more pronounced in AD, and executive impairment is more pronounced in the presence of cerebral infarctions. These specific effects are subtle relative to the stronger associations of both AD neuropathology and cerebral infarctions with overall levels of cognitive impairment.

Low prevalence of hypopituitarism after subarachnoid haemorrhage using confirmatory testing and with BMI-specific GH cut-off levels

Hypopituitarism following subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) has been reported to be a frequent occurrence. However, there is considerable heterogeneity between studies with differing patient populations and treatment modalities and most importantly employing differing endocrine protocols and (normal) reference ranges of GH. We aimed to examine prospectively a cohort of SAH survivors for development of hypopituitarism post-SAH using rigorous endocrine testing and compare GH response to glucagon stimulation with a cohort of healthy controls of a similar BMI. Sixty-four patients were investigated for evidence of hypopituitarism 3 months post-SAH with 50 patients tested again at 12 months. Glucagon stimulation testing (GST), with confirmation of deficiencies by GHRH/arginine testing for GH deficiency (GHD) and short synacthen testing for ACTH deficiency, was used. Basal testing of other hormonal axes was undertaken. Mean age of patients was 53±11.7 years and mean BMI was 27.5±5.7 kg/m(2). After confirmatory testing, the prevalence of hypopituitarism was 12% (GHD 10%, asymptomatic hypocortisolaemia 2%). There was no association between hypopituitarism and post-SAH vasospasm, presence of cerebral infarction, Fisher grade, or clinical grading at presentation. There was a significant correlation between BMI and peak GH to glucagon stimulation in both patients and controls. Identification of 'true' GHD after SAH requires confirmatory testing with an alternative stimulation test and application of BMI-specific cut-offs. Using such stringent criteria, we found a prevalence of hypopituitarism of 12% in our population.