Objective
Emerging data indicate an increased risk of cerebrovascular events with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and highlight the potential impact of coronavirus ...disease (COVID‐19) on the management and outcomes of acute stroke. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to evaluate the aforementioned considerations.
Methods
We performed a meta‐analysis of observational cohort studies reporting on the occurrence and/or outcomes of patients with cerebrovascular events in association with their SARS‐CoV‐2 infection status. We used a random‐effects model. Summary estimates were reported as odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
We identified 18 cohort studies including 67,845 patients. Among patients with SARS‐CoV‐2, 1.3% (95% CI = 0.9–1.6%, I2 = 87%) were hospitalized for cerebrovascular events, 1.1% (95% CI = 0.8–1.3%, I2 = 85%) for ischemic stroke, and 0.2% (95% CI = 0.1–0.3%, I2 = 64%) for hemorrhagic stroke. Compared to noninfected contemporary or historical controls, patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection had increased odds of ischemic stroke (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.43–8.92, I2 = 43%) and cryptogenic stroke (OR = 3.98, 95% CI = 1.62–9.77, I2 = 0%). Diabetes mellitus was found to be more prevalent among SARS‐CoV‐2 stroke patients compared to noninfected historical controls (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.00–1.94, I2 = 0%). SARS‐CoV‐2 infection status was not associated with the likelihood of receiving intravenous thrombolysis (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.65–3.10, I2 = 0%) or endovascular thrombectomy (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.35–1.74, I2 = 0%) among hospitalized ischemic stroke patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Odds of in‐hospital mortality were higher among SARS‐CoV‐2 stroke patients compared to noninfected contemporary or historical stroke patients (OR = 5.60, 95% CI = 3.19–9.80, I2 = 45%).
Interpretation
SARS‐CoV‐2 appears to be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, and potentially cryptogenic stroke in particular. It may also be related to an increased mortality risk. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:380–388
An association between Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection and stroke has been described, especially in children. However, current knowledge on this rare potential cause of stroke is scant. The ...purpose of this systematic review of all published cases was to help better understand the relationships between recent MP infection and ischemic stroke on a clinical, radiological and pathophysiological perspective.
A PubMed and Embase search was performed in September 2018 to identify all published cases of stroke occurring within 4 weeks after MP infection.
Twenty-eight patients with ischemic stroke associated with MP infection were identified. Median age was 8 years (range: neonate to 57). The middle cerebral artery territory was involved in 25 (89%) patients. Fifteen (54%) patients had at least one arterial occlusion. Elevated D-dimer and/or fibrinogen was reported in 8 (29%) patients. Four patients had transient anticardiolipin IgM antibodies. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis in 7/20 (35%) patients (median: 19 leucocytes/μL, range: 10 to 63) and MP PCR was positive in 3/8 (38%) patients. The etiological work-up was considered inconclusive in 25 (89%) patients. Three (11%) patients died during follow-up, all of early respiratory deterioration. Neurological functional outcome was good in 22/27 (81%) patients.
The association between MP infection and ischemic stroke in children and young adults is rare. Underlying pathogenesis might include hypercoagulability and vasculitis. Most patients achieve a favorable recovery. Whether MP infection could be a long-term risk factor for stroke by promoting atherosclerosis is uncertain and deserves further investigation.
Background
Diagnosing probable cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) after lobar intra-cerebral hemorrhage (l-ICH) currently relies on the MR-based modified Boston criteria (mBC). However, MRI has ...limited availability and the mBC have moderate sensitivity, with isolated l-ICH being classified as “possible CAA”. A recent autopsy-based study reported potential value of finger-like projections (FLP) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) on acute CT. Here we assessed these markers’ performance in a cohort most of whom survived the index episode.
Methods
We included all patients from a prospective pathology database with non-traumatic l-ICH, admission CT and available tissue sample showing no alternative cause. CT was assessed by two blinded independent neuroradiologists. Interobserver reproducibility was almost perfect for SAH and substantial for FLP.
