Smokers with Elevated Glycated Albumin Could Not Benefit from Dual Antiplatelet Therapy after Minor Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of smoking on dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) under different glycated albumin (GA) levels. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial. A subgroup of 3,044 patients with baseline GA levels was included and categorized by smoking status and GA levels. The primary efficacy outcome was a new stroke within 90 days. The safety outcome was any bleeding event at 90 days. The interaction of smoking status with antiplatelet therapy was calculated by Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: In patients with GA levels ≤15.5%, the proportion of smokers was 37.7% (719/1,908), while in patients with GA levels >15.5%, it was 51.6% (586/1,136). During the 3-month follow-up period, 299 (9.9%) patients had a new stroke occurrence. In patients with elevated GA levels, both smokers and nonsmokers could not benefit from dual antiplatelet therapy (smokers, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-1.17; nonsmokers, adjusted HR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.57-1.18). In patients with normal GA levels, dual antiplatelet therapy reduced the risk of stroke recurrence in smokers by 72% (adjusted HR 0.28, 95% CI: 0.14-0.56) and in nonsmokers by 53% (adjusted HR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26-0.86). However, whether the GA level was elevated or normal, there was no significant interaction between smoking status and antiplatelet therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Smokers with elevated GA levels could not benefit from dual antiplatelet therapy after minor stroke or TIA.

Improved characterization of lenticulostriate arteries using compressed sensing time-of-flight at 7T.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of 0.2-mm isotropic lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) imaging using compressed sensing time-of-flight (CS TOF) at around 10 min on 7T, and compare the delineation and characterization of LSAs using conventional TOF and CS TOF. METHODS: Thirty healthy volunteers were examined with CS TOF and conventional TOF at 7T for around 10 min each. CS TOF was optimized to achieve 0.2-mm isotropic LSA imaging. The numbers of LSA stems and branches were counted and compared on a vascular skeleton. The length and distance were measured and compared on the most prominent branch in each hemisphere. Another patient with intracranial artery stenosis was studied to compare LSA delineation in CS TOF and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). RESULTS: The number of stems visualized with CS TOF was significantly higher than with conventional TOF in both left (p = 0.002, ICC = 0.884) and right (p < 0.001, ICC = 0.938) hemispheres. The number of branches visualized by conventional TOF was significantly lower than that by CS TOF in both left (p < 0.001, ICC = 0.893) and right (p < 0.001, ICC = 0.896) hemispheres. The lengths were statistically higher in CS TOF than in conventional TOF (left: p < 0.001, ICC = 0.868; right: p < 0.001, ICC = 0.876). CONCLUSIONS: The high-resolution CS TOF improves the delineation and characterization of LSAs over conventional TOF. High-resolution LSA imaging using CS TOF can be a promising tool for clinical research and applications in patients with neurologic diseases. KEY POINTS: • 0.2-mm isotropic LSA imaging for around 10 min using CS TOF at 7T is feasible. • More stems and branches of LSAs with longer lengths can be delineated with CS TOF than with conventional TOF at the same scan time. • High-resolution CS TOF can be a promising tool for research and applications on LSA.

Aminotransferase Level and the Effects of Dual Antiplatelet in Minor Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: A post hoc Analysis of a Randomized Control Trial.

INTRODUCTION: This study was intended to evaluate whether the safety and efficacy of dual antiplatelet treatment in patients with minor ischemic stroke (MIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) could be modified by the aminotransferase level. Also, we sought to assess the interaction between aminotransferase level and CYP2C19 loss-of-function status on the efficacy of dual antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: This study is a post hoc analysis of the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients With Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) study, a double-blinded randomized control trial. We included 5,133 patients with a complete workup of baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. The primary outcome is stroke or TIA recurrence within 90 days. Cox proportional hazard models were used in the evaluation of the efficacy of antiplatelet treatment in patients with different aminotransferase levels and subgroups categorized by the aminotransferase level × CYP2C19 loss-of-function status. RESULTS: The median age of all the included patients was 62 years; 66.3% of the patients were male. More recurrent stroke or TIA occurred in patients with elevated ALT and AST levels within 90 days compared to patients with normal ALT and AST levels (14.5 vs. 11.2%, p = 0.029). Dual antiplatelet treatment with aspirin and clopidogrel reduced recurrence compared with aspirin alone in patients with both normal (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72 [0.60-0.86], p < 0.001) and elevated (adjusted HR [95% CI]: 0. 57 [0. 35-0. 92], p = 0. 020) ALT and AST levels (p = 0.64 for interaction). No significant difference in treatment efficacy on 90-day all-cause death or bleeding events was found. CONCLUSIONS: Dual antiplatelet treatment was safe for minor stroke or high-risk TIA patients with mildly elevated aminotransferase. Mild elevation of ALT or AST did not undermine the protective efficacy of the dual antiplatelet regimen in reducing recurrent stroke or TIA within 90 days after MIS or TIA. The interaction between the CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele carrier status and aminotransferase level on the efficacy of dual antiplatelet treatment was not observed.

Imaging Parameters Predict Recurrence After Transient Ischemic Attack or Minor Stroke Stratified by ABCD2 Score.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Whether imaging parameters would independently predict stroke recurrence in low-risk minor ischemic stroke (MIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) according to traditional score system (such as ABCD2 score, which was termed on the basis of the initials of the five factors: age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration, diabetes) remains unclear. We sought to evaluate the association between imaging parameters and 1-year stroke recurrence in patients with TIA or MIS in different risk stratum stratified by ABCD2 score. METHODS: We included patients with TIA and MIS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤3) with complete baseline vessel and brain imaging data from the Third China National Stroke Registry III. Patients were categorized into different risk groups based on ABCD2 score (low risk, 0-3; moderate risk, 4-5; and high risk, 6-7). The primary outcome was stroke recurrence within 1 year. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to assess whether imaging parameters (large artery stenosis, infarction number) were independently associated with stroke recurrence. RESULTS: Of the 7140 patients included, 584 patients experienced stroke recurrence within 1 year. According to the ABCD2 score, large artery stenosis was associated with higher stroke recurrence in both low-risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.746 [95% CI, 1.200-2.540]) and moderate-risk group (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.326 [95% CI, 1.042-1.687]) but not in the high-risk group (P>0.05). Patients with multiple acute infarctions or single acute infarction had a higher risk of recurrent stroke than those with no infarction in both low- and moderate-risk groups, but not in the high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: Large artery stenosis and infarction number were independent predictors of 1-year stroke recurrence in low-moderate risk but not in high-risk patients with TIA or MIS stratified by ABCD2 score. This finding emphasizes the importance of early brain and vascular imaging evaluation for risk stratification in patients with TIA or MIS.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Hematoma Expansion of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Hematoma expansion is an independent risk factor of unfavorable outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), which always occurs in the early phase after symptoms onset. The relationship between underlying small vessel disease (SVD) and hematoma expansion was inconsistent in patients with ICH. We aimed to investigate the relationship between magnetic resonance (MR) characteristics of SVD and hematoma expansion in patients with ICH within 72 hours after symptoms onset. METHODS: Data were derived from a cohort of biological sample collection from April 2014 to April 2016. We recruited patients aged 18 years or older with a baseline and follow-up computed tomography within 72 hours after symptom onset, as well as an MR imaging within 3 months before or after ICH. Hematoma expansion was defined as an increase in volume between baseline and final hematoma volume exceeding 6 mL or 33% of the baseline volume. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the association between clinical characteristics, imaging markers, total SVD score, and hematoma expansion in patients with ICH. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients experienced hematoma expansion among the 263 enrolled patients (mean age 53.4 ± 14.0 years, 76.4% male). Electrocardiogram abnormal rhythm, fewer non-lobar microbleeds, lower plasma homocysteine concentration, and smaller baseline hematoma volume independently predicted the risk of hematoma expansion (P = .004, .021, .001, and .024, respectively). Odds ratios ranged from 1.02 to 3.72. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that the use of MR markers revealing underlying SVD may help to identify patients with ICH with potential hematoma expansion.

