scholarly journals Initial Stroke Severity in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation According to Antithrombotic Therapy Before Ischemic Stroke

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 2733-2741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yo Han Jung ◽  
Young Dae Kim ◽  
Jinkwon Kim ◽  
Sang Won Han ◽  
Mi Sun Oh ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the leading cause of ischemic stroke. Preventive antithrombotic use, especially for anticoagulation, reduces the incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with AF. Using data from the nationwide multicenter stroke registry, we investigated the trends of preceding antithrombotic medication use in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with AF and its association with initial stroke severity and in-hospital outcomes. Methods: This study included 6786 patients with AIS with known AF before stroke admission across 39 hospitals between June 2008 and December 2018. We collected the data on antithrombotic medication use (no antithrombotic/antiplatelet/anticoagulant) preceding AIS. Initial stroke severity was measured using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and in-hospital outcome was determined by modified Rankin Scale score at discharge. Results: During the study period, anticoagulant use continued to increase. However, nearly one-third of patients with AIS with known AF did not receive antithrombotics before stroke. Initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores varied according to preceding antithrombotic therapy ( P <0.001). It was higher in patients who did not receive antithrombotics than in those who received antiplatelets or anticoagulants (median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score: 8 versus 7 and 8 versus 6, respectively). Favorable outcome at discharge (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2) was more prevalent in patients who received antiplatelets or anticoagulants ( P <0.001). Use of antiplatelets (odds ratio, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.09–1.38]) and anticoagulants (odds ratio, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.15–1.50]) was associated with a mild initial neurological deficit (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤5) in patients with AIS with AF. Conclusions: Throughout the study period, the proportion of patients taking anticoagulants increased among patients with AIS with known AF. However, a large portion of AF patients still did not receive antithrombotics before AIS. Furthermore, prehospitalization use of anticoagulants was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of a mild initial neurological deficit and favorable outcome at discharge.

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 144-151
Author(s):  
Zuolu Liu ◽  
Nerses Sanossian ◽  
Sidney Starkman ◽  
Gilda Avila-Rinek ◽  
Marc Eckstein ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: A survival advantage among individuals with higher body mass index (BMI) has been observed for diverse acute illnesses, including stroke, and termed the obesity paradox. However, prior ischemic stroke studies have generally tested only for linear rather than nonlinear relations between body mass and outcome, and few studies have investigated poststroke functional outcomes in addition to mortality. Methods: We analyzed consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke enrolled in a 60-center acute treatment trial, the NIH FAST-MAG acute stroke trial. Outcomes at 3 months analyzed were (1) death; (2) disability or death (modified Rankin Scale score, 2–6); and (3) low stroke-related quality of life (Stroke Impact Scale<median). Relations with BMI were analyzed univariately and in multivariate models adjusting for 14 additional prognostic variables. Results: Among 1033 patients with acute ischemic stroke, average age was 71 years (±13), 45.1% female, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 10.6 (±8.3), and BMI 27.5 (±5.6). In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, increasing BMI was linearly associated with improved 3-month survival ( P =0.01) odds ratios in adjusted analysis for mortality declined across the BMI categories of underweight (odds ratio, 1.7 [CI, 0.6–4.9]), normal (odds ratio, 1), overweight (0.9 [CI, 0.5–1.4]), obese (0.5, [CI, 0.3–1.0]), and severely obese (0.4 [CI, 0.2–0.9]). In unadjusted analysis, increasing BMI showed a U-shaped relation to poststroke disability or death (modified Rankin Scale score, 2–6), with odds ratios of modified Rankin Scale score, 2 to 6 for underweight, overweight, and obese declined initially when compared with normal weight patients, but then increased again in severely obese patients, suggesting a U-shaped or J-shaped relation. After adjustment, including for baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified Rankin Scale score 2 to 6 was no longer related to adiposity. Conclusions: Mortality and functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke have disparate relations with patients’ adiposity. Higher BMI is linearly associated with increased survival; and BMI has a U-shaped or J-shaped relation to disability and stroke-related quality of life. Potential mechanisms including nutritional reserve aiding survival during recovery and greater frequency of atherosclerotic than thromboembolic infarcts in individuals with higher BMI.


