Long-term mortality and risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack: a hospital-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke and mortality rates in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) differ widely between community-based studies and research cohorts. Our aim therefore was to provide a reliable estimate for TIA patients treated in German neurology departments with an acute stroke unit. METHODS: A total of 1951 consecutively admitted TIA patients were prospectively documented in 13 centers and 1480 (75.9%) gave consent for long-term follow-up. During a mean follow-up of 23.4 months, we assessed recurrent cerebrovascular events and cause of death in 1448 patients via standardized telephone interview including confirmation of endpoint events by the treating physician. RESULTS: Overall 94 patients (6.5%) suffered a stroke and 118 patients (8.1%) died, 21 due to stroke. The Kaplan-Meier estimate for stroke during the first year was 4.4% (95% CI 3.2-5.6%) which corresponds to a relative risk of 9.5 (95% CI 7.4-12.3) compared to the population-based stroke incidence in Germany. The annual rates after the first year were 2.2% (95% CI 1.7-2.7%) for stroke and 3.2% (95% CI 2.7-3.8%) for death. Independent predictors for stroke during follow-up were age and previous cerebrovascular events. The ABCD(2) score did not provide any meaningful prediction of stroke risk at 90 days. CONCLUSION: While the in-hospital risk of stroke was low, long-term stroke rates in our well-defined multicenter hospital-based cohort were comparable to a large randomized trial. In patients with a well-established diagnosis of TIA, only age and previous cerebrovascular events seem to constitute independent predictors for stroke during long-term follow-up.

Neurologic worsening during the acute phase of ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Although capacities for intensive monitoring of patients with stroke are still limited, patients at risk for early neurologic worsening are poorly defined. OBJECTIVE: To identify patients at risk for neurologic worsening. DESIGN: An inception cohort was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIH-SS) at hospital admission and again 48 to 72 hours later. SETTING: Eleven neurologic departments with acute stroke units. PATIENTS: A total of 1964 consecutive patients admitted within 4 hours of the onset of acute cerebral ischemic symptoms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Underlying reasons for and possible predictors of neurologic worsening. RESULTS: A total of 256 patients (13.0%) had an increased score of 1 point or more on the NIH-SS after 48 to 72 hours. Neurologic worsening was attributed to progressive stroke in 33.6% of patients, increased intracranial pressure in 27.3%, recurrent cerebral ischemia in 11.3%, and secondary parenchymal hemorrhage in 10.5%. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified internal carotid artery occlusion, medial cerebral artery (M1) occlusion, territorial infarction, brainstem infarction, and diabetes mellitus as independent predictors of neurologic worsening on the NIH-SS. Worsening of key neurologic functions (consciousness, gaze, arm or leg motor function, and speech) occurred in 223 patients (11.4%), and worsening of 4 points or more on the NIH-SS total score occurred in 148 patients (7.5%). CONCLUSION: Besides initial stroke severity and comorbid conditions, ultrasound and imaging can provide valuable information about the risk of worsening of stroke symptoms in the acute phase and thus can identify patients who could benefit most from intensive monitoring.