Transient Ischemic Attack Symptoms Research Articles

White matter hyperintensity determines ischemic stroke severity in symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) on stroke severity and prognosis in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis were retrieved from the Samsung Medical Center stroke registry from January 2011 to December 2016. Stroke severity was categorized into three levels according to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS): transient ischemic attack (TIA) or transient symptoms with infarction (TSI), mild stroke, and moderate to severe stroke. WMH volume was measured with medical image processing and visualization. The clinical outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin scale on the 90th day from which the latest onset of the neurological symptom. Logistic regression was used to predict stroke severity, and ordinal regression was used to compare the clinical outcome. Among 158 patients, the numbers of patients with TIA or TSI, mild stroke, and moderate to severe stroke were 48 (30.4%), 59 (37.3%), and 51 (32.3%), respectively. The larger WMH volume was associated with moderate to severe strokes (TIA/TSI vs. moderate to severe strokes, odds ratio (OR) 2.318, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.194-4.502, p = 0.007; mild vs. moderate to severe strokes, OR 1.972, 95% CI 1.118-3.479, p = 0.013). Patients with larger volume of WMH showed poorer clinical outcome (cutoff value: 9.71 cm3, OR 2.099, 95% CI 1.030-4.311, p = 0.042). Our study showed that larger WMH volume is associated with more severe stroke and poorer prognosis in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

Endovascular recanalization for symptomatic intracranial internal carotid and middle cerebral artery occlusion lasting longer than 72 h: Experience in a single center.

OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to assess the safety, feasibility, and outcomes of endovascular recanalization for symptomatic intracranial internal carotid and middle cerebral artery occlusion lasting longer than 72 h.METHODS:Thirty-nine consecutive patients with symptomatic occlusion of the anterior circulation and failure of medical therapy underwent endovascular recanalization and were included in this retrospective study. Patient characteristics, atherosclerotic risk factors, successful recanalization rates, and angiographic data were collected.RESULTS:Recanalization was successful in 37 cases (94.9%). The average residual stenosis immediately after intervention was 11.6 ± 4.3%. The patients who underwent balloon angioplasty alone had similar residual stenosis to those who also underwent stent placement (15.6 ± 7.3% vs. 9.0 ± 6.4%, P = 0.184). Intra- and perioperative complications occurred in three cases (7.69%). One patient (2.7%) developed severe in-stent restenosis with transient ischemic attack symptoms at 1-year follow-up.CONCLUSIONS:Endovascular recanalization is feasible for symptomatic occlusion of the anterior circulation lasting longer than 72 h. Recanalization provides a higher success rate when performed within 6 months of the qualifying event.

Revascularisation surgery for paediatric moyamoya disease: The Singapore experience

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is characterized by the spontaneous occlusion of the distal internal carotid arteries and resultant neo-angiogenesis of fragile collateral blood vessels. Direct and indirect revascularization surgeries have shown to effectively reduce stroke risks in paediatric MMD, whereby the latter is a more utilised technique in children. This study was undertaken to determine the outcomes of revascularization in Singapore’s multi-ethnic, Southeast Asian paediatric population. This is an ethics-approved study conducted in Singapore’s 2 tertiary children hospital units: KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and National University Hospital. Sixteen patients with a diagnosis of ischaemic-type MMD are recruited between 01 January 2002 to 31 January 2019; and a total of 24 surgeries are undertaken (24 cerebral hemispheres). There are 2 cases of stroke within 30 days post-surgery. However, no stroke recurrence is observed beyond 30 days after surgery in all patients. Four patients reported recurrent transient ischaemic attack symptoms in the follow-up period ranging from 3 months to 12 years. Data analyses show a statistically significant improvement in modified Rankin’s Scale (mMRS) in post-operative patients from baseline to discharge, and at 3 months after surgery. Our study also observes that predictors of recurrent ischaemic events include higher pre-operative MRS, Suzuki stage and perioperative infarction. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to date reporting the outcomes of revascularisation in a paediatric Southeast Asian cohort.

The predictive value of CHADS2 score for subclinical cerebral ischemia after carotid artery stenting (from the PREVENT-CAS trial).

