Carotid Intraplaque Neovascularization Predicts Ischemic Stroke Recurrence in Patients with Carotid Atherosclerosis

Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Yan Song ◽  
Ying Dang ◽  
Jichang Wang ◽  
Hui Cai ◽  
Jun Feng ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> This study aimed to examine whether intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) of carotid plaques, as characterized by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), is associated with ischemic stroke recurrence in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted a prospective study of consecutive patients with a recent stroke and at least one atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery on the side consistent with symptoms. All patients underwent CEUS after their first admission. IPN was graded on the basis of the presence and location of microbubbles within each plaque. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We eventually included 155 patients, all of whom underwent IPN analysis. After a follow-up of 24 months, we recorded 25 (16.1%) stroke recurrences in the whole population. All the recurrences occurred in patients presenting IPN. There was significant difference in the IPN between the 2 groups (<i>p</i> = 0.002). In the final Cox proportional-hazards multivariable models, IPN of grade 2 was independently associated with the risk of stroke recurrence (HR = 4.535; 95% CI: 1.892–10.870; <i>p</i> = 0.001). This association remained after adjusting for the degree of carotid stenosis (HR = 3.491; 95% CI: 1.410–8.646; <i>p</i> = 0.007). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> IPN was an independent predictor of stroke recurrence in patients with a recent ischemic stroke and carotid atherosclerosis. In predicting stroke recurrence, IPN may be an earlier indicator than carotid stenosis and may help stratify the risk of stroke recurrence.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiao-Zhu Li ◽  
Chi-Tun Tang ◽  
Chi-Hsiang Chung ◽  
Chiao-Ching Li ◽  
Chien-Yu Ou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Studies show that vertebral fractures could predict the risk of hip fractures. We aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of whether the timing of vertebroplasty (VP) for vertebral fracture associated with the risk of hip fracture for hip replacement. Methods We identified 142,782 patients from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database with thoracolumbar vertebral fracture (TLCF) (ICD-9-CM: 805.2-805.9) who were followed up from 2000 to 2013. These patients were divided into those who underwent VP (VP group) (ICD-9-CM: 78.49) within 3 months and those who did not (non-VP group). After adjusting for the confounding factors, the Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the effect of early VP on reducing the risk of hip fracture. Results In the 14-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence rate of hip replacement in the VP group was lower than that in the non-VP group (0.362% and 0.533%, respectively, long-rank p<0.001). There was a significant difference between the two groups since the first-year follow-up. Conclusion Our study showed that early VP performed to avoid progression of the kyphotic changes following TLCF may reduce the risk of hip fracture. These results, obtained from retrospective data, indicate that a prospective study is warranted.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Leonard Naymagon ◽  
Douglas Tremblay ◽  
John Mascarenhas

Data supporting the use of etoposide-based therapy in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) arise largely from pediatric studies. There is a lack of comparable data among adult patients with secondary HLH. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the impact of etoposide-based therapy on outcomes in adult secondary HLH. The primary outcome was overall survival. The log-rank test was used to compare Kaplan-Meier distributions of time-to-event outcomes. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Ninety adults with secondary HLH seen between January 1, 2009, and January 6, 2020, were included. Forty-two patients (47%) received etoposide-based therapy, while 48 (53%) received treatment only for their inciting proinflammatory condition. Thirty-three patients in the etoposide group (72%) and 32 in the no-etoposide group (67%) died during follow-up. Median survival in the etoposide and no-etoposide groups was 1.04 and 1.39 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in survival between the etoposide and no-etoposide groups (log-rank <i>p</i> = 0.4146). On multivariable analysis, there was no association between treatment with etoposide and survival (HR for death with etoposide = 1.067, 95% CI: 0.633–1.799, <i>p</i> = 0.8084). Use of etoposide-based therapy was not associated with improvement in outcomes in this large cohort of adult secondary HLH patients.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-jun Li ◽  
Yexuan Cao ◽  
Hui-Wen Zhang ◽  
Jing-Lu Jin ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
...  

