Stroke Syndrome Research Articles

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and neuropsychological function in pediatric stroke.

To assess the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) and to evaluate its association with neuropsychological outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional study of sleep health and neuropsychological outcome in children with AIS. A consecutive cohort of children attending a stroke clinic were assessed using a standardized pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ) and standardized measures of pediatric stroke outcome and intellectual, executive and adaptive function. High risk for OSAS was defined as PSQ score ≥0.33. Overall, 102 children were included (55% males, median age: 9 years [interquartile-range [IQR]: 6-14]). The prevalence of OSAS in children with AIS was significantly higher compared to published normative prevalence rate (25.5% vs 5%, p<0.001). Children with OSAS were more likely to have infarcts affecting both the anterior and posterior circulation (37.5% vs 9.5%, p=0.021). In addition, children with OSAS had significantly higher median Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure (PSOM) scores (2 [IQR: 0-2] vs 1 [IQR: 1-3.5], p=0.01) and were more likely to be prescribed concomitant medications affecting sleep architecture (50% vs 22.4%, p=0.007). OSAS was associated with significantly lower scores on intellectual, memory, cognitive, behavioral, attention, executive and adaptive function scales. The association between PSQ and intellectual ability and working memory remained statistically significant upon controlling for potential confounding factors including stroke related characteristics (neurologic impairment and arterial territory). The prevalence of OSAS in children with AIS compared to healthy controls is significantly elevated and is associated with poor neuropsychological outcomes. We highlight the importance of regular screening for OSAS - a modifiable risk factor - in children with AIS. The specific risk factors for OSAS and the potential benefits of therapeutic interventions in this patient population warrant further investigation.

Left subclavian artery occlusion during endovascular repair of traumatic thoracic aortic injury, cohort study

BackgroundThoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is superior to open techniques, as it is a minimally invasive procedure with low morbidity and mortality rates. The aortic isthmus is usually the rupture site in aortic thoracic injuries. Therefore, the distance from the left subclavian artery (LSA) usually allows proximal stent graft fixation. The main challenge is the intentional coverage of the LSA without revascularization, which is necessary to expand the proximal landing zone and to achieve an adequate seal. Acute arm ischemia, claudication, stroke, and/or left subclavian steal syndrome may occur during intentional occlusion of the LSA without revascularization when performing thoracic aorta lesion endovascular repair. The present study was conducted to analyze the safety of coverage of the LSA without revascularization during the endovascular treatment of traumatic thoracic aorta injuries. MethodsA retrospectively collected data set from two trauma centers in Saudi Arabia was reviewed between April 2007 and January 2018 to analyze the safety of LSA coverage during TEVAR performed for traumatic thoracic aorta transection. In this data set, 69 patients presented with descending thoracic aortic injuries. All were treated urgently with TEVAR with intentional LSA occlusion without revascularization during aortic injury endovascular repair. Those who underwent thoracotomy and pre-TEVAR patients who died were excluded from this study. ResultsA total of 69 patients underwent intentional left subclavian artery (LSA) coverage without revascularization during the procedure; the primary technical success reached 94.2% for patients who underwent TEVAR for traumatic aortic transection. The clinical success rate was 98.6%. Only 1 of 69 patients with LSA coverage developed a localized ischemic stroke (1.4%). The 30-day mortality rate was 4.3% due to multiple organ failure. ConclusionRevascularization of LSA is not mandatory with TEVAR for treating traumatic thoracic aortic injury with an inadequate proximal landing zone. Extending the landing zone to zone 2 and coverage of LSA is considered safe and non-time-consuming, especially in urgent situations. It provides better fixation and a good sealing zone.