Results
Sixteen patients were eligible age 65.8 ± 7.2 yrs; hematoma volume: 39(26, 71)mls; hematoma evacuation sample 15 patients; autopsy one patient. MRI was available in 11 patients. ICH-related death affected six patients. Aβ
40–42
immunohistochemistry revealed CAA in seven patients (44%). SAH and FLP were present in 12/16 (75%) and 10/16 (62%) patients, respectively. SAH had 100% sensitivity for CAA but low specificity; FLP had lower performance. Using either pathology or MRI as reference standard yielded essentially similar results. All patients with possible CAA on MRI but CAA on pathology had SAH.
Conclusions
In patients with moderate-size l-ICH who mostly survived the index event, SAH had perfect sensitivity and better performance than FLP. In addition, SAH appeared to add onto MRI in possible CAA, the clinically most relevant scenario. Studies in larger samples are however warranted.
Despite recent therapeutic advances, ischemic stroke is still a leading cause of death and disability. There is renewed attention on peripheral inflammatory signaling as a way of modulating the ...post-ischemic neuro-inflammatory process. The immune-brain crosstalk has long been the focus for understanding the mechanisms of sickness behavior, which is an adaptive autonomic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral response to a peripheral inflammation. It is mediated by humoral and neural pathways that mainly involve the circumventricular organs and vagal nerve, respectively. In this review we address the question of how sepsis and stroke can dysregulate this adaptive response, notably by impairing the central integration of peripheral signaling, but also by efferent control of the immune response. We highlight the potential role of gut-brain and brain-spleen signaling in stroke.
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, anticoagulation, and antiplatelet therapy to prevent stroke ...recurrence in patients with PFO-associated cryptogenic stroke.
We searched Medline, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE through March 2018. The primary outcome was stroke recurrence. Pooled incidences, hazard ratios, and risk ratios (RRs) were calculated in random-effects meta-analyses. PFO closure was associated with a lower risk of recurrent stroke compared with antithrombotic therapy (antiplatelet therapy or anticoagulation: 3560 patients from 6 RCTs; RR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.17-0.79; I
=59%). The effect of PFO closure on stroke recurrence was larger in patients with atrial septal aneurysm or large shunt (RR=0.27, 95% CI, 0.11-0.70; I
=42%) compared with patients without these anatomical features (RR=0.80, 95% CI, 0.43-1.47; I
=12%). Major complications occurred in 2.40% (95% CI, 1.03-4.25; I
=77%) of procedures. New-onset atrial fibrillation was more frequent in patients randomized to PFO closure versus antithrombotic therapy (RR=4.33, 95% CI, 2.37-7.89; I
=14%). One RCT compared PFO closure versus anticoagulation (353 patients; hazard ratio=0.14, 95% CI, 0.00-1.45) and 2 RCTs compared PFO closure versus antiplatelet therapy (1137 patients; hazard ratio=0.18, 95% CI, 0.05-0.63; I
=12%). Three RCTs compared anticoagulation versus antiplatelet therapy, with none showing a significant difference.
PFO closure is superior to antithrombotic therapy to prevent stroke recurrence after cryptogenic stroke. The annual absolute risk reduction of stroke was low, but it has to be tempered by a substantial time at risk (at least 5 years) in young and middle-aged patients. PFO closure was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is causally associated with stroke in some patients younger than 60 years, especially when it is large or associated with an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA). After 60 years of ...age, this association is less well understood. We assessed the relationships between detailed atrial septal anatomy and the cryptogenic nature of stroke in this population.
