Neuropsychological, neuroimaging and autopsy findings of butane encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Butane is an aliphatic hydrocarbon used in various commercial products. While numerous reports of sudden cardiac-related deaths from butane inhalation have been described, butane-associated acute encephalopathy has rarely been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old man presented with cognitive dysfunction after butane gas inhalation. Neuropsychological test results showed impairments in verbal and visual memory, and frontal executive function. Diffusion weighted MRI revealed symmetric high-signal changes in the bilateral hippocampus and globus pallidus. FDG-PET demonstrated decreased glucose metabolism in the bilateral precuneus and occipital areas and the left temporal region. At the 8-month follow-up, he showed still significant deficits in memory and frontal functions. Diffuse cortical atrophy with white matter hyperintensities and extensive glucose hypometabolism were detected on follow-up MRI and FDG-PET, respectively. Brain autopsy demonstrated necrosis and cavitary lesions in the globus pallidus. CONCLUSIONS: Only a few cases of butane encephalopathy have been reported to date. Brain lesions associated with butane encephalopathy include lesions in the bilateral thalamus, insula, putamen, and cerebellum. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on bilateral hippocampal and globus pallidal involvement in acute butane encephalopathy. The pathophysiology of central nervous system complications induced by butane intoxication is not yet fully understood. However, the direct toxic effects of butane or anoxic injury secondary to cardiac arrest or respiratory depression have been suggested as possible mechanisms of edematous changes in the brain after butane intoxication.

Early vascular aging determined by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity and its impact on ischemic stroke outcome: a retrospective observational study.

Vascular aging phenotype may be useful in predicting stroke prognosis. In the present study, the relationship between vascular aging phenotypes and outcomes after acute ischemic stroke was investigated. The study included consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke who had brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measured to assess vascular aging phenotype. The 2.5th and 97.5th percentile age-specific baPWVs were used as cutoffs to define supernormal vascular aging (SUPERNOVA) and early vascular aging (EVA), respectively, and the remainder was considered normal vascular aging (NVA). A total of 2738 patients were enrolled and followed for a median of 38.1 months. The mean age was 67.02 years and 1633 were male. EVA was 67, NVA was 2605, and SUPERNOVA was 66. Compared with NVA, multivariable logistic regression showed EVA was associated with poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≥ 3) at 3 months (odds ratio 2.083, 95% confidence interval 1.147‒3.783). Multivariable Cox regression showed EVA was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.320, 95% confidence interval 1.283‒4.197). EVA was associated with poor functional outcome and all-cause mortality after acute ischemic stroke, especially when diabetes or atrial fibrillation coexisted. These findings indicate the vascular aging phenotype, notably EVA, can aid in identifying high-risk stroke patients.

Cancer-Associated Stroke: Thrombosis Mechanism, Diagnosis, Outcome, and Therapeutic Strategies.

Cancer can induce hypercoagulability, which may lead to stroke. This occurs when tumor cells activate platelets as part of their growth and metastasis. Tumor cells activate platelets by generating thrombin and expressing tissue factor, resulting in tumor cell-induced platelet aggregation. Histopathological studies of thrombi obtained during endovascular thrombectomy in patients with acute stroke and active cancer have shown a high proportion of platelets and thrombin. This underscores the crucial roles of platelets and thrombin in cancer-associated thrombosis. Cancer-associated stroke typically occurs in patients with active cancer and is characterized by distinctive features. These features include multiple infarctions across multiple vascular territories, markedly elevated blood D-dimer levels, and metastasis. The presence of cardiac vegetations on echocardiography is a robust indicator of cancer-associated stroke. Suspicion of cancer-associated stroke during endovascular thrombectomy arises when white thrombi are detected, particularly in patients with active cancer. Cancer-associated stroke is almost certain when histopathological examination of thrombi shows a very high platelet and a very low erythrocyte composition. Patients with cancer-associated stroke have high risks of mortality and recurrent stroke. However, limited data are available on the optimal treatment regimen for stroke prevention in these patients. Thrombosis mechanism in cancer is well understood, and distinct therapeutic targets involving thrombin and platelets have been identified. Therefore, direct thrombin inhibitors and/or antiplatelet agents may effectively prevent stroke recurrence. Additionally, this strategy has potential benefits in cancer treatment as accumulating evidence suggests that aspirin use reduces cancer progression, metastasis, and cancer-related mortality. However, clinical trials are necessary to assess the efficacy of this strategy involving the use of direct thrombin inhibitors and/or antiplatelet therapies.

Prognosis of ischemic stroke patients with both aortic atheroma and cardioembolic sources.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between complex aortic plaque (CAP) and short-term as well as long-term outcomes following cardioembolic stroke. CAP is a known risk factor for occurrence and recurrence of ischemic stroke. However, the association of CAP on cardioembolic stroke remains unclear. This was retrospective study using prospective cohort of consecutive patients with cardioembolic stroke who underwent transesophageal echocardiography. The functional outcome was evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months, and long-term outcomes were assessed by recurrence of ischemic stroke and occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Among 759 patients with cardioembolic stroke, 91 (12.0%) had CAP. Early ischemic stroke recurrence within 3 months was associated with CAP (p = 0.025), whereas CAP was not associated with functional outcome at 3 months (odd ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-1.84, p = 0.973). During a median follow-up of 3.02 years, CAP was significantly associated with ischemic stroke recurrence (hazard ratio = 2.68, 95% CI 1.48-4.88, p = 0.001) and MACE occurrence (hazard ratio = 1.61, 95% CI 1.03-2.51, p = 0.039). In conclusion, CAP was associated with early ischemic stroke recurrence and poor long-term outcomes in patients with cardioembolic stroke. It might be helpful to consider transesophageal echocardiography for patients with cardioembolic stroke to identify CAP.

