Leukoaraiosis and early neurological recovery after intravenous thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND: Early neurological recovery after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is associated with favorable outcome after acute ischemic stroke. Leukoaraiosis, a marker of chronic ischemia, is a possible negative predictive factor of early recovery. However, its negative attenuating effects remain inadequately studied, leading to uncertainty in the prediction of outcomes after IVT. We aim to determine the influence of leukoaraiosis on early neurologic recovery. METHODS: We included consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients who received IVT between 2007 and 2011. The following data were included: demographics, vascular risk factors, stroke type, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at onset, and at 24 hours after IVT. Baseline computed tomography (CT) brain scans were analyzed. Two blinded assessors rated the CT scans using the van Swieten scale for leukoaraiosis. Median regression was used to assess the relationship between leukoaraiosis and neurologic recovery. RESULTS: We included 158 patients. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 77 (68-84) and 71 (45%) were female. The median (IQR) NIHSS was 13 (7-18.75) at baseline and 7.5 (2-16) at 24 hours. After taking into account variables independently associated with leukoaraiosis, median regression analysis failed to demonstrate the association between the presence of leukoaraiosis and early neurologic recovery (NIHSS relative one) after IVT, for either of the 3 prespecified dichotomization-based definitions of leukoaraiosis. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, there was no evidence of the association between the degree of leukoaraiosis and early neurological recovery after IVT.

Cost-effectiveness of thrombolysis within 4.5 hours of acute ischemic stroke: experience from Australian stroke center.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous economic studies outside Australia have demonstrated that patients treated with tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) within 4.5 hours of stroke onset have lower healthcare costs than those not. We aim to perform cost-effectiveness analysis of intravenous tPA in an Australian setting. METHODS: Data on clinical outcomes and costs were derived for 378 patients who received intravenous tPA within 4.5 hours of stroke onset at Royal Melbourne Hospital (Australia) between January 2003 and December 2011. To simulate clinical outcomes and costs for a hypothetical control group assumed not to have received tPA, we applied efficacy data from a meta-analysis of randomized trials to outcomes observed in the tPA group. During a 1-year time-horizon, net costs, years of life lived, and quality-adjusted life-years were compared and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios derived for tPA versus no tPA. RESULTS: In the study population, mean (SD) age was 68.2 (13.5) years and 206 (54.5%) were men. Median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (interquartile range) at presentation was 12.5 (8-18). Compared with no tPA, we estimated that tPA would result in 0.02 life-years and 0.04 quality-adjusted life-years saved per person>1 year. The net cost of tPA was AUD $55.61 per patient. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were AUD $2377 per life-year saved and AUD $1478 per quality-adjusted life-years saved. Because the costs of tPA are incurred only once, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios would decrease with increasing time-horizon. Uncertainty analyses indicated the results to be robust. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous tPA within 4.5 hours represents a cost-effective intervention for acute ischemic stroke.

Remote intracerebral haemorrhage post intravenous thrombolysis: experience from an Australian stroke centre.

Remote intracerebral haemorrhage (rICH) is defined as intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) post thrombolysis in brain regions without visible ischaemic changes. There is uncertainty that clinical outcomes and risk factors for rICH are different to those for local ICH. We investigated the morbidity, mortality and factors associated with rICH. We hypothesised that a previous history of cerebral ischaemic events is associated with increased risk of rICH. We included consecutive acute ischaemic stroke patients from 2003 to 2012 who were treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Clinical data included demographics, stroke classification, vascular risk factors and laboratory results. Clinical outcome was defined by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months. Baseline and follow-up CT scans were analysed for all ICH, and further dichotomised to rICH and local ICH. Clinical outcomes between rICH and local ICH were compared after adjustment for confounding factors. Four hundred and two patients were included in the study. The median age was 71 (interquartile range 60-79)years, and 54% were male. ICH (local ICH and rICH) was detected in 21.6% (87/402) of all patients post thrombolysis. The incidence of rICH was 2.2% (9/402). Most rICH were classified as haemorrhagic infarct category 2 (HI2) (p = 0.002). The proportion of patients with previous transient ischaemic attacks was significantly higher in the rICH group (33.33% versus 2.56%; odds ratio [OR] 18.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.06-114.38; p = 0.007). The proportion of mRS scores 0-2 at 3 months was significantly higher in the rICH group (50% versus 28%; adjusted OR 10.469, 95%CI 1.474-74.338; p = 0.019). The 3 month mortality rate was 22.2% (2/9) in the rICH group and 36% (27/75) in the local ICH group (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0-2.51, p = 0.703). rICH was an infrequent complication after intravenous thrombolysis in our series. The clinical outcome of rICH was significantly better than local ICH. Of note, previous episodes of transient ischaemic attack were significantly higher in the rICH group, suggesting previous ischaemic injury as an underlying mechanism.

Elevated urea level is associated with poor clinical outcome and increased mortality post intravenous tissue plasminogen activator in stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Renal dysfunction is associated with poor outcomes in ischaemic stroke but remains unproven post intravenous thrombolysis. We studied the renal function in stroke patients treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA). METHODS: We retrospectively analysed consecutive ischaemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA (0.9 mg/kg) from January 2003 to December 2011. Collected data included demographics, medical histories, stroke severity measured by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), serum urea, creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), platelet, white cell count and international normalised ratio (INR) at baseline. Poor clinical outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 2 to 6 at 3 months. Logistic regression analysis was performed to test the association between renal function and clinical outcomes adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: In the 378 patients included, the median age was 72 (IQR=62-81) years, 54.2% were male. Median baseline NIHSS was 12 (IQR=8-18). There was a statistically significant association between all three renal function markers. After adjustments for confounding factors, baseline urea was significantly associated with poor outcome (OR=1.100; 95% CI 1.010-1.198 per mmol/L; p=0.028) and mortality (OR=1.117; 95% CI 1.027-1.213 per mmol/L; p=0.009), eGFR was associated with mortality (OR=0.984; 95% CI 0.970-0.998 per mL/min/1.73 m(2); p=0.026) but not poor outcome (OR=0.994; 95% CI 0.983-1.004 per mL/min/1.73m(2); p=0.230), and serum creatinine was not significant for poor outcome (OR=1.037; 95% CI 0.967-1.113 per 10 µmol/L; p=0.306) or mortality (OR=1.032; 95% CI 0.979-1.088 per 10 µmol/L; p=0.238). No association was observed between ICH and any renal function test. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum urea was independently associated with poor clinical outcome and mortality in acute ischaemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA.