Blood-Based Frailty Index in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Undergoing Endovascular Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Frailty is a syndrome depicting the vulnerability of multiple physiological systems to stressors. Frailty measures, such as Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), can be used to identify frailty and predict outcomes more reliably. Our aim was to analyze a blood-based frailty index (FI-B) at admission for prediction outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive AIS patients undergoing EVT in a single tertiary center during a period of 5 years. A set of eighteen blood parameters at admission were collected and nine of these were utilized to calculate FI-B. We analyzed the relationship between FI-B and HFRS. We examined the baseline characteristics of the study population based on FI-B-tertiles. Multivariable regression models were employed to ascertain the association between FI-B and in-hospital mortality, 3-month mortality and 3-month functional outcome. RESULTS: The final study population comprised 489 patients, with a median age of 75.6 years, 49.5% of patients were male. The FI-B exhibited a weak positive correlation with HFRS (rho = 0.113, p = 0.016). Patients in higher FI-B-tertiles were older and more frequently presented with pre-stroke functional dependence and comorbidities. Moreover, an increasing FI-B was independently associated with increased likelihood of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.14-1.47), 3-month mortality (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.11-1.43), and of increasing 3-month functional disability measured by utility-weighted modified Rankin Scale (common aOR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.76-0.93). CONCLUSION: A frailty index based on blood values at admission was able to identify frailty in AIS patients undergoing EVT and was an independent predictor of short- and medium-term outcome after stroke.

Non-hemorrhagic imaging markers of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in memory clinic patients.

INTRODUCTION: The Boston criteria v2.0 for cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) incorporated non-hemorrhagic imaging markers. Their prevalence and significance in patients with cognitive impairment remain uncertain. METHODS: We studied 622 memory clinic patients with available magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Two raters assessed non-hemorrhagic markers, and we explored their association with clinical characteristics through multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Most patients had mild cognitive impairment; median age was 71 years and 50% were female. Using the v2.0 criteria, possible or probable CAA increased from 75 to 383 patients. Sixty-eight percent of the sample had non-hemorrhagic CAA markers, which were independently associated with age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.07), female sex (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.11-2.54), and hemorrhagic CAA markers (OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.02-4.35). DISCUSSION: Two-thirds of patients from a memory clinic cohort had non-hemorrhagic CAA markers, increasing the number of patients meeting the v2.0 CAA criteria. Longitudinal approaches should explore the implications of these markers, particularly the hemorrhagic risk in this population. HIGHLIGHTS: The updated Boston criteria for cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) now include non-hemorrhagic markers. The prevalence of non-hemorrhagic CAA markers in memory clinic patients is unknown. Two-thirds of patients in our memory clinic presented non-hemorrhagic CAA markers. The presence of these markers was associated with age, female sex, and hemorrhagic CAA markers. The hemorrhagic risk of patients presenting these type of markers remains unclear.

Thrombectomy alone versus intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy in patients with stroke: an open-label, blinded-outcome, randomised non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Whether thrombectomy alone is equally as effective as intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy remains controversial. We aimed to determine whether thrombectomy alone would be non-inferior to intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy in patients presenting with acute ischaemic stroke. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, open-label, blinded-outcome trial in Europe and Canada, we recruited patients with stroke due to large vessel occlusion confirmed with CT or magnetic resonance angiography admitted to endovascular centres. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via a centralised web server using a deterministic minimisation method to receive stent-retriever thrombectomy alone or intravenous alteplase plus stent-retriever thrombectomy. In both groups, thrombectomy was initiated as fast as possible with any commercially available Solitaire stent-retriever revascularisation device (Medtronic, Irvine, CA, USA). In the combined treatment group, intravenous alteplase (0·9 mg/kg bodyweight, maximum dose 90 mg per patient) was administered as early as possible after randomisation for 60 min with 10% of the calculated dose given as an initial bolus. Personnel assessing the primary outcome were masked to group allocation; patients and treating physicians were not. The primary binary outcome was a score of 2 or less on the modified Rankin scale at 90 days. We assessed the non-inferiority of thrombectomy alone versus intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy in all randomly assigned and consenting patients using the one-sided lower 95% confidence limit of the Mantel-Haenszel risk difference, with a prespecified non-inferiority margin of 12%. The main safety endpoint was symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage assessed in all randomly assigned and consenting participants. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03192332, and is closed to new participants. FINDINGS: Between Nov 29, 2017, and May 7, 2021, 5215 patients were screened and 423 were randomly assigned, of whom 408 (201 thrombectomy alone, 207 intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy) were included in the primary efficacy analysis. A modified Rankin scale score of 0-2 at 90 days was reached by 114 (57%) of 201 patients assigned to thrombectomy alone and 135 (65%) of 207 patients assigned to intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy (adjusted risk difference -7·3%, 95% CI -16·6 to 2·1, lower limit of one-sided 95% CI -15·1%, crossing the non-inferiority margin of -12%). Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage occurred in five (2%) of 201 patients undergoing thrombectomy alone and seven (3%) of 202 patients receiving intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy (risk difference -1·0%, 95% CI -4·8 to 2·7). Successful reperfusion was less common in patients assigned to thrombectomy alone (182 [91%] of 201 vs 199 [96%] of 207, risk difference -5·1%, 95% CI -10·2 to 0·0, p=0·047). INTERPRETATION: Thrombectomy alone was not shown to be non-inferior to intravenous alteplase plus thrombectomy and resulted in decreased reperfusion rates. These results do not support omitting intravenous alteplase before thrombectomy in eligible patients. FUNDING: Medtronic and University Hospital Bern.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound to Detect Acute Large Vessel Occlusions in Stroke Patients: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A primary admission of patients with suspected acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion (LVO) to centers capable of providing endovascular stroke therapy (EVT) may induce shorter time to treatment and better functional outcomes. One of the limitations in this strategy is the need for accurately identifying LVO patients in the prehospital setting. We aimed to study the feasibility and diagnostic performance of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for the detection of LVO in patients with acute stroke. METHODS: We conducted a proof-of-concept study and selected 15 acute ischemic stroke patients with angiographically confirmed LVO and 15 patients without LVO. Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) of the common carotid arteries was performed, and flow profiles compatible with LVO were scored independently by one experienced and one junior neurologist. RESULTS: Among the 15 patients with LVO, 6 patients presented with an occlusion of the carotid-T and 9 patients presented with an M1 occlusion. Interobserver agreement between the junior and the experienced neurologist was excellent (kappa = 0.813, p < 0.001). Flow profiles of the CAA allowed the detection of LVO with a sensitivity of 73%, a positive predictive value of 92 and 100%, and a c-statistics of 0.83 (95%CI = 0.65-0.94) and 0.87 (95%CI = 0.69-0.94) (experienced neurologist and junior neurologist, respectively). In comparison with clinical stroke scales, DUS was associated with better trade-off between sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: POCUS in acute stroke setting is feasible, it may serve as a complementary tool for the detection of LVO and is potentially applicable in the prehospital phase.

