MRI vs CT for Baseline Imaging Evaluation in Acute Large Artery Ischemic Stroke: A Subanalysis of the SWIFT-DIRECT Trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Whether MRI or CT is preferable for the evaluation of patients with suspected stroke remains a matter of debate, given that the imaging modality acquired at baseline may be a relevant determinant of workflow delays and outcomes with it, in patients with stroke undergoing acute reperfusion therapies. METHODS: In this post hoc analysis of the SWIFT-DIRECT trial that investigated noninferiority of thrombectomy alone vs IV thrombolysis (IVT) + thrombectomy in patients with an acute ischemic anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke eligible to receive IVT within 4.5 hours after last seen well, we tested for a potential interaction between baseline imaging modality (MRI/MR-angiography [MRA] vs CT/CT-angiography [CTA]) and the effect of acute treatment (thrombectomy vs IVT + thrombectomy) on clinical and safety outcomes and procedural metrics (primary analysis). Moreover, we examined the association between baseline imaging modality and these outcomes using regression models adjusted for age, sex, baseline NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), occlusion location, and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) (secondary analysis). Endpoints included workflow times, the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at 90 days, the rate of successful reperfusion, the odds for early neurologic deterioration within 24 hours, and the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. The imaging modality acquired was chosen at the discretion of the treating physicians and commonly reflects center-specific standard procedures. RESULTS: Four hundred five of 408 patients enrolled in the SWIFT-DIRECT trial were included in this substudy. Two hundred (49.4%) patients underwent MRI/MRA, and 205 (50.6%) underwent CT/CTA. Patients with MRI/MRA had lower NIHSS scores (16 [interquartile range (IQR) 12-20] vs 18 [IQR 14-20], p = 0.012) and lower ASPECTS (8 [IQR 6-9] vs 8 [IQR 7-9], p = 0.021) compared with those with CT/CTA. In terms of the primary analysis, we found no evidence for an interaction between baseline imaging modality and the effect of IVT + thrombectomy vs thrombectomy alone. Regarding the secondary analysis, MRI/MRA acquisition was associated with workflow delays of approximately 20 minutes, higher odds of functional independence at 90 days (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.65, 95% CI 1.07-2.56), and similar mortality rates (aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.36-1.47) compared with CT/CTA. DISCUSSION: This post hoc analysis does not suggest treatment effect heterogeneity of IVT + thrombectomy vs thrombectomy alone in large artery stroke patients with different imaging modalities. There was no evidence that functional outcome at 90 days was less favorable following MRI/MRA at baseline compared with CT/CTA, despite significant workflow delays. TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03192332.

Clinical, imaging, and management features of symptomatic carotid web: Insight from CAROWEB registry.

BACKGROUND: Although carotid web (CaW) is increasingly diagnosed as a cause of cryptogenic stroke, data are still limited to monocentric small sample cohort. To broaden knowledge on symptomatic CaW, CAROWEB registry has been recently implemented. AIMS: In a large cohort of symptomatic CaW patients, we described epidemiologic characteristics, admission clinical and imaging features, and the current management including the secondary preventive strategy choice made in comprehensive French Stroke Units. METHODS: CAROWEB is an ongoing French observational multicenter registry enrolling consecutive CaW patients diagnosed after an ipsilateral ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Submitted cases were validated by two experienced neurologist and neuroradiologist. Clinical, imaging, and management features were collected for this study. RESULTS: Between June 2019 and December 2021, 244 cases were submitted by 14 centers, 42 rejected, and 202 included (IS, 91.6%; TIA, 7.9%; retinal infarction, 0.5%; mean age, 50.8 ± 12.2 years; female, 62.9%; Caucasian, 47.5%; Afro-Caribbean, 20.3%). IS patients showed median (interquartile range (IQR)) admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, 8 (2-15); intracranial artery occlusion, 71.8%; ipsilateral chronic cerebral infarction (CCI), 16.3%; and reperfusion treatment, 57.3%. CaW was not identified during the mechanical thrombectomy procedure in 30 of 85 (35.3%) patients. Secondary prevention was invasive in 55.6% (stenting, n = 80; surgery, n = 30). In multivariable analysis, the invasive therapeutic option was associated with ipsilateral CCI (odds ratio (OR): 4.24 (1.27-14.2), p = 0.019) and inversely associated with risk factors (OR: 0.47 (0.24-0.91), p = 0.025) and admission NIHSS score (OR: 0.93 (0.89-0.97), p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: CaW must be considered in all ethnic groups including Caucasians. Secondary prevention is heterogeneous in large French Stroke Centers. The absence of risk factors, milder severity strokes, and ipsilateral CCI were predictive variables of secondary invasive treatment. The high rate of invasive treatment suggests that medical treatment alone is deemed ineffective to avoid recurrence and emphasize the need of randomized trials.

