2.Simplified Assessment of Lesion Water Uptake for Identification of Patients within 4.5 Hours of StrokeOnset: An Analysis of the MissPerfeCT Study
Peter B. SPORNS ; Marco HÖHNE ; Lennart MEYER ; Christos KROGIAS ; Volker PUETZ ; Kolja M. THIERFELDER ; Marco DUERING ; Daniel KAISER ; Sönke LANGNER ; Alex BREHM ; Lukas T. ROTKOPF ; Wolfgang G. KUNZ ; Jens FIEHLER ; Walter HEINDEL ; Peter SCHRAMM ; Heinz WIENDL ; Heike MINNERUP ; Marios Nikos PSYCHOGIOS ; André KEMMLING ; Jens MINNERUP
Journal of Stroke 2022;24(3):390-395
and Purpose Many patients with stroke cannot receive intravenous thrombolysis because the time of symptom onset is unknown. We tested whether a simple method of computed tomography (CT)-based quantification of water uptake in the ischemic tissue can identify patients with stroke onset within 4.5 hours. Methods This retrospective analysis of the MissPerfeCT study (August 2009 to November 2017) includes consecutive patients with known onset of symptoms from seven tertiary stroke centers. We developed a simplified algorithm based on region of interest (ROI) measurements to quantify water uptake of the ischemic lesion and thereby quantify time of symptom onset within and beyond 4.5 hours. Perfusion CT was used to identify ischemic brain tissue, and its density was measured in non-contrast CT and related to the density of the corresponding area of the contralateral hemisphere to quantify lesion water uptake. Results Of 263 patients, 204 (77.6%) had CT within 4.5 hours. Water uptake was significantly lower in patients with stroke onset within (6.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.0% to 7.4%) compared to beyond 4.5 hours (12.7%; 95% CI, 10.7% to 14.7%). The area under the curve for distinguishing these patient groups according to percentage water uptake was 0.744 with an optimal cut-off value of 9.5%. According to this cut-off the positive predictive value was 88.8%, sensitivity was 73.5%, specificity 67.8%, negative predictive value was 42.6%. Conclusions Ischemic stroke patients with unknown time of symptom onset can be identified as being within a timeframe of 4.5 hours using a ROI-based method to assess water uptake on admission non-contrast head CT.
3.Venous Outflow Profiles Are Linked to Clinical Outcomes in Ischemic Stroke Patients with Extensive Baseline Infarct
Laurens WINKELMEIER ; Gabriel BROOCKS ; Helge KNIEP ; Vincent GEEST ; Jonathan REINWALD ; Lukas MEYER ; Noel VAN HORN ; Adrien GUENEGO ; Kamil ZELEŇÁK ; Gregory W. ALBERS ; Maarten LANSBERG ; Peter SPORNS ; Max WINTERMARK ; Jens FIEHLER ; Jeremy J. HEIT ; Tobias D. FAIZY
Journal of Stroke 2022;24(3):372-382
Background:
and Purpose The benefit of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) treatment is still unclear in stroke patients presenting with extensive baseline infarct. The use of additional imaging biomarkers could improve clinical outcome prediction and individualized EVT selection in this vulnerable cohort. We hypothesized that cerebral venous outflow (VO) may be associated with functional outcomes in patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS).
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO). Extensive baseline infarct was defined by an ASPECTS of ≤5 on admission computed tomography (CT). VO profiles were assessed on admission CT angiography using the Cortical Vein Opacification Score (COVES). Favorable VO was defined as COVES ≥3. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between cerebral VO and good clinical outcomes (90-day modified Rankin Scale score of ≤3).
Results:
A total of 98 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients with extensive baseline infarct and favorable VO achieved significantly more often good clinical outcomes compared to patients with unfavorable VO (45.5% vs. 10.5%, P<0.001). Higher COVES were strongly associated with good clinical outcomes (odds ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 4.57; P=0.024), independent of ASPECTS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and success of EVT.
Conclusions
Cerebral VO profiles are associated with good clinical outcomes in AIS-LVO patients with extensive baseline infarct. VO profiles could serve as a useful additional imaging biomarker for treatment selection and outcome prediction in low ASPECTS patients.