Comparison of Clinical Evolution of Children with Sickle Cell Disease before and after Treatment with Hydroxyurea at Saint Damien Hospital, Tabarre-Haiti,2013-2018

INTRODUCTION Sickle cell disease (SCD), an autosomal recessive hemoglobinopathy, is associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate, especially in low income countries. In Africa, 5% of deaths among children under five are attributable to SCD [59th World Health Assembly, WHO 2006]. This chronic disease greatly alters the quality of life of affected children. However, according to several published studies, SCD clinical course can be improved with the administration of hydroxyurea, an antimetabolite drug. [Nkashama, Pan African Medical Journal,2015] Saint-Damien, a pediatric hospital in Haiti, has a current cohort of 1248 sickle cell children. Forty of them (3 %) benefit from hydroxyurea administration since November 2015. In this hospital, data on how hydroxyurea modifies SCD clinical course are lacking, despite the advantage of this drug described in literature [Charache,New England Journal of Medicine,1995]. This study aims to compare the evolution of children treated at Saint Damien Hospital, before and after receiving hydroxyurea. METHODS A retrospective analytic study was conducted from November 2013 to June 2018 in the Sickle Cell Clinic at Saint-Damien Hospital. We included 40 children aged 2 to 15 years old treated with hydroxyurea. All of them benefit of the same treatment protocol: Initial dose of 10 mg per kg per day increase to maintenance dose of 25 mg per kg per day. Any child whose treatment has been permanently discontinued regardless of the cause was excluded. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected using Excel 2010. We compared children clinical evolution two years before and two years after hydroxyurea administration using these parameters: frequency and duration of hospitalizations, hospitalization frequency for specific complications (pain crisis, stroke and acute chest syndrome), and frequency of blood transfusions. We calculated frequencies, ratios and means using Epi Info. We realized statistical analysis to compare quantitative variables with a p value significant when less than 5%. RESULTS Gender ratio was 1:1. The mean age of children at enrollment on hydroxyurea was 8 years. Thirty-eight children of 40 (95 %) experienced at least one hospitalization before receiving the drug, compared with 17 (42.5%) after, p=0.025. The mean duration of hospitalization was 9 days before and 6 days after, p=0.0319. The average number of hospitalizations per child was decreased by 30 %. Seventy percent of children were hospitalized at least once due to painful crisis 2 years before receiving hydroxyurea, compare to 22.5 % after. Thirty-one children (77.5%) were transfused at least once before receiving the drug and 9 (22.5%) after receiving it. There was no cases of acute chest syndrome or stroke reported after hydroxyurea, unlike before the introduction of the drug. (Table 1) CONCLUSION The percentage of hospitalized children and the average length of hospitalization stay decreased significantly with hydroxyurea intake; as well as the frequency of painful crisis and blood transfusions. Hydroxyurea acts directly on the two main causes of hospitalization in the sickle cell, reducing the morbidity related to this pathology; and demonstrating the direct benefit of this drug at Saint Damien Hospital. Since our cohort is young, we have not been able to follow his evolution over a longer period of time. We plan to continue to observe this cohort. But these first results already allow us to recommend a broader use of hydroxyurea for pediatric patients with SCD in Haiti. Disclosures Alvarez: Forma Therapeutics: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy.

Up-Regulation of Mir-21 and Mir-130a and Serum Leptin Levels on Leg Ulcers Development in Sickle Cell Anemia

