Prevalence and prognostic impact of stroke in a national cohort of infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a common complication of infective endocarditis (IE). Our aim was to describe the prevalence and prognostic impact of stroke in a national cohort of IE. METHODS: Consecutive inclusion at 46 Spanish hospitals between 2008 and 2021. RESULTS: Out of 5667 IE cases, 1125 had acute stroke (19.8%): 818 ischemic strokes (811 cardioembolic strokes (193 with hemorrhagic transformation), 4 transient ischemic attacks, 3 lacunar infarctions), 127 intracranial hemorrhages, and 27 other neurological complications (cerebral abscesses, encephalitis, and meningitis). Compared to patients without stroke, those with stroke had a similar mean age (69 years) but were more frequently female (68.2% vs 63.7%, p = 0.04) and had a higher incidence of intracardiac complications (35% vs 30%, p = 0.01), surgical indication (69.9% vs 65.9%, p = 0.001), in-hospital mortality (40.9% vs 22.0%, p < 0.001), and 1-year mortality (46.2% vs 27.9%, p < 0.001). The following variables were independently associated with stroke: mitral location (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.34-1.8, p < 0.001), vascular phenomenon (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 2.4-3.6, p = 0.0001), acute renal failure (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0-1.4, p = 0.021), septic shock (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6, p = 0.007), sepsis (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6, p = 0.005), surgery indicated but not performed (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.2-1.7, p < 0.001), community-acquired IE (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1-1.4, p = 0.017), and peripheral embolization (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4-1.9, p < 0.001). Stroke was an independent predictor of in-hospital (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.78-2.51, p < 0.001) and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.6-2.5). CONCLUSION: One-fifth of patients with IE have concomitant stroke. Stroke is associated with mortality.

Related factors with orolingual angioedema after intravenous alteplase in acute ischemic stroke: results from a single-center cohort and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Orolingual angioedema (OA) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with alteplase in acute stroke can be a life-threatening complication. Our aim was to describe its incidence, clinical features, and related factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed a single-center cohort of stroke patients treated with IVT in an 8-year period. We compared patients with (OA+) and without OA (OA-). A meta-analysis of previous studies was performed to identify factors related with OA. RESULTS: OA occurred in 7 out of 512 patients (1.37%; 95% CI 0.86-1.88%). Previous hypertension, diabetes, and treatment with ACE inhibitors were more frequent in OA+ compared to OA- patients (100% vs 58%, p = 0.045; 71.4% vs 21.8%, p = 0.008; and 71.4% vs. 16.6%, p = 0.002). Three out of 4 cases with unilateral OA had a contralateral insular infarct. The meta-analysis included 13 studies: 5720 stroke patients treated with IVT and 209 cases of OA. Factors related with OA were ACE inhibitor treatment (RR 5.33 [95% CI 3.07-9.26]) female sex (RR 1.94 [95% CI 1.24-3.03]), hypertension (RR 2.64 [95% CI 1.79-3.90]), diabetes (RR 1.60 [95% CI 1.16-2.21]), and dyslipidemia (RR 1.46 [95% CI 1.00-2.12]). The effect of insular infarct was inconclusive: positive when considering complete infarcts (RR 1.97 [95% CI 1.18-3.29]) and absent when partial infarcts were also included. CONCLUSIONS: OA occurred in 1.37% of the IVT-treated stroke patients. Previous treatment with ACE inhibitors, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and female sex were associated with OA. The effect of insular infarct needs to be clarified in further studies.

Acute Stroke Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reduction in the Number of Admissions of Elderly Patients and Increase in Prehospital Delays.

INTRODUCTION: We analyzed whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis affected acute stroke care in our center during the first 2 months of lockdown in Spain. METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective study. We collected demographic, clinical, and radiological data; time course; and treatment of patients meeting the stroke unit admission criteria from March 14 to May 14, 2020 (COVID-19 period group). Data were compared with the same period in 2019 (pre-COVID-19 period group). RESULTS: 195 patients were analyzed; 83 in the COVID-19 period group, resulting in a 26% decline of acute strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) admitted to our center compared with the previous year (p = 0.038). Ten patients (12%) tested positive for PCR SARS-CoV-2. The proportion of patients aged 65 years and over was lower in the COVID-19 period group (53 vs. 68.8%, p = 0.025). During the pandemic period, analyzed patients were more frequently smokers (27.7 vs. 10.7%, p = 0.002) and had less frequently history of prior stroke (13.3 vs. 25%, p = 0.043) or atrial fibrillation (9.6 vs. 25%, p = 0.006). ASPECTS score was lower (9 [7-10] vs. 10 [8-10], p = 0.032), NIHSS score was slightly higher (5 [2-14] vs. 4 [2-8], p = 0.122), onset-to-door time was higher (304 [93-760] vs. 197 [91.25-645] min, p = 0.104), and a lower proportion arrived within 4.5 h from onset of symptoms (43.4 vs. 58%, p = 0.043) during the CO-VID-19 period. There were no differences between proportion of patients receiving recanalization treatment (intravenous thrombolysis and/or mechanical thrombectomy) and in-hospital delays. CONCLUSION: We observed a reduction in the number of acute strokes and TIAs admitted during the COVID-19 period. This drop affected especially elderly patients, and despite a delay in their arrival to the emergency department, the proportion of patients treated with recanalization therapies was preserved.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related transient focal neurological episodes: A transient ischemic attack mimic with an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Transient focal neurological episodes (TFNEs) are a recently recognized clinical presentation of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Our aim was to describe the clinical and radiological features of a series of patients with AS. METHODS: We included 11 patients presenting with recurrent transient focal neurological symptoms and radiological features related to CAA. RESULTS: Mean age was 76,6 and 5 patients were women. All patients reported transient, stereotyped, and recurrent episodes (6 patients had >10 episodes). Gradual spread of the symptoms was recorded in 9 patients. Initially, 3 patients were misdiagnosed as having recurrent transient ischemic attack (TIA), 6 as having seizures, and 2 as having both. Two patients were prescribed antiplatelet therapy. A cerebral MRI with T2* gradient-recalled echo sequence revealed cortical superficial siderosis (cSS) in 5 patients, cortical microbleeds in 1 patient, and both features in 5 cases. After a median follow-up of 36 months, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) was recorded in 4 patients. All 4 had cSS in the previous cerebral MRI, and 1 was on antiplatelet therapy. CONCLUSION: CAA-related TFNEs are an underdiagnosed entity, often mimicking TIA, seizures, or migraine aura. This misdiagnosis can lead to the prescription of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy, which increases the risk of ICH. Our results suggest that cSS might be a radiological marker that is closely related to an increased risk of bleeding. A T2* gradient-recalled echo MRI should be performed in elderly patients with transient focal neurological symptoms suggestive of CAA.

Efficacy of New Measures Saving Time in Acute Stroke Management: A Quantified Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Time to treatment remains the most important factor in acute ischemic stroke prognosis. We quantified the effect of new interventions reducing in-hospital delays in acute stroke management and assessed its repercussion on door-to-imaging (DTI), imaging-to-needle (ITN), and door-to-needle (DTN) times. METHODS: Prospective registry of consecutive stroke patients who were candidates for reperfusion therapy attended in a tertiary care hospital from February 1 to December 31, 2014. A series of measures aimed at reducing in-hospital delays were implemented. We compared DTI, ITN, and DTN times between patients who underwent the interventions and those who did not. RESULTS: 231 patients. DTI time was lower when personal history was reviewed and tests were ordered before patient arrival (2.5 minutes saved, P = .016) and when electrocardiogram was not made (5.4 minutes saved, P < .001). Not performing a computed tomography angiography and not waiting for coagulation results from laboratory before intravenous thrombolysis (25.5%) reduced ITN time significantly (14 and 12 minutes saved, respectively, P < .001). These interventions remained as independent predictors of a shorter ITN and DTN time. Completing all steps resulted in the lowest DTI and ITN times (13 and 19 minutes, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Every measure is an important part of a chain focused on saving time in acute stroke: the lowest DTI and ITN times were obtained when all steps were completed. Measures shortening ITN time produced a greater impact on DTN time reduction; therefore, ITN interventions should be considered a critical part of new protocols and guidelines.

