Parenchymal hematoma (PH) is a rare but dreadful complication of acute ischemic stroke with
unclear underlying mechanisms. We aimed to study the incidence and predictors of PH after mechanical ...thrombectomy.
Data from a prospective observational multicenter registry was screened to identify acute ischemic stroke
patients with an anterior circulation large vessel occlusion who underwent mechanical thrombectomy. Clinical, imaging, and procedural characteristics were used for the analysis, including brain imaging systematically performed at 24 hours. PH occurrence was assessed according to ECASS (European Collaborative Acute Stroke Study) criteria. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of PH.
A total of 1316 patients were included in the study. PH occurred in 153 out of 1316 patients (11.6%) and was
associated with a lower rate of favorable outcome and increased mortality. On multivariable analysis, age (per 1 year increase, odds ratio OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00–1.03; P=0.05), current smoking (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.32–3.09; P<0.01), admission Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (per a decrease of 1 point, OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.18–2.44; P<0.01), general anesthesia (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.36–2.90; P<0.001), angiographic poor collaterals (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.36–3.33; P<0.001) and embolization in new territory (OR, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.70–5.10; P<0.001) were identified as independent predictors of PH.
PH occurred at a rate of 11.6% after mechanical thrombectomy, with high morbidity and mortality. Our
study identified clinical, radiological, and procedural predictors of PH occurrence that can serve as the focus of future periprocedural management studies with the aim of reducing its occurrence.
Carotid webs are an under-recognized embolic source in patients with cryptogenic stroke. Limited resources currently exist to assist clinicians in stroke prevention for patients with symptomatic ...carotid webs (SCW). We aimed at analysing the clinical, radiological and procedural features of stroke patients with SCW undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), and to describe the histopathological composition of their occlusive thrombi.
In a single-center observational study on consecutive patients with ischemic stroke treated by EVT, carotid web was defined symptomatic when it was ipsilateral to the ischemic lesion in a patient classified with stroke of otherwise undetermined etiology. Clinical, radiological and procedural data of patients with SCW were evaluated. Histopathological examination of the retrieved thrombi was performed.
Out of 1430 patients with large vessel occlusion stroke treated by EVT, 11(0.7%) were found to have a SCW. Patients with SCW had a median age of 47 years old (IQR 38–50), they were prevalently women (55%), mostly of African ethnicity (91%). Each of the 11 patients achieved successful angiographic reperfusion (mTICI 2b-3) after EVT. For secondary prevention, elective endovascular carotid stenting was performed in 5 (55%) patients, while 1 (9%) was treated by surgical endoarterectomy. Histological analysis of the retrieved thrombi performed in 4 patients showed a mixed composition with variable red blood cell content.
EVT is feasible in large vessel occlusion stroke related to SCW. Procedures of carotid revascularization appear to be feasible therapeutic options for secondary prevention. The histopathological analysis of cerebral thrombi may provide new insights on stroke pathogenesis in patients with SCW.
•Patients with symptomatic carotid web (SCW) account for about 3% of cryptogenic strokes.•Endovascular thrombectomy is feasible in large vessel stroke related to SCW.•Procedures of carotid revascularization are feasible prevention strategies.•Thrombus histology may provide new pathogenetic insights in SCW patients.
Despite successful recanalization with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute anterior ischemic stroke (AAIS), the number of passes may impact clinical outcome.We analyzed the impact of more than ...three MT passes (>3) in a trial that evaluated contact aspiration (CA) versus stent retriever (SR) as the first-line technique in AAIS.
We included patients with mTICI 2b/3 recanalization after MT for isolated intracranial occlusions. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients with a 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS)≤2. Secondary outcomes included overall distribution of 90-day mRS, parenchymal hematoma on 24 hours' brain imaging (PH), and 90-day mortality.
Among the 281 patients included and even after adjustment on time to recanalization, significantly more patients with >3 passes had PH than patients with ≤3 passes in multivariate analysis (adjusted OR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.55 to 8.44). When the analyses were stratified according to CA vs. SR, patients with >3 passes had a stronger risk of PH than patients with ≤3 passes, only in the SR first-line-treated group (adjusted OR, 9.24; 95% CI, 2.65 to 32.13) and not in the CA first-line-treated group (adjusted RR, 1.73; 95% CI, 0.57 to 5.19). A negative association of borderline significance (P=0.07) between >3 passes and favorable outcome was observed only in SR first-line-treated patients (adjusted OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.09 to 1.11).
