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A clinical decision on the treatment of asymptomatic carotid stenosis is challenging, unlike symptomatic carotid stenosis. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been recommended as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) based on the finding that the efficacy and safety of CAS were comparable to CEA in randomized trials. However, in some countries, CAS is often performed more frequently than CEA for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Moreover, it has been recently reported that CAS is not superior to the best medical treatment in asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Due to these recent changes, the role of CAS in asymptomatic carotid stenosis should be revisited. When determining the treatment for asymptomatic carotid stenosis, one should consider several clinical factors including stenosis degree, patient life expectancy, stroke risk by medical treatment, availability of a vascular surgeon, high risk for CEA or CAS, and insurance coverage. This review aimed to present and pragmatically organize the information that is necessary for a clinical decision on CAS in asymptomatic carotid stenosis. In conclusion, although the traditional benefit of CAS is being revisited recently, it seems too early to conclude that CAS is no longer beneficial under intense and systemic medical treatment. Instead, a treatment strategy with CAS should evolve to select eligible or medically high-risk patients more precisely.
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Objective@#We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EmboTrap II in terms of first-pass recanalization and to determine whether it could yield favorable outcomes. @*Materials and Methods@#In this multicenter, prospective study, we consecutively enrolled patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy using EmboTrap II as a front-line device. The primary outcome was the first pass effect (FPE) rate defined by modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) grade 2c or 3 by the first pass of EmboTrap II. In addition, modified FPE (mFPE; mTICI grade 2b–3 by the first pass of EmboTrap II), successful recanalization (final mTICI grade 2b–3), and clinical outcomes were assessed. We also analyzed the effect of FPE on a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–2 at 3 months. @*Results@#Two hundred-ten patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 73.3 ± 11.4 years; male, 55.7%) were included. Ninetynine patients (47.1%) had FPE, and mFPE was achieved in 150 (71.4%) patients. Successful recanalization was achieved in 191 (91.0%) patients. Among them, 164 (85.9%) patients underwent successful recanalization by exclusively using EmboTrap II. The time from groin puncture to FPE was 25.0 minutes (interquartile range, 17.0–35.0 minutes). Procedure-related complications were observed in seven (3.3%) patients. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage developed in 14 (6.7%) patients. One hundred twenty-three (58.9% of 209 completely followed) patients had an mRS score of 0–2. Sixteen (7.7% of 209) patients died during the follow-up period. Patients who had successful recanalization with FPE were four times more likely to have an mRS score of 0–2 than those who had successful recanalization without FPE (adjusted odds ratio, 4.13;95% confidence interval, 1.59–10.8; p = 0.004). @*Conclusion@#Mechanical thrombectomy using the front-line EmboTrap II is effective and safe. In particular, FPE rates were high. Achieving FPE was important for an mRS score of 0–2, even in patients with successful recanalization.
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Background@#Korea recently established 70 emergency medical service areas. However, there are many concerns that medical resources for stroke could not be evenly distributed through the country. We aimed to compare the treatment quality and outcomes of acute stroke among the emergency medical service areas. @*Methods@#This study analyzed the data of 28,800 patients admitted in 248 hospitals which participated in the 8th acute stroke quality assessment by Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Individual hospitals were regrouped into emergency service areas according to the address of the location. Assessment indicators and fatality were compared by the service areas. We defined the appropriate hospital by the performance of intravenous thrombolysis. @*Results@#In seven service areas, there were no hospitals which received more than 10 stroke patients for 6 months. In nine service areas, there were no patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Among 167 designated emergency medical centers, 50 hospitals (29.9%) responded that IVT was impossible 24 hours a day. There are 97 (39.1%) hospitals that meet the definitions of appropriate hospital. In 23 service areas (32.9%) had no appropriate or feasible hospitals. The fatality of service areas with stroke centers were 6.9% within 30 days and 15.6% within 1 year from stroke onset than those without stroke centers (7.7%, 16.9%, respectively). @*Conclusions@#There was a wide regional gap in the medical resource and the quality of treatments for acute stroke among emergency medical service areas in Korea. The poststroke fatality rate of the service areas which have stroke centers or appropriate hospitals were significantly low.
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Background@#and Purpose Recent studies suggested an increased incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We evaluated the volume of CVT hospitalization and in-hospital mortality during the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the preceding year. @*Methods@#We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective study of 171 stroke centers from 49 countries. We recorded COVID-19 admission volumes, CVT hospitalization, and CVT in-hospital mortality from January 1, 2019, to May 31, 2021. CVT diagnoses were identified by International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) codes or stroke databases. We additionally sought to compare the same metrics in the first 5 months of 2021 compared to the corresponding months in 2019 and 2020 (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04934020). @*Results@#There were 2,313 CVT admissions across the 1-year pre-pandemic (2019) and pandemic year (2020); no differences in CVT volume or CVT mortality were observed. During the first 5 months of 2021, there was an increase in CVT volumes compared to 2019 (27.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24.2 to 32.0; P<0.0001) and 2020 (41.4%; 95% CI, 37.0 to 46.0; P<0.0001). A COVID-19 diagnosis was present in 7.6% (132/1,738) of CVT hospitalizations. CVT was present in 0.04% (103/292,080) of COVID-19 hospitalizations. During the first pandemic year, CVT mortality was higher in patients who were COVID positive compared to COVID negative patients (8/53 [15.0%] vs. 41/910 [4.5%], P=0.004). There was an increase in CVT mortality during the first 5 months of pandemic years 2020 and 2021 compared to the first 5 months of the pre-pandemic year 2019 (2019 vs. 2020: 2.26% vs. 4.74%, P=0.05; 2019 vs. 2021: 2.26% vs. 4.99%, P=0.03). In the first 5 months of 2021, there were 26 cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), resulting in six deaths. @*Conclusions@#During the 1st year of the COVID-19 pandemic, CVT hospitalization volume and CVT in-hospital mortality did not change compared to the prior year. COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with higher CVT in-hospital mortality. During the first 5 months of 2021, there was an increase in CVT hospitalization volume and increase in CVT-related mortality, partially attributable to VITT.