Implicaciones diagnósticas, pronósticas y terapéuticas del dúplex color transcraneal en el ictus isquémico agudo: validación de los grados TIBI y COGIF / Diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications of transcranial color-coded duplex sonography in acute ischemic stroke: TIBI and COGIF scores validation

Objetivo. Describir la información aportada por el dúplex color transcraneal (DCTC) en pacientes con ictus isquémico agudo, analizando la relación entre los hallazgos del DCTC, la gravedad y el pronóstico, así como su utilidad en la toma de decisiones terapéuticas. Pacientes y métodos. Analizamos los DCTC realizados a pacientes con ictus agudo de menos de seis horas de evolución. Recogimos la existencia de oclusión arterial empleando las clasificaciones TIBI (Thrombolysis in Brain Ischemia) y COGIF (Consensus on Grading Intracranial Flow Obstruction). Determinamos la recanalización arterial a las 24 horas del ictus empleando criterios TIBI y COGIF. Consideramos buena evolución funcional puntuaciones en la escala de Rankin de 0 a 2 a los tres meses. Resultados. Realizamos DCTC en 104 pacientes, 85 tratados con trombólisis intravenosa. Objetivamos oclusión arterial en el 79,8%. La detección de una oclusión arterial mediante DCTC permitió indicar tratamiento endovascular en el 23,1% de los pacientes. La presencia de oclusión arterial se asoció a mayor gravedad del ictus. Detectamos recanalización arterial en el 44,1% según los criterios TIBI y en el 45,8% según los criterios COGIF. El 80,8% de los pacientes que recanalizaron y sólo el 39,5% de los que no recanalizaron obtuvieron una buena evolución funcional a los tres meses. La recanalización dependió de la localización de la oclusión arterial. Conclusiones. El DCTC es útil para detección y localización de oclusión arterial, aporta información pronóstica valiosa y permite seleccionar pacientes para el empleo de terapias endovasculares. La información aportada por las clasificaciones TIBI y COGIF es equiparable (AU)

Aim. To describe the information provided by transcranial color-coded duplex (TCCD) sonography for therapeutic decision making in patients with acute ischemic stroke and to analyze the relationship between TCCD findings and the severity and prognosis of stroke. Patients and methods. TCCD performed within the six first hours after an acute ischemic stroke were analyzed in our institution. The presence of an arterial occlusion and its location were collected using TIBI (Thrombolysis in Brain Ischemia) and COGIF (Consensus on Grading Intracranial Flow Obstruction) criteria. Arterial recanalization within 24 hours after stroke was determined using TIBI and COGIF criteria. Favorable functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale from 0 to 2 at three months. Results. TCCD was performed in 104 patients, 85 were treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Arterial occlusion was detected in 79.8% of patients. The detection of arterial occlusion with TCCD allowed the selection for endovascular treatment in 23.1% of patients. Arterial occlusion was associated with a higher severity of stroke. Recanalization was detected in 44.1% using TIBI and 45.8% according to COGIF criteria. 80.8% of recanalized patients and only 39.5% of not recanalized had a favorable functional outcome at three months. Recanalization rate depended on the location of arterial occlusion. Conclusion. TCCD is a useful technique for the detection and location of arterial occlusion. It provides valuable prognostic information and allows selecting patients for endovascular recanalizing therapies. TIBI and COGIF scores provide a comparable information (AU)

Trombólisis intravenosa en el ictus isquémico asociado a endocarditis infecciosa: una combinación peligrosa / Intravenous thrombolysis in ischemic stroke caused by infective endocarditis: a dangerous combination

No disponible

Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke: calculation of dose based on estimated patient weight can increase the risk of cerebral bleeding.

A dose of 0.9 mg/kg of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) has proven to be beneficial in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Dosing of t-PA based on estimated patient weight (PW) increases the likelihood of errors. Our objectives were to evaluate the accuracy of estimated PW and assess the effectiveness and safety of the actual applied dose (AAD) of t-PA. We performed a prospective single-center study of AIS patients treated with t-PA from May 2010 to December 2011. Dose was calculated according to estimated PW. Patients were weighed during the 24 h following treatment with t-PA. Estimation errors and AAD were calculated. Actual PW was measured in 97 of the 108 included patients. PW estimation errors were recorded in 22.7 % and were more frequent when weight was estimated by stroke unit staff (44 %). Only 11 % of patients misreported their own weight. Mean AAD was significantly higher in patients who had intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after t-PA than in patients who did not (0.96 vs. 0.92 mg/kg; p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis showed an increased risk of ICH for each 10 % increase in t-PA dose above the optimal dose of 0.90 mg/kg (OR 3.10; 95 % CI 1.14-8.39; p = 0.026). No effects of t-PA misdosing were observed on symptomatic ICH, functional outcome or mortality. Estimated PW is frequently inaccurate and leads to t-PA dosing errors. Increasing doses of t-PA above 0.90 mg/kg may increase the risk of ICH. Standardized weighing methods before t-PA is administered should be considered.