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is being increasingly used as an alternative revascularization procedure to carotid endarterectomy; however, subclinical ischemic cerebral lesions after CAS remain as a matter of concern. Hence, we aimed to assess the clinical utility of the CHADS2 score in predicting subclinical ischemic events after CAS. We prospectively evaluated 107 patients (mean age: 70.4 ± 6.6 years, male:77) who underwent CAS for carotid artery revascularization. The patients having symptomatic transient ischemic attack or stroke after CAS were excluded. The presence of new hyperintense lesion on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) without any neurological findings was considered as silent ischemia. Patients were classified into two groups as DWI-positive and DWI-negative patients. Among study population, 28 patients (26.2%) had subclinical embolism. The DWI-positive group had a significantly higher CHADS2 scores, older age, more frequent history of stroke, higher proportion of type III aortic arch, and longer fluoroscopy time than the DWI-negative group. Increased CHADS2 score was identified as one of the independent predictors of silent embolism (OR = 5.584; 95%CI: 1.516-20.566; p = .010), and CHADS2 score higher than 2.5 predicted subclinical cerebral ischemia with a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 71% (AUC: 0.793; 95% CI: 0.696 - 0.890; p < .001). CHADS2 score was able to predict the risk of periprocedural subclinical ischemic events in CAS and might be of clinical value in the management of patients with carotid artery stenosis.

Transient ischemic attack without self-awareness of symptoms witnessed by bystanders: analysis of the PROMISE-TIA registry.

Background and purposeA transient ischemic attack (TIA) can occur without self‐awareness of symptoms. We aimed to investigate characteristics of patients with a tissue‐based diagnosis of TIA but having no self‐awareness of their symptoms and whose symptoms were witnessed by bystanders.MethodsWe used data from the multicenter registry of 1414 patients with a clinical diagnosis of TIA. For patients without evidence of ischemic lesions on imaging, clinical characteristics were compared between patients with and without self‐awareness of their TIA symptoms.ResultsAmong 896 patients (559 men, median age of 70 years), 59 (6.6%) were unaware of their TIA symptoms, but had those symptoms witnessed by bystanders. Patients without self‐awareness of symptoms were older and more frequently female, and more likely to have previous history of stroke, premorbid disability, and atrial fibrillation, but less likely to have dyslipidemia than those with self‐awareness. Patients without self‐awareness of symptoms arrive at hospitals earlier than those with self‐awareness (P < 0.001). ABCD2 score was higher in patients without self‐awareness of symptoms than those with self‐awareness (median 5 vs. 4, P = 0.002). Having no self‐awareness of symptoms was a significant predictor of ischemic stroke within 1 year after adjustment for sex, ABCD2 score, and onset to arrival time (hazard ratio = 2.44, 95% confidential interval: 1.10–4.83), but was not significant after further adjustment for arterial stenosis or occlusion.ConclusionsPatients with a TIA but having no self‐awareness of their symptoms might have higher risk of subsequent ischemic stroke rather than those with self‐awareness, suggesting urgent management is needed even if patients have no self‐awareness of symptoms.

Diagnosis of Transient Ischemic Attack

Research suggests that women and men may present with different transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke symptoms. We aimed to explore symptoms and features associated with a definite TIA/stroke diagnosis and whether those associations differed by sex. We completed a retrospective cohort study of patients referred to The Ottawa Hospital Stroke Prevention Clinic in 2015. Exploratory multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate candidate variables associated with diagnosis and patient sex. Backwards elimination of the interaction terms with a significance level for staying in the model of 0.25 was used to arrive at a more parsimonious model. Based on 1770 complete patient records, sex-specific differences were noted in TIA/stroke diagnosis based on features such as duration of event, suddenness of symptom onset, unilateral sensory loss, and pain. This preliminary work identified sex-specific differences in the final diagnosis of TIA/stroke based on common presenting symptoms/features. More research is needed to understand if there are biases or sex-based differences in TIA/stroke manifestations and diagnosis.

Effectiveness of Stroke Awareness Programme for Accredited Social Health Activists and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives at Ramanagara District of Karnataka State

