A stroke detection and discrimination framework using broadband microwave scattering on stochastic models with deep learning.

Stroke poses an immense public health burden and remains among the primary causes of death and disability worldwide. Emergent therapy is often precluded by late or indeterminate times of onset before initial clinical presentation. Rapid, mobile, safe and low-cost stroke detection technology remains a deeply unmet clinical need. Past studies have explored the use of microwave and other small form-factor strategies for rapid stroke detection; however, widespread clinical adoption remains unrealized. Here, we investigated the use of microwave scattering perturbations from ultra wide-band antenna arrays to learn dielectric signatures of disease. Two deep neural networks (DNNs) were used for: (1) stroke detection ("classification network"), and (2) characterization of the hemorrhage location and size ("discrimination network"). Dielectric signatures were learned on a simulated cohort of 666 hemorrhagic stroke and control subjects using 2D stochastic head models. The classification network yielded a stratified K-fold stroke detection accuracy > 94% with an AUC of 0.996, while the discrimination network resulted in a mean squared error of < 0.004 cm and < 0.02 cm, for the stroke localization and size estimation, respectively. We report a novel approach to intelligent diagnostics using microwave wide-band scattering information thus circumventing conventional image-formation.

Maternal near-miss attributable to haemorrhagic stroke in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Japan: A national cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of maternal near-misses attributable to haemorrhagic stroke (HS) occurring in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), with a focus on severe neurological morbidity. METHODS: A national retrospective cohort study was conducted using the national database of health insurance claims for the period 2010 to 2017. The subjects were all insured women with a diagnosis of both HDP and HS. Severe neurological morbidity requiring rehabilitation, types of HDP, types of HS, and magnesium sulphate use were tabulated. RESULTS: The number of women with HDP who were diagnosed with HS was 3.4 per 100,000 deliveries between 2010 and 2017. Forty percent of HDP-related HS cases had neurological morbidities requiring rehabilitation (1.4 per 100,000 deliveries), and 4.4% were in a persistent vegetative state after HS. Of the HDP cases who developed HS, 69.2% were severe HDP, of which 55.6% were without eclampsia. The most common type of HS was intracerebral haemorrhage (2.5 per 100,000 deliveries), followed by subarachnoid haemorrhage due to cerebral aneurysm (1.2 per 100,000 deliveries). The frequency of magnesium sulphate use increased in all patients with HDP-related HS in the second half of the study period (2014-2017) compared with the first half (2010-2013) (p < 0.0001). This was more evident in cases of HDP-related HS with eclampsia (31.9% to 83.8%) compared to those without eclampsia (25.0% to 42.9%). CONCLUSION: Of the maternal near-miss cases due to HDP-related HS, 40.0% were rehabilitated and 69.2% were HDP without either eclampsia or severe hypertension.

A Cost Utility Analysis of Minimally Invasive Surgery with Thrombolysis Compared to Standard Medical Treatment in Spontaneous Intracerebral Haemorrhagic Stroke.

OBJECTIVES: Standard medical management of spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and surgical hematoma evacuation starkly differ, and whilst landmark randomised control trials report no clinical benefit of early surgical evacuation compared with medical treatment in supratentorial ICH, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) with thrombolysis has been neglected within these studies. However, recent technological advancements in MIS have renewed interest in the surgical treatment of ICH. Several economic evaluations have focused on the benefits of MIS in ischaemic stroke management, but no economic evaluations have yet been performed comparing MIS to standard medical treatment for ICH. MATERIALS AND METHOD: All costs were sourced from the UK in GBP. Where possible, the 2019/2020 NHS reference costs were used. The MISTIE III study was used to analyse the outcomes of patients undergoing either MIS or standard medical treatment in this economic evaluation. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for MIS was £485,240.26 for every quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Although MIS resulted in a higher QALY compared to medical treatment, the gain was insignificant at 0.011 QALY. Four sensitivity analyses based on combinations of alternative EQ-5D values and categorisation of MIS outcomes, alongside alterations to the cost of significant adverse events, were performed to check the robustness of the ICER calculation. The most realistic sensitivity analysis showed a potential increase in cost effectiveness when clot size is reduced to <15ml, with the ICER falling to £74,335.57. DISCUSSION: From the perspective of the NHS, MIS with thrombolysis is not cost-effective compared to optimal medical treatment. ICER shows that intention-to-treat MIS would require a cost of £485,240.26 to gain one extra QALY, which is significantly above the NHS threshold of £30,000. Further UK studies with ICH survivor utilities, more replicable surgical technique, and the reporting of clot size reduction are indicated as the present sensitivity analysis suggests that MIS is promising. Greater detail about outcomes and complications would ensure improved cost-benefit analyses and support valid and efficient allocation of resources by the NHS.