Introduction: The atherogenicity of residual cholesterol (RC) has been underlined by recent guidelines, which was linked to coronary artery disease (CAD), especially for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Hypothesis: This study aimed to examine the prognostic value of plasma RC, clinically presented as triglyceride-rich lipoprotein-cholesterol (TRL-C) or remnant-like lipoprotein particles-cholesterol (RLP-C), in CAD patients with different glucose metabolism status. Methods: Fasting plasma TRL-C and RLP-C levels were directly calculated or measured in 4331 patients with CAD. Patients were followed for incident MACEs for up to 8.6 years and categorized according to both glucose metabolism status [DM, pre-DM, normal glycaemia regulation (NGR)] and RC levels. Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: During a mean follow-up of 5.1 years, 541 (12.5%) MACEs occurred. The risk for MACEs was significantly higher in patients with elevated RC levels after adjustment for potential confounders. No significant difference in MACEs was observed between pre-DM and NGR groups (p>0.05). When stratified by status of glucose metabolism and RC levels, highest levels of RLP-C, calculated and measured TRL-C were significant and independent predictors of developing MACEs in pre-DM (HR: 2.10, 1.98, 1.92, respectively; all p<0.05) and DM (HR: 2.25, 2.00, 2.16, respectively; all p<0.05). Conclusions: In this large cohort study with long-term follow-up, data firstly demonstrated that higher RC levels were significantly associated with the worse prognosis in DM and pre-DM patients with CAD, suggesting RC might be a target for patients with impaired glucose metabolism.


Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesare Russo ◽  
Zhezhen Jin ◽  
Ralph L Sacco ◽  
Shunichi Homma ◽  
Tatjana Rundek ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Aortic arch plaques (AAP) are a risk factor for cardiovascular embolic events. However, the risk of vascular events associated with AAP in the general population is unclear. AIM: To assess whether AAP detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are associated with an increased risk of vascular events in a stroke-free cohort. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of stroke-free subjects over age 50 from the Aortic Plaques and Risk of Ischemic Stroke (APRIS) study. AAP were assessed by multiplane TEE, and considered large if ≥ 4 mm in thickness. Vascular events including myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and vascular death were recorded during the follow-up. The association between AAP and outcomes was assessed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A group of 209 subjects was studied (mean age 67±9 years; 45% women; 14% whites, 30% blacks, 56% Hispanics). AAP of any size were present in 130 subjects (62%); large AAP in 50 (24%). Subjects with AAP were older (69±8 vs. 63±7 years), had higher systolic BP (146±21 vs.139±20 mmHg), were more often white (19% vs. 8%), smokers (20% vs. 9%) and more frequently had a history of coronary artery disease (26% vs. 14%) than those without AAP (all p<0.05). Lipid parameters, prevalence of atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus were not significantly different between the two groups. During the follow up (94±29 months) 30 events occurred (13 myocardial infarctions, 11 ischemic strokes, 6 vascular deaths). After adjustment for other risk factors, AAP of any size were not associated with an increased risk of combined vascular events (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.44 to 2.56). The same result was observed for large AAP (HR 0.94, CI 0.34 to 2.64). Age (HR 1.05, CI 1.01 to 1.10), body mass index (HR 1.08, CI 1.01 to 1.15) and atrial fibrillation (HR 3.52, CI 1.07 to 11.61) showed independent association with vascular events. In a sub-analysis with ischemic stroke as outcome, neither AAP of any size nor large AAP were associated with an increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort without prior stroke, the incidental detection of AAP was not associated with an increased risk of future vascular events. Associated co-factors may affect the AAP-related risk of vascular events reported in previous studies.