Stroke ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 498-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ole Morten Rønning ◽  
Nicola Logallo ◽  
Bente Thommessen ◽  
Håkon Tobro ◽  
Vojtech Novotny ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose— Thrombolysis with alteplase has beneficial effect on outcome and is safe within 4.5 hours. The present study compares the efficacy and safety of tenecteplase and alteplase in patients treated 3 to 4.5 hours after ischemic stroke. Methods— The data are from a prespecified substudy of patients included in The NOR-TEST (Norwegian Tenecteplase Stroke Trial), a randomized control trial comparing tenecteplase with alteplase. Results— The median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale for this study population was 3 (interquartile range, 2–6). In the intention-to-treat analysis, 57% of patients that received tenecteplase and 53% of patients that received alteplase reached good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 0–1) at 3 months (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.68–2.10). The rates of intracranial hemorrhage in the first 48 hours were 5.7% in the tenecteplase group and 6.7% in the alteplase group (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.26–2.70). At 3 months, mortality was 5.7% and 4.5%, respectively. After excluding stroke mimics and patients with modified Rankin Scale score of >1 before stroke, the proportion of patients with good functional outcome was 61% in the tenecteplase group and 57% in the alteplase group (odds ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.65–2.37). Conclusions— Tenecteplase is at least as effective as alteplase to achieve a good clinical outcome in patients with mild stroke treated between 3 and 4.5 hours after ischemic stroke. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01949948.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 170-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Tokunaga ◽  
Hiroshi Yamagami ◽  
Masatoshi Koga ◽  
Kenichi Todo ◽  
Kazumi Kimura ◽  
...  

Background: We aimed to clarify associations between pre-admission risk scores (CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HAS-BLED) and 2-year clinical outcomes in ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) using a prospective, multicenter, observational registry. Methods: From 18 Japanese stroke centers, ischemic stroke or TIA patients with NVAF hospitalized within 7 days after onset were enrolled. Outcome measures were defined as death/disability (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) at 2 years, 2-year mortality, and ischemic or hemorrhagic events within 2 years. Results: A total of 1,192 patients with NVAF (527 women; mean age, 78 ± 10 years), including 1,141 ischemic stroke and 51 TIA, were analyzed. Rates of death/disability, mortality, and ischemic or hemorrhagic events increased significantly with increasing pre-admission CHADS2 (p for trend <0.001 for death/disability and mortality, p for trend = 0.024 for events), CHA2DS2-VASc (p for trend <0.001 for all), and HAS-BLED (p for trend = 0.004 for death/disability, p for trend <0.001 for mortality, p for trend = 0.024 for events) scores. Pre-admission CHADS2 (OR per 1 point, 1.52; 95% CI 1.35–1.71; p <0.001 for death/disability; hazard ratio (HR) per 1 point, 1.23; 95% CI 1.12–1.35; p <0.001 for mortality; HR per 1 point, 1.14; 95% CI 1.02–1.26; p = 0.016 for events), CHA2DS2-VASc (1.55, 1.41–1.72, p < 0.001; 1.21, 1.12–1.30, p < 0.001; 1.17, 1.07–1.27, p < 0.001; respectively), and HAS-BLED (1.33, 1.17–1.52, p < 0.001; 1.23, 1.10–1.38, p < 0.001; 1.18, 1.05–1.34, p = 0.008; respectively) scores were independently associated with all outcome measures. Conclusions: In ischemic stroke or TIA patients with NVAF, all pre-admission risk scores were independently associated with death/disability at 2 years and 2-year mortality, as well as ischemic or hemorrhagic events within 2 years.


Diagnostics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Elliott ◽  
Bogna A. Drozdowska ◽  
Martin Taylor-Rowan ◽  
Robert C. Shaw ◽  
Gillian Cuthbertson ◽  
...  