Hemorrhagic stroke treated by transcranial neuroendoscopic approach.

Hemorrhagic stroke (HS) is usually treated under microscopy, but recently, an increasing number of cases have been treated under neuroendoscopy. The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility and efficacy of a transcranial neuroendoscopic approach for HS. Based on etiology and clinical features, 203 HS patients were classified into two groups, with 100 patients in the primary HS (PHS) group and 103 patients in the secondary HS (SHS) group. All patients were treated either by full neuroendoscopy (FNE) or by neuroendoscopy combined with microsurgery (ECM). Outcomes were assessed according to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) at discharge, and the rate of good plus excellent results was recorded as the GE rate to assess the treatment effect. All 203 patients underwent surgery successfully, with 165 patients who underwent FNE and 38 patients who underwent ECM. No patients died within 3 days after surgery, and the surgery-related mortality rate was 0%, but a total of 4 patients died by discharge, and the overall mortality rate was 1.97%. A total of 133 patients showed an excellent result and 16 showed a good result, for a total GE rate of 73%. Neuroendoscopy can provide excellent illumination, clear visualization, and multiangle views in HS. The transcranial neuroendoscopic approach is feasible and safe for both PHS and SHS and is very effective for hematoma evacuation. However, some aneurysms and most arteriovenous malformations and arteriovenous fistulas require ECM.

Mutation analysis of the GLA gene in Chinese patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Fabry disease (FD) is an important underlying condition in young cryptogenic stroke patients and has also been implicated in cerebral small vessel disease. However, the contributions of causative GLA mutations in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remain unclear. In this study, GLA sequences were analyzed in a Chinese ICH cohort comprising 373 patients with computed tomography-confirmed ICH and 563 in-house controls and East Asians from public databases. Only one previously reported mutation, p. Ala15Val, responsible for Fabry disease was identified in a female patient with nonlobar ICH. Therefore, this definitive GLA mutation accounted for 0.27% (1/373) of Chinese patients with ICH. Another functional variant, rs2071225 (c.-10C>T), was present at minor allele frequency (MAF) of 9.1%, indicating no association with ICH, despite a trend of an association for male patients with lobar ICH. In conclusion, our results indicate that the GLA mutation is an uncommon genetic etiology of ICH in China.

Intracerebral Nontraumatic Hemorrhagic Stroke in Children: Case Series and Literature Review.

Pediatric stroke is an event caused by disturbance of cerebral circulation that occurs in individuals between 28 days and 18 years of age. Although an uncommon event, pediatric stroke still carries significant morbidity and mortality. Unlike adults, causes of pediatric stroke are various and include vascular, infectious, hematologic, neoplastic, and toxic etiologies. Clinical presentation of nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhages in older children is similar to adults, however in neonates and infants signs and symptoms can be more subtle, especially with smaller hemorrhages. Management of nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage consists of stabilizing the patient, management of the hemorrhage itself, and reduction of the rebleeding risk. Even so, when child reaches a medical care, morbidity and mortality rates are still high. We described a case series of pediatric patients with intracerebral nontraumatic hemorrhagic stroke from different etiologies. Although increasingly recognized, such situations are still poorly described in children and our report offers a good overview on this topic.

Current management of spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage.

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is the most devastating and disabling type of stroke. Uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) is the most common cause of spontaneous ICH. Recent advances in neuroimaging, organised stroke care, dedicated Neuro-ICUs, medical and surgical management have improved the management of ICH. Early airway protection, control of malignant HTN, urgent reversal of coagulopathy and surgical intervention may increase the chance of survival for patients with severe ICH. Intensive lowering of systolic blood pressure to <140 mm Hg is proven safe by two recent randomised trials. Transfusion of platelets in patients on antiplatelet therapy is not indicated unless the patient is scheduled for surgical evacuation of haematoma. In patients with small haematoma without significant mass effect, there is no indication for routine use of mannitol or hypertonic saline (HTS). However, for patients with large ICH (volume > 30 cbic centmetre) or symptomatic perihaematoma oedema, it may be beneficial to keep serum sodium level at 140-150 mEq/L for 7-10 days to minimise oedema expansion and mass effect. Mannitol and HTS can be used emergently for worsening cerebral oedema, elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) or pending herniation. HTS should be administered via central line as continuous infusion (3%) or bolus (23.4%). Ventriculostomy is indicated for patients with severe intraventricular haemorrhage, hydrocephalus or elevated ICP. Patients with large cerebellar or temporal ICH may benefit from emergent haematoma evacuation. It is important to start intermittent pneumatic compression devices at the time of admission and subcutaneous unfractionated heparin in stable patients within 48 hours of admission for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism. There is no benefit for seizure prophylaxis or aggressive management of fever or hyperglycaemia. Early aggressive comprehensive care may improve survival and functional recovery.