Background: Public awareness and health education on warning symptoms of transient ischemic attack and earlystroke by optimum use of existing mass media is of utmost importance in the success of stroke campaigns. Thereis a scarcity of data available on effectiveness of stroke awareness programme.Objective: The present study was conducted with an objective to evaluate the effectiveness of stroke awarenessprogramme among Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) atRamanagara district of Karnataka State.Material and Methods: This was an interventional study conducted between January 2015 to January 2016 with139 study subjects. In this study, a pretested semi structured questionnaire containing 50 questions across differentdomains was used to collect data and the stroke manual — “Stroke Care Resource Manual in The Community”was provided to all the study subjects for reading. Pre-test and post-test interventions were conducted at districttraining hall of Ramanagara with the support of local district programme manager. Based on the scoring pattern,the level of awareness amongst ASHA and ANM workers for each domain as well as overall stroke awarenesswas computed. The assimilated data was analyzed using various statistical methods – descriptive statistics (mean,standard deviation, standard error) and t-test was used to access the response scores obtained in each domain, preand post training. p-value &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. All statistical analysis was done usingMicrosoft Excel 2007 and statistical software like SPSS.Results: In our study, majority of study subjects belonged to age group of 35-39 years i.e. 48/139 (34.50%)and 71.90% study subjects had 5-6 years of working experience. Out of 139 study subjects, 58 (41.70%), 34(24.50%), 37 (26.60%) and 10 (7.20%) had the education levels of middle school, high school, Pre-universityeducation and degree respectively. It was observed that there has been a statistically significant (p&lt;0.001) increasein mean scores of before and after intervention in all 6 domains of stroke awareness except in treatment domain.In the present study it was observed that the proportion of study subjects with Grade ‘A’ has been increasedafter training in all domains except treatment domain, wherein it remains unchanged. The results on change in In conclusion, facilitation of “Stroke Care Resource Manual” and training sessions helped in the improvementof knowledge on stroke awareness among ASHA and ANMs working within the limits of Ramanagara district ofKarnataka state.

Screening for cognitive impairment with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Spanish patients with minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack

ObjectiveThe symptoms of minor stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) are temporary and mild. Despite the transient nature of the focal symptoms and the absence of visible brain lesions in some patients, many experience persistent cognitive problems subsequently. We aimed to establish the discriminant capacity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in screening for cognitive impairment (CI) within 90 days of TIA. MethodsA total of 50 patients with minor stroke or TIA were recruited. Patients were administered the MoCA test and a formal neuropsychological test battery. CI was defined clinically according to neuropsychological test findings. ResultsThe average age of recruited patients was 57.7±8.0 years; 70.0% were men; all patients had completed at least primary education. Thirty-seven patients (74.0%) presented CI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis obtained an optimal MoCA cut-off point of 25 for discriminating between patients with CI and those without, with an area under the curve of 0.835 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.720-0.949), sensitivity of 78.4% (95% CI, 62.8%-88.6%), specificity of 76.9% (95% CI, 49.7%-91.8%), positive predictive value of 90.6% (95% CI, 81.0%-95.6%), and negative predictive value of 55.6% (95% CI, 39.5%-70.4%). ConclusionsMore than half of the patients presented CI as determined by the formal battery of neuropsychological tests. A MoCA cut-off point of 25 is sufficiently sensitive and specific for detecting CI after minor stroke or TIA, and may be implemented as a screening technique in routine clinical practice.

Safety and durability of concomitant carotid endarterectomy with carotid-subclavian bypass grafting

BackgroundConcomitant carotid endarterectomy (CEA; for severe internal carotid artery stenosis) with carotid-subclavian bypass grafting (CSBG; for proximal common carotid artery or subclavian artery occlusion) is rarely used. Only a few studies have been reported. This report analyzed early and late clinical outcomes of the largest study to date of the combined procedures in our institution. MethodsElectronic medical records of patients who had concomitant CEA with CSBG during three decades were analyzed. Indications for surgery were arm ischemia, neurologic events, and clinical subclavian steal. Early (30 days) perioperative complications (stroke, death, and others) and late complications (stroke, death) were recorded. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate late graft/CEA primary patency, freedom from stroke, and stroke-free survival rates. Graft patency was determined clinically and confirmed using duplex ultrasound. Outcomes were compared with previously published data on isolated CSBG by the same group. ResultsThere were 37 combined procedures analyzed. Mean age was 64 years (range, 45-81 years). Indications for surgery were arm ischemia in 12 (32%), hemispheric transient ischemic attack or stroke in 15 (41%), vertebrobasilar insufficiency in 4 (11%), symptomatic subclavian steal in 10 (27%), and asymptomatic common carotid artery occlusion with severe internal carotid artery stenosis in 6 (16%). The 30-day perioperative (stroke and death) rate was 5.4% (one stroke and one death). Immediate symptom relief was noted in 100%, with 2.7% (transient ischemic attack) symptom recurrence. The crude patency rate of both CEA and CSBG was 92%. At 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years, respectively, primary patency rates were 100%, 96%, 96%, 96%, and 85%; freedom from stroke rates were 97%, 97%, 97%, 97%, and 97%; and stroke-free survival rates were 94%, 94%, 87%, 82%, and 78%. When these outcomes were compared with the isolated CSBG group alone (28 patients), there was no difference in perioperative stroke (2.7% for concomitant CEA/CSBG vs 0% for isolated CSBG), perioperative death (2.7% vs 2.8%), or late patency rates (92% vs 96%). ConclusionsConcomitant CEA/CSBG is safe and durable. There was no significant difference in perioperative stroke/death or late patency rates compared with isolated CSBG.