Temporal trends in results of endovascular treatment of anterior intracranial large cerebral vessel occlusion: A 7-year study.

BACKGROUND: Technical improvements in devices, changes in angiographic grading scales and various confounding factors have made difficult the detection of the temporal evolution of angiographic and clinical results after endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic Stroke (AIS). We analyzed this evolution in time using the Endovascular Treatment in Ischemic Stroke (ETIS) registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the efficacy outcomes of EVT performed from January 2015 to January 2022, and modelized the temporal trends using mixed logistic regression models, further adjusted for age, intravenous thrombolysis prior to EVT, general anesthesia, occlusion site, balloon catheter use and the type of first-line EVT strategy. We assessed heterogeneity in temporal trends according to occlusion site, balloon catheter use, cardio embolic etiology, age (<80 years vs ⩾80 years) and first-line EVT strategy. RESULTS: Among 6104 patients treated from 2015 to 2021, the rates of successful reperfusion (71.1%-89.6%) and of complete first pass effect (FPE) (4.6%-28.9%) increase, whereas the rates of patients with >3 EVT device passes (43.1%-17.5%) and favorable outcome (35.8%-28.9%) decrease significantly over time. A significant heterogeneity in temporal trends in successful reperfusion according to the first-line EVT strategy was found (p-het = 0.018). The temporal trend of increasing successful reperfusion rate was only significant in patients treated with contact aspiration in first-line (adjusted overall effect p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: In this 7-year-old large registry of ischemic stroke cases treated with EVT, we observed a significant increase with time in the rate of recanalization whereas there was a tendency toward a decrease in the rate of favorable outcome over the same period.

Endovascular treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations: clinical outcomes of patients included in the registry of a pragmatic randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The role of endovascular treatment in the management of patients with brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remains uncertain. AVM embolization can be offered as stand-alone curative therapy or prior to surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) (pre-embolization). The Treatment of Brain AVMs Study (TOBAS) is an all-inclusive pragmatic study that comprises two randomized trials and multiple registries. METHODS: Results from the TOBAS curative and pre-embolization registries are reported. The primary outcome for this report is death or dependency (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score > 2) at last follow-up. Secondary outcomes include angiographic results, perioperative serious adverse events (SAEs), and permanent treatment-related complications leading to an mRS score > 2. RESULTS: From June 2014 to May 2021, 1010 patients were recruited in TOBAS. Embolization was chosen as the primary curative treatment for 116 patients and pre-embolization prior to surgery or SRS for 92 patients. Clinical and angiographic outcomes were available in 106 (91%) of 116 and 77 (84%) of 92 patients, respectively. In the curative embolization registry, 70% of AVMs were ruptured, and 62% were low-grade AVMs (Spetzler-Martin grade I or II), while the pre-embolization registry had 70% ruptured AVMs and 58% low-grade AVMs. The primary outcome of death or disability (mRS score > 2) occurred in 15 (14%, 95% CI 8%-22%) of the 106 patients in the curative embolization registry (4 [12%, 95% CI 5%-28%] of 32 unruptured AVMs and 11 [15%, 95% CI 8%-25%] of 74 ruptured AVMs) and 9 (12%, 95% CI 6%-21%) of the 77 patients in the pre-embolization registry (4 [17%, 95% CI 7%-37%] of 23 unruptured AVMs and 5 [9%, 95% CI 4%-20%] of 54 ruptured AVMs) at 2 years. Embolization alone was confirmed to occlude the AVM in 32 (30%, 95% CI 21%-40%) of the 106 curative attempts and in 9 (12%, 95% CI 6%-21%) of 77 patients in the pre-embolization registry. SAEs occurred in 28 of the 106 attempted curative patients (26%, 95% CI 18%-35%, including 21 new symptomatic hemorrhages [20%, 95% CI 13%-29%]). Five of the new hemorrhages were in previously unruptured AVMs (n = 32; 16%, 95% CI 5%-33%). Of the 77 pre-embolization patients, 18 had SAEs (23%, 95% CI 15%-34%), including 12 new symptomatic hemorrhages [16%, 95% CI 9%-26%]). Three of the hemorrhages were in previously unruptured AVMs (3/23; 13%, 95% CI 3%-34%). CONCLUSIONS: Embolization as a curative treatment for brain AVMs was often incomplete. Hemorrhagic complications were frequent, even when the specified intent was pre-embolization before surgery or SRS. Because the role of endovascular treatment remains uncertain, it should preferably, when possible, be offered in the context of a randomized trial.