Vascular imaging before intravenous thrombolysis: consequences of in-hospital delay in applying two diagnostic procedures.

BACKGROUND: Vascular imaging is increasingly used for diagnosis of arterial occlusions in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Our aim was to determine whether computed tomography angiography (CTA) and Doppler/duplex ultrasound (DUS) before intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is associated with a delay in time-to-treatment. METHODS: Observational analysis of a prospective cohort of AIS patients treated with IVT from January 2009 to December 2012. Patients were classified into three groups: the noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) group (patients studied only with NCCT before IVT), CTA group (patients who underwent CTA in addition to NCCT), and the DUS group (patients studied with NCCT+DUS). RESULTS: We treated 244 patients: 116 patients (47.5%) were studied with NCCT, 79 (32.4%) with CTA, and 49 (20.1%) with DUS. Door-to-needle time was significantly higher in the CTA group (median 60 [48-77] minutes) than in the NCCT group (51.5 [40-65]) and DUS group (48 [42-61]) (P = .008). No differences were observed for onset-to-door time and onset-to-needle time. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, onset-to-door time, prehospital stroke code activation, and performance of CTA influenced door-to-needle time. CONCLUSIONS: Performing CTA before IVT seems to increase door-to-needle time. Vascular imaging based on DUS should be considered only if this does not lead to in-hospital delay.

[Bilateral carotid artery occlusion: prognosis and neurosonological features]. / Oclusion carotidea bilateral: pronostico y caracteristicas neurosonologicas.

INTRODUCTION: Bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) is a rare and poorly studied entity. The medium-long term prognosis reported is variable. Collateral circulation must play a crucial role in the outcome, however, the evidence in literature is scarce. AIM: To describe the prognosis and the neurosonological features in a series of patients with BCAO. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were recruited from our Neurosonology laboratory database for 5 years. BCAO was detected with duplex ultrasonography and confirmed with computed tomography angiography and/or conventional digital substraction angiography. Clinical features and follow-up were recorded and a complete neurosonological workup was performed to study the collateral pathways and the cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CRC) with the administration of intravenous acetazolamide. RESULTS: 2,780 neurosonological studies were reviewed. BCAO was confirmed in 10 patients. Eight patients suffered a hemispheric stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) at diagnosis. Patients were followed for an average period of 2.7 years. A patient suffered a right carotid TIA in the follow-up period, resulting in an annual stroke rate of 4.1%. Six patients remained functionally independent and two patients died. Six patients underwent a complete neurosonological study, showing an extensive collateral circulation and a pathological CRC in all patients. The patient who suffered the recurrence presented an exhausted CRC and the collateral circulation was less favourable in the symptomatic hemisphere. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, the annual ischaemic stroke rate in patients with BCAO was low. A pathological CRC and an inadequate collateral circulation could be related with an increased risk of recurrences.

TITLE: Oclusion carotidea bilateral: pronostico y caracteristicas neurosonologicas.Introduccion. La oclusion carotidea bilateral (OCB) es una entidad infrecuente y poco estudiada. El pronostico a medio y largo plazo comunicado es variable. La circulacion colateral desempeña, probablemente, un papel crucial en su pronostico; sin embargo, existen pocos trabajos en la bibliografia al respecto. Objetivo. Describir el pronostico y las caracteristicas neurosonologicas de una serie de pacientes con OCB. Pacientes y metodos. Se seleccionaron pacientes del laboratorio de neurosonologia por un periodo de cinco años. El diagnostico de OCB se realizo mediante ultrasonografia duplex y se confirmo con angiotomografia computarizada o angiografia convencional. Se registraron las variables clinico-diagnosticas, el seguimiento de recurrencias, y se realizo un estudio neurosonologico completo y un test de reserva hemodinamica cerebral (RHC) con acetazolamida intravenosa. Resultados. Se revisaron 2.780 estudios neurosonologicos y se confirmo el diagnostico de OCB en 10 pacientes. Ocho pacientes se diagnosticaron a raiz de una isquemia cerebral. Se realizo un seguimiento medio de 2,7 años. Un paciente presento un ataque isquemico transitorio carotideo derecho durante el seguimiento, lo que resulto en una tasa anual de ictus isquemico del 4,1%. Seis se mantuvieron funcionalmente independientes y dos fallecieron. Se realizo un estudio neurosonologico completo en seis pacientes, y se evidencio una circulacion colateral extensa y RHC patologica en todos. El paciente que sufrio la recurrencia presento una RHC exhausta y circulacion colateral desfavorable en el hemisferio sintomatico. Conclusiones. En la serie estudiada, los pacientes con OCB presentaron una baja tasa de recurrencias cerebrovasculares. Una RHC patologica y una circulacion colateral insuficiente podrian relacionarse con un mayor riesgo de recurrencias.