4.Bridging Thrombolysis versus Direct Mechanical Thrombectomy in Stroke Due to Basilar Artery Occlusion
Isabel SIOW ; Benjamin Y.Q. TAN ; Keng Siang LEE ; Natalie ONG ; Emma TOH ; Anil GOPINATHAN ; Cunli YANG ; Pervinder BHOGAL ; Erika LAM ; Oliver SPOONER ; Lukas MEYER ; Jens FIEHLER ; Panagiotis PAPANAGIOTOU ; Andreas KASTRUP ; Maria ALEXANDROU ; Seraphine ZUBEL ; Qingyu WU ; Anastasios MPOTSARIS ; Volker MAUS ; Tommy ANDERSON ; Vamsi GONTU ; Fabian ARNBERG ; Tsong Hai LEE ; Bernard P.L. CHAN ; Raymond C.S. SEET ; Hock Luen TEOH ; Vijay K. SHARMA ; Leonard L.L. YEO
Journal of Stroke 2022;24(1):128-137
Background:
and Purpose Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is an effective treatment for patients with basilar artery occlusion (BAO) acute ischemic stroke. It remains unclear whether bridging intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) prior to MT confers any benefit. This study compared the outcomes of acute BAO patients who were treated with direct MT versus combined IVT plus MT.
Methods:
This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients who were treated for acute BAO from eight comprehensive stroke centers between January 2015 and December 2019. Patients received direct MT or combined bridging IVT plus MT. Primary outcome was favorable functional outcome defined as modified Rankin Scale 0–3 measured at 90 days. Secondary outcome measures included mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH).
Results:
Among 322 patients, 127 (39.4%) patients underwent bridging IVT followed by MT and 195 (60.6%) underwent direct MT. The mean±standard deviation age was 67.5±14.1 years, 64.0% were male and median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 16 (interquartile range, 8 to 25). At 90-day, the rate of favorable functional outcome was similar between the bridging IVT and direct MT groups (39.4% vs. 34.4%, P=0.361). On multivariable analyses, bridging IVT was not asComorbidisociated with favorable functional outcome, mortality or sICH. In subgroup analyses, patients with underlying atherosclerosis treated with bridging IVT compared to direct MT had a higher rate of favorable functional outcome at 90 days (37.2% vs. 15.5%, P=0.013).
Conclusions
Functional outcomes were similar in BAO patients treated with bridging IVT versus direct MT. In the subgroup of patients with underlying large-artery atherosclerosis stroke mechanism, bridging IVT may potentially confer benefit and this warrants further investigation.
5.Safety and Angiographic Efficacy of Intra-Arterial Fibrinolytics as Adjunct to Mechanical Thrombectomy: Results from the INFINITY Registry
Johannes KAESMACHER ; Nuran ABDULLAYEV ; Basel MAAMARI ; Tomas DOBROCKY ; Jan VYNCKIER ; Eike I. PIECHOWIAK ; Raoul POP ; Daniel BEHME ; Peter B. SPORNS ; Hanna STYCZEN ; Pekka VIRTANEN ; Lukas MEYER ; Thomas R. MEINEL ; Daniel CANTRÉ ; Christoph KABBASCH ; Volker MAUS ; Johanna PEKKOLA ; Sebastian FISCHER ; Anca HASIU ; Alexander SCHWARZ ; Moritz WILDGRUBER ; David J. SEIFFGE ; Sönke LANGNER ; Nicolas MARTINEZ-MAJANDER ; Alexander RADBRUCH ; Marc SCHLAMANN ; Dan MIHOC ; Rémy BEAUJEUX ; Daniel STRBIAN ; Jens FIEHLER ; Pasquale MORDASINI ; Jan GRALLA ; Urs FISCHER
Journal of Stroke 2021;23(1):91-102
Background:
and Purpose Data on safety and efficacy of intra-arterial (IA) fibrinolytics as adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy (MT) are sparse.
Methods:
INtra-arterial FIbriNolytics In ThrombectomY (INFINITY) is a retrospective multi-center observational registry of consecutive patients with anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion ischemic stroke treated with MT and adjunctive administration of IA fibrinolytics (alteplase [tissue plasminogen activator, tPA] or urokinase [UK]) at 10 European centers. Primary outcome was the occurrence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) according to the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II definition. Secondary outcomes were mortality and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 3 months.
Results:
Of 5,612 patients screened, 311 (median age, 74 years; 44.1% female) received additional IA after or during MT (194 MT+IA tPA, 117 MT+IA UK). IA fibrinolytics were mostly administered for rescue of thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) 0-2b after MT (80.4%, 250/311). sICH occurred in 27 of 308 patients (8.8%), with an increased risk in patients with initial TICI0/1 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 5.0 per TICI grade decrease) or in those with intracranial internal carotid artery occlusions (aOR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 12.5). In patients with attempted rescue of TICI0-2b and available angiographic follow-up, 116 of 228 patients (50.9%) showed any angiographic reperfusion improvement after IA fibrinolytics, which was associated with mRS ≤2 (aOR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.9).