World federation of interventional and therapeutic neuroradiology (WFITN) federation assembly neurointerventional surgery safety checklist.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a rise in neurointerventional case complexity, device variety and physician distractions. Even among experienced physicians, this trend challenges our memory and concentration, making it more difficult to remember safety principles and their implications. Checklists are regarded by some as a redundant exercise that wastes time, or as an attack on physician autonomy. However, given the increasing case and disease complexity along with the number of distractions, it is even more important now to have a compelling reminder of safety principles that preserve habits that are susceptible to being overlooked because they seem mundane. Most hospitals have mandated a pre-procedure neurointerventional time-out checklist, but often it ends up being done in a cursory fashion for the primary purpose of 'checking off boxes'. There may be value in iterating the checklist to further emphasize safety and communication. The Federation Assembly of the World Federation of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology (WFITN) decided to construct a checklist for neurointerventional cases based on a review of the literature and insights from an expert panel.

Patient Selection in a Pragmatic Study on the Management of Patients with Brain Arteriovenous Malformations.

BACKGROUND: The Treatment of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations Study (TOBAS) is an all-inclusive pragmatic study comprising 2 randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Patients excluded from the RCTs are followed in parallel treatment and observation registries, allowing a comparison between RCT and registry patients. METHODS: The first randomized clinical trial (RCT-1) offers 1:1 randomized allocation of intervention versus conservative management for patients with arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The second randomized clinical trial (RCT-2) allocates 1:1 pre-embolization or no pre-embolization to surgery or radiosurgery patients judged treatable with or without embolization. Characteristics of RCT patients are reported and compared to registry patients. RESULTS: From June 2014 to May 2021, 1010 patients with AVM were recruited; 498 patients were observed and 373 were included in the treatment registries. Randomized allocation in RCT-1 was applied to 139 (26%) of the 512 patients (including 127 of 222 [57%] with unruptured AVMs) considered for curative treatment. RCT-1 AVM patients differed (in rupture status, Spetzler-Martin grade and baseline modified Rankin Score) from those in the observation or treatment registries (P < 0.001). Most patients had small (<3 cm; 71%) low-grade (Spetzler-Martin I-II; 64%) unruptured (91%) AVMs. The allocated management was conservative (n = 71) or curative (n = 68), using surgery (n = 39), embolization (n = 16), or stereotactic radiosurgery (n = 13). Pre-embolization was considered for 179/309 (58%) patients allocated/assigned to surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery; 87/179 (49%) were included in RCT-2. RCT-2 patient AVMs differed in size, eloquence and grade from patients of the pre-embolization registry (P < 0.01). Most had small (<3 cm in 82%) low-grade (83%) AVMs in non-eloquent brain (64%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients included in the RCTs differ significantly from registry patients. Meaningful results can be obtained if multiple centers actively participate in the TOBAS RCTs.