OBJECTIVE The challenges of posterior cervical fusions (PCFs) at the cervicothoracic junction (CTJ) are widely known, including the development of adjacent-segment disease by stopping fusions at C7. One solution has been to cross the CTJ (T1/T2) rather than stopping at C7. This approach may have undue consequences, including increased reoperations for symptomatic nonunion (operative nonunion). The authors sought to investigate if there is a difference in operative nonunion in PCFs that stop at C7 versus T1/T2. METHODS A retrospective analysis identified patients from the authors’ spine registry (Kaiser Permanente) who underwent PCFs with caudal fusion levels at C7 and T1/T2. Demographics, diagnoses, operative times, lengths of stay, and reoperations were extracted from the registry. Operative nonunion was adjudicated via chart review. Patients were followed until validated operative nonunion, membership termination, death, or end of study (March 31, 2020). Descriptive statistics and 2-year crude incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals for operative nonunion for PCFs stopping at C7 or T1/T2 were reported. Time-dependent crude and adjusted multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate operative nonunion rates. RESULTS The authors identified 875 patients with PCFs (beginning at C3, C4, C5, or C6) stopping at either C7 (n = 470) or T1/T2 (n = 405) with a mean follow-up time of 4.6 ± 3.3 years and a mean time to operative nonunion of 0.9 ± 0.6 years. There were 17 operative nonunions, and, after adjustment for age at surgery and smoking status, the cumulative incidence rates were similar between constructs stopping at C7 and those that extended to T1/T2 (C7: 1.91% [95% CI 0.88%–3.60%]; T1/T2: 1.98% [95% CI 0.86%–3.85%]). In the crude model and model adjusted for age at surgery and smoking status, no difference in risk for constructs extended to T1/T2 compared to those stopping at C7 was found (adjusted HR 1.09 [95% CI 0.42–2.84], p = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS In one of the largest cohort of patients with PCFs stopping at C7 or T1/T2 with an average follow-up of > 4 years, the authors found no statistically significant difference in reoperation rates for symptomatic nonunion (operative nonunion). This finding shows that there is no added risk of operative nonunion by extending PCFs to T1/T2 or stopping at C7.


Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 1216-1216
Author(s):  
Irena Tan ◽  
Matthew Schwede ◽  
Paul Phan ◽  
Raymond Yin ◽  
Tian Y Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The combination of HMA and venetoclax is now standard of care for patients with AML who are not candidates for intensive chemotherapy. Elderly patients are more likely to have secondary AML (sAML), although the presence of an antecedent hematologic malignancy is often not apparent by history. Lindsley et al (Blood, 2015) showed that a somatic mutation in SRSF2, SF3B1, U2AF1, ZRSR2, ASXL1, EZH2, BCOR, or STAG2 is &gt;95% specific for sAML and associated with worse outcomes. While outcomes with HMA/ven in patients meeting standard criteria for sAML have recently been reported (Pullarkat, ASCO 2021), we set out to conduct a real-world analysis of sAML patients receiving HMA/ven, including those with a secondary mutation profile (SMP) as described by Lindsley et al. We hypothesized that-when treated with HMA/ven-outcomes of patients with SMP may be most similar to those with de novo AML. Methods: Patients diagnosed with AML at Stanford Cancer Institute from 4/2017-3/2021 and treated with front-line HMA/ven were retrospectively reviewed. These included patients previously treated with HMA monotherapy for an antecedent hematologic malignancy and those who had previously received ≤ 3 cycles of HMA monotherapy for AML. Responses were classified per the modified International Working Group response criteria. Overall survival (OS) was assessed for all patients, and for patients who had a complete response (CR) or CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), duration of response (DoR) was also assessed. Statistical analyses were performed in R using the logrank test, with hazard ratios (HR) computed using the Cox proportional hazards model. For multivariate analyses, p-values for a specific variable were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: 82 patients met criteria for inclusion; 78 had valid response assessments and 49 (62.8%) had achieved a CR or CRi at first response assessment. Median age was 72 years, with 3 patients younger than 60. 62 patients were male, median ECOG performance status (PS) was 1, median Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 6, median time to death or end of follow-up from the start of treatment was 366 days, and 58% of patients had adverse risk AML per ELN guidelines. Fig 1a demonstrates demographics for de novo, sAML (excluding SMP), and patients with SMP AML. 13 patients met criteria for AML-MRC, 23 patients had prior history of antecedent hematologic malignancy (18 with MDS or CMML, 5 with MDS/MPN overlap or MPN), 12 had tAML, and 20 patients possessed a SMP and did not meet criteria for the other three categories of sAML. 14 patients with de novo AML were characterized by the absence of any of the above factors. Patients with de novo AML were less likely to have adverse risk disease (29% vs. 64% in others) and had lower CCI scores (mean 5.1 vs. 6.2) but had no significant differences in age, gender, follow-up time, or PS. There was no statistically significant difference in rates of CR/CRi between the different subgroups or the different types of sAML; 69% of patients with de novo AML, 79% of SMP patients, and 57% of patients with other types of sAML achieved a CR or CRi. However, SMP patients had response durations and OS patterns similar to patients with de novo AML (Fig 1b and 1c), and when grouped with de novo patients, both DoR (HR = 3.5, p = 0.047, Fig 1d) and OS (HR = 2.1, p = 0.042, Fig 1e) were significantly longer than those of the sAML patients. Neither DoR nor OS were significantly longer when the SMP patients were grouped with sAML patients (respectively: HR = 3.3, p = 0.22, Fig 1f; HR = 1.5, p = 0.37, Fig 1g). In multivariate Cox proportional regression adjusting for age, ELN risk category, CCI, and PS, worse OS for sAML patients was maintained relative to the SMP and de novo patients (HR 2.9, p = 0.036), although the difference in DoR was no longer significant (HR 4.4, p= 0.10). Conclusions: Patients meeting standard definitions of sAML had worse outcomes than those with de novo AML when treated with HMA/ven in a retrospective, real-world analysis. Although a secondary mutation profile as described by Lindsley et al may be helpful in identifying patients with sAML, when treated with HMA/ven, patients with this profile have outcomes that align more closely with those of patients with de novo AML. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Mannis: Astex, Forty Seven Inc/Gilead, Glycomimetics, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; AbbVie, Agios, Astellas Pharma, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, MacroGenics, Pfizer, and Stemline: Consultancy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pingping Ren ◽  
Qilong Zhang ◽  
Yixuan Pan ◽  
Yi Liu ◽  
Chenglin Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Studies on the correlation between serum uric acid (SUA) and all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients were mainly based on the results of baseline SUA. We aimed to analyze the change of SUA level post PD, and the correlation between follow-up SUA and prognosis in PD patients. Methods: All patients who received PD catheterization and maintaining PD in our center from March 2, 2001 to March 8, 2017 were screened. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to analyze the effect of SUA levels on the risks of death. We graded SUA levels at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months post PD by mean of SUA plus or minus a standard deviation as cut-off values, and compared all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among patients with different SUA grades. Results: A total of 1402 patients were included, 763 males (54.42%) and 639 females (45.58%). Their average age at PD start was 49.50±14.20 years. The SUA levels were 7.97±1.79mg/dl at baseline, 7.12±1.48mg/dl at 6 months, 7.05±1.33mg/dl at 12 months, 7.01±1.30mg/dl at 18 months, and 6.93±1.26mg/dl at 24 months. During median follow-up time of 31 (18, 49) months, 173 (12.34%) all-cause deaths occurred, including 68 (4.85%) cardiovascular deaths. There were no significant differences on all-cause mortality among groups with graded SUA levels at baseline, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months during follow-up or on cardiovascular mortality among groups with graded SUA levels at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months during follow-up. At 6 months post PD,Kaplan Meier analysis showed there was significant difference on all-cause mortality among graded SUA levels (c2=11.315, P=0.010), and the all-cause mortality was lowest in grade of 5.65mg/dl≤SUA<7.13mg/dl. Conclusion: SUA level decreased during follow up post PD. At 6 months post PD, a grade of 5.65mg/dl≤SUA<7.13mg/dl was appropriate for better patients’ survival.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyao Wang ◽  
Xiaomeng Yang ◽  
Jing Jing ◽  
Xingquan Zhao ◽  
Liping Liu ◽  
...  