After three passes of SR and unlike for three passes of CA, there is an increased risk of PH and a trend toward a worse clinical outcome.
To determine whether the ABC/2 method could accurately and reliably measure infarct volume and guide thrombectomy decision in acute stroke cases presenting with late or unknown onset.
Four physicians ...who routinely use MRI for acute stroke imaging, blinded to the RAPID results, measured the diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) infarct volume using the ABC/2 method. Measurements with ABC/2 (the index test) were compared with RAPID (the reference standard) to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy measures for various volume cutpoints. Thrombectomy decisions based on RAPID and raters' measurements using the criteria from the Diffusion-Weighted Imaging or Computerized Tomography Perfusion Assessment With Clinical Mismatch in the Triage of Wake-Up and Late-Presenting Strokes Undergoing Neurointervention With Trevo (DAWN) trial criteria were compared. Interrater and intrarater agreement was measured using kappa statistics.
Accuracy with the ABC/2 method was greater than 80% for each rater and each volume cut point. Interrater and intrarater agreement was substantial to excellent for each volume cut point. Treatment decisions with ABC/2 volume estimations showed strong interrater and intrarater agreement, and led to similar thrombectomy decisions compared with RAPID in more than 85% of cases.
DWI infarct volume measurement using ABC/2 method shows strong accuracy and reliability and may be an acceptable alternative to RAPID software for the application of DAWN criteria for thrombectomy decision-making.
Incidence of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH) varies wildly across the world and seems to be low in Central and South America (4.2 per 100 000 person-years; CI 95%; 3.1-5.7). The objective ...of our study was to describe the characteristics of SAH and to estimate its incidence and severity in Martinique, a small French island located in the Caribbean Sea.
Due to its insular nature and small captive population, Martinique is ideal for the setting up of population-based epidemiological studies with good exhaustiveness. Our study, spanning a 7 year period (2007-2013), consisted of retrospective case ascertainment with multiple overlapping methods. Crude incidence and 30 day case-fatality rates for SAH among the Martinican population were computed for the study period. Incidence and disease severity was also analyzed according to age, gender and aneurysm presence. World age-standardized incidence rates were also calculated.
A total of 121 patients had a SAH during the study period, with a higher frequency of female cases (71.1% versus 28.9%, p<0.001). Patient mean age was 57.1 years (median = 55 46-66). An aneurysmal origin was found in 96 SAH cases (79.3%). Crude annual incidence was 4.36 per 100 000 person-years (CI 95% 2.30-6.42). World age-standardized incidence was 3.29 per 100 000 person-years (CI 95% 1.74-4.84). During the 30 days following SAH diagnosis, 29 patients died (case fatality rate: 24% (CI 95% 16.4-31.6)).
The incidence of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage in Martinique is much lower than in other parts of the world and similar to countries in Central and South America. These results are possibly related to environmental factors and most particularly to a low rate of smoking in the Martinican population. Thirty-day case-fatality rate is similar to what is observed in developed countries.
Flow diversion is an innovative and increasingly used endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms. Its initial evaluation with the first devices available showed good efficacy of this treatment ...with variable safety results. The Flow Direction Endoluminal Device (FRED) has a specific design and was evaluated in a single-arm, multicenter, prospective, Good Clinical Practice study: SAFE (Safety and efficacy Analysis of FRED Embolic device in aneurysm treatment). This analysis reports clinical results at 1 year and anatomical results at 6 months and 1 year.
Patients with unruptured and recanalized aneurysms located in the anterior circulation treated with FRED and FRED Jr were prospectively included. A Clinical Event Committee and a Core Laboratory independently evaluated clinical outcome and anatomical results.