Risk Prediction of New Intracranial Aneurysms at Follow-Up Screening in People With a Positive Family History.

BACKGROUND: In first-degree relatives of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), the risk of an intracranial aneurysm can be predicted at initial screening but not at follow-up screening. We aimed to develop a model for predicting the probability of a new intracranial aneurysm after initial screening in people with a positive family history of aSAH. METHODS: In a prospective study, we obtained data from follow-up screening for aneurysms of 499 subjects with ≥2 affected first-degree relatives. Screening took place at the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, and the University Hospital of Nantes, France. We studied associations between potential predictors and the presence of aneurysms using Cox regression analysis and the predictive performance at 5, 10, and 15 years after initial screening using C statistics and calibration plots, while correcting for overfitting. RESULTS: In 5050 person-years of follow-up, intracranial aneurysms were found in 52 subjects. The risk of aneurysm at 5 years was 2% to 12%, at 10 years, 4% to 28%, and at 15 years, 7% to 40%. Predictors were female sex, history of intracranial aneurysms/aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, and older age. The sex, previous history of intracranial aneurysm/aSAH, older age score had a C statistic of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.61-0.78) at 5 years, 0.71 (95% CI, 0.64-0.78) at 10 years, and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.63-0.76) at 15 years and showed good calibration. CONCLUSIONS: The sex, previous history of intracranial aneurysm/aSAH, older age score provides risk estimates for finding new intracranial aneurysms at 5, 10, and 15 years after initial screening, based on 3 easily retrievable predictors; this can help to define a personalized screening strategy after initial screening in people with a positive family history for aSAH.

Risk factors of unexplained early neurological deterioration after treatment for ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion: a post hoc analysis of the HERMES study.

BACKGROUND: Early neurological deterioration (END) after endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is associated with poor outcome. END may remain unexplained by parenchymal hemorrhage (UnEND). We aim to analyze the risk factors of UnEND in the medical management (MM) and EVT arms of the HERMES study. METHODS: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of anterior AIS patients who underwent EVT for proximal anterior occlusions. Risk factors of UnEND, defined as a worsening of ≥4 points between baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and NIHSS at 24 hours without hemorrhage, were compared between both arms using mixed logistic regression models adjusted for baseline characteristics. An interaction analysis between the EVT and MM arms for risk factors of UnEND was conducted. RESULTS: Among 1723 patients assessable for UnEND, 160 patients experienced an UnEND (9.3%), including 9.1% (78/854) in the EVT arm and 9.4% (82/869) in the MM arm. There was no significant difference in the incidence of UnEND between the two study arms. In the EVT population, independent risk factors of UnEND were lower baseline NIHSS, higher baseline glucose, and lower collateral grade. In the MM population, the only independent predictor of UnEND was higher baseline glucose. However, we did not demonstrate an interaction between EVT and MM for baseline factors as risk factors of UnEND. UnEND was, similarly in both treatment groups, a significant predictor of unfavorable outcome in both the EVT (p<0.001) and MM (p<0.001) arms. CONCLUSIONS: UnEND is not an uncommon event, with a similar rate which ever treatment arm is considered. In the clinical scenario of AIS due to large vessel occlusion, no patient-related factor seems to increase the risk for UnEND when treated by EVT compared with MM.

Bifurcation geometry remodelling of vessels in de novo and growing intracranial aneurysms: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Geometrical parameters, including arterial bifurcation angle, tortuosity, and arterial diameters, have been associated with the pathophysiology of intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these parameters were present before or if they resulted from IA formation and growth. METHODS: Patients from nine academic centers were retrospectively identified if they presented with a de novo IA or a significant IA growth on subsequent imaging. For each patient, geometrical parameters were extracted using a semi-automated algorithm and compared between bifurcations with IA formation or growth (aneurysmal group), and their contralateral side without IA (control group). These parameters were compared at two different times using univariable models, multivariable models, and a sensitivity analysis with paired comparison. RESULTS: 46 patients were included with 21 de novo IAs (46%) and 25 significant IA growths (54%). The initial angle was not different between the aneurysmal and control groups (129.7±42.1 vs 119.8±34.3; p=0.264) but was significantly wider at the final stage (140.4±40.9 vs 121.5±34.1; p=0.032), with a more important widening of the aneurysmal angle (10.8±15.8 vs 1.78±7.38; p=0.001). Variations in other parameters were not significant. These results were confirmed by paired comparisons. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that wider bifurcation angles that have long been deemed causal factors for IA formation or growth may be secondary to IA formation at pathologic bifurcation sites. This finding has implications for our understanding of IA formation pathophysiology.