Oclusión carotídea bilateral: pronóstico y características neurosonológicas / Bilateral carotid artery occlusion: prognosis and neurosonological features

Introducción. La oclusión carotídea bilateral (OCB) es una entidad infrecuente y poco estudiada. El pronóstico a medio y largo plazo comunicado es variable. La circulación colateral desempeña, probablemente, un papel crucial en su pronóstico; sin embargo, existen pocos trabajos en la bibliografía al respecto. Objetivo. Describir el pronóstico y las características neurosonológicas de una serie de pacientes con OCB. Pacientes y métodos. Se seleccionaron pacientes del laboratorio de neurosonología por un período de cinco años. El diagnósticode OCB se realizó mediante ultrasonografía dúplex y se confirmó con angiotomografía computarizada o angiografía convencional. Se registraron las variables clínico-diagnósticas, el seguimiento de recurrencias, y se realizó un estudio neurosonológico completo y un test de reserva hemodinámica cerebral (RHC) con acetazolamida intravenosa. Resultados. Se revisaron 2.780 estudios neurosonológicos y se confirmó el diagnóstico de OCB en 10 pacientes. Ocho pacientes se diagnosticaron a raíz de una isquemia cerebral. Se realizó un seguimiento medio de 2,7 años. Un paciente presentó un ataque isquémico transitorio carotídeo derecho durante el seguimiento, lo que resultó en una tasa anual de ictus isquémico del 4,1%. Seis se mantuvieron funcionalmente independientes y dos fallecieron. Se realizó un estudio neurosonológico completo en seis pacientes, y se evidenció una circulación colateral extensa y RHC patológica en todos. El paciente que sufrió la recurrencia presentó una RHC exhausta y circulación colateral desfavorable en el hemisferio sintomático. Conclusiones. En la serie estudiada, los pacientes con OCB presentaron una baja tasa de recurrencias cerebrovasculares. Una RHC patológica y una circulación colateral insuficiente podrían relacionarse con un mayor riesgo de recurrencias (AU)

Introduction. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) is a rare and poorly studied entity. The medium-long term prognosis reported is variable. Collateral circulation must play a crucial role in the outcome, however, the evidence in literature is scarce. Aim. To describe the prognosis and the neurosonological features in a series of patients with BCAO. Patients and methods. Patients were recruited from our Neurosonology laboratory database for 5 years. BCAO was detected with duplex ultrasonography and confirmed with computed tomography angiography and/or conventional digital substraction angiography. Clinical features and follow-up were recorded and a complete neurosonological workup was performed to study the collateral pathways and the cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CRC) with the administration of intravenous acetazolamide. Results. 2,780 neurosonological studies were reviewed. BCAO was confirmed in 10 patients. Eight patients suffered a hemispheric stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) at diagnosis. Patients were followed for an average period of 2.7 years. A patient suffered a right carotid TIA in the follow-up period, resulting in an annual stroke rate of 4.1%. Six patients remained functionally independent and two patients died. Six patients underwent a complete neurosonological study, showing an extensive collateral circulation and a pathological CRC in all patients. The patient who suffered the recurrence presented an exhausted CRC and the collateral circulation was less favourable in the symptomatic hemisphere. Conclusions. In the present study, the annual ischaemic stroke rate in patients with BCAO was low. A pathological CRC and an inadequate collateral circulation could be related with an increased risk of recurrences (AU)