Introduction: Leg ulcers (LUs) are a cutaneous complication of sickle cell anemia (SCA), whose etiology is considered multifactorial. In the search for new candidates for modulators of SCA clinical events, recent evidence suggests the significant role of mechanisms related to post-transcriptional regulation, especially microRNAs (miRNAs). Thus, the analysis of miRNAs miR-21 and miR-130a differential expression in patients with SCA becomes an interesting approach, since both act in the regulation of several biological mechanisms related to the pathophysiology of LU, especially the tissue repair process. In addition, these miRNAs have already been related to the regulation of serum leptin levels, a strong angiogenic pleiotropic hormone that acts in the healing process of skin lesions. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the influence of miR-21 and miR-130a and serum leptin levels on the development of LUs in SCA patients. Methods: After analyzing medical records, 60 SCA patients were selected. Patients who presented some of the main clinical manifestations that may have etiology due to the underlying disease (for example: osteonecrosis, stroke, priapism and acute chest syndrome) were not included. Patients with a history of LU were considered cases, and those who did not develop this complication (n=20), were considered control (median age: 26 years, range: 19-61, 50% males). The control group was called "HbSS-Control" and the case group was divided into two subgroups: Active leg ulcer group, composed of 19 patients with active LU at the time of blood collection (median age: 35 years, range: 24-56, 68% males), and healed leg ulcer group, composed of 21 patients with healed LU at the time of blood collection (median age: 34 years, range: 22-52, 43% males). In addition, it was analyzed a group of 10 donors with normal hemoglobin profile (median age: 25 years, range: 20-30, 50% males), identified as "HbAA-Control". Expression levels of miRNAs extracted from peripheral blood, using mirVanaTM PARIS Kit (Invitrogen™) were evaluated by RT-qPCR technique utilizing TaqMan® probes. Serum leptin levels of the patients were evaluated employing the ELISA method (Human Leptin ELISA Kit, Millipore®). Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to compare continuous variables. Results: Up-regulation of both miRNAs was observed in the active leg ulcer group in contrast to the healed leg ulcer (miR-21: P&amp;lt;0.0001, Figure 1A, Fold change [FC]=14,2; miR-130a: P=0.0004, FC=18,8, Figure 1B) and Control-HbSS groups (miR-21: P&amp;lt;0.0001, FC=34,4, Figure 1A; miR-130a: P=0.0006, FC=15,3, Figure 1B) and the HbAA-Control group (miR-21: P&amp;lt;0.0001, FC=5,8, Figure 1C; miR-130a: P=0.0009, FC=10,9, Figure 1D). However, there was no significant difference between the healed leg ulcer, HbSS-Control and HbAA-Control groups (miR-21: P=0.1829, Figure 1E; miR-130a: P=0.3537; Figure 1F). Furthermore, the active leg ulcer group had lower serum leptin levels when compared to the healed leg ulcer and Control-HbSS groups (P=0.0058; Figure 2A). The levels of leptin in the healed leg ulcer group did not differ from the Control-HbSS group (P=0.5929; Figure 2B). Conclusion: Our results demonstrated an inverse relation between the miRNAs miR-21 and miR-130a expression with serum leptin levels, suggesting that the up-regulation of these miRNAS may be related to the chronicity and healing of LUs in individuals with SCA through decreased of serum leptin levels. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Excellent Overall Survival and Low Incidence of Late Effects in Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease: A Report from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR)

Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is curative therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD). Good outcomes have spurred an increase in the use of HCT for SCD, including an increasing number of trials using alternative donors. As survival improves, assessment of long-term outcomes and potential late effects (LEs) in this patient population is critical. We evaluated the data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) to study incidence and risk factors for LEs following HCT for SCD. Methods: Patients reported to the CIBMTR with a diagnosis of SCD who had undergone their first HCT between 1996 and June 2015 were included in this analysis. Patients with graft failure were excluded. We performed a descriptive analysis of patient, disease, donor, and transplant-related factors. The cumulative incidence (CI) of LEs was estimated at 1, 3, and 7 years post-HCT. The number of pre- versus post-HCT SCD-specific disease complications was computed. Overall survival (OS) probabilities were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors related to OS and LEs. Results: The study population consisted of 355 patients. The median age at HCT was 10 years (range &amp;lt;1-52) and median follow-up was 50 months (range 9-248). The most common indications for HCT were recurrent pain (30%), stroke (29%), and acute chest syndrome (13%). Majority of patients received myeloablative HCT (66%), had a matched sibling donor (59%), and had bone marrow as the graft source (70%). OS at 2, 5, and 7 years was 91%, 89%, and 89%, respectively. Most common causes of death were organ failure (36%), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD; 18%), and infection (13%). Chronic GVHD developed in 30% of patients. Four patients developed a new malignancy post-HCT: AML (N=1; 11 months), MDS/MPN (N=1; 119 months), and lymphoma/lymphoproliferative disease (N=2; 1 and 6 months). The CI of LEs is shown in Figure 1, with highest incidences seen of diabetes, gonadal dysfunction, and avascular necrosis (10%, 6.7%, and and 4.1% at 7 years, respectively, with majority of diabetes occurring in year 1). In multivariable analysis, undergoing HCT when &amp;gt;15 years of age was associated with significantly inferior OS (mortality HR 7.26, 95% CI 3.57-14.77). Multivariable analysis for LEs demonstrated an increased risk of diabetes (HR 7.29, 95% CI 2.94-18.08) and pulmonary abnormalities (HR 5.90, 95% CI 1.14-30.42) with unrelated donor, while older age at HCT was associated with avascular necrosis (HR 14.19, 95% CI 1.86-108.47), diabetes (HR 3.45, 95% CI 1.69-7.05), and congestive heart failure (HR 8.02, 95% CI 1.13-56.94). SCD-related symptoms overall decreased from pre- to post-HCT (Table 1), most notably acute chest syndrome, vaso-occlusive pain crises, and stroke. Conclusions: Patients with SCD who have undergone HCT for SCD in recent years have excellent OS, confirmed in this CIBMTR multicenter dataset, with diminished SCD-related symptom burden post-HCT. However, they remain at-risk for a myriad of LEs, with risk factors including older age at HCT and unrelated donor, necessitating systemic organ-based follow up post-HCT. Continued follow-up of this patient population is critical to provide appropriate counseling for medical providers, patients, and families considering HCT as a treatment option for SCD. Disclosures Shaw: Therakos: Other: Speaker Engagement.

