Histopathological analysis of retrieved thrombi from patients with acute ischemic stroke with malignant tumors.

BACKGROUND: The procoagulant state in cancer increases the thrombotic risk, and underlying cancer could affect treatment strategies and outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. However, the histopathological characteristics of retrieved thrombi in patients with cancer have not been well studied. This study aimed to assess the histopathological difference between thrombi in patients with and without cancer. METHODS: We studied consecutive patients with acute major cerebral artery occlusion who were treated with endovascular therapy between October 2010 and December 2016 in our single-center registry. The retrieved thrombi were histopathologically investigated with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. The organization and proportions of erythrocyte and fibrin/platelet components were studied using a lattice composed of 10×10 squares. RESULTS: Of the 180 patients studied, 17 (8 women, age 76.5±11.5 years) had cancer and 163 (69 women, age 74.1±11.2 years) did not. Those with cancer had a higher proportion of fibrin/platelets (56.6±27.4% vs 40.1±23.9%, p=0.008), a smaller proportion of erythrocytes (42.1±28.3% vs 57.5±25.1%, p=0.019), and higher serum D-dimer levels (5.9±8.2 vs 2.4±4.3 mg/dL, p=0.005) compared with the non-cancer cases. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed the cut-off ratio of fibrin/platelet components related to cancer was 55.7% with a sensitivity of 74.8%, specificity 58.8% and area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.67 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.81), and the cut-off ratio of erythrocyte components was 44.7% with a sensitivity of 71.2%, specificity 58.9% and AUC value of 0.66 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: Thromboemboli of major cerebral arteries in patients with cancer were mainly composed of fibrin/platelet-rich components.

[A case of brain tuberculoma resembling a malignant tumor].

A 35-year-old Sudanese man experienced bitter tastes on the right side of his tongue from January 2012. He was admitted to our hospital in March 2012 because of the appearance of distress, right facial palsy, nausea, and dizziness from late February 2012. A neurological examination revealed Bruns nystagmus, which increased on rightward gaze, as well as total hypoesthesia in the distribution of the maxillary branch of the right trigeminal nerve, moderate right peripheral type facial nerve palsy, and limb ataxia on the right side. Neither muscle weakness nor sensory disturbance was observed. Slight hyperreflexia was noted in the right extremities, and bilateral plantar responses were flexor. He showed wide-based ataxic gait and was unable to do tandem gait. Brain CT scans and magnetic resonance (MR) images revealed a mass lesion in the right pons to the right middle cerebellar peduncle with ring enhancement, suggestive of a "target" sign. Laboratory tests, including hematological and biochemical analyses, tumor markers, and antibodies, had normal values while the tuberculin reaction and QuantiFERON-TB Gold were strongly positive. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed a slight increase in the protein level (76 mg/dl) with a normal cell count (2 per µl), and polymerase chain reaction-based tests and cultures were negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis three times. Right subclavicular lymph node and right adrenal gland showed accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose on positron emission tomography-CT, as did the mass lesion in the brainstem. These findings suggested a possibility of a metastatic malignant tumor or extrapleural tuberculoma. Because of the patient's religious belief, we were unable to perform a biopsy of the lymph node, and thus administered anti-tuberculous drugs. With treatment, his neurological symptoms such as facial palsy and ataxia improved steadily except for paradoxical worsening for the initial five days, and the gadolinium-enhanced lesion shrunk markedly. Follow-up MR images demonstrated that the lesions did not expand further for 9 months. From this course of treatment, we diagnosed the patient's tumor as brainstem tuberculoma. Brain tuberculoma sometimes resembles a malignant tumor, and it is therefore challenging to diagnose brainstem tuberculosis in cases without lung lesions. It is important to make a comprehensive diagnosis based on the patient's background, imaging, and course of treatment, and to treat brainstem tuberculoma promptly.

Use of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (DWI-ASPECTS) and Ischemic Core Volume to Determine the Malignant Profile in Acute Stroke.

Background Malignant profiles were identified by imaging profiles and unfavorable outcomes that have poor response to reperfusion therapy. Many trials have used this profile in their inclusion criteria including large-vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke trials. We aimed to redefine the cutoff values for malignant profile in acute ischemic stroke patients with large-vessel occlusion regardless of reperfusion therapy. Methods and Results Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients with anterior large-vessel occlusion were prospectively extracted from the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Stroke Registry between March 2014 and December 2017. Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (DWI-ASPECTS) and diffusion-weighted imaging lesion ischemic core volume (VolDWI) were measured in acute ischemic stroke patients with large-vessel occlusion with or without treatment. Unfavorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score 5 to 6 at 3 months, and optimal DWI-ASPECTS and VolDWI for unfavorable outcome were assessed. In total, 198 patients (111 men, 77±13 years old) were enrolled. Median DWI-ASPECTS was 7 (5-9), and median VolDWI was 55 (6-134) mL. Among the patients, 72 (36%) patients underwent reperfusion therapy, and 83 (42%) had unfavorable outcomes. The threshold values for a malignant profile on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for DWI-ASPECTS and VolDWI were 4 (area under the curve 0.78, P<0.01; sensitivity 0.71, specificity 0.75) and 71 mL (area under the curve 0.80, P<0.01; sensitivity 0.76, specificity 0.77), respectively. Conclusions The cutoff values for our redefined malignant profile were DWI-ASPECTS 4 and VolDWI 71 mL with no selection bias for reperfusion therapy in the real-world clinical practice. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov Unique identifier: NCT02251665.

Platelet reactivity and hemorrhage risk in neurointerventional procedures under dual antiplatelet therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hemorrhagic complications during neurointerventional procedures have various etiologies and can result in severe morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the possible association between low platelet reactivity measured by the VerifyNow assay and increased hemorrhagic complications during elective neurointervention under dual antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: From May 2010 to April 2013 we recorded baseline characteristics, P2Y12 reaction units (PRU), and aspirin reaction units using VerifyNow. The primary endpoint was post-procedural hemorrhagic complications. RESULTS: A total of 279 patients were enrolled and 31 major hemorrhagic complications (11.1%) were identified. From receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, PRU values could discriminate between patients with and without major hemorrhagic complications (area under the curve 0.63). Aspirin reaction unit values had no association with the primary outcome. The optimal cut-off for the primary outcome (PRU ≤175) was used to identify the low platelet reactivity group. The incidence of hemorrhagic complications was 20.0% in this group and 8.9% in the non-low platelet reactivity group. Multivariate analysis identified low platelet reactivity as an independent predictor for hemorrhagic complications. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of hemorrhagic complications during elective neurointervention including cerebral aneurysm coil embolization and carotid artery stenting under dual antiplatelet therapy is associated with the response to clopidogrel but not to aspirin. A PRU value of ≤175 discriminates between patients with and without hemorrhagic complications. Future prospective studies are required to validate whether a specific PRU value around 170-180 is predictive of hemorrhagic complications.