Clinical Response to Procedural Stroke Following Carotid Endarterectomy: A Delphi Consensus Study.

OBJECTIVE: No dedicated studies have been performed on the optimal management of patients with an acute stroke related to carotid intervention nor is there a solid recommendation given in the European Society for Vascular Surgery guideline. By implementation of an international expert Delphi panel, this study aimed to obtain expert consensus on the optimal management of in hospital stroke occurring during or following CEA and to provide a practical treatment decision tree. METHODS: A four round Delphi consensus study was performed including 31 experts. The aim of the first round was to investigate whether the conceptual model indicating the traditional division between intra- and post-procedural stroke in six phases was appropriate, and to identify relevant clinical responses during these six phases. In rounds 2, 3, and 4, the aim was to obtain consensus on the optimal response to stroke in each predefined setting. Consensus was reached in rounds 1, 3, and 4 when ≥ 70% of experts agreed on the preferred clinical response and in round 2 based on a Likert scale when a median of 7 - 9 (most adequate response) was given, IQR ≤ 2. RESULTS: The experts agreed (> 80%) on the use of the conceptual model. Stroke laterality and type of anaesthesia were included in the treatment algorithm. Consensus was reached in 17 of 21 scenarios (> 80%). Perform diagnostics first for a contralateral stroke in any phase, and for an ipsilateral stroke during cross clamping, or apparent stroke after leaving the operation room. For an ipsilateral stroke during the wake up phase, no formal consensus was achieved, but 65% of the experts would perform diagnostics first. A CT brain combined with a CTA or duplex ultrasound of the carotid arteries should be performed. For an ipsilateral intra-operative stroke after flow restoration, the carotid artery should be re-explored immediately (75%). CONCLUSION: In patients having a stroke following carotid endarterectomy, expedited diagnostics should be performed initially in most phases. In patients who experience an ipsilateral intra-operative stroke following carotid clamp release, immediate re-exploration of the index carotid artery is recommended.

The influence of baseline risk on the relation between HbA1c and risk for new cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and symptomatic cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: Strict glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes has proven to have microvascular benefits while the effects on CVD and mortality are less clear, especially in high risk patients. Whether strict glycaemic control would reduce the risk of future CVD or mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and pre-existing CVD, is unknown. This study aims to evaluate whether the relation between baseline HbA1c and new cardiovascular events or mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is modified by baseline vascular risk. METHODS: A cohort of 1096 patients with type 2 diabetes and CVD from the Second Manifestations of ARTerial Disease (SMART) study was followed. The relation between HbA1c at baseline and future vascular events (composite of myocardial infarction, stroke and vascular mortality) and all-cause mortality was evaluated with Cox proportional hazard analyses in a population that was stratified for baseline risk for vascular events as calculated with the SMART risk score. The mean follow-up duration was 6.9 years for all-cause mortality and 6.4 years for vascular events, in which period 243 and 223 cases were reported, respectively. RESULTS: A 1 % increase in HbA1c was associated with a higher risk for all-cause mortality (HR 1.18, 95 % CI 1.06-1.31). This association was also found in the highest SMART risk quartile (HR 1.33, 95 % CI 1.11-1.60). There was no relation between HbA1c and the occurrence of cardiovascular events during follow-up (HR 1.03, 95 % CI 0.91-1.16). The interaction term between HbA1c and SMART risk score was not significantly related to any of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: In patients with type 2 diabetes and CVD, HbA1c is related to the risk of all-cause mortality, but not to the risk of cardiovascular events. The relation between HbA1c and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and vascular disease is not dependent on baseline vascular risk.

Dementia risk score predicts cognitive impairment after a period of 15 years in a nondemented population.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cardiovascular risk factors play an important role in the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. We examined whether a previously designed dementia risk score based on midlife vascular risk profiles also predicts cognitive impairment 15 years later. METHODS: 322 individuals without dementia from the population-based Hoorn study (aged 50-64 years) underwent a medical examination at baseline and a detailed cognitive assessment 15 years later. The relation between the risk score and late-life cognitive impairment in each of 6 domains was analyzed with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The risk score was significantly related to impairment on the domains information-processing speed (p = 0.04), visuoconstruction (p = 0.04) and abstract reasoning (p = 0.02). Participants with a risk score of 9 points or more had a markedly increased risk of late-life impairment in the domains information-processing speed (OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.37-6.90; p = 0.007) and abstract reasoning (OR 3.97, 95% CI 1.07-14.71; p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: A previously designed risk score for dementia also predicts late-life cognitive impairment. Because such impairment can lead to complaints and functional consequences, also in individuals who do not progress to dementia, identification of individuals at risk is important and can help to target preventive strategies.

Microbleeds colocalize with enlarged juxtacortical perivascular spaces in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease: A 7 Tesla MRI study.