Full completion of cognitive screening tests can be problematic in the context of a stroke. Our aim was to examine the completion of various brief cognitive screens and explore reasons for untestability. Data were collected from consecutive stroke admissions (May 2016–August 2018). The cognitive assessment was attempted during the first week of admission. Patients were classified as partially untestable (≥1 test item was incomplete) and fully untestable (where assessment was not attempted, and/or no questions answered). We assessed univariate and multivariate associations of test completion with: age (years), sex, stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)), stroke classification, pre-morbid disability (modified Rankin Scale (mRS)), previous stroke and previous dementia diagnosis. Of 703 patients admitted (mean age: 69.4), 119 (17%) were classified as fully untestable and 58 (8%) were partially untestable. The 4A-test had 100% completion and the clock-draw task had the lowest completion (533/703, 76%). Independent associations with fully untestable status had a higher NIHSS score (odds ratio (OR): 1.18, 95% CI: 1.11–1.26), higher pre-morbid mRS (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.02–1.60) and pre-stroke dementia (OR: 3.35, 95% CI: 1.53–7.32). Overall, a quarter of patients were classified as untestable on the cognitive assessment, with test incompletion related to stroke and non-stroke factors. Clinicians and researchers would benefit from guidance on how to make the best use of incomplete test data.


2011 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 1008-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Zeeshan Memon ◽  
Sabareesh K. Natarajan ◽  
Jitendra Sharma ◽  
Marlon S. Mathews ◽  
Kenneth V. Snyder ◽  
...  

Object Experience with the use of platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb–IIIa inhibitor eptifibatide in patients with ischemic stroke is limited. The authors report the off-label use of intraarterial eptifibatide during endovascular ischemic stroke revascularization procedures for reocclusion after documented recanalization or formed fresh thrombi in distal vessels that were inaccessible to endovascular devices. Methods Patients who received intraarterial eptifibatide were identified from a prospectively collected database of patients in whom endovascular revascularization for acute ischemic stroke was attempted between 2005 and 2008. Data were analyzed retrospectively. The intraarterial eptifibatide dose was a single-bolus dose of 180 μg/kg body weight. Primary outcome measures were angiographic recanalization (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Grade 2 or 3), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rate, overall mortality rate, and favorable 3-month modified Rankin Scale score (≤ 2). Results The study included 35 patients (mean age 62 years, range 18–85 years). The median presenting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 13. Two patients received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator before endovascular therapy. The median time from symptom onset to therapy initiation was 230 minutes (range 90–1370 minutes). Twelve patients (34%) received intraarterial tissue plasminogen activator without mechanical measures. Mechanical revascularization measures used were Merci retriever in 19 (54%), Penumbra device in 1 (3%), balloon angioplasty in 15 (43%), and stent placement in 22 (63%) patients. The mean dose of intraarterial eptifibatide was 11.6 mg (range 5–16.6 mg). Partial-to-complete recanalization (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Grade 2 or 3) was achieved in 27 patients (77%). Postprocedure intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 13 patients (37%), causing symptoms in 5 (14%). In the 5 symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage cases, all patients but one presented more than 8 hours after symptom onset and all received intraarterial recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. The median discharge National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 7 (range 0–17). At 3 months postprocedure, 21 patients (60%) had a modified Rankin Scale score ≤ 2, and 8 patients (23%) had died. Conclusions Adjunctive intraarterial eptifibatide is a feasible option for salvage of reocclusion and thrombolysis of distal inaccessible thrombi during endovascular stroke revascularization. Its safety and efficacy need to be studied further in larger, multicenter, controlled studies.


