Early Experience With Tenecteplase at a Comprehensive Stroke Center.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Tenecteplase has been studied and recommended as an alternative thrombolytic agent in patients with acute stroke. A brief review of clinical trials and guidelines pertinent to our clinical decision algorithm is described. This is followed by operational steps that were made to create and implement a clinical pathway based on available evidence in which tenecteplase is used in select patients with stroke at our comprehensive stroke center. RECENT FINDINGS: A number of patients have been treated at our center with IV tenecteplase. A case is presented to illustrate the successful implementation of this new process. SUMMARY: Development of our protocol is discussed in detail to enable other centers to create their own clinical pathways for thrombolytic treatment of acute ischemic stroke using tenecteplase.

Institution of Code Neurointervention and Its Impact on Reaction and Treatment Times.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Various strategies have been implemented to reduce acute stroke treatment times. Recent studies have shown a significant benefit of acute endovascular therapy. The JFK Comprehensive Stroke Center instituted Code Neurointervention (NI) on May 1, 2014 for the purpose of rapidly assembling the NI team and rapidly providing acute endovascular therapy. DESIGN/METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who had Code NI (Code NI group) called from May 1, 2014 to July 30, 2018 and compared them to patients who underwent acute endovascular treatment prior to initiation of the code (pre-Code NI group) between January 2012 and April 30, 2014. The following parameters were compared: door to puncture (DTP) and door to recanalization (DTR) times, as well as preprocedure NIHSS, 24-hour postprocedure NIHSS, and 90-day modified Rankin scores. RESULTS: There were 67 pre-Code NI patients compared to 193 Code NI patients. Mean and median DTP times for pre-code NI vs Code NI patients were 161 minutes(mins) vs 115mins (p<0.0001, 31.76-58.86) and 153mins vs 112mins (p <0.0001), respectively. Mean and median DTR times were 220 mins vs 167mins (p <0.0001, 37.76-69.97) and 225mins vs 171mins (p <0.0001). Mean pre-procedure NIHSS was 16 for both groups while 24 hours post procedure NIHSS was 10.6 vs 10.8 (p =.078, 1.8-2.38). Mean 90 day mRS was 2.15 vs 1.65 (p=0.036, 0.32-0.96). CONCLUSION: Institution of Code NI significantly improved DTP and DTR times as well as mRS at 3-months postprocedure. Rapid assembly of the NI team, rapid availability of imaging and angiography suite, and streamlining of processes, likely contribute to these differences. These lessons and more widespread institution of such codes will further aid in improving acute stroke care for patients.

Bulbar and Limb Myorhythmia with "Smooch Sign": A Distinctive Movement Disorder in an Adult Patient with Reversible Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis Associated with an Ovarian Teratoma.

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor encephalitis is a recently described entity (Dalmau et al. 2007, 2008) that may present with a variety of complex movements in addition to other features (Kleinig et al. 2008). The purpose of our presentation of such a patient is twofold: (1) to characterize these complex oculo-oro-linguo-masticatory and limb movements with "smooch sign" as myorhythmia, based on a combined clinical and electrophysiological analysis (Masucci et al. 1984); and (2) to document possibly characteristic EEG evolution in the course of observation in our institution for three weeks from diffuse slowing to evolving rhythmic delta activity, which may represent a pattern of electrographic seizure activity.

Intravenous thrombolysis in a patient using factor Xa inhibitor.

UNLABELLED: Until recently, only warfarin was approved for the prevention of stroke in patients with AF. Patients on warfarin with ischemic stroke were considered candidates for IV tPA as long as their PT/INR was not prolonged. Now, there are several new agents approved for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular AF. The newer agents include direct thrombin inhibitors, like dabigatran, and factor Xa inhibitors, like rivaroxaban and apixaban. The coagulation profile of patients on direct thrombin inhibitors is more predictable than that of patients on factor Xa inhibitors, and the usage of IV tPA in patients on dabigatran has been previously reported. To our knowledge, there are no prior reports of IV tPA in a patient on a factor Xa inhibitor. We report a case of a 71-year-old man on rivaroxaban who improved with IV tPA after presenting with acute onset of aphasia and right-sided weakness. ABBREVIATIONS: AFAtrial fibrillationIV tPAIntravenous tissue plasminogen activatorINRInternational normalized ratioPTTPartial thromboplastin timeNIHNational Institute of HealthPTProthrombin timeCTComputed tomographyMCAMiddle cerebral arteryMRIMagnetic resonance imaging.

Compliance with joint commission measures in state-designated stroke centers.