Atrial fibrillation risk factor management with a plant-based diet: A review.

Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia in the clinical setting affecting approximately 34 million individuals worldwide. The disease is associated with a significant burden of morbidity and mortality resulting from stroke, heart failure, and acute coronary syndrome. Atrial fibrillation is now a major public health problem with tremendous implications on the economy and the world's healthcare systems. Numerous risk factors and clinical conditions that are associated with the development and progression of atrial fibrillation have been identified in the past. Within the last decades, a shift in awareness toward modifiable conditions has been observed and risk factor management has gained significant momentum. In light of this, dietary approaches are of paramount importance. Whole‐food plant‐based diets emphasizing grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits and nuts and excluding most (or all) animal products have recently experienced a significantly increased interest. The purpose of this review is to present evidence suggestive of a plant‐based diet being a valuable tool in atrial fibrillation risk factor management. The effects of a plant‐based diet on both established and emerging risk factors, such as inflammation and subclinical atherosclerosis, are reviewed in this article. A special focus is put on cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors including hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Upstroke Time Per Cardiac Cycle is Associated with Cardiovascular Prognosis in Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: Upstroke time per cardiac cycle (UTCC) in the lower extremities has been found to be predictive of cardiovascular mortality in the general population. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to test the associations between increasing UTCC and outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 452 patients with type 2 diabetes (age, 67.5 ± 8.6 years; male, 54%) registered in a share-care program participated in the study at an outpatient clinic in Taipei Veterans General Hospital across a mean of 5.8 years. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality hospitalization for coronary artery disease, stroke, revascularization, amputation, and diabetic foot syndrome. Secondary end-point outcome was all-cause mortality. Results: Increment of UTCC associations with primary and secondary outcomes were undertaken prior to baseline characteristic adjustments. A UTCC of 20.1% exhibited the greatest area under curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity balance to predict composite events in receiver operating curves (AUC, 0.63 [P = .001]; sensitivity, 67.7%; specificity, 54.9%). Sixty-four composite events and 17 deaths were identified from medical records. UTCC ≥20.1% was associated with the occurrence of composite events and an increased risk of mortality. For composite events, an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.45 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.38 to 4.35 (P = .002) were calculated. For all-cause mortality, an adjusted HR of 1.91 and 95% CI of 0.33 to 10.99 (P = .467) were calculated. Conclusion: Increasing UTCC was associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, UTCC is advocated as a noninvasive screening tool for ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes. Abbreviations: CAD = coronary artery disease; CI = confidence interval; eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate; HR = hazard ratio; PAD = peripheral artery disease; UTCC = upstroke time per cardiac cycle.

Patient-Specific iPSC Model of a Genetic Vascular Dementia Syndrome Reveals Failure of Mural Cells to Stabilize Capillary Structures.

SummaryCADASIL (cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy) is the most common form of genetic stroke and vascular dementia syndrome resulting from mutations in NOTCH3. To elucidate molecular mechanisms of the condition and identify drug targets, we established a patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) model and demonstrated for the first time a failure of the patient iPSC-derived vascular mural cells (iPSC-MCs) in engaging and stabilizing endothelial capillary structures. The patient iPSC-MCs had reduced platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, decreased secretion of the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), were highly susceptible to apoptotic insults, and could induce apoptosis of adjacent endothelial cells. Supplementation of VEGF significantly rescued the capillary destabilization. Small interfering RNA knockdown of NOTCH3 in iPSC-MCs revealed a gain-of-function mechanism for the mutant NOTCH3. These disease mechanisms likely delay brain repair after stroke in CADASIL, contributing to the brain hypoperfusion and dementia in this condition, and will help to identify potential drug targets.