Distinctive Pattern of Metal Deposition in Neurologic Wilson Disease: Insights From 7T Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Noninvasive and accurate biomarkers of neurologic Wilson disease (NWD), a rare inherited disorder, could reduce diagnostic error or delay. Excessive subcortical metal deposition seen on susceptibility imaging has suggested a characteristic pattern in NWD. With submillimeter spatial resolution and increased contrast, 7T susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) may enable better visualization of metal deposition in NWD. In this study, we sought to identify a distinctive metal deposition pattern in NWD using 7T SWI and investigate its diagnostic value and underlying pathophysiologic mechanism. METHODS: Patients with WD, healthy participants with monoallelic ATP7B variant(s) on a single chromosome, and health controls (HCs) were recruited. NWD and non-NWD (nNWD) were defined according to the presence or absence of neurologic symptoms during investigation. Patients with other diseases with comparable clinical or imaging manifestations, including early-onset Parkinson disease (EOPD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA), were additionally recruited and assessed for exploratory comparative analysis. All participants underwent 7T T1, T2, and high-resolution SWI scanning. Quantitative susceptibility mapping and principal component analysis were performed to illustrate metal distribution. RESULTS: We identified a linear signal intensity change consisting of a hyperintense strip at the lateral border of the globus pallidus in patients with NWD. We termed this feature "hyperintense globus pallidus rim sign." This feature was detected in 38 of 41 patients with NWD and was negative in all 31 nNWD patients, 15 patients with EOPD, 30 patients with MSA, 15 patients with PSP, and 12 patients with NBIA; 22 monoallelic ATP7B variant carriers; and 41 HC. Its sensitivity to differentiate between NWD and HC was 92.7%, and specificity was 100%. Severity of the hyperintense globus pallidus rim sign measured by a semiquantitative scale was positively correlated with neurologic severity (ρ = 0.682, 95% CI 0.467-0.821, p < 0.001). Patients with NWD showed increased susceptibility in the lenticular nucleus with high regional weights in the lateral globus pallidus and medial putamen. DISCUSSION: The hyperintense globus pallidus rim sign showed high sensitivity and excellent specificity for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of NWD. It is related to a special metal deposition pattern in the lenticular nucleus in NWD and can be considered as a novel neuroimaging biomarker of NWD. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: The study provides Class II evidence that the hyperintense globus pallidus rim sign on 7T SWI MRI can accurately diagnose neurologic WD.

External Validation of the Nelson Equation for Kidney Function Decline in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

Background: There is a close brain-kidney interaction following ischemic cerebrovascular disease. The new-onset kidney injury after stroke leads to severe neurological deficits and poor functional outcomes. We aimed to validate the Nelson equation for predicting the new-onset and long-term kidney function decline in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods: A total of 3169 patients were enrolled in the Third China National Stroke Registry, whose baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The outcome of interest was the incident eGFR< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 3 months. The prediction equation of participants with or without diabetes was validated respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) evaluated prediction performance. The Delong test compared the Nelson equation performance with the O'Seaghdha equation and the Chien equation. Continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were determined to evaluate the incremental effect. Results: During the 3-mo follow-up period, among 1151 patients with diabetes, there were 31 cases (2.7%) of reduced eGFR. Meanwhile, among 2018 non-diabetic patients, there were 23 cases (1.1%) of reduced eGFR. The Nelson equation showed good discrimination and was well-calibrated in patients with diabetes (AUC 0.82, Hosmer-Lemeshow test p = 0.67) or without diabetes (AUC 0.82, Hosmer-Lemeshow test p = 0.09). The performance of the Nelson equation was superior to other equation, as increased continuous NRI (diabetic, 0.64; non-diabetic, 1.13) and IDI (diabetic, 0.10; non-diabetic, 0.13) to the Chien equation. Conclusion: The Nelson equation reliably predicted the risks of the new-onset and long-term kidney function decline in patients with AIS or TIA, which could help clinicians screen high-risk patients and improve clinical care.