Early vascular imaging and key system strategies expedite carotid revascularization after transient ischemic attack and stroke

BackgroundInternational guidelines recommend carotid revascularization within 14 days for patients with a symptomatic transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke event. However, significant delays in care persist, with only 9% of outpatients and 36% of inpatients in Ontario meeting this target. The study objective was to explore the influence of health system factors on carotid revascularization timelines. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of all symptomatic TIA/stroke patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy or stenting at The Ottawa Hospital (2015-2016). The primary outcome was time from TIA/stroke to carotid revascularization. Health system variables of interest included location and timing of patient presentation, timelines to vascular imaging, and same-day collaboration between key services such as emergency, neurology, and surgery. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were used to determine statistically significant differences between groups. ResultsA total of 228 records met the inclusion criteria. The median time from TIA/stroke to carotid revascularization was 10 days, with 58% of patients meeting the 14-day guideline. Prompt patient presentation to emergency demonstrated significantly shorter timelines to surgery (7 days; P < .001). Early vascular imaging was strongly correlated with early revascularization (4-5 days; P < .001). In addition, collaboration from two or more care services enhanced timelines to surgery ranging from 2.0 to 6.5 days (P < .001-.008). ConclusionsEarly/emergency response to stroke symptoms was pivotal in achieving best practice recommendations for rapid carotid revascularization, emphasizing the need for ongoing public awareness. Emergency and ambulatory strategies to facilitate urgent vascular imaging, as well as mechanisms for same-day communication between teams require optimization to promote early revascularization.

Clinical Relevance of Orthostatic Hypotension in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Suspected Transient Ischemic Attack.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are both regarded as independent risk factors for transient ischemic attack (TIA). However, the clinical implication of OH in the presence of AF is unclear. This study investigates, for the first time, the association between blood pressure (BP), OH and mortality in a cohort of patients with AF and TIA symptoms. To investigate the incidence of the association between OH, AF and TIA. This retrospective observational study utilised the Leicester one-stop transient TIA clinic patient database to consider the initial systolic and diastolic BP of 688 patients with a diagnosis of AF. The primary outcome was time until death. Covariant measures included status of AF diagnosis (known or new AF), cardiovascular risk factors, and primary clinic diagnosis [cerebrovascular (CV) versus non-cerebrovascular (non-CV)]. Statistical models adjusted for sex, age, previous AF diagnosis. Mortality rate was higher in the over 85 age group [191.5 deaths per 1000 person years (py) (95% CI 154.0-238.1)] and lower in the aged 75 and younger age group [40.0 deaths per 1000 py (95% CI 27.0-59.2)] compared to intermediate groups. A 10mmHg increase in supine diastolic BP was associated with a significant reduction in the hazard of mortality for patients suspected of TIA with AF [adjusted HR 0.79 (95% CI 0.68-0.92), p < 0.001]. The mortality rate for patients with OH was 119.0 deaths per 1000 py compared with a rate of 98.0 for patients without OH (rate ratio 1.2, p = 0.275). Higher diastolic BP may be a marker for reduced mortality risk in patients with a previous AF diagnosis and non-CV diagnosis. Lower diastolic BP and the presence of AF pertain to a higher mortality risk. This study raises the importance of opportunistic screening for both OH and AF in patients presenting to TIA clinic.

Can Carotid Endarterectomy be Performed Safely within 14 days after Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Stroke?