Thirteen interventional neuroradiology centers included 103 patients/aneurysms. Aneurysm locations were supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) in 71 (68.9%), cavernous ICA in 15 (14.6%), anterior cerebral or anterior communicating artery in 9 (8.7%), and middle cerebral artery in 8 (7.8%). Most aneurysms were small (<10 mm) in 71 patients (68.9%). Cumulative 1-year mortality and morbidity rates were 2/103 (1.9%) and 3/103 (2.9%), respectively, one death being related to cancer. At 1 year, anatomical results were: complete occlusion in 66/90 patients (73.3%), neck remnant in 7/90 patients (7.8%), and aneurysm remnant in 17/90 patients (18.9%).
SAFE study analysis at 1 year confirms the excellent safety profile of the FRED device for aneurysm treatment, with low morbidity and mortality rates (2.9% and 1.9%, respectively) and demonstrates its efficacy (adequate occlusion in 73/90 (81.1%)).
Unique identifier: NCT02921698; Results.
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with a history of hypertension experience worse outcomes, which may be explained by a deleterious impact of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) overactivation. We ...sought to investigate whether prestroke antihypertensive treatments (AHT) influenced baseline stroke severity and neurological outcomes, in patients with AIS successfully treated by endovascular therapy.
We performed a post hoc analysis of the BP TARGET trial (Blood Pressure Target in Acute Stroke to Reduce Hemorrhage After Endovascular Therapy) and included hypertensive patients with available data regarding AHT at admission, categorized as RAS inhibitors (ACE angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, ARBs angiotensin 2 receptor blockers, and β-blockers) and non-RAS inhibitors (calcium channel blockers and diuretics). Associations of each AHT with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at baseline were investigated in linear mixed model adjusted for the number of treatments and center. Associations of each AHT with 24-hour NIHSS change, intracranial hemorrhage were performed using linear mixed model adjusted for baseline NIHSS, the number of treatments, center, age, and sex and adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, and current smoking for favorable outcome. All analyses were performed on cases-available data regarding the low number of missing data.
Overall, 203 patients with at least one AHT were included. Patients under non-RAS inhibitor treatments had a higher NIHSS score at baseline (adjusted mean difference=3.28 95% CI, 1.33-5.22;
=0.001). Conversely, patients under RAS inhibitor treatments had a lower baseline NIHSS score (adjusted mean difference=-2.81 95% CI, -5.37 to -0.25;
=0.031). Intracranial hemorrhage occurrence was significantly more frequent in patients under non-RAS inhibitor treatments (adjusted odds ratio of 2.48 95% CI, 1.12-5.47;
=0.025). Conversely, the use of RAS inhibitor treatments before AIS was not associated with higher odds of radiographic intracranial hemorrhage. Patients with non-RAS inhibitor treatments had less improvement of NIHSS at 24 hours compared with patients without (adjusted mean difference, 2.83 95% CI, -0.16 to 5.81;
=0.063). Baseline RAS inhibitor or noninhibitor treatments were not associated with favorable outcome.
We showed an opposite effect of baseline AHT, based on their effect on the RAS. Patients treated with RAS inhibitor agents before AIS exhibited less severe AIS compared with patients under non-RAS inhibitor treatments, developed less intracranial hemorrhage at 24 hours and had a trend toward better NIHSS score at 24 hours.
URL: https://www.
gov; Unique identifier: NCT03160677.
Management of extracranial internal carotid artery steno-occlusive lesion during endovascular therapy remains debated. Stent occlusion within 24 hours of endovascular therapy is a frequent event ...after acute carotid artery stenting, and we currently lack large population results. We investigated the incidence, predictors, and clinical impact of stent occlusion after acute carotid artery stenting in current clinical practice.
Patients treated by endovascular therapy with acute carotid artery stenting between 2015 and 2019 in 5 large-volume endovascular-capable centers were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated in 2 groups according to the stent patency at 24 hours after carotid artery stenting. We compared baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcome depending on 24-hour stent patency. Primary end point was favorable outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score 0-2 at 3 months.