Stroke syndromes: A case of eight and a half syndrome

Stroke syndromes: A case of eight and a half syndrome

QUETIAPINE- AND RIVASTIGMINE-INDUCED NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME IN LEWY BODY DEMENTIA

SESSION TITLE: Wednesday Medical Student/Resident Case Report Posters SESSION TYPE: Med Student/Res Case Rep Postr PRESENTED ON: 10/23/2019 09:45 AM - 10:45 AM INTRODUCTION: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life threatening idiosyncratic reaction to neuroleptic medications. Quetiapine is considered a safe and common medication prescribed in patients with agitation and Lewy Body dementia (LBD). We present a case of NMS in a patient with LBD who is treated with quetiapine and rivastigmine. CASE PRESENTATION: A 66 year old man with a past medical history of LBD presents to the emergency department with a 5 day progression of altered mental status. At baseline, he is typically bed-bound but able to communicate verbally and feed independently. His LBD is managed with quetiapine and rivastigmine with recent up-titration of his quetiapine dose. His quetiapine was held 3 days prior to presentation due to concerns for sedation. In the ED, his vitals were notable for a fever of 102.4 and tachycardia of 114. Physical exam was significant for listlessness and stiff posturing. Initial labs revealed a lactic acid of 2.7 and creatinine kinase (CK) of 1,273. Head CT was unrevealing. Neurology was consulted and recommended lorazepam due to concern for NMS. Dantrolene was added the next day due to worsening rigidity, fevers and tachycardia. He was then transferred to the critical care unit and intubated for a GCS of 7. Lumbar puncture showed no source of infection and EEG monitoring demonstrated low amplitudes and generalized slowing. Bromocripitine was initiated due to limited improvement and lorazepam was discontinued due to concern of complicating delirium. His mental status improved shortly after and he was extubated at 7 days. He completed 14 days of dantrolene, 11 days of bromocriptine and was discharged home at 25 days with near baseline mental status. DISCUSSION: NMS is a life threatening idiosyncratic reaction to antipsychotic medications, characterized by altered mental status, fevers, muscle rigidity, and autonomic dysfunction1. It is often difficult to differentiate clinically from other common pathologies, such as sepsis, heat stroke, and serotonin syndrome. Incidence rates vary from 0.01% to 3.2% in patients taking neuroleptic medication2. Clinical investigation should include a septic screen, CK level, urinalysis for myoglobinuria, neuroimaging, and lumbar puncture2. Treatment strategies often include cessation of the offending agent, supportive care, and pharmacological therapy (i.e. dantrolene and bromocriptine). One case report highlighted that rivastigmine is unrecognized risk factor for the development of NMS with concomitant neuroleptic antipsychotics3. It is certainly possible in our case that with the up-titration of quetiapine and co-existing use of rivastigmine, our patient had a lowered threshold for NMS. CONCLUSIONS: NMS diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion and early identification improves outcomes. Rivastigmine use should raise suspicion of NMS with autonomic dysfunction, bland infectious work up, and concomitant neuroleptic use. Reference #1: Berman BD. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: a review for neurohospitalists. The Neurohospitalist 2011;1(1):41–47. Reference #2: Simon LV, Callahan AL. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome [Internet]. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2018 [cited 2019 Mar 7]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482282/ Reference #3: Stevens DL, Lee MR, Padua Y. Olanzapine-associated neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a patient receiving concomitant rivastigmine therapy. Pharmacotherapy 2008;28(3):403–405. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Joy Ayyoub, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Paul Kinniry, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by cyrus vahdatpour, source=Web Response

CT for Treatment Selection in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Code Stroke Primer.