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) represents a standard procedure in case of symptomatic carotid stenosis of 50-99% within 2weeks from onset of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) symptoms. The optimal time to perform CEA after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is still unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the safety of CEA performed within 2weeks from IVT. A consecutive series of 70 patients affected by symptomatic carotid stenosis have been treated as per the international guidelines during 3years. Eleven (15.7%) patients have been treated with IVT before CEA for ischemic stroke; remaining 59 (84.3%) patients received only CEA. CEA was performed in median 8days (range: 2-13) after IVT. We examined the grade of disability before and after surgery as well as at 3months follow-up, using the modified Ranking Scale (mRS). Among the patients who underwent CEA+IVT, CEA was performed in median 8days (range: 2-13) after IVT. One patient received CEA within 48hours from IVT, 3 patients within 72hours, and 7 patients within 2weeks. The complications within 90days from surgery, in CEA+IVT group, were 3 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) without symptoms. In patients who received only CEA, the complications were 1 case of stroke and 2 cases of ICH. The mortality registered was 0% in both groups. Among CEA+IVT group at 90days after surgery, 9 patients had a mRS grade of 0-2, 2 patients had mRS of 3-5. In our series, IVT before CEA did not seem to increase the rate of complications. However, the study has several limitations, and further studies must be performed before solid evidence is available for recommendations regarding the timing of CEA after IVT.

Serum Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/ Kexin Type 9 Levels are Increased in Patients with Transient Ischemic Attack

Background: Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is associated with hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic disease while its inhibition reduces cardiovascular risk. There is some evidence that serum PCSK9 concentrations are higher in patients with acute coronary syndromes compared with those with stable coronary artery disease, which has been attributed to a proatherogenic and prothrombotic state. Objective: This case-control pilot study investigated potential associations of PCSK9 in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods: A total of 20 patients with a first-ever atherosclerotic non-cardioembolic TIA and 20 controls of similar age and sex were enrolled. Clinical characteristics, metabolic parameters, including serum PCSK9 within 24 hours from the onset of TIA symptoms were recorded. Results: The serum PCSK9 concentration was higher in TIA patients vs. controls (mean values, 248 ng/mL vs. 196 ng/mL, p = 0.02). In patients with TIA, serum PCSK9 correlated with age (r=0.603, p=0.03), history of coronary artery disease (r=0.515, p=0.020) and ABCD2 score (Age, Blood pressure, Clinical features, symptom Duration, Diabetes – a future stroke prediction tool) (r=0.512, p=0.021). In multivariate analysis, serum PCSK9 was independently associated with higher odds of TIA (1.16 per 10 ng/mL increase, 95% CI 1.01-1.34, p=0.035). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that serum PCSK9 levels are independently associated with atherosclerotic TIA and the risk of future stroke. Further investigation is needed to confirm these findings or to assess the use of PCSK9 as a target for early treatment as well as for secondary stroke prevention.

Experiences of transient ischaemic attack diagnosis and secondary prevention: a qualitative review

Background: A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) diagnosis is a serious, early sign that a person is at high risk of stroke. However, little is known about patients' experiences, perceptions and behaviours regarding TIA symptoms, diagnosis and secondary prevention. Aim: To explore patients' experiences of TIA symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, and secondary prevention. Methods: A qualitative review was conducted using a meta-aggregation approach. Five major databases were searched to identify eligible papers. Findings were extracted and grouped into categories to generate synthesised findings. Findings: Four papers (69 participants) were included. Three synthesised findings were developed: The first 24 hours; Impact and effect on quality of life; and Reducing the risk. Following TIA diagnosis, patients may experience persistent anxiety and fatigue, and many patients do not understand the importance of secondary prevention. Conclusion: There is a lack of awareness of TIA symptoms and of the importance of seeking immediate help and engaging with secondary prevention.