Intracranial arterial stenosis and recurrence in stroke patients with different risk stratifications by Essen stroke risk score.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate whether the prognostic value of intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) is consistent across different risk stratifications using the Essen Stroke Risk score (ESRS). METHODS: We derived data from the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events trial. Patients without complete baseline brain imaging data were excluded. Participants were categorized into different risk groups based on ESRS (low risk, 0-2, and high risk ≥ 3). The main outcome was stroke recurrence within 3 and 12 months. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) of ICAS, and other factors associated with stroke recurrence within 3 and 12 months were estimated using the Cox regression method. RESULTS: During the 3-month follow-up, 54 patients (7.9%) had recurrent stroke in the low-risk group, and 39 patients (9.6%) had recurrent stroke in the high-risk group. ICAS was associated with a higher risk of stroke within 3 months (HR = 2.761; 95%CI = 1.538-4.957; P < 0.001) in the low-risk group, but not in the high-risk group (HR = 1.501; 95%CI = 0.701-3.213; P = 0.296). ICAS was independently associated with higher recurrent risk in the low-risk group (HR = 2.540; 95%CI = 1.472-4.381; P < 0.001), but not in the high-risk group (HR = 1.951; 95%CI = 0.977-3.893; P = 0.058) within 12 months. CONCLUSION: ICAS was an independent predictor of both 3- and 12-month stroke recurrence in low-risk but not high-risk patients with minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack according to ESRS stratification.

Detailed phenotype of RNF213 p.R4810K variant identified by the Chinese patients with acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The ring finger protein 213 gene (RNF213) p.R4810K variant increased the risk of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) attributable to intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) in the Japanese and Korean populations. In this study, we aimed to examine the prevalence of the RNF213 p.R4810K variant in Chinese patients with AIS or transient ischaemic attack and identify the phenotype of the carriers. METHODS: We analysed data from the Third China National Stroke Registry. All included participants were divided into two groups by carrier status of the p.R4810K variant. The aetiological classification was conducted according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria. The presence of ICAS and extracranial arterial stenosis (ECAS) was defined as 50%-99% stenosis or occlusion of any intracranial and extracranial artery. Logistic regression models and Cox regression models were used to evaluate the association of the p.R4810K variant with TOAST classification, stenosis phenotypes and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 10 381 patients were enrolled, among which 56 (0.5%) had the heterozygote GA genotype for p.R4810K. The variant carriers were younger (p=0.01), and more likely to suffer from peripheral vascular disease (p=0.04). The p.R4810K variant was associated with large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) (adjusted OR=1.94, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.33), anterior circulation stenosis (adjusted OR=2.12, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.65) and ECAS (adjusted OR=2.29, 95% CI 1.16 to 4.51). Nevertheless, the p.R4810K variant was not associated with recurrence, poor functional outcome and mortality at 3 months and 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: The RNF213 p.R4810K variant was associated with LAA, anterior circulation stenosis and ECAS in Chinese patients. Given the low carrying rate and only 1-year follow-up information, caution should be taken to interpret our findings in no statistically significant association between the p.R4810K variant and stroke prognosis in Chinese patients.

Heterologous prime-boost immunisation with mRNA- and AdC68-based 2019-nCoV variant vaccines induces broad-spectrum immune responses in mice.