Effectiveness of endovascular treatment for in-hospital stroke vs. community-onset stroke: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of endovascular treatment for in-hospital stroke remains debatable. We aimed to compare the outcomes between patients with in-hospital stroke and community-onset stroke who received endovascular treatment. METHODS: This prospective registry-based cohort study included consecutive patients who underwent endovascular treatment from January 2013 to December 2022 and were registered in the Selection Criteria in Endovascular Thrombectomy and Thrombolytic Therapy study and Yonsei Stroke Cohort. Functional outcomes at day 90, radiological outcomes, and safety outcomes were compared between the in-hospital and community-onset groups using logistic regression and propensity score-matched analysis. RESULTS: Of 1,219 patients who underwent endovascular treatment, 117 (9.6%) had in-hospital stroke. Patients with in-hospital onset were more likely to have a pre-stroke disability and active cancer than those with community-onset. The interval from the last known well to puncture was shorter in the in-hospital group than in the community-onset group (155 vs. 355 min, p<0.001). No significant differences in successful recanalization or safety outcomes were observed between the groups; however, the in-hospital group exhibited worse functional outcomes and higher mortality at day 90 than the community-onset group (all p<0.05). After propensity score matching including baseline characteristics, functional outcomes after endovascular treatment did not differ between the groups (OR: 1.19, 95% CI 0.78-1.83, p=0.4). Safety outcomes did not significantly differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment is a safe and effective treatment for eligible patients with in-hospital stroke. Our results will help physicians in making decisions when planning treatment and counseling caregivers or patients.

Functional Outcomes Associated With Blood Pressure Decrease After Endovascular Thrombectomy.

Importance: The associations between blood pressure (BP) decreases induced by medication and functional outcomes in patients with successful endovascular thrombectomy remain uncertain. Objective: To evaluate whether BP reductions induced by intravenous BP medications are associated with poor functional outcomes at 3 months. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study was a post hoc analysis of the Outcome in Patients Treated With Intra-Arterial Thrombectomy-Optimal Blood Pressure Control trial, a comparison of intensive and conventional BP management during the 24 hours after successful recanalization from June 18, 2020, to November 28, 2022. This study included 302 patients who underwent endovascular thrombectomy, achieved successful recanalization, and exhibited elevated BP within 2 hours of successful recanalization at 19 stroke centers in South Korea. Exposure: A BP decrease was defined as at least 1 event of systolic BP less than 100 mm Hg. Patients were divided into medication-induced BP decrease (MIBD), spontaneous BP decrease (SpBD), and no BP decrease (NoBD) groups. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a modified Rankin scale score of 0 to 2 at 3 months, indicating functional independence. Primary safety outcomes were symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage within 36 hours and mortality due to index stroke within 3 months. Results: Of the 302 patients (median [IQR] age, 75 [66-82] years; 180 [59.6%] men), 47 (15.6%)were in the MIBD group, 39 (12.9%) were in the SpBD group, and 216 (71.5%) were in the NoBD group. After adjustment for confounders, the MIBD group exhibited a significantly smaller proportion of patients with functional independence at 3 months compared with the NoBD group (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.20-0.98). There was no significant difference in functional independence between the SpBD and NoBD groups (AOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 0.58-3.49). Compared with the NoBD group, the MIBD group demonstrated higher odds of mortality within 3 months (AOR, 5.15; 95% CI, 1.42-19.4). The incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was not significantly different among the groups (MIBD vs NoBD: AOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 0.54-5.88; SpBD vs NoBD: AOR, 2.75; 95% CI, 0.76-9.46). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of patients with successful endovascular thrombectomy after stroke, MIBD within 24 hours after successful recanalization was associated with poor outcomes at 3 months. These findings suggested lowering systolic BP to below 100 mm Hg using BP medication might be harmful.

Impact of Intensive Blood Pressure Lowering After Multiple-Attempt Endovascular Thrombectomy : a secondary analysis of the OPTIMAL-BP trial.

BACKGROUND: Multiple attempts of thrombectomy have been linked to a higher risk of intracerebral hemorrhage and worsened functional outcomes, potentially influenced by blood pressure (BP) management strategies. Nonetheless, the impact of intensive BP management following successful recanalization through multiple attempts remains uncertain. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate whether conventional and intensive BP management differentially affect outcomes according to multiple-attempt recanalization (MAR) and first-attempt recanalization (FAR) groups. METHODS: In this secondary analysis of the OPTIMAL-BP trial, which was a comparison of intensive (systolic BP target <140 mm Hg) and conventional (systolic BP target 140-180 mm Hg) BP managements during the 24 hours after successful recanalization, we included intention-to-treat population of the trial. Patients were divided into the MAR and the FAR groups. We examined a potential interaction between the number of thrombectomy attempts (MAR and FAR groups) and the effect of BP managements on clinical and safety outcomes. The primary outcome was functional independence at 3 months. Safety outcomes were symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage within 36 hours and mortality within 3 months. RESULTS: Of the 305 patients (median 75 years), 102 (33.4%) were in the MAR group and 203 (66.6%) were in the FAR group. The intensive BP management was significantly associated with a lower rate of functional independence in the MAR group (intensive, 32.7% vs. conventional, 54.9%, adjusted OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.90, p = 0.03). In the FAR group, the proportion of patients with functional independence was not significantly different between the BP managements (intensive, 42.5% vs. conventional, 54.2%, adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.38-1.40). Incidences of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and mortality rates were not significantly different according to the BP managements in both MAR and FAR groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among stroke patients who received multiple attempts of thrombectomy, intensive BP management for 24 hours resulted in a reduced chance of functional independence at 3 months and did not reduce symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage following successful reperfusion.