Author(s):  
Ignatius Ivan ◽  
Budi Riyanto Wreksoatmodjo ◽  
Octavianus Darmawan

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE AND SEVERITY OF ACUTE FIRST-EVER ISCHEMIC STROKEABSTRACTIntroduction: History of heart disease such as atrial  fibrillation, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure has a role on ischemic stroke severity.Aim: This research aims to find the association between history of heart disease and stroke severity using NIHSS score on acute ischemic stroke patients in Atma Jaya hospital during 2014-2018.Method: This research used cross-sectional method with two-sided fisher’s exact test. With total sampling, samples retrieved from secondary sources in Atma Jaya hospital during 2014-2018 resulting 236 subjects. Stroke severity measured by NIHSS score during admission, categorized with severe stroke (15-42) and non-severe stroke (0-14).Result: There is a significant association between history of AF (p=0.046) on first-ever ischemic stroke severity. Acute first-ever ischemic stroke patients who are  >18 years old with history of AF has a tendency of 5,2 times to have severe stroke compared with patients without AF. Other history of heart disease has no significant association towards stroke severity.Discussion: In accordance with previous research, our findings suggest a significant association between history of atrial fibrillation and acute first-ever ischemic stroke severity in which there is a tendency of more severe stroke compared wth patients without AF. Unlike previous findings, this research shows no significant association between history of heart failure and stroke severity due to limited data characteristic  of ejection fraction preventing us to include patient with ejection fraction below 30%. This limitation may also allow history of angina pectoris and myocardial infarction to be insignificant.Keywords:  Atrial  fibrillation,  heart  failure,  ischemic  stroke,  myocardial  infarction,  National  Institutes  of Health Stroke ScaleABSTRAKPendahuluan: Riwayat penyakit jantung seperti atrial fibrilasi, angina pektoris, infark miokardium, gagal jantung memiliki peran terhadap keparahan stroke iskemik.Tujuan: Mengetahui hubungan riwayat penyakit jantung dengan tingkat keparahan stroke berdasarkan skor NIHSS pada pasien stroke iskemik akut di RS Atma Jaya pada tahun 2014-2018.Metode: Penelitian potong lintang terhadap data sekunder pasien stroke iskemik pertama kali yang dirawat di RS Atma Jaya pada tahun 2014-2018. Keparahan stroke diukur berdasarkan National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) masuk dengan kategori severe stroke (skor 15-42) dan non-severe stroke (0-14). Dilakukan uji Fisher dua sisi untuk menilai hubungan.Hasil: Terdapat 236 subjek dengan mayoritas hubungan riwayat AF (p=0,046) terhadap tingkat keparahan stroke. Pasien berumur >18 tahun yang mengalami stroke iskemik akut pertama kali dengan riwayat AF akan berpeluang 5,2 kali lebih tinggi untuk mengalami severe stroke dibandingkan jika tanpa riwayat AF. Riwayat penyakit jantung lain tidak memiliki hubungan signifikan terhadap tingkat keparahan stroke.Diskusi: Terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara riwayat AF terhadap tingkat keparahan stroke, terutama pada subjek dengan severe stroke jika dibandingkan pasien tanpa riwayat AF. Tidak ditemukan hubungan signifikan antara penyakit jantung yang lain dikarenakan keterbatasan data penelitian.Kata kunci: Atrial fibrilasi, gagal jantung, infark miokardium, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, stroke iskemik