BACKGROUND: Comparison of state-designated primary and comprehensive stroke centers (PSCs and CSCs) with regard to adherence to nationally accepted performance standards are scarce. The objective of this study was to examine if a significant association exists between level of designation and fulfillment of Joint Commission (JC) stroke core measures. METHODS: A retrospective comparative data analysis of the New Jersey acute stroke registry for the calendar years 2010 and 2011 was performed. JC core measures were compared by hospital level (PSCs vs CSCs). Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were estimated for association between hospital levels and fulfillment of JC core measures. Median door-to-thrombolytic time was also compared. RESULTS: There were 36,892 acute stroke admissions. PSCs had 60% of the patients, whereas CSCs had 40%. Hemorrhagic stroke admissions were about 2 times more frequent at CSCs than PSCs (13.3% and 7.1%, respectively). CSCs adhered better to 6 of the 8 JC measures than PSCs. Of eligible patients, 19.5% received thrombolytic therapy at CSCs compared to 9.6% at PSCs, with a 44% difference in provision of thrombolytic therapy (aOR = 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.24-0.34). Median door-to-thrombolytic drug times was 65 minutes at CSCs compared to 74.0 minutes at PSCs (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: New Jersey state-designated CSCs are better at adhering to the JC core stroke measures and have shorter door-to-thrombolytic drug times.

Teaching NeuroImages: Comatose patient with bilateral thalamic infarct due to internal carotid artery occlusion.

An 88-year-old woman with a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation presented to the emergency room after being found unresponsive with a NIH Stroke Scale score of 23 and Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3. She was unresponsive to painful stimuli. Noncontrast CT demonstrated bilateral thalamic infarcts (figure 1A).

Advances in thrombolytics for treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

Over the past 50 years, thrombolytic agents have been devised with the aim of recanalizing occluded coronary vessels, and later on, applied in the setting of acute ischemic stroke. Pharmacologic agents have generally targeted the plasminogen-plasmin transformation, facilitating the natural process of fibrinolysis. Newer agents with varying degrees of fibrin selectivity and pharmacologic half-life have influenced both recanalization rates and hemorrhagic complications, inside and outside the CNS. Intra-arterial (IA) administration of fibrinolytic agents increases delivery of the drug to the thrombus at a higher concentration with smaller quantities and therefore lowers systemic exposure. Mechanical thrombus disruption or extraction allows for drug delivery to a greater surface area of the thrombus. Delays associated with IA therapy may worsen the risk/benefit ratio of thrombolysis; therefore, combinations of IA-IV treatments have been studied. To date, there are no direct comparative trials to show that endovascular administration is more efficacious or carries a lower risk of hemorrhagic complications than IV tissue plasminogen activator.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome in a 35-year-old woman following hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes (RCVS) have been documented to take place after an inciting event or illness. They present with headache, altered mental status and focal neurologic findings. The differential diagnosis includes primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) but one major clinical difference is that the symptoms of RCVS usually resolve within days or weeks whereas PACNS is often fatal. Females of childbearing age are most commonly affected with RCVS. Cases of reversible vasculopathy have also been reported in menopausal women. The hormonal and physiologic changes that take place during the postpartum period and menopause may not be very different from those that occur after a hysterectomy and oophorectomy. METHODS: A case is presented of a 35-year-old woman who underwent a hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and then began experiencing severe headaches, visual changes and hemi-sensory loss. Physical examination, imaging and laboratory findings were descriptive of RCVS, and the patient's rapid recovery was consistent with the usual disease progression of a reversible vasculopathy. CONCLUSION: A reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome may occur in some circumstances after a hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The mechanisms involved in the development of this condition are explained by current research concerning effects on the vasculature of sudden drops in estrogens and progesterones. More studies are required to further establish the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

A practical review and approach to poststroke seizures.

Much confusion still exists about when to treat seizures related to stroke and what agents to use. Seizures may occur in the setting of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and other cerebrovascular lesions. The epidemiology of poststroke seizures and patients at higher risk for developing poststroke epilepsy are identified. The utility of electroencephalography (EEG), continuous and video EEG monitoring, and management and treatment of those patients who develop epilepsy are discussed.

Leprosy and peripheral neuropathy.

Leprosy, although rare in the United States, continues to be a leading cause of peripheral neuropathy and blindness worldwide. We describe the pathogenic agent Mycobacterium leprae and discuss the epidemiology of this disease. The different classification schemes are compared and the clinical and laboratory features are presented. Finally, the immunology, pathology, and the treatment are discussed.