The ongoing evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV) variants has been associated with the transmission and pathogenicity of COVID-19. Therefore, exploring the optimal immunisation strategy to improve the broad-spectrum cross-protection ability of COVID-19 vaccines is of great significance. Herein, we assessed different heterologous prime-boost strategies with chimpanzee adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccines plus Wuhan-Hu-1 (WH-1) strain (AdW) and Beta variant (AdB) and mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines plus WH-1 strain (ARW) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant (ARO) in 6-week-old female BALB/c mice. AdW and AdB were administered intramuscularly or intranasally, while ARW and ARO were administered intramuscularly. Intranasal or intramuscular vaccination with AdB followed by ARO booster exhibited the highest levels of cross-reactive IgG, pseudovirus-neutralising antibody (PNAb) responses, and angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2)-binding inhibition rates against different 2019-nCoV variants among all vaccination groups. Moreover, intranasal AdB vaccination followed by ARO induced higher levels of IgA and neutralising antibody responses against live 2019-nCoV than intramuscular AdB vaccination followed by ARO. A single dose of AdB administered intranasally or intramuscularly induced broader cross-NAb responses than AdW. Th1-biased cellular immune response was induced in all vaccination groups. Intramuscular vaccination-only groups exhibited higher levels of Th1 cytokines than intranasal vaccination-only and intranasal vaccination-containing groups. However, no obvious differences were found in the levels of Th2 cytokines between the control and all vaccination groups. Our findings provide a basis for exploring vaccination strategies against different 2019-nCoV variants to achieve high broad-spectrum immune efficacy.

An mRNA vaccine against rabies provides strong and durable protection in mice.

Introduction: Rabies is a serious public health problem worldwide for which an effective treatment method is lacking but can be prevented by vaccines. Current vaccines are produced in cell or egg cultures, which are both costly and time consuming. Methods: Here, a non-replicating mRNA vaccine (RV021) encoding the rabies virus glycoprotein was developed in vitro, and its immunogenicity and protective efficacy against live virus was evaluated in mice. Results: A two-dose vaccination with 1 µg of RV021 at 7-day intervals induced a protective level of neutralizing antibody that was maintained for at least 260 days. RV021 induced a robust cellular immune response that was significantly superior to that of an inactivated vaccine. Two doses of 1 µg RV021 provided full protection against challenge with CVS of 30~60-fold lethal dose, 50%. Vaccine potency testing (according to the National Institutes of Health) in vivo revealed that the potency of RV021 at 15 µg/dose was 7.5 IU/dose, which is substantially higher than the standard for lot release of rabies vaccines for current human use. Conclusion: The mRNA vaccine RV021 induces a strong protective immune response in mice, providing a new and promising strategy for human rabies prevention and control.