MRI-visible perivascular spaces (PVS) in the semioval centre are associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), but it is unknown if PVS co-localize with MRI markers of CAA. To examine this, we assessed the topographical association between cortical cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) - as an indirect marker of CAA - and dilatation of juxtacortical perivascular spaces (jPVS) in 46 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) or early Alzheimer's disease (eAD). The degree of dilatation of jPVS <1 cm around each cortical CMBs was compared with a similar reference site (no CMB) in the contralateral hemisphere, using a 4-point scale. Also, jPVS dilatation was compared between patients with and without cortical CMBs. Eleven patients (24%) had cortical CMBs [total=35, median=1, range=1-14] of whom five had >1 cortical CMBs. The degree of jPVS dilatation was higher around CMBs than at the reference sites [Wilcoxon signed rank test, Z = 2.2, p = 0.03]. Patients with >1 cortical CMBs had a higher degree of jPVS dilation [median=2.2, IQR = 1.8-2.3] than patients without cortical CMBs [median=1.4, IQR = 1.0-1.8], p = 0.02. We found a topographical association between a high degree of jPVS dilatation and cortical CMBs, supporting a common underlying pathophysiology - most likely CAA.

Depressive symptoms and quality of life after screening for cognitive impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes: observations from the Cog-ID cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess changes in depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after screening for cognitive impairment in people with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study, part of the Cognitive Impairment in Diabetes (Cog-ID) study. SETTING: Participants were screened for cognitive impairment in primary care. People suspected of cognitive impairment (screen positives) received a standardised evaluation at a memory clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Participants ≥70 years with type 2 diabetes were included in Cog-ID between August 2012 and September 2014, the current study includes 179 patients; 39 screen positives with cognitive impairment, 56 screen positives without cognitive impairment and 84 participants not suspected of cognitive impairment during screening (screen negatives). OUTCOME MEASURES: Depressive symptoms and HRQOL assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions questionnaire and the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale. Outcomes were assessed before the screening, and 6 and 24 months after screening. An analysis of covariance model was fitted to assess differences in score changes among people diagnosed with cognitive impairment, screen negatives and screen positives without cognitive impairment using a factor group and baseline score as a covariate. RESULTS: Of all participants, 60.3% was male, mean age was 76.3±5.0 years, mean diabetes duration 13.0±8.5 years. At screening, participants diagnosed with cognitive impairment had significantly more depressive symptoms and a worse HRQOL than screen negatives. Scores of both groups remained stable over time. Screen positives without cognitive impairment scored between the other two groups at screening, but their depressive symptoms decreased significantly during follow-up (mean CES-D: -3.1 after 6 and -2.1 after 24 months); their HRQOL also tended to improve. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are common in older people with type 2 diabetes. Screening for and a subsequent diagnosis of cognitive impairment will not increase depressive symptoms.

[Trends in incidence of and mortality from ischaemic stroke]. / Trends in incidentie en mortaliteit van het herseninfarct.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate age- and sex-specific trends in incidence of and mortality from ischaemic stroke (IS) in the Netherlands. DESIGN: Descriptive study and cohort study. METHOD: Data from the cause-of-death statistics from Statistics Netherlands, the Dutch national medical registry and local council population registers were used. A cohort of IS patients was formed by linking these registers. Age- and sex-specific trends in mortality from IS in the period 1980-2010 were determined using 'join point' regression analysis. The 30-day and 1-year mortality rates following hospital admission for IS and the incidence of new cases of IS were calculated for the cohort of IS patients. Mann-Kendall tests were used for trend analysis over the period 1997-2005. RESULTS: Rates of mortality from IS decreased gradually in the period 1980-2000, with the exception of a levelling out of the rate of decrease in a few age groups in the 1990 s. Decrease in mortality declined dramatically after 2000 in all age groups, except for male patients in the age range 35-64 years. A comparative increased rate of decrease after 2000 was observed for 30-day and 1-year mortality following hospital admission for IS. The incidence of IS remained constant in the period 1997-2005, or increased in a few age groups. CONCLUSION: Mortality rates following IS have decreased dramatically in the Netherlands since 2000. However, the number of cases of non-fatal IS has not decreased and is actually increasing slightly, indicating that more people have experienced IS. This is a concern, since IS often leads to disability with the accompanying burden of disease and economic burden. Prevention of IS is, therefore, extremely important.

The Basilar Artery International Cooperation Study (BASICS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in acute stroke treatment, basilar artery occlusion (BAO) is associated with a death or disability rate of close to 70%. Randomised trials have shown the safety and efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) given within 4.5 h and have shown promising results of intra-arterial thrombolysis given within 6 h of symptom onset of acute ischaemic stroke, but these results do not directly apply to patients with an acute BAO because only few, if any, of these patients were included in randomised acute stroke trials.Recently the results of the Basilar Artery International Cooperation Study (BASICS), a prospective registry of patients with acute symptomatic BAO challenged the often-held assumption that intra-arterial treatment (IAT) is superior to IVT. Our observations in the BASICS registry underscore that we continue to lack a proven treatment modality for patients with an acute BAO and that current clinical practice varies widely. DESIGN: BASICS is a randomised controlled, multicentre, open label, phase III intervention trial with blinded outcome assessment, investigating the efficacy and safety of additional IAT after IVT in patients with BAO. The trial targets to include 750 patients, aged 18 to 85 years, with CT angiography or MR angiography confirmed BAO treated with IVT. Patients will be randomised between additional IAT followed by optimal medical care versus optimal medical care alone. IVT has to be initiated within 4.5 h from estimated time of BAO and IAT within 6 h. The primary outcome parameter will be favourable outcome at day 90 defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-3. DISCUSSION: The BASICS registry was observational and has all the limitations of a non-randomised study. As the IAT approach becomes increasingly available and frequently utilised an adequately powered randomised controlled phase III trial investigating the added value of this therapy in patients with an acute symptomatic BAO is needed (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01717755).