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Background@#and Purpose We aimed to develop a model predicting early recanalization after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) treatment in large-vessel occlusion. @*Methods@#Using data from two different multicenter prospective cohorts, we determined the factors associated with early recanalization immediately after t-PA in stroke patients with large-vessel occlusion, and developed and validated a prediction model for early recanalization. Clot volume was semiautomatically measured on thin-section computed tomography using software, and the degree of collaterals was determined using the Tan score. Follow-up angiographic studies were performed immediately after t-PA treatment to assess early recanalization. @*Results@#Early recanalization, assessed 61.0±44.7 minutes after t-PA bolus, was achieved in 15.5% (15/97) in the derivation cohort and in 10.5% (8/76) in the validation cohort. Clot volume (odds ratio [OR], 0.979; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.961 to 0.997; P=0.020) and good collaterals (OR, 6.129; 95% CI, 1.592 to 23.594; P=0.008) were significant factors associated with early recanalization. The area under the curve (AUC) of the model including clot volume was 0.819 (95% CI, 0.720 to 0.917) and 0.842 (95% CI, 0.746 to 0.938) in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The AUC improved when good collaterals were added (derivation cohort: AUC, 0.876; 95% CI, 0.802 to 0.950; P=0.164; validation cohort: AUC, 0.949; 95% CI, 0.886 to 1.000; P=0.036). The integrated discrimination improvement also showed significantly improved prediction (0.097; 95% CI, 0.009 to 0.185; P=0.032). @*Conclusions@#The model using clot volume and collaterals predicted early recanalization after intravenous t-PA and had a high performance. This model may aid in determining the recanalization treatment strategy in stroke patients with large-vessel occlusion.
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Background@#and Purpose We aimed to develop a model predicting early recanalization after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) treatment in large-vessel occlusion. @*Methods@#Using data from two different multicenter prospective cohorts, we determined the factors associated with early recanalization immediately after t-PA in stroke patients with large-vessel occlusion, and developed and validated a prediction model for early recanalization. Clot volume was semiautomatically measured on thin-section computed tomography using software, and the degree of collaterals was determined using the Tan score. Follow-up angiographic studies were performed immediately after t-PA treatment to assess early recanalization. @*Results@#Early recanalization, assessed 61.0±44.7 minutes after t-PA bolus, was achieved in 15.5% (15/97) in the derivation cohort and in 10.5% (8/76) in the validation cohort. Clot volume (odds ratio [OR], 0.979; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.961 to 0.997; P=0.020) and good collaterals (OR, 6.129; 95% CI, 1.592 to 23.594; P=0.008) were significant factors associated with early recanalization. The area under the curve (AUC) of the model including clot volume was 0.819 (95% CI, 0.720 to 0.917) and 0.842 (95% CI, 0.746 to 0.938) in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The AUC improved when good collaterals were added (derivation cohort: AUC, 0.876; 95% CI, 0.802 to 0.950; P=0.164; validation cohort: AUC, 0.949; 95% CI, 0.886 to 1.000; P=0.036). The integrated discrimination improvement also showed significantly improved prediction (0.097; 95% CI, 0.009 to 0.185; P=0.032). @*Conclusions@#The model using clot volume and collaterals predicted early recanalization after intravenous t-PA and had a high performance. This model may aid in determining the recanalization treatment strategy in stroke patients with large-vessel occlusion.