CLinical Assessment of WEB device in Ruptured aneurYSms (CLARYS): 12-month angiographic results of a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The CLinical Assessment of WEB device in Ruptured aneurYSms (CLARYS) study has shown that the endovascular treatment of ruptured bifurcation aneurysms with the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) is safe and effective and provides protection against rebleeding at 1 month and 1 year. The 12-month angiographic follow-up is an important endpoint of the study. METHODS: The CLARYS study is a prospective multicenter study conducted in 13 European centers. The study enrolled 60 patients with 60 ruptured aneurysms of the anterior and posterior circulation. The study was conducted with an independent assessment of safety outcomes and imaging. RESULTS: Sixty patients with 60 ruptured bifurcation aneurysms to be treated with the WEB were included. Fifty-three aneurysms (88.3%) had a broad base with a dome to neck ratio <2 (mean 1.6). Of these, 46 patients were evaluated by an independent core laboratory with follow-up imaging performed at 12 months or before eventual retreatment. At 1 year, 19/46 aneurysms (41.3%) were completely occluded (Raymond-Roy grade I), 21/46 (45.7%) had a residual neck and 6/46 (13.0%) had residual aneurysm filling. Adequate occlusion was reported in 40/46 (87%) aneurysms. Six patients underwent target aneurysm retreatment. CONCLUSIONS: The CLARYS study has previously shown that the use of the WEB in the endovascular treatment of ruptured bifurcation aneurysms provides effective protection against rebleeding with a good safety profile. The angiographic occlusion rates at 1 year reported here are comparable to those already seen in previous multicenter studies which primarily included unruptured aneurysms.

European Stroke Organisation (ESO) guidelines on management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) occur in around 3% of the population. Important management questions concern if and how to perform preventive UIA occlusion; if, how and when to perform follow up imaging and non-interventional means to reduce the risk of rupture. Using the Standard Operational Procedure of ESO we prepared guidelines according to GRADE methodology. Since no completed randomised trials exist, we used interim analyses of trials, and meta-analyses of observational and case-control studies to provide recommendations to guide UIA management. All recommendations were based on very low evidence. We suggest preventive occlusion if the estimated 5-year rupture risk exceeds the risk of preventive treatment. In general, we cannot recommend endovascular over microsurgical treatment, but suggest flow diverting stents as option only when there are no other low-risk options for UIA repair. To detect UIA recurrence we suggest radiological follow up after occlusion. In patients who are initially observed, we suggest radiological monitoring to detect future UIA growth, smoking cessation, treatment of hypertension, but not treatment with statins or acetylsalicylic acid with the indication to reduce the risk of aneurysm rupture. Additionally, we formulated 15 expert-consensus statements. All experts suggest to assess UIA patients within a multidisciplinary setting (neurosurgery, neuroradiology and neurology) at centres consulting >100 UIA patients per year, to use a shared decision-making process based on the team recommendation and patient preferences, and to repair UIA only in centres performing the proposed treatment in >30 patients with (ruptured or unruptured) aneurysms per year per neurosurgeon or neurointerventionalist. These UIA guidelines provide contemporary recommendations and consensus statement on important aspects of UIA management until more robust data come available.

Endovascular Treatment of Complex Intracranial Aneurysms With LEO+ Stents: The LEO II Cohort Study.