Background: We aim to investigate the effects and safety of clopidogrel plus aspirin in patients with different types of single small subcortical infarction (SSSI) in the Clopidogrel in High-risk patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial.Methods: SSSI was defined as single DWI lesion of ≤2.0 cm. Patients with SSSI were divided into SSSI + PAD (parent artery disease) and SSSI – PAD, according to the stenosis of the parent artery. The efficacy outcome was stroke recurrence during 90-day follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models or logistic regression models were used to assess the interaction of the treatment effects of clopidogrel plus aspirin vs. aspirin alone among patients with and without PAD.Results: Among 338 patients with SSSI included in the subanalysis, 105 were with PAD and 233 without. The efficacy of clopidogrel plus aspirin compared with aspirin alone on any stroke was consistent between patients with [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.25–2.75] and without PAD (adjusted HR 1.03; 95% CI, 0.40–2.68, interaction P = 0.83). In patients with SSSI + PAD, the rate of stroke recurrence in those treated with dual antiplatelet therapy and mono antiplatelet therapy was not significantly different (10.9 vs. 13.6%, P = 0.77). The number of bleeding events was similar between the clopidogrel-aspirin group and aspirin group regardless of SSSI + PAD or SSSI – PAD.Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the efficacy of clopidogrel plus aspirin compared with aspirin alone between patients with SSSI + PAD and SSSI – PAD in the CHANCE trial. Studies in other populations and with adequate power are needed to further verify such findings.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Sukumar Majumder ◽  
Anis Ahmed ◽  
- Md Shahidullah ◽  
Md Rafiqul Islam ◽  
Md Rezaul Karim Khan ◽  
...  

Background: A sample of 60 subjects from population based study participated in a study on carotid color duplex ultrasonography that aimed to assess the relations of coagulation factors to stroke and carotid atherosclerosis. The association between severity of carotid atherosclerosis and high factor viii activity in ischemic stroke is still not clear. Objective: The present study was conducted to find out the association between carotid atherosclerosis and high factor viii activity in ischemic stroke. Methodology: This was a cross sectional analytical study carried out in the department of neurology,BSMMU during the period of july’2009 to june’2011.A total 60 subjects with ischemic stroke were included in this study and data were collected purposively. Chi square test was done and probability value <0.05 were considered as level of significance and 95% confidence limit were taken. Result: In patients with e”50% carotid stenosis, 7(23.33%) had high factor VIII activity and 23(76.67%) had normal factor VIII activity. In patients with <50% carotid stenosis, 2(6.67%) had high factor VIII activity and 28(93.33%) had normal factor VIII activity. No significant difference (P>0.05%) was found between the high factor VIII activity and normal factor VIII activity related to severity of carotid stenosis. Conclusion: The roles of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the carotid atherosclerosis but in the present study did not find any association between the severity of the carotid atherosclerosis with high factor viii activity in ischemic stroke. Bangladesh Journal of Neuroscience 2014; Vol. 30 (1): 1-10


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Fukunaga ◽  
K Hirose ◽  
A Isotani ◽  
T Morinaga ◽  
K Ando

Abstract Background Relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) is often compared with proverbial question of which came first, the chicken or the egg. Some patients showing AF at the HF admission result in restoration of sinus rhythm (SR) at discharge. It is not well elucidated that the restoration into SR during hospitalization can render the preventive effect for rehospitalization. Purpose To investigate the impact of restoration into SR during hospitalization for readmission rate of the HF patients showing AF. Methods We enrolled consecutive 640 HF patients hospitalized from January 2015 to December 2015. Patients data were retrospectively investigated from medical record. Patients showing atrial fibrillation on admission but unrecognized ever were defined as “incident AF”; patients with AF diagnosed before admission were defined as “prevalent AF”. Primary endpoint was a composite of death from cardiovascular disease or hospitalization for worsening heart failure. Secondary endpoints were death from cardiovascular disease, unplanned hospitalization related to heart failure, and any hospitalization. Results During mean follow up of 19 months, 139 patients (22%) were categorized as incident AF and 145 patients (23%) were categorized as prevalent AF. Among 239 patients showing AF on admission, 44 patients were discharged in SR (39 patients in incident AF and 5 patients in prevalent AF). Among incident AF patients, the primary composite end point occurred in significantly fewer in those who discharged in SR (19% vs. 42% at 1-year; 23% vs. 53% at 2-year follow-up, p=0.005). To compare the risk factors related to readmission due to HF with the cox proportional-hazards model, AF only during hospitalization [Hazard Ratio (HR)=0.37, p<0.01] and prevalent AF (HR=1.67, p=0.04) was significantly associated. There was no significant difference depending on LVEF. Conclusion Newly diagnosed AF with restoration to SR during hospitalization was a good marker to forecast future prognosis.


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