Indobufen versus aspirin in patients with acute ischaemic stroke in China (INSURE): a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, active control, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Aspirin is recommended for secondary stroke prevention in patients with moderate-to-severe ischaemic stroke but can lead to gastrointestinal intolerance and bleeding. Indobufen is used as an alternative antiplatelet agent in some countries, despite an absence of large-scale clinical trials for this indication. We tested the hypothesis that indobufen is non-inferior to aspirin in reducing the risk of new stroke at 90 days in patients with moderate-to-severe ischaemic stroke. METHODS: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, active control, non-inferiority trial at 163 tertiary and district general hospitals in China. Eligible participants were aged 18-80 years with acute moderate-to-severe ischaemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 4-18). We randomly assigned (1:1) participants within 72 h of the onset of symptoms to receive either indobufen (100 mg tablet twice per day) or aspirin (100 mg tablet once per day) for 90 days. The randomisation sequence was computer generated centrally and stratified by local participating centres. Masked local investigators assigned the random code to patients in ascending order and provided a treatment kit corresponding to the random code. The primary efficacy outcome was new stroke and the primary safety outcome was severe or moderate bleeding, both within 90 days. This primary efficacy outcome was assessed in all randomly assigned and consenting patients and in a per-protocol group (ie, all patients finishing the treatment without major violation of the trial protocol). Safety analyses were done in the safety-analysis population (ie, all patients who received at least one dose of the study drug and had a safety assessment available). We assessed the non-inferiority of indobufen versus aspirin using the one-sided upper limit of the 95% CI of the hazard ratio (HR) with a prespecified non-inferiority margin of 1·25. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03871517). FINDINGS: This trial took place between June 2, 2019, and Nov 28, 2021. Of 84 093 patients screened, 5438 patients were randomly assigned to receive either indobufen (n=2715) or aspirin (n=2723), all of whom were included in the primary analyses. Median age was 64·2 years (IQR 56·1-70·6); 1921 (35·3%) were women and 3517 (64·7%) were men. Stroke occurred within 90 days in 213 (7·9%) patients in the indobufen group versus 175 (6·4%) in the aspirin group (HR 1·23, 95% CI 1·01-1·50; pnon-inferiority=0·44). Moderate or severe bleeding occurred in 18 (0·7%) patients in the indobufen group and in 28 (1·0%) in the aspirin group (0·63, 95% CI 0·35 to 1·15; p=0·13). Adverse events within 90 days occurred in 666 (24·5%) patients in the indobufen group and 679 (24·9%) patients in the aspirin group (p=0·73). INTERPRETATION: In patients with acute moderate-to-severe ischaemic stroke, indobufen was not non-inferior to aspirin because the upper limit of the 95% CI was greater than 1·25. Furthermore, indobufen seemed to be inferior to aspirin in reducing the risk of recurrent stroke at 90 days because the lower limit of the 95% CI was greater than 1·00. Although moderate or severe bleeding did not differ between groups, these findings do not support the use of indobufen for secondary stroke prevention in patients with moderate-to-severe ischaemic stroke. FUNDING: Hangzhou Zhongmei Huadong Pharmaceutical and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Combining intramuscular and intranasal homologous prime-boost with a chimpanzee adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine elicits potent humoral and cellular immune responses in mice.

The efficacy of many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines has been shown to decrease to varying extents against new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants, which are responsible for the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Combining intramuscular and intranasal vaccination routes is a promising approach for achieving more potent immune responses. We evaluated the immunogenicity of prime-boost protocols with a chimpanzee adenovirus serotype 68 vector-based vaccine, ChAdTS-S, administered via both intranasal and intramuscular routes in BALB/c mice. Intramuscular priming followed by an intranasal booster elicited the highest levels of IgG, IgA, and pseudovirus neutralizing antibody titres among all the protocols tested at day 42 after prime immunization compared with the intranasal priming/intramuscular booster and prime-boost protocols using only one route. In addition, intramuscular priming followed by an intranasal booster induced high T-cell responses, measured using the IFN-γ ELISpot assay, that were similar to those observed upon intramuscular vaccination. All ChAdTS-S vaccination groups induced Th1-skewing of the T-cell response according to intracellular cytokine staining and Meso Scale Discovery cytokine profiling assays on day 56 after priming. This study provides reference data for assessing vaccination schemes of adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccines with high immune efficacy.

Effect of sex differences on prognosis of intravenous thrombolysis: data from the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitor of Acute Ischemic Stroke in China (TIMS-China).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have reported conflicting results as to whether women have poorer functional outcome than men after thrombolytic therapy. This study aims to investigate the relationship between sex differences and the prognosis of intravenous thrombolysis in Chinese patients with acute ischaemic stroke. METHODS: The patients enrolled in this study were from the Chinese Acute Ischemic Stroke Thrombolysis Monitoring and Registration study. The primary outcome was poor functional outcome, defined as a 3-month modified Rankin score of 3-6. The safe outcome was symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (SICH) and mortality within 7 days and 90 days. Multiple Cox regression model was used to correct the potential covariates to evaluate the association between sex disparities and prognosis. Furthermore, the interaction of preonset Rankin scores, baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) types was statistically analysed. RESULTS: A total of 1440 patients were recruited, including 541 women and 899 men. The baseline information indicated that women were older at the time of onset (66.2±11.2 years vs 61.0±11.3 years, p<0.001), and more likely to have a history of atrial fibrillation (25.3% vs 11.2%, p<0.001), and had a higher NIHSS score on admission (12.3±6.8 vs 11.6±6.7, p=0.04). According to the prognosis analysis of unsatisfactory functional recovery, there was no significant difference between women and men (45.9% vs 37.1%; adjusted OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.37). As for the safe outcome, the proportion of SICH and mortality in women is relatively high but did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant interaction with sex, age, preonset Rankin score, NIHSS score, TOAST classification and the prognosis of intravenous thrombolysis. CONCLUSIONS: For Chinese patients with ischaemic stroke, although women are older and more severe at the time of onset, the prognosis after intravenous thrombolysis is not significantly different from men.