Introduction: Stent-assisted coiling is an established treatment option for intracranial aneurysms, particularly, wide neck aneurysms with complex anatomy. The purpose of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of LEO+ stents in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Materials and Methods: A prospective, observational, multicenter study including 12 centers was performed on patients with ruptured, unruptured, and recanalized intracranial aneurysms treated with LEO+ stents. The primary efficacy endpoint was the rate of complete aneurysmal occlusion at 18 months post-procedure, and the primary safety endpoint was the morbidity and mortality at 18 months post-procedure. Results: From March 2015 to June 2017, 176 patients were enrolled (mean age of 54.8 ± 11.5 years; 65.9% women). The aneurysms were located mainly in the anterior communicating artery (29.2%) and the middle cerebral artery (28.6%). They were mostly saccular (94%), with a mean dome size of 5.3 ± 2.6 mm and a mean aspect ratio of 1.2 ± 1.0. In total, 3% of the aneurysms were treated in the acute phase of rupture. Complete/nearly complete aneurysmal occlusion and major recanalization were observed in 89% (n = 146/164) and 1.8% (n = 3/164) of patients at 18-month follow-up, respectively. The LEO+ related mortality rate was 0.6% (n = 1/170), the morbidity rate was 4.1% (n = 7/170), and these patients were mRS 0-2 at 18 months. Conclusion: Our results reflecting the use of LEO+ stents in real-world conditions confirm the efficacy and safety of LEO+ stents in the management of complex intracranial aneurysms.

Early Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Non-Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage who Undergo Catheter Angiography: Incidence, Associated Risk Factors and Impact on Outcome.

OBJECTIVES: After subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), potential renal insults are numerous but the burden of early acute kidney injury (AKI) is unclear. We determined its incidence, rate of persistence, risk factors, and impact on patients' outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with non-traumatic SAH were retrospectively included if they underwent catheter angiography within the 48 h after their admission to the intensive care unit. Early AKI was defined according to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome (KDIGO) criteria, analyzed from the time of catheter angiography. Early AKI was considered as persistent if the KDIGO stage did not decrease between the 48th and the 60th hour. RESULTS: Among 499 consecutive patients, early AKI (mostly oliguria) occurred in 132 (26%): stage 1, 2 and 3 in 72 (14%), 44 (9%), and 16 (3%) patients, respectively. It persisted in 36% of cases. Early AKI occurred more likely when SAH was severe or renal function was impaired at hospital admission: adjusted odds ratio of 2.76 [95% 1.77-4.30] and 3.32 [1.17-9.46], respectively. ICU and hospital lengths of stay were longer in patients who developed early AKI than in patients who did not: 16 [9-29] versus 12 [4-24] days (p = 0.0003) and 21 [14-43] versus 16 [11-32] days (p = 0.007), respectively. There was an independent link between early AKI and renal outcome (n = 274 in the model) but not with hospital mortality (n = 453). CONCLUSIONS: One quarter of our population developed early AKI, mostly oliguria. It persisted beyond the 48th hour in one third of cases. The associated risk factors we identified were non-modifiable.

Number of Affected Relatives, Age, Smoking, and Hypertension Prediction Score for Intracranial Aneurysms in Persons With a Family History for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Persons with a positive family history of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage are at increased risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Preventive screening for intracranial aneurysms (IAs) in these persons is cost-effective but not very efficient. We aimed to develop and externally validate a model for predicting the probability of an IA at first screening in persons with a positive family history of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: For model development, we studied results from initial screening for IA in 660 prospectively collected persons with ≥2 affected first-degree relatives screened at the University Medical Center Utrecht. For validation, we studied results from 258 prospectively collected persons screened in the University Hospital of Nantes. We assessed potential predictors of IA presence in multivariable logistic regression analysis. Predictive performance was assessed with the C statistic and a calibration plot and corrected for overfitting. RESULTS: IA were present in 79 (12%) persons in the development cohort. Predictors were number of affected relatives, age, smoking, and hypertension (NASH). The NASH score had a C statistic of 0.68 (95% CI, 0.62-0.74) and showed good calibration in the development data. Predicted probabilities of an IA at first screening varied from 5% in persons aged 20 to 30 years with two affected relatives, without hypertension who never smoked, up to 36% in persons aged 60 to 70 years with ≥3 affected relatives, who have hypertension and smoke(d). In the external validation data IA were present in 67 (26%) persons, the model had a C statistic of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.57-0.71) and slightly underestimated IAs risk. CONCLUSIONS: For persons with ≥2 affected first-degree relatives, the NASH score improves current predictions and provides risk estimates for an IA at first screening between 5% and 36% based on 4 easily retrievable predictors. With the information such persons can now make a better informed decision about whether or not to undergo preventive screening.