A stent occlusion was observed in 47/225 patients (20.9%). Patients with stent patency had a lower baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (median interquartile range: 13 7-17 versus 18 12-21) and had more often stroke of atherothrombotic origin (77.0% versus 53.2%). A higher stent patency rate was found for patients treated with P2Y
antagonists at the acute phase (odds ratio OR' 2.95 95% CI' 1.10-7.91;
=0.026) and treated with angioplasty (OR' 2.42 95% CI' 1.24-4.67;
=0.008). A better intracranial angiographic reperfusion was observed in patients with 24-hour stent patency compared with patients without stent patency (OR' 8.38 95% CI' 3.07-22.78;
<0.001). Patients with a stent patency at 24 hours had a higher chance of favorable outcome (OR' 3.29 95% CI, 1.66-6.52;
<0.001) and a lower risk of death (OR' 0.32 95% CI, 0.13-0.76;
=0.009).
One out of 5 patients treated with carotid artery stenting during endovascular therapy presented a stent occlusion within 24 hours. This event was associated with worse functional outcome. Stroke etiology, P2Y
antagonist administration, quality of intracranial reperfusion, and angioplasty were associated with 24-hour stent patency.
Background and purpose
Acute ischaemic stroke patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), including cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), have worse outcomes. ...The effect was investigated of two blood pressure strategies (intensive vs. standard) and blood pressure variability (BPV) after reperfusion according to CSVD burden in the BP TARGET trial.
Methods
Patients with available magnetic resonance imaging at baseline were included. CMBs were described as absent or present and WMH severity was described according to the Fazekas classification (0–1, absent–mild; 2–3, moderate to severe). Outcomes consisted of any intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) at 24 h and favorable outcome at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale score between 0 and 2).
Results
In all, 246 patients were included. The intensive systolic blood pressure target was not associated with lower rates of ICH or favorable outcome according to CSVD subgroups (all p values >0.35). Several BPV parameters were associated with increased odds of ICH in patients with CMBs but not in patients without CMBs (diastolic blood pressure coefficient of variation, odds ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval CI 1.13–3.77, in patients with ≥1 CMB vs. 0.94, 95% CI 0.68–1.31, in patients without CMBs, phet = 0.026). Several diastolic BPV parameters were associated with worse outcomes in patients with severe WMHs but not in patients without WMHs (diastolic blood pressure coefficient of variation, odds ratio 0.32, 95% CI 0.17–0.61, in patients with severe WMHs vs. 1.09, 95% CI 0.67–1.79, in patients without WMHs; phet = 0.003).
Conclusion
No effect of the intensive systolic blood pressure management strategy was found on ICH occurrence or functional outcome according to CSVD burden. BPV was associated with higher odds of ICH in patients with CMBs and worse outcome in patients with moderate‐to‐severe WMHs.
To assess the association between systolic blood pressure change (ΔSBP) at different time intervals after successful reperfusion with radiographic and clinical outcomes.
This is a post hoc analysis ...of the BP-TARGET multicenter trial (Blood Pressure Target in Acute Stroke to Reduce Hemorrhage After Endovascular Therapy). ΔSBP was defined as end of procedure SBP minus mean SBP at different time intervals (15-60 minutes, 1-6 hours, and 6-24 hours postprocedure). The primary outcome was the poor functional outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score 3-6).
We included a total of 267 patients (130 in the intensive treatment group). Compared with patients with favorable outcome, patients with poor outcome had lower ΔSBP (less SBP reduction) at all times intervals. After adjusting for potential confounders including baseline SBP, both ΔSBP
and ΔSBP
were associated with lower odds of poor outcome (adjusted odds ratio per 5 mm Hg SBP reduction, 0.89 95% CI, 0.81-0.99, and adjusted odds ratio 0.82 95% CI, 0.73-0.92, respectively). Concerning safety outcomes, patients with intraparenchymal hemorrhage had lower ΔSBP at all time intervals. ΔSBP
was associated with lower odds of any intraparenchymal hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio per 5 mm Hg SBP reduction 0.91 95% CI, 0.83-0.99). Conversely, ΔSBP was not associated with mortality or neurological deterioration at any time interval.
After successful reperfusion, ΔSBP had a linear relationship with poor outcome and the risk of poor outcome was higher with less reduction from the baseline SBP. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03160677.
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