Conclusions
Administration of IA fibrinolytics as adjunct to MT is performed rarely, but can improve reperfusion, which is associated with better outcomes. Despite a selection bias, an increased risk of sICH seems possible, which underlines the importance of careful patient selection.
6.Endovascular Thrombectomy Versus Intravenous Thrombolysis of Posterior Cerebral Artery Occlusion Stroke
Silja RÄTY ; Thanh N. NGUYEN ; Simon NAGEL ; Davide STRAMBO ; Patrik MICHEL ; Christian HERWEH ; Muhammad M. QURESHI ; Mohamad ABDALKADER ; Pekka VIRTANEN ; Marta OLIVE-GADEA ; Marc RIBO ; Marios PSYCHOGIOS ; Anh NGUYEN ; Joji B. KURAMATSU ; David HAUPENTHAL ; Martin KÖHRMANN ; Cornelius DEUSCHL ; Jordi Kühne ESCOLÀ ; Jelle DEMEESTERE ; Robin LEMMENS ; Lieselotte VANDEWALLE ; Shadi YAGHI ; Liqi SHU ; Volker PUETZ ; Daniel P.O. KAISER ; Johannes KAESMACHER ; Adnan MUJANOVIC ; Dominique Cornelius MARTERSTOC ; Tobias ENGELHORN ; Anne BERBERICH ; Piers KLEIN ; Diogo C. HAUSSEN ; Mahmoud H. MOHAMMADEN ; Hend ABDELHAMID ; Isabel FRAGATA ; Bruno CUNHA ; Michele ROMOLI ; Wei HU ; Jianlon SONG ; Johanna T. FIFI ; Stavros MATSOUKAS ; Sunil A. SHETH ; Sergio A. SALAZAR-MARIONI ; João Pedro MARTO ; João Nuno RAMOS ; Milena MISZCZUK ; Christoph RIEGLER ; Sven POLI ; Khouloud POLI ; Ashutosh P. JADHAV ; Shashvat DESAI ; Volker MAUS ; Maximilian KAEDER ; Adnan H. SIDDIQUI ; Andre MONTEIRO ; Tatu KOKKONEN ; Francesco DIANA ; Hesham E. MASOUD ; Neil SURYADAREVA ; Maxim MOKIN ; Shail THANKI ; Pauli YLIKOTILA ; Kemal ALPAY ; James E. SIEGLER ; Italo LINFANTE ; Guilherme DABUS ; Dileep YAVAGHAL ; Vasu SAINI ; Christian H. NOLTE ; Eberhart SIEBERT ; Markus A. MÖHLENBRUCH ; Peter A. RINGLEB ; Raul G. NOGUEIRA ; Uta HANNING ; Lukas MEYER ; Urs FISCHER ; Daniel STRBIAN
Journal of Stroke 2024;26(2):290-299
Background:
and Purpose Posterior cerebral artery occlusion (PCAo) can cause long-term disability, yet randomized controlled trials to guide optimal reperfusion strategy are lacking. We compared the outcomes of PCAo patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) with or without intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) to patients treated with IVT alone.
Methods:
From the multicenter retrospective Posterior cerebraL ArTery Occlusion (PLATO) registry, we included patients with isolated PCAo treated with reperfusion therapy within 24 hours of onset between January 2015 and August 2022. The primary outcome was the distribution of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months. Other outcomes comprised 3-month excellent (mRS 0–1) and independent outcome (mRS 0–2), early neurological improvement (ENI), mortality, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). The treatments were compared using inverse probability weighted regression adjustment.
Results:
Among 724 patients, 400 received EVT+/-IVT and 324 IVT alone (median age 74 years, 57.7% men). The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission was 7, and the occluded segment was P1 (43.9%), P2 (48.3%), P3–P4 (6.1%), bilateral (1.0%), or fetal posterior cerebral artery (0.7%). Compared to IVT alone, EVT+/-IVT was not associated with improved functional outcome (adjusted common odds ratio [OR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79–1.43). EVT increased the odds for ENI (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.49, 95% CI 1.05–2.12), sICH (aOR 2.87, 95% CI 1.23–6.72), and mortality (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.07–2.95).
Conclusion
Despite higher odds for early improvement, EVT+/-IVT did not affect functional outcome compared to IVT alone after PCAo. This may be driven by the increased risk of sICH and mortality after EVT.