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Dobrocky ◽  
Eike I. Piechowiak ◽  
Bastian Volbers ◽  
Nedelina Slavova ◽  
Johannes Kaesmacher ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: Treatment in stroke patients with M2 segment occlusion of the middle cerebral artery presenting with mild neurological deficits is a matter of debate. The main purpose was to compare the outcome in patients with a minor stroke and a M2 occlusion. Methods: Consecutive intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) eligible patients admitted to the Bernese stroke center between January 2005 and January 2020 with acute occlusion of the M2 segment and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤5 were included. Outcome was compared between IVT only versus endovascular therapy (EVT) including intra-arterial thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy (MT; ±IVT) and between IVT only versus MT only. Results: Among 169 patients (38.5% women, median age 70.2 years), 84 (49.7%) received IVT only and 85 (50.3%) EVT (±IVT), the latter including 39 (45.9%) treated with MT only. Groups were similar in sex, age, vascular risk factors, event cause, or preevent independency. Compared with IVT only, there was no difference in favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0−2) for EVT (adjusted odds ratio, 0.96; adjusted P =0.935) or for MT only (adjusted odds ratio, 1.12; adjusted P =0.547) groups. Considering only patients treated after 2015, there was a significantly better 3-month modified Rankin Scale shift (adjusted P =0.032) in the EVT compared with the IVT only group. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates similar effectiveness of IVT only versus EVT (±IVT), and of IVT only versus MT only in patients with peripheral middle cerebral artery occlusions and minor neurological deficits and indicates a possible benefit of EVT considering only patients treated after 2015. There is an unmet need for randomized controlled trials in this stroke field, including imaging parameters, and more sophisticated evaluation of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score subitems, neurocognition, and quality of life neglected by the standard outcome scales such as modified Rankin Scale and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 1826-1829
Author(s):  
Pratyaksh K. Srivastava ◽  
Shuaiqi Zhang ◽  
Ying Xian ◽  
Hanzhang Xu ◽  
Christine Rutan ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: Studies suggest an increased risk of adverse outcomes among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Using Get With The Guidelines–Stroke, we identified 41 971 patients (AIS/COVID-19: 1143; AIS/no COVID-19: 40 828) with AIS hospitalized between February 4, 2020 and June 29, 2020, from 458 Get With The Guidelines–Stroke hospitals with at least one COVID-19 case and evaluated clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes. Results: Compared with patients with AIS/no COVID-19, those with AIS/COVID-19 were younger, more likely to be non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or Asian, more likely to present with higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores, and had greater proportions of large vessel occlusions. Rates of thrombolysis and thrombectomy were similar between the groups. Door to computed tomography (median 55 [18–207] versus 35 [14–99] minutes, P <0.001), door to needle (59 [40–82] versus 46 [33–64] minutes, P <0.001), and door to endovascular therapy (114 [74–169] versus 90 [54–133] minutes, P =0.002) times were longer in the AIS/COVID-19 cohort. In adjusted models, patients with AIS/COVID-19 had decreased odds of discharge with modified Rankin Scale score of ≤2 (odds ratio, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.52–0.81], P <0.001) and increased odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 4.34 [95% CI, 3.48–5.40], P <0.001). ConclusionS: This analysis demonstrates younger age, greater stroke severity, longer times to evaluation and treatment, and worse morbidity and mortality in patients with AIS/COVID-19 compared with those with AIS/no COVID-19.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 1720-1726
Author(s):  
Raed A. Joundi ◽  
Gustavo Saposnik ◽  
Rosemary Martino ◽  
Jiming Fang ◽  
Moira K. Kapral

Background and Purpose— We aimed to create a novel prognostic risk score to estimate outcomes after direct enteral tube placement in acute stroke. Methods— We used the Ontario Stroke Registry and linked databases to obtain clinical information on all patients with direct enteral tube insertion after ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2010 (derivation cohort) and July 1, 2010 to March 31, 2013 (validation cohort). We used multivariable regression to assign scores to predictor variables for 3 outcomes after tube placement: favorable outcome (discharge modified Rankin Scale score 0–3 and alive at 90 days), poor outcome (discharge modified Rankin Scale score 5 or death at 90 days), and 30-day mortality. Results— Variables associated with a favorable outcome were younger age, preadmission independence, ischemic stroke rather than intracerebral hemorrhage, lower stroke severity, and a shorter time between stroke and tube placement. Variables associated with a poor outcome were older age, preadmission dependence, atrial fibrillation, greater stroke severity, and tracheostomy. Age, preadmission dependence, atrial fibrillation, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and shorter time to tube placement were associated with increased 30-day mortality. Using these variables, we created an online calculator to facilitate estimation of individual patient risk of favorable and poor outcomes. C -statistic in the validation cohort was 0.82 for favorable outcome, 0.65 for poor outcome, and 0.62 for 30-day mortality, and calibration was adequate. Conclusions— We developed risk scores to estimate outcomes after direct enteral tube insertion for acute dysphagic stroke. This information may be useful in discussions with patients and families when there is prognostic uncertainty surrounding outcomes with direct enteral tube placement after stroke.


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