Concurrent intracranial and extracranial artery stenosis and the prognosis of transient ischaemic symptoms or imaging-negative ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transient ischaemic attack (TIA), transient symptoms with infarction (TSI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-negative acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) share similar aetiologies but are considered to have a rather benign prognosis. We intended to investigate the association between intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS), extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ECAS) and the prognosis of patients with TIA, TSI and DWI-negative AIS. METHODS: Clinical and imaging data of eligible participants were derived from the Chinese Intracranial Atherosclerosis study, according to symptom duration, acute infarction on DWI and discharge diagnosis. Based on the severity and location of arterial atherosclerosis, we categorised the study population into four groups: no or <50% ICAS and no ECAS; ≥50% ICAS but no ECAS; no or <50% ICAS with ECAS; and concurrent ≥50% ICAS and ECAS. Using multivariable Cox regression models, we analysed the relationship between the severity and distribution of large artery atherosclerosis and the prognosis of TIA, TSI and DWI-negative AIS. RESULTS: A total of 806 patients were included, 67.3% of whom were male. The median age of the study participants was 63 years. Patients in the concurrent ≥50% ICAS and ECAS subgroup had both a significantly higher 1-year recurrence rate (adjusted HR 3.4 (95% CI 1.15 to 10.04), p=0.027) and a higher risk of composite vascular events (adjusted HR 3.82 (95% CI 1.50 to 9.72), p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent ICAS and ECAS is associated with a higher possibility of 1-year recurrent stroke or composite vascular events. Large artery evaluation is necessary to assess patients with transient ischaemic symptoms or DWI-negative AIS. Progress in shortening the time interval between symptom onset and large vessel evaluation is needed.

Concurrency of Early-Age Exposure to Chinese Famine and Diabetes Increases Recurrence of Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Purpose: Early age exposure to the Chinese Great Leap Forward famine (1959-1961) is associated with the incidence of risk factors for ischemic stroke. This study aims to examine the relationship between early age famine exposure and 12-month stroke recurrence. We sought to explore the interaction between famine exposure status and metabolic phenotypes on stroke recurrence and how the adherence of crucial evidence-based key performance indicators (KPI) would modify this interaction. Methods: We analyzed data of patients who were born between 1953 and 1964 in the China National Stroke Registry II (CNSR-II). The study population was further divided into five subgroups for comparing 12-month stroke recurrence. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used in analyzing the impact of the concurrence of metabolic phenotypes-type 2 diabetes (T2D) or metabolic syndrome (MetS)-and early-age famine exposure on recurrent risk. The influence of the adherence to predefined KPI and concurrency of metabolic phenotype was also evaluated. Results: Concurrent T2D and early age famine exposure was associated with an increased recurrence risk of ischemic stroke with 12 months [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28-2.07]. Optimal adherence to KPI was not associated with significantly reduced risk of 12-month stroke recurrence (adjusted HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.51-1.26). Conclusions: Concurrency of early-age famine exposure and diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of stroke recurrence within 12 months, and adherence to evidence-based KPI did not reduce the risk significantly.

Gene panel for Mendelian strokes.