Magnetic resonance imaging quantitative T2* mapping to predict the red blood cell content of in vivo thrombi retrieved from patients with large vessel occlusions in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance imaging quantitative T2* mapping has shown reliable identification of thrombus red blood cell content in vitro. The thrombus composition has been in vivo, associated with outcomes after endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke. We aim to analyze the red blood cell content of thrombi retrieved from patients with large vessel occlusions in relation to the thrombus-T2* relaxation time in magnetic resonance imaging. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients treated by endovascular therapy were scanned with an magnetic resonance imaging quantitative T2* mapping sequence. Quantitative histologic evaluations of red blood cell content were performed. A linear regression assessed the association between vascular risk factors, comorbidities, antithrombotic drugs intake, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), intravenous thrombolysis before endovascular therapy, time between onset and groin puncture, patient's outcome at 3 months, magnetic resonance imaging quantitative T2* mapping results, and the red blood cell content of thrombi. The correlation between the mean thrombus-T2* relaxation time and red blood cell content was assessed by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Among 31 thrombi, 16 were "Fibrin rich" and 15 "red blood cell dominant." The median red blood cell content was 39 (range, 0-90; interquartile range, 37). The median (interquartile range) thrombus-T2* relaxation time was shorter in "red blood cell dominant" thrombi (21, interquartile range 6) than in "Fibrin rich" thrombi (24, interquartile range 7), without significant difference (p = 0.15), as shown in the Box plot. An inverse correlation between thrombus-T2* relaxation time and red blood cell content was found, with a correlation coefficient of -0.41 (95% CI, -0.67 to -0.08, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that a shorter thrombus-T2* relaxation time is related to a higher red blood cell content within in vivo thrombi.

Patient and aneurysm factors associated with aneurysm recanalization after coiling.

BACKGROUND: One limitation of the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms is aneurysm recanalization. The Analysis of Recanalization after Endovascular Treatment of intracranial Aneurysm (ARETA) study is a prospective multicenter cohort study evaluating the factors associated with recanalization after endovascular treatment. METHODS: The current analysis is focused on patients treated by coiling or balloon-assisted coiling (BAC). Postoperative, mid-term vascular imaging, and evolution of aneurysm occlusion were independently evaluated by two neuroradiologists. A 3-grade scale was used for aneurysm occlusion (complete occlusion, neck remnant, and aneurysm remnant) and for occlusion evolution (improved, stable, and worsened). Recanalization was defined as any worsening of aneurysm occlusion. RESULTS: Between December 2013 and May 2015, 16 French neurointerventional departments enrolled 1289 patients. A total of 945 aneurysms in 908 patients were treated with coiling or BAC. The overall rate of aneurysm recanalization at mid-term follow-up was 29.5% (95% CI 26.6% to 32.4%): 28.9% and 30.3% in the coiling and BAC groups, respectively. In multivariate analyses factors independently associated with recanalization were current smoking (36.6% in current smokers vs 24.5% in current non-smokers (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3 to 2.4); p=0.0001), ruptured status (31.9% in ruptured aneurysms vs 25.1% in unruptured (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.1); p=0.006), aneurysm size ≥10 mm (48.8% vs 26.5% in aneurysms <10 mm (OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.8 to 3.9); p<0.0001), wide neck (32.1% vs 25.8% in narrow neck (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.1); p=0.02), and MCA location (34.3% vs 28.3% in other locations (OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.1); p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Several factors are identified by the ARETA study as playing a role in aneurysm recanalization after coiling: current smoking, aneurysm status (ruptured), aneurysm size (≥10 mm), neck size (wide neck), and aneurysm location (middle cerebral artery). This finding has important consequences in clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: URL: http://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique Identifier: NCT01942512.