CT is the primary imaging modality used for selecting appropriate treatment in patients with acute stroke. Awareness of the typical findings, pearls, and pitfalls of CT image interpretation is therefore critical for radiologists, stroke neurologists, and emergency department providers to make accurate and timely decisions regarding both (a) immediate treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator up to 4.5 hours after a stroke at primary stroke centers and (b) transfer of patients with large-vessel occlusion (LVO) at CT angiography to comprehensive stroke centers for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) up to 24 hours after a stroke. Since the DAWN and DEFUSE 3 trials demonstrated the efficacy of EVT up to 24 hours after last seen well, CT angiography has become the operational standard for rapid accurate identification of intracranial LVO. A systematic approach to CT angiographic image interpretation is necessary and useful for rapid triage, and understanding common stroke syndromes can help speed vessel evaluation. Moreover, when diffusion-weighted MRI is unavailable, multiphase CT angiography of collateral vessels and source-image assessment or perfusion CT can be used to help estimate core infarct volume. Both have the potential to allow distinction of patients likely to benefit from EVT from those unlikely to benefit. This article reviews CT-based workup of ischemic stroke for making tPA and EVT treatment decisions and focuses on practical skills, interpretation challenges, mimics, and pitfalls.©RSNA, 2019.

61 Association Between Trainee Supervision and Timeliness of Emergency Department Stroke Care

A limited number of studies have investigated the association of trainees and trainee/supervisor ratios with timeliness of care in emergency departments (EDs), and all have focused on global flow metrics, not specific time-sensitive conditions. National stroke guidelines emphasize timely recognition of stroke syndromes and activation of stroke teams within 15 minutes of patient arrival. We sought to describe the association between ED trainee compliment/supervision and timeliness of stroke team activation in an academic ED.

Lacunar stroke syndromes as predictors of lacunar and non-lacunar infarcts on neuroimaging: a hospital-based study.

Lacunar syndromes are usually caused by small ischemic lesions called lacunar infarcts. However, non-lacunar infarcts account for about 20% of lacunar syndromes. The aim of this study was to identify clinical predictors of lacunar syndromes led by non-lacunar infarcts. The following single centre, observational study was conducted on an analysis of the "Perugia hospital-based Stroke Registry" database enrolling consecutive patients admitted with ischemic stroke during the period 2010-2017. We evaluated patient risk factors and clinical features linked to stroke syndrome (lacunar/non-lacunar) and to cerebral infarction (lacunar/non-lacunar). Lacunar syndromes were diagnosed in 478 (26.6%) out of 1796 patients. In 104 (21.1%) patients, lacunar syndromes were caused by non-lacunar infarcts. Lacunar syndromes with lacunar infarcts were primarily linked to diabetes (27.8% vs 16.3%) and obesity (7.7% vs 0.9%), while lacunar syndromes with non-lacunar infarcts were linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (22.1% vs 9.4%) and higher National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores on admission (mean 5.5 ± 3.7 vs 4.7 ± 2.8). On multivariate analysis, atrial fibrillation (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.09-2.31; p = 0.002) and higher NIHSS (OR 1.12 for each point increase, 95% CI 1.09-1.15; p < 0.001) were predictors of non-lacunar infarcts in all stroke cases, while lacunar syndromes were inversely associated with non-lacunar infarcts (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.11-0.20; p < 0.001). Atrial fibrillation was the only predictor of non-lacunar infarcts in patients with lacunar syndromes (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.33-5.18; p = 0.005). 21% of patients with lacunar syndromes had non-lacunar infarctions. Atrial fibrillation turned out to be a predictor of lacunar syndrome due to non-lacunar infarct.

275 A Case Study of Retinal Artery Occlusion Following Mechanical Thrombectomy via Direct Carotid Puncture.

Abstract Background This case study reviews the role of carotid puncture as arterial access in mechanical thrombectomy and an associated rare complication. Methods This case reviews the management of a 74-year-old gentleman who presented with a left MCA ischaemic stroke. On presentation NIHSS was 21 consistent with a left total anterior circulation stroke syndrome (TACS) with a very severe clinical deficit. He underwent IV thrombolysis and attempted mechanical thrombectomy via femoral puncture. However the intracranial middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion could not be reached as a near occlusion at the internal carotid artery (ICA) origin could not be passed. A carotid puncture was successfully attempted followed by mechanical thrombectomy with complete recanalization of occluded MCA. Despite carotid puncture occurring in the setting of IV thrombolysis there were no post procedure bleeding complications. On day 2 post-procedure, the NIHSS score was 1 (residual facial droop) representing remarkable neurological recovery. On day 4 post-procedure, acute left eye vision loss developed with subsequent diagnosis of left central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). The mechanism of this retinal artery occlusion may have been a direct delayed complication of carotid artery puncture propagating clot into the ophthalmic artery, or may have been due to the underlying stroke mechanism such as new embolism from ICA origin or failure of collaterals. Results Persistent residual left eye blurred vision and right facial droop. Conclusion Proximal intracranial occlusion can effectively be treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Carotid puncture is a rarely used but effective alternative method of arterial access (11 out of 498 procedures between August 2016 and August 2018). Retinal artery occlusion is a possible complication from mechanical thrombectomy with carotid puncture.