BACKGROUND: Mendelian stroke causes nearly 7% of ischaemic strokes and is also an important aetiology of cryptogenic stroke. Identifying the genetic abnormalities in Mendelian strokes is important as it would facilitate therapeutic management and genetic counselling. Next-generation sequencing makes large-scale sequencing and genetic testing possible. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify causal genes of Mendelian strokes, which were used to construct a hybridization-based gene capture panel. Genetic variants for target genes were detected using Illumina HiSeq X10 and the Novaseq platform. The sensitivity and specificity were evaluated by comparing the results with Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: 53 suspected patients of Mendelian strokes were analysed using the panel of 181 causal genes. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics standard, 16 likely pathogenic/variants of uncertain significance genetic variants were identified. Diagnostic testing was conducted by comparing the consistency between the results of panel and Sanger sequencing. Both the sensitivity and specificity were 100% for the panel. CONCLUSION: This panel provides an economical, time-saving and labour-saving method to detect causal mutations of Mendelian strokes.

Inconsistent centralised versus non-centralised ischaemic stroke aetiology.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Trial of Org 10 172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) system is the most widely used aetiological categorisation system in clinical practice and research. Limited studies have validated the accuracy of routine aetiological diagnosis of patients with ischaemic stroke according to the TOAST criteria when the reported subtype is assumed to be correct. We investigated the agreement between centralised and non-centralised (site-reported, at discharge) stroke subtypes in the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III), and analysed the influence of classification consistency on evaluation during hospitalisation and for secondary prevention strategy. METHODS: All patients with ischaemic stroke from the CNSR-III study with complete diffusion-weighted imaging data were included. We used multivariable Cox proportional-hazard regression models to evaluate the factors associated with consistency between centralised and non-centralised stroke subtypes. Sensitivity analyses were conducted of the subgroup of patients with complete information. RESULTS: This study included 12 180 patients (mean age, 62.3 years; and women, 31.4%). Agreement between centralised and non-centralised subtype was the highest for the large-artery atherosclerosis subtype stroke (77.4% of centralised patients), followed by the small-vessel occlusion subtype (40.6% of centralised patients). Agreements for cardioembolism and stroke of other determined aetiology subtypes were 38.7% and 12.2%, respectively. Patient-level and hospital-level factors were associated with the inconsistency between centralised/non-centralised aetiological subtyping. This inconsistency was related to differences in secondary prevention strategies. Only 15.3% of the newly diagnosed patients with cardioembolism underwent centralised subtyping with indications to receive oral anticoagulants at discharge. In comparison, 51.3% of the consistent cardioembolism group and 42.0% of the centrally reassigned cardioembolism group with anticoagulation indications were prescribed oral anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial inconsistency exists between centralised and non-centralised subtyping in China. Inaccurate aetiological subtyping could lead to inadequate secondary prevention, especially in patients with cardioembolic stroke.

The max-intracerebral hemorrhage score predicts long-term outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage.

AIMS: Little is known about the performance of the maximally treated intracerebral hemorrhage (max-ICH) score in predicting unfavorable long-term functional outcome and death in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in China. We aimed to validate the performance of the max-ICH score and compared it with other recognized scores. METHODS: We derived data from the China National Stroke Registry (CNSR). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and Hosmer-Lemeshow test were used to measure the score performance. We compared the performance of max-ICH score with six recognized models, including the ICH score, ICH functional outcome score (ICH-FOS), Essen-ICH score, modified intracerebral hemorrhage (MICH) score, intracerebral hemorrhage grading scale (ICH-GS), and functional outcome (FUNC) score. RESULTS: A total of 2581 patients with spontaneous ICH were enrolled in the study. The max-ICH score was similar or superior to the six existing scores in predicting long-term unfavorable functional outcome after ICH with good discrimination (AUC 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81-0.84) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow P = 0.19). For predicting death, the AUC of max-ICH was 0.81 (95% CI 0.79-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: The easy-to-use max-ICH score is a reliable tool to predict unfavorable long-term (12-month) functional outcome and death after intracerebral hemorrhage in the Chinese population.