Determinants of Patient Delay in Transient Ischemic Attack

Introduction: Early diagnosis and stroke preventive treatment in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) are crucial, but hampered by delayed reporting of symptoms. Previous studies on causes of patient delay provided inconsistent results. We aimed to assess determinants of patient delay among patients with symptoms suggestive of TIA. Methods: We interviewed participants referred by their general practitioner to an outpatient TIA clinic within 72 h from symptom onset. We determined (i) the exact time from symptom onset to the first contact with a medical service (patient delay); (ii) demographic and clinical characteristics; (iii) patient’s initial perception, and reaction to symptoms; and (iv) patient’s knowledge about TIA. We used multivariable linear regression to identify determinants of patient delay. Results: We interviewed 202 suspected TIA patients (mean age 67.7 (SD 13.7) years, 111 (55.0%) male), of whom 123 (60.9%) received a definite diagnosis of TIA or minor stroke. Median patient delay was 1.5 (interquartile range 0.4–14.6) hours. Of all patients, 119 (58.9%) considered a TIA (or stroke) as the cause of their symptoms. Among them, 30 (25.2%) thought it was a medical emergency, while of the 83 not considering TIA as the cause of symptoms 38 (45.8%) thought of a medical emergency. Independently related to increased delay were (i) symptom onset out of hours, (ii) absence of dysarthria, (iii) being unaware that TIA requires urgent treatment, (iv) not considering the event an emergency, and (v) knowledge of TIA symptoms. Results for patients with a definite diagnosis of TIA/minor stroke were similar to those with alternative diagnoses. Conclusion: Patients still tend to wait till office hours to report TIA symptoms. Speech difficulties, and specifically dysarthria, are related to shorter delay. To reduce patient delay, awareness of TIA symptoms should increase and more importantly lay people should be educated to consider a TIA an emergency.

Long-term Outcome of Angioplasty Using aWingspan Stent, Post-Stent Balloon Dilation and Aggressive Restenosis Management for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis.

To investigate the long-term outcome of stent angioplasty for symptomatic severe intracranial artery stenosis. In this study 95 consecutive patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (>70%) underwent stent angioplasty using Wingspan stents. The primary endpoints were stroke or death within 30days of the procedure and subsequent stroke attributed to the stented vessel. Disabling stroke was defined as stroke with amodified Rankin scale > 3.Secondary endpoints included transient ischemic attacks, contralateral stroke, nonstroke death, and other events. Patients underwent prestent balloon dilation with or without poststent balloon dilation, close restenosis follow-up, and selective retreatment, as required. The mean follow-up duration was 34.9 ± 23.3months. Primary endpoint events occurred in 23% of the patients. The median infarction volume was 2.6ml, and 11 (68%) of 16 infarctions were <5ml in volume. Disabling stroke occurred in 3% of patients. The primary endpoint rates were 17.9% within 30days and 2.1% from 30days to 1year. Secondary endpoint events occurred in 27.3% of the patients. Mean stenosis was reduced from 76.8 ± 6.1% to 7.5 ± 13.4%. Of 80patients who underwent angiographic follow-up, 11 (14%) experienced restenosis (≥50%) and 7 (9%) exhibited restenosis-related symptoms of transient ischemic attack. The rate of symptomatic restenosis was significantly higher in patients who underwent prestent balloon dilation alone than in patients who underwent prestent and poststent balloon dilation (p = 0.016). The postprocedural stroke rate was similar to that observed in the SAMMPRIS study. Symptomatic restenosis may be reduced by poststent dilation, close angiographic follow-up, and retreatment.

Detección del deterioro cognitivo con la Evaluación Cognitiva de Montreal en pacientes españoles con ictus minor o ataque isquémico transitorio

ObjectiveThe symptoms of minor stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) are temporary and mild. Despite the transient nature of the focal symptoms and the absence of visible brain lesions in some patients, many experience persistent cognitive problems subsequently. We aimed to establish the discriminant capacity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in screening for cognitive impairment (CI) within 90 days of TIA. MethodA total of 50 patients with minor stroke or TIA were recruited. Patients were administered the MoCA test and a formal neuropsychological test battery. CI was defined clinically according to neuropsychological test findings. ResultsThe average age of recruited patients was 57.7±8.0 years; 70.0% were men; all patients had completed at least primary education. Thirty-seven patients (74.0%) presented CI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis obtained an optimal MoCA cut-off point of 25 for discriminating between patients with CI and those without, with an area under the curve of 0.835 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.720-0.949), sensitivity of 78.4% (95% CI 62.8-88.6%), specificity of 76.9% (95% CI 49.7-91.8%), positive predictive value of 90.6% (95% CI 81.0-95.6%), and negative predictive value of 55.6% (95% CI 39.5-70.4%). ConclusionsMore than half of the patients presented CI as determined by the formal battery of neuropsychological tests. A MoCA cut-off point of 25 is sufficiently sensitive and specific for detecting CI after minor stroke or TIA, and may be implemented as a screening technique in routine clinical practice.

Functional and emotional outcomes after transient ischemic attack: A 12-month prospective controlled cohort study

Symptoms of transient ischemic attack are believed to fully resolve within 24 h of onset. Emerging evidence suggests that there may be prolonged functional and psychological impact, although studies have not been able to robustly identify whether these are the effect of transient ischemic attack or changes usually associated with ageing. We describe trajectories of disability and risk of anxiety and depression among patients seen at transient ischemic attack clinics over 12 months, compared to healthy controls. Thirty transient ischemic attack clinics across England participated. A total of 1320 participants were included: 373 diagnosed with transient ischemic attack, 186 with minor stroke, 310 with "possible transient ischemic attack," 213 with another condition mimicking a transient ischemic attack and 238 controls recruited from primary care providers. Participants completed questionnaires after diagnosis then after 3, 6 and 12 months. Outcomes were the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Mixed effects regression was used to estimate group differences and trajectories. At baseline, confirmed transient ischemic attack patients scored 1.31 HADS-Anxiety points (s.e. = 0.28; p < 0.001) , 0.51 HADS-Depression points (s.e. = 0.26; p = 0.056), and 2.6 NEADL points (s.e. = 1.1; p = 0.020) worse than controls. At 12 months, the deficits were 0.78 (s.e. = 0.30; p = 0.008), 0.97 (s.e. = 0.23; p < 0.001), and 0.96 (s.e. = 0.92; p = 0.294) respectively. Differences among patients diagnosed with minor stroke were like or worse than transient ischemic attack patients. Transient ischemic attack clinic patients may have functional and emotional impairments compared to the general population irrespective of final diagnosis. The presence of emotional symptoms or risk of developing anxiety or depression did not always fully recover and may increase.

Predictive Value of A2HD Scoring for Transient Symptoms Associated with Infarction.

BackgroundEffective early management of cerebral infarction patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) is undermined by an inability to predict who is at highest risk of stroke.Material/MethodsA total of 577 TIA patients with symptoms lasting no more than 1 hour were prospectively investigated and divided into a TIA group and a transient symptoms associated with infarction (TSI) group based on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging findings after hospital admission. The baseline characteristics, symptoms of TIA, features of disease onset, and findings from clinical examinations were compared between the 2 groups. Factors related to TSI were further analyzed.ResultsOf 577 TIA patients, 127 patients were in the TSI group and 450 were in the TIA group. Anterior circulation events, hemiplegia, aphasia, multiple seizures, maximal duration, atrial fibrillation, and hypointense plaques were included as risk factors for stroke in a model of multivariate analysis, and results showed that hemiplegia, aphasia, multiple seizures, and atrial fibrillation were independent risk factors for TSI. In the final mode, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.766 (95% confidence interval: 0.729–0.800). According to the A2HD score and odds ratio, hemiplegia (score 2), aphasia (score 2), multiple seizures (score 2), and atrial fibrillation (score 1) were scored, and any increment in the score increased the risk for cerebral infarction by 1.893-fold (95% confidence interval: 1.643–2.181).ConclusionsRisk of TSI seems to be highly predictable. The A2HD score can be used in clinical practice to identify high-risk cerebral infarction patients with TIA who need emergency diagnosis and treatment.

Non-invasive evaluation of cerebral perfusion in patients with transient ischemic attack: an fMRI study.

Detection of hypoperfused tissue due to the ischemia is considered to be important in understanding the cerebral perfusion status and may be helpful in guiding therapeutic decisions for patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA). We hypothesized that the combination of two non-invasive fMRI techniques: resting-state BOLD-fMRI time-shift analysis (TSA) approach and 3D ASL, could detect the cerebral hemodynamic status in TIA patients noninvasively. From April 2015 to June 2016, 51 TIA patients were recruited in this study. We calculated the time delay between the resting-state BOLD signal at each voxel and the whole-brain signal using TSA approach and compared the results to CBF map derived from ASL. Out of the 51 patients, 24 patients with normal arrival time and CBF were in Stage 0; 14 patients who showed delayed arrival time and normal CBF which indicated elevated CBV were in Stage I; the other 13 patients who had both delayed arrival time and decreased CBF were in Stage II, the group average spatial overlap, i.e., Dice coefficient, of the two measurements was 0.55. Four patients in Stage 0 (17.4%), three patients in Stage I (23.1%) and five patients in Stage II (45.5%) suffered ischemic stroke or TIA symptoms in 1 year after MRI scan. The patients in Stage II was at highest risk of subsequent events when compared to other two stages. The combination of resting-state BOLD-fMRI and ASL hold the potential to noninvasively identify the hemodynamic status in TIA patients and help predict the risk of subsequent events.