Possible involvement of metformin in downregulation of neuroinflammation and associated behavioural changes in mice.

Metformin (MET), a biguanide oral hypoglycaemic agent, recently has been shown to be effective in various conditions other than type-2 diabetes including cancer, stroke, weight reduction, and polycystic ovarian syndrome, to name a few. MET has also possessed antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties by activation of AMPK . This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of MET on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic and neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and behavioural changes. The study consisted of six groups, where three selected doses of MET (100, 200, and 300mg/kg) were employed in male Swiss albino mice, with one group of imipramine (IMI), saline, and LPS each. Systemic inflammation was induced by injecting LPS (1.5mg/kg) by intraperitoneal route. A battery of behavioural tests including open field, forced swim, and tail suspension tests were employed to assess the impact of systemic inflammation on exploratory behaviour and learned helplessness. LPS induced significant immobility with profound symptoms of sickness behaviour. Furthermore, LPS led to significant increase in serum and brain proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6; and also increased lipid peroxidation with reduced glutathione levels. Pretreatment of the animals with 100 and 200mg/kg of MET significantly reduced both systemic and central inflammatory markers along with protecting against LPS-induced oxidative stress. The higher dose, 300mg/kg of MET was not effective against most of LPS-induced biochemical changes. Our preliminary results from this study suggest the antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effects of MET in LPS-induced model of sickness behaviour and neuroinflammation.

A case of rare stroke syndrome admitted in intensive care unit - Artery of Percheron infarction

Artery of Percheron is a rare anatomical variant of thalamic vascular supply. Stroke involving this vasculature is an uncommon event. Occlusion of this vessel produces a peculiar pattern in the form of bilateral thalamic infarcts with or without midbrain infarction. This results in variable clinical features ranging from somnolence or altered sensorium to coma in affected individuals, accompanied by characteristic neurological manifestations. Diagnosis of artery of Percheron infarction at the initial presentation may be difficult as it is infrequent and early neuroimaging studies may be negative. Here we report a patient, a case of AOP infarct whose MRI brain and clinical picture demonstrated the characteristic features. Keywords: Artery of Percheron, Ischemic stroke, Thalamus, Magnetic resonance Imaging.

Restless legs syndrome in ischemic stroke patients: clinical features and significance

To investigate the clinical features and implication of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in ischemic stroke patients. A total of 199 ischemic stroke patients were enrolled and assessed by polysomnography (PSG). RLS was identified according to criteria of International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate the sleep quality, cognitive function and post-stroke depression, respectively. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to evaluate the neurological function 3 months after stroke onset. Gender-and age-matched non-ischemic stroke patients with RLS (primary PLS) were selected as controls. Twenty-two cases of RLS were identified among 199 ischemic stroke patients (11.1%). Generalized linear model and logistic regression showed that low serum ferritin level (β=-133.3 mg/L, 95%CI:-200.4--0.1, P<0.01), subcortical infarction (OR=4.05, 95%CI:1.15-14.18, P<0.05) and female (OR=2.54, 95%CI:1.04-6.23, P<0.05) were identified as the risk factors of RLS in ischemic stroke patients. Compared with ischemic stroke patients without RLS, ESS increased by 4.37 (95%CI:2.33-6.41, P<0.01), PHQ-9 increased by 2.17 (95%CI:0.39--3.94, P<0.05), and reduced NIHSS from the baseline deceased by 0.97 (95%CI:-1.79--0.15, P<0.05) in ischemic stroke patients with RLS. In addition, the incidence of moderate-severe depression increased (OR=4.27, 95%CI:1.40-13.10, P<0.05) in ischemic stroke patients with RLS. The index of periodic leg movements of sleep (PLMS) with arousal in ischemic stroke patients with RLS was significantly higher than that in patients with primary RLS (β=12.85, 95%CI:2.04-23.67, P<0.05). RLS is common in ischemic stroke patients and has adverse influences on patients.