We reviewed all patients aged 60 to 80 years admitted to our stroke center for ischemic stroke who underwent contrast echocardiography between 2016 and 2021. The atherosclerosis, small-vessel disease, cardiac pathology, other causes, and dissection (ASCOD) classification was used to reevaluate the etiological workup. Associations between cryptogenic stroke and (1) PFO presence or (2) categories of PFO anatomy (nonlarge PFO without ASA, nonlarge PFO with ASA, large PFO without ASA, and large PFO with ASA) were assessed using logistic regression. Among 533 patients (median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score=1), PFO was present in 152 (prevalence, 28.5% 95% CI, 24.9-32.5). Compared with noncryptogenic stroke, cryptogenic stroke (n=218) was associated with PFO presence (44.5% versus 17.5%;
<0.0001). Among patients with a PFO, septal anatomy categories were associated with cryptogenic stroke (
=0.02), with a strong association for patients with both large PFO and ASA (38.1% versus 14.5%,
=0.002).
PFO presence remains strongly associated with cryptogenic stroke between 60 and 80 years of age. Large PFO, ASA, and their association were strongly associated with cryptogenic stroke in this age group. Our results support performing contrast echocardiography even after 60 years of age, although the optimal secondary prevention therapy in this population remains to be determined in randomized trials.
The extent of diffusion lesion on pretreatment imaging is a risk factor for poor outcome and hemorrhagic transformation after thrombolysis, and volumes of 70 to 100 mL have been advocated as ...cut-offs. However, estimating diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesion volume (VolDWI) in the acute setting may be cumbersome. We aimed to determine whether the DWI-Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (DWI-ASPECTS) can substitute for VolDWI.
DWI-ASPECTS and VolDWI were measured retrospectively on pretreatment MRI (median onset-to-MRI delay=122 minutes) in 330 consecutively treated patients with middle cerebral artery stroke.
DWI-ASPECTS and VolDWI were strongly correlated (ρ=-0.82), but each DWI-ASPECTS point corresponded to a wide range of VolDWI. All patients with DWI-ASPECTS≥7 (n=207) had VolDWI<70 mL, whereas 32 of the 34 patients with DWI-ASPECTS<4 had VolDWI>100 mL. However, intermediate DWI-ASPECTS (4-6; n=89) corresponded to highly variable VolDWI (median, 66 mL; interquartile range, 40-98).
Although each DWI-ASPECTS point corresponds to a wide range of volumes, DWI-ASPECTS<4 or ≥7 may be used as reliable surrogates of VolDWI>100 or <70 mL, respectively.
Background Recent randomized controlled clinical trials have provided solid evidence that mechanical thrombectomy (MT) coupled with best medical therapy (BMT) improve functional outcomes of acute ...ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusion compared with BMT alone. However, they provided inconclusive evidence on the benefit of MT on mortality. Methods and Results We evaluated the association of MT+BMT compared with BMT with the risk of 3-month mortality using aggregate data from all available randomized controlled clinical trials. We also sought to identify potential predictors on the mortality risk and performed univariate meta-regression analyses. Our literature search identified 11 eligible randomized controlled clinical trials, including a total of 2460 patients. The pooled rates of 3-month mortality were 15% (95% CI:12%-19%) and 19% (95% CI:16%-23%), respectively, in the MT+BMT and BMT groups. In the overall analysis MT+BMT was associated with a significantly lower risk for 3-month mortality compared with BMT (risk ratio=0.83, 95% CI:0.69-0.99;
=0.04), without heterogeneity across included studies (I
=3%,
for Cochran Q=0.41). No evidence of publication bias was present in funnel plot inspection and Egger statistical test (
=0.762). In meta-regression analyses no moderating effect on the aforementioned association was detected with patient age (
=0.254), sex (
=0.702), admission systolic blood pressure (
=0.601), admission glucose (
=0.277), onset-to-groin puncture time (
=0.985), administration of intravenous alteplase before MT (
=0.804), MT under general anesthesia (
=0.735), and successful reperfusion following MT (
=0.663). Conclusions Our meta-analysis provides evidence that MT+BMT reduces the risk of 3-month mortality compared with BMT alone. This association appears not to be moderated by individual patient or procedural characteristics.
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