Clinical Course and Outcomes of Small Supratentorial Intracerebral Hematomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume, particularly if ≥30 mL, is a major determinant of poor outcome. We used a multinational ICH data registry to study the characteristics, course, and outcomes of supratentorial hematomas with volumes <30 mL. METHODS: Basic characteristics, clinical and radiological course, and 30-day outcomes of these patients were recorded. Outcomes were categorized as early neurological deterioration (END), hematoma expansion, Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), and in-hospital death. Poor outcome was defined as composite of in-hospital death and severe disability (GOS ≤ 3). Comparison was conducted based on hemorrhage location. Logistic regression using dichotomized outcome scales was applied to determine predictors of poor outcome. RESULTS: Among 375 cases of supratentorial ICH with volumes <30 mL, expansion and END rates were 19.2% and 7.5%, respectively. Hemorrhage growth was independently associated with END (odds ratio: 28.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.51-96.5; P < .0001). Expansion rates did not differ according to ICH location. Overall, 13.9% (exact binomial 95% CI: 10.5-17.8) died in the hospital and 29.1% (CI: 24.5-34.0) had severe disability at 30 days; there was a cumulative poor outcome rate of 42.9% (CI: 37.9-48.1). Age, admission Glasgow Coma Scale, intraventricular extension, and END were independently associated with poor outcome. There was no difference in poor outcome rates between lobar and deep locations (40.2% versus 43.8%, P = .56). CONCLUSION: Patients with supratentorial ICH <30 mL have high rates of poor outcome at 30 days, regardless of location. Nearly 1 in 5 hematomas <30 mL expands, leading to END or death.

Older Stroke Patients with High Stroke Scores Have Delayed Door-To-Needle Times.

INTRODUCTION: The timely administration of intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) to acute ischemic stroke patients from the period of symptom presentation to treatment, door-to-needle (DTN) time, is an important focus for quality improvement and best clinical practice. METHODS: A retrospective review of our Get With The Guidelines database was performed for a 5-hospital telestroke network for the period between January 2010 and January 2015. All acute ischemic stroke patients who were triaged in the emergency departments connected to the telestroke network and received IV t-PA were included. Optimal DTN time was defined as less than 60 minutes. Logistic regression was performed with clinical variables associated with DTN time. Age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score were categorized based on clinically significant cutoffs. RESULTS: Six-hundred and fifty-two patients (51% women, 46% White, 45% Hispanic, and 8% Black) were included in this study. The mean age was 70 years (range 29-98). Of the variables analyzed, only arrival mode, initial NIHSS score, and the interaction between age and initial NIHSS score were significant. DTN time more than or equal to 60 minutes was most common in patients aged more than 80 years with NIHSS score higher than 10. CONCLUSIONS: The cause of DTN time delay for older patients with higher NIHSS score is unclear but was not related to presenting blood pressure or arrival mode. Further study of this subgroup is important to reduce overall DTN times.

Rationale and design of a statewide telestroke registry: Lone Star Stroke Consortium Telestroke Registry (LeSteR).

INTRODUCTION: The Lone Star Stroke Consortium Telestroke Registry (LeSteR) currently consisting of 3 academic hub centres and 27 partner spokes is a statewide initiative organised by leading academic health centres in the State of Texas to understand practice patterns of acute stroke management via telestroke (TS) in Texas, a state with one of the largest rural populations in the USA. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: All patients who had presumed stroke for whom a TS consultation has been obtained in the network are entered into a web-based, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant database from September 2013 to present. Spokes were enrolled into LeSteR in a staggered approach in two data collection phases: a retrospective phase and a prospective phase. Basic clinical, demographic data and relevant time metrics are collected in the retrospective phase. Starting 1 September 2015, additional outcome data including 90-day modified Rankin score, readmission and 90-day disposition are obtained by a standard phone interview. From the registry initiation to 31 December 2017, there are 8089 patients who had suspected stroke in the registry. Over 60% of patients enrolled after 1 September 2015 have reported outcome data. Enrolment is still active for this registry. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: LeSteR is a statewide TS registry organised by academic health centres that will provide significant insight regarding the impact of TS in the State of Texas. Findings from LeSteR will provide data that can be analysed to improve the allocation of healthcare resources using TS to treat stroke in a state with one of the largest rural populations.

Laboratory characteristics of ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation on or off therapeutic warfarin.

BACKGROUND: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), despite adequate anticoagulation, ischemic stroke (IS) is an uncommon yet concerning occurrence. HYPOTHESIS: Specific laboratory parameters may affect the efficacy of warfarin despite therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) in patient with AF who present with IS. METHODS: We used the database from a multicenter clinical trial to identify AF patients who presented with IS. We trichotomized the cohort into patients with therapeutic INR on warfarin, subtherapeutic INR on warfarin, and on no anticoagulants. We then compared baseline laboratory characteristics and other baseline features among the groups. RESULTS: Patients with therapeutic INR presented with higher serum creatinine (P = 0.01) and blood urea nitrogen (P = 0.02) and lower glomerular filtration rates (P = 0.001) compared with other groups. Other laboratory parameters were not different among the 3 groups. Patients with therapeutic INR also presented with milder stroke symptoms (P = 0.01). Medical history of the 3 groups was not different, except for history of valvular heart disease, which was more prevalent in patients with therapeutic INR (P = 0.004). In-hospital mortality rates and 90-day disability were not different among the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: AF patients who presented with IS on therapeutic warfarin had higher average serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, and lower glomerular filtration rates, compared with others. Impaired renal function may be a factor contributing to occurrence of IS in AF patients despite adequate anticoagulation. Larger, targeted studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Hypoalbuminemia, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and functional outcome in intracerebral hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Hypoalbuminemia and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are reported in critically-ill patients, but their relationship is unclear. We sought to determine the association of admission serum albumin and SIRS with outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: We used a multicenter, multinational registry of ICH patients to select patients in whom SIRS parameters and serum albumin levels had been determined on admission. Hypoalbuminemia was defined as the lowest standardized quartile of albumin; SIRS according to standard criteria. Primary outcomes were modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge and in-hospital mortality. Regression models were used to assess for the association of hypoalbuminemia and SIRS with discharge mRS and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Of 761 ICH patients included in the registry 518 met inclusion criteria; 129 (25%) met SIRS criteria on admission. Hypoalbuminemia was more frequent in patients with SIRS (42% versus 19%; p<0.001). SIRS was associated with worse outcomes (OR: 4.68, 95%CI, 2.52-8.76) and in-hospital all-cause mortality (OR: 2.18, 95% CI, 1.60-2.97), while hypoalbuminemia was not associated with all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ICH, hypoalbuminemia is strongly associated with SIRS. SIRS, but not hypoalbuminemia, predicts poor outcome at discharge. Recognizing and managing SIRS early may prevent death or disability in ICH patients.