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Background@#and Purpose We aimed to determine whether the care process and outcomes in patients with acute stroke who received recanalization therapy changed during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Korea. @*Methods@#We used data from a prospective multicenter reperfusion therapy registry to compare the care process including the time from symptom onset to treatment, number of treated patients, and discharge disposition and treatment outcomes between before and during the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea. @*Results@#Upon the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea, the number of patients receiving endovascular treatment to decrease temporarily but considerably. The use of emergency medical services by stroke patients increased from 91.5% before to 100.0% during the COVID-19 outbreak (p=0.025), as did the median time from symptom onset to hospital visit [median (interquartile range), 91.0 minutes (39.8–277.0) vs. 176.0 minutes (56.0–391.5), p=0.029]. Furthermore, more functionally dependent patients with disabilities were discharged home (59.5% vs. 26.1%, p=0.020) rather than staying in a regional or rehabilitation hospital. In contrast, there were no COVID-19-related changes in the times from the hospital visit to brain imaging and treatment or in the functional outcome, successful recanalization rate, or rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. @*Conclusions@#These findings suggest that a prehospital delay occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak, and that patients with acute stroke might have been reluctant to visit and stay in hospitals. Our findings indicate that attention should be paid to prehospital care and the behavior of patients with acute stroke during the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Objective@#Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) fails in approximately 20% of anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (ACLVO).Nonetheless, the factors that affect clinical outcomes of non-recanalized AC-LVO despite EVT are less studied. Thepurpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting clinical outcomes in non-recanalized AC-LVO patients despite EVT. @*Materials and Methods@#This was a retrospective analysis of clinical and imaging data from 136 consecutive patients whodemonstrated recanalization failure (modified thrombolysis in cerebral ischemia [mTICI], 0–2a) despite EVT for AC-LVO. Datawere collected in prospectively maintained registries at 16 stroke centers. Collateral status was categorized into good or poorbased on the CT angiogram, and the mTICI was categorized as 0–1 or 2a on the final angiogram. Patients with good (modifiedRankin Scale [mRS], 0–2) and poor outcomes (mRS, 3–6) were compared in multivariate analysis to evaluate the factorsassociated with a good outcome. @*Results@#Thirty-five patients (25.7%) had good outcomes. The good outcome group was younger (odds ratio [OR], 0.962;95% confidence interval [CI], 0.932–0.992; p = 0.015), had a lower incidence of hypertension (OR, 0.380; 95% CI, 0.173–0.839; p = 0.017) and distal internal carotid artery involvement (OR, 0.149; 95% CI, 0.043–0.520; p = 0.003), lower initialNational Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (OR, 0.789; 95% CI, 0.713–0.873; p < 0.001) and good collateral status(OR, 13.818; 95% CI, 3.971–48.090; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the initial NIHSS (OR, 0.760; 95% CI, 0.638–0.905; p = 0.002), good collateral status (OR, 14.130; 95% CI, 2.264–88.212; p = 0.005) and mTICI 2a recanalization (OR,5.636; 95% CI, 1.216–26.119; p = 0.027) remained as independent factors with good outcome in non-recanalized patients. @*Conclusion@#Baseline NIHSS score, good collateral status, and mTICI 2a recanalization remained independently associatedwith clinical outcome in non-recanalized patients. mTICI 2a recanalization would benefit patients with good collaterals innon-recanalized AC-LVO patients despite EVT.
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PURPOSE: Infarct core can expand rapidly in acute stroke patients receiving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA). We investigated changes in the extent of infarct core during IV t-PA treatment, and explored the associative factors of this infarct core expansion in patients with proximal artery occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included patients who were considered for sequential intra-arterial therapy (IAT) due to occlusion of intracranial proximal artery after IV t-PA. Patients who had a baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography (CT) Score (ASPECTS) ≥6 and who underwent two consecutive CT scans before and shortly after IV t-PA infusion were enrolled. Patients were classified into no, moderate, and marked expansion groups based on decreases in ASPECTS (0–1, 2–3, and ≥4, respectively) on follow-up CT. Collateral status was graded using CT angiography. RESULTS: Of the 104 patients, 16 (15.4%) patients showed moderate and 13 (12.5%) patients showed marked infarct core expansion on follow-up CT scans obtained at 71.1±19.1 min after baseline CT scan. Sixteen (15.4%) patients had an ASPECTS value < 6 on the follow-up CT. None of the patients with marked expansion were independent at 3 months. Univariate analysis and ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the infarct core expansion was significantly associated with collateral status (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among patients who were considered for IAT after IV t-PA treatment, one out of every seven patients exhibited marked expansion of infarct core on follow-up CT before IAT. These patients tend to have poor collaterals and poor outcomes despite rescue IAT.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Administration, Intravenous , Brain Infarction/diagnostic imaging , Computed Tomography Angiography , Fibrinolytic Agents/therapeutic use , Follow-Up Studies , Thrombolytic Therapy , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Symptomatic vertebral artery (VA) stenosis associated with bilateral carotid rete mirabile (CRM) has not been reported. We report the long-term clinical and angiographic outcome after stenting for symptomatic VA stenosis in the patient with bilateral CRM. This report is the first case that symptomatic VA stenosis associated with bilateral CRM was treated with stenting.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Young Adult , Angioplasty, Balloon , Carotid Arteries/pathology , Cerebral Angiography , Stents , Syncope/etiology , Treatment Outcome , Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Ma-huang (Ephedra sinica) is a herb that exhibits sympathomimetic activity. We report a patient with acquired myopathy following ingestion of a Ma-huang-based herbal remedy for 6 months. A 50-year-old woman was admitted for progressive muscular weakness. An electrodiagnostic study and muscle biopsy sampling revealed generalized active myopathy with nonspecific inflammation. It appears that Ma-huang, along with Raynaud's phenomenon and pericardial effusion, may be a causative agent of myopathy. As such, attention should be paid to the possibility that herbal medication with Ma-huang can result in myopathy.