Infections of the central nervous system in immunodeficiency

Treatments in oncology, transplantation medicine and immunology frequently lead to immunodeficiency. This review presents the most important opportunistic neurologic infections, mostly of the central nervous system (CNS). Signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures and therapeutic options are presented. The most frequent infections are due to varicella zoster virus (VZV), Cryptococcus neoformans and Toxoplasma gondii; JC virus (JCV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are rare causes of encephalitis. Differential diagnoses include infection by non-opportunistic causatives, therapy associated neurotoxicity, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated CNS lymphoma, recurrence of the malignancy, as well as non-infectious diseases like intracranial bleeding, ischemic stroke, autoimmune diseases and posterior reversible leukencephalopathy syndrome. Treatment of these patients, moreover, needs to consider all previous therapies and to involve aneurologist.

Imaging of Brain Infarctions: Beyond the Usual Territories.

In this review, our intension is to present imaging features of several categories of uncommon cases of brain infarctions including infarctions associated with neurovascular variants, infarctions along small arterial territories, and brainstem stroke syndromes. Infarctions associated with neurovascular variants include azygos anterior cerebral artery territory infarction and artery of Percheron infarction. In the second group, we discuss anterior choroidal artery infarction and artery of Heubner infarction. The third group highlights brainstem stroke syndromes, including Claude and Benedikt syndromes due to midbrain infarction; Foville, Marie Foix, and locked-in syndromes due to pontine infarction; and Dejerine (medial medullary), bilateral medial medullary, and Wallenberg (lateral medullary) syndromes.

Association between the choice of anesthesia and in-hospital outcomes after carotid artery stenting

ObjectiveSeveral prior studies have shown lower risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in carotid artery stenting (CAS) compared with carotid endarterectomy. This is likely because the majority of endarterectomies are performed under general anesthesia (GA), whereas CAS is mainly performed under local anesthesia (LA). Performing CAS under GA may reverse its minimally invasive benefits. The aim of this study was to compare the safety profile of CAS-GA with that of CAS-LA. MethodsA retrospective analysis of the Vascular Quality Initiative database from 2005 to 2017 was performed. Primary outcomes included major adverse cardiac events (MACE), a composite of in-hospital death and MI, and postoperative neurologic events. Multivariable logistic models, and coarsened exact matching were used to evaluate the association between the primary outcomes and anesthesia technique. ResultsOf 12,919 CAS cases performed, 2024 (15.7%) were under GA. Comparing CAS-GA with CAS-LA in the overall cohort, CAS-GA had significantly higher crude rates of in-hospital mortality (2.1% vs 0.5%), MI (1.3% vs 0.7%), composite MACE (3.1% vs 1.2%), and ipsilateral stroke (2.3% vs 1.6%). Patients undergoing CAS-GA also had higher rates of dysrhythmia (3.0% vs 2.2%), acute congestive heart failure (1.6% vs 0.7%) and perioperative hypertension (13.2% vs 9.4%), and were more likely to have a length of hospital stay of more than 4 days (prolonged length of stay) (17.6% vs 8.5%) compared with those undergoing CAS-LA. On multivariable analysis, CAS-GA had a 2.3 times higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared with CAS-LA (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.26-5.03), a 1.9 times the odds of MACE (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.15-3.03), and a 2.3 times the odds of acute congestive heart failure (OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.26-4.15; all P < .05). In addition, these patients had a 43% higher odds of developing perioperative hypertension (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.09-1.87; P = .01) and almost 2 times the odds of a prolonged length of stay (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.41-2.35; P < .001). The adjusted odds of stroke, dysrhythmia and reperfusion syndrome were not significantly different between the two groups. Additional analysis using coarsened exact matching showed similar results. ConclusionsIn addition to the established increase risk of perioperative stroke/death with CAS compared with carotid endarterectomy, performing it under GA seems to be associated with increased cardiac complications, length of stay, and consequently hospitalization costs. Pending future data from prospective, randomized, controlled trials to validate our findings, there is evidence to suggest that it may be better to perform CAS under LA, especially in medically high-risk patients.