Characterization of patients with recurrent ischaemic stroke using the ASCO classification.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The ASCO score has the advantage of allowing a more comprehensive characterization of ischaemic stroke patients and their risk factors, as reflected in different grades of evidence of atherosclerotic changes (A), small vessel disease (S), potential cardiac (C) or other (O) sources. It might also help to characterize patients with recurrent ischaemic stroke and document the etiology of stroke recurrence as well as the further development of risk factor constellations. METHODS: We prospectively screened our stroke database for patients with recurrent ischaemic stroke between 2004 and 2011, and classified each stroke using ASCO. The distribution of etiologies was analysed, and changes in the ASCO score were documented for each patient. RESULTS: We identified 131 patients with recurrence of ischaemic stroke. At the first event, the distribution of etiologies and their grade of evidence was 97 grade 1 (A = 18/S = 32/C = 44/O = 3), six grade 2 (A = 2/S = 1/C = 3/O = 0), 199 grade 3 (A = 85/S = 83/C = 23/O = 8), 204 grade 0 (A = 26/S = 14/C = 44/O = 120) and 18 grade 9 (A = 0/S = 1/C = 17/O = 0). At stroke recurrence, 98 grade 1 (A = 16/S = 24/C = 55/O = 3), 11 grade 2 (A = 2/S = 5/C = 4/O = 0), 210 grade 3 (A = 94/S = 92/C = 13/O = 11), 171 grade 0 (A = 16/S = 9/C = 26/O = 117) and 34 grade 9 (A = 0/S = 1/C = 33/O = 0) were identified. Analysis of each individual showed a modification of the score in 85 patients (64.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent ischaemic stroke does not always have the same etiology as the previous one(s). Among variable changes of grade 1 etiologies, an increasing prevalence of cardioembolism--often insufficiently treated--at stroke recurrence was a major finding. ASCO proved to be highly useful to monitor risk factor constellations.

Coexisting large and small vessel disease in patients with ischemic stroke of undetermined cause.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) and small vessel disease (SVD) share common risk factors for stroke. We aimed at investigating the association of SVD with cerebral LAA as well as with atherosclerosis in patients with stroke likely to originate from aortic plaques. METHODS: We investigated 71 consecutive patients (48 men, mean age 64.2 ± 13 years) with ischemic stroke of undetermined cause according to the ASCO classification, who received ECG-triggered CT angiography for best available atherosclerotic plaque detection in the aorta. RESULTS: Aortic atherosclerotic plaques were detected in 54 patients (76.1%). The presence of SVD significantly correlated with the presence of aortic plaques (p < 0.001), as well as LAA (p < 0.001) and risk factors such as arterial hypertension (p = 0.032) and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Aortic plaques are common in patients with stroke of undetermined cause. If so, SVD and LAA are often coexisting, which demonstrates the close link of macro- and microangiopathy, at least in cases of severe risk factors of atherosclerosis.

CT angiography of the aorta is superior to transesophageal echocardiography for determining stroke subtypes in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of ischemic strokes remains cryptogenic in about one third of patients, even after extensive workup in specialized centers. Atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta can cause thromboembolic events but are often overlooked. They can elude standard identification by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which is invasive or at best uncomfortable for many patients. CT angiography (CTA) can be used as an alternative or in addition to TEE if this technique fails to visualize every part of the aorta and in particular the aortic arch. METHODS: We prospectively studied 64 patients (47 men, age 60 ± 13 years) classified as having cryptogenic stroke after standard and full workup [including brain MRI and 24-hour electrocardiogram (ECG)] with ECG-triggered CTA of the aorta in search of plaques and compared the results with those of TEE. Investigators were blinded to the results of both techniques. Plaques were graded on CTA according to their presence (0 = not present; 1 = mild; 2 = severe) and degree of calcification (1a or 2a = noncalcified; 1b or 2b = calcified). Associations with risk factors and infarct localization were also assessed. RESULTS: Only 21 of 64 patients (32.8%) had aortic plaques identified by TEE, compared to 43 of 64 (67.2%) with CTA (p < 0.05). The plaque localization was as follows (TEE vs. CTA): ascending aorta, 10 vs. 20 (p < 0.05); aortic arch, 10 vs. 40 (p < 0.05), and descending aorta, 20 vs. 34 (p < 0.05). Grade 1 plaques were most commonly found in the aortic arch (25; 39%), while grade 2 plaques were most often detected in the aortic arch (15; 23.4%) and the descending aorta (14; 21.9%). There was no significant correlation between plaque location, infarct territory or vascular risk profile, except for hypertension (p = 0.003), which was significantly associated with the presence of plaques. CONCLUSIONS: CTA identifies more plaques throughout the aortic arch and around the origins of the major cerebral arteries in particular compared to TEE. These may represent potential embolic sources of acute ischemic stroke. Better plaque detection may have an impact on the best available secondary prevention regimen in individual patients if proximal embolic sources are suspected.

Brain imaging in patients with transient ischemic attack: a comparison of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Brain imaging in stroke aims at the detection of the relevant ischemic tissue pathology. Cranial computed tomography (CT) is frequently used in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) but no data is available on how it directly compares to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: We compared detection of acute ischemic lesions on CT and MRI in 215 consecutive TIA patients who underwent brain imaging with either CT (n = 161) or MRI (n = 54). An MRI was performed within 24 h in all patients who had CT initially. RESULTS: An initial assessment with CT revealed no acute pathology in 154 (95.7%) and possible acute infarction in 7 (4.3%) patients. The acute infarct on CT was confirmed by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in only 2 cases (28.6%). DWI detected an acute infarct in 50 of the 154 patients with normal baseline CT (32.5%). Among 54 patients without baseline CT, DWI showed acute ischemic lesions in 19 (35.2%). The ischemic lesions had a median volume of 0.87 cm(3) (range: 0.08-15.61), and the lesion pattern provided clues to the underlying etiology in 13.7%. CONCLUSION: Acute MRI is advantageous over CT to confirm the probable ischemic nature and to identify the etiology in TIA patients.

From the stroke unit to the stroke competence center: corresponding beneficial clinical and financial effects.

The introduction of the diagnosis related groups (DRG) system in Germany has radically influenced the organization of in-hospital patient treatment. Case-mix-index and duration of treatment in a stroke unit (SU) play a central role. Our SU started in 1998 and was gradually extended to the current "Stroke Competence Center" (SCC), with a total capacity of 29 patients. The SCC combines acute treatment, work-up and post-stroke management by the same specialized team. We aimed primarily at demonstrating the financial effects of this concept. Data from stroke patients treated in our SU/SCC between 2004 and 2009 were analyzed. We analyzed the number of treated stroke patients, number of thrombolytic treatments, the number of cases coded with procedure codes OPS 8-981.x and the ratio of OPS 8-981.0 (24-72 h on SU) to the higher remunerated OPS 8-981.1 (>72 h on SU). The number of treated patients increased by 118.3% (from 469 in 2004 to 1024 in 2009). The number of thrombolyses per year has more than quadrupled (2004: 46, 2009: 253, i.e. 25% of SU patients). The introduction of the stroke center concept lead to a great increase in the ratio of the higher rewarded OPS 8-981.1 to OPS 8-981.0 (from 1.5 in 2005 to 5.21 in 2009). Our data demonstrates that the SCC concept leads to a greater financial potential, while offering considerable medical advantages concerning more effective stroke treatment and work-up as well as improved flow of information and enhanced individual patient-physician relationship.

[Carotid stenosis: is the distinction between "symptomatic" and "asymptomatic" obsolete?]. / Karotisstenose: Ist die Unterteilung in symptomatisch und asymptomatisch obsolet?

Carotid stenosis is common, especially among patients with vascular risk factors. The usual distinction between "symptomatic" and "asymptomatic" corresponds to older studies on the surgical vs. conservative treatment and to newer studies on interventional treatment (angioplasty with/without stent vs. surgery). However, both forms only describe different stages of activity of the same disease. They are markers of a systemic atherosclerosis, which results in a high risk of cardiovascular events in particular. All patients with carotid stenosis profit from regular clinical and duplexsonographic follow-up-studies of the brain arteries, cardiovascular assessment and good control of all vascular risk factors. Patients with carotid stenosis may profit from carotid intervention, if this takes place shortly after onset of associated cerebral ischemia and/or if there is a favorable benefit-risk ratio.