Factors associated with the laterality of Cardio-Embolic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the lateralization factors, including the anatomic and hemodynamic mechanisms, is essential for diagnosing cardio-embolic stroke. This study aims to investigate the elements, for the first time together, that could affect the laterality of stroke. METHODS: We performed a monocentric retrospective case-control study based on prospective registries of acute ischemic stroke patients in the comprehensive stroke center of the RWTH University hospital of Aachen for three years (June 2018-June 2021). We enrolled 222 patients with cardioembolic stroke (136 left stroke and 86 right stroke) admitted for first-ever acute ischemic stroke with unilateral large vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) asymmetry of middle cerebral artery (MCA) was assessed by doppler as well as internal carotid artery (ICA) angle, aortic arch (AA) branching pattern and anatomy were assessed by CT-Angiography. RESULTS: We found that the increasing left ICA angle (p = 0.047), presence of bovine type AA anatomy (p = 0.041) as well as slow PSV of the right MCA with a value of >15% than left (p = 0.005) were the predictors for left stroke lateralization, while the latter was an independent predictor for the left stroke (OR=3.341 [1.415-7.887]). Inter-Rater Reliability ranged from moderate to perfect agreement. CONCLUSION: The predictors for left stroke lateralization include the higher values of left ICA angle, presence of the bovine type AA and the slow right MCA PSV.

Classification of patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source into cardioembolic and non-cardioembolic profile subgroups.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It is currently thought that embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) has diverse underlying hidden etiologies, of which cardioembolism is one of the most important. The subgroup of patients with this etiology could theoretically benefit from oral anticoagulation, but it remains unclear if these patients can be correctly identified from other ESUS subgroups and which markers should be used. We aimed to determine whether a machine-learning (ML) model could discriminate between ESUS patients with cardioembolic and those with non-cardioembolic profiles using baseline demographic and laboratory variables. METHODS: Based on a prospective registry of consecutive ischemic stroke patients submitted to acute revascularization therapies, an ML model was trained using the age, sex and 11 selected baseline laboratory parameters of patients with known stroke etiology, with the aim of correctly identifying patients with cardioembolic and non-cardioembolic etiologies. The resulting model was used to classify ESUS patients into those with cardioembolic and those with non-cardioembolic profiles. RESULTS: The ML model was able to distinguish patients with known stroke etiology into cardioembolic or non-cardioembolic profile groups with excellent accuracy (area under the curve = 0.82). When applied to ESUS patients, the model classified 40.3% as having cardioembolic profiles. ESUS patients with cardioembolic profiles were older, more frequently female, more frequently had hypertension, less frequently were active smokers, had higher CHA2 DS2 -VASc (Congestive heart failure or left ventricular systolic dysfunction, Hypertension, Age ≥ 75 [doubled], Diabetes, Stroke/transient ischemic attack [doubled], Vascular disease, Age 65-74, and Sex category) scores, and had more premature atrial complexes per hour. CONCLUSIONS: An ML model based on baseline demographic and laboratory variables was able to classify ESUS patients into cardioembolic or non-cardioembolic profile groups and predicted that 40% of the ESUS patients had a cardioembolic profile.

Seeing the good in the bad: actual clinical outcome of thrombectomy stroke patients with formally unfavorable outcome.

PURPOSE: Clinical outcome of stroke patients is usually classified into favorable (modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0-2) and unfavorable (mRS 3-5) outcome according to the modified Rankin scale. We took a closer look at the clinical course of thrombectomy stroke patients with formal unfavorable outcome and assessed whether we could achieve our treatment goals and/or neurological improvement in these patients. METHODS: We studied 107 patients with occlusions in the terminal carotid artery or the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery, in whom complete recanalization (eTICI 3) could be achieved, and who had an mRS of 3-5 at 90 days. We analyzed whether an individual treatment goal (i.e., preventing aphasia) and neurological improvement (NIHSS) could be achieved. In addition, we examined whether there was clinical improvement on the mRS. RESULTS: The treatment goal was achieved in 52% (53/103) and neurological improvement in 65% (67/103). mRS 90 days post-stroke was better than mRS upon admission in 36% (38/107) and better than or equal to mRS upon admission in 80% (86/107). Of the 93 patients with known pre-stroke mRS, 18% (17/93) already had an mRS ≥ 3, with 15 of these 17 patients having a worse mRS on admission than before. Of these 17 patients, 18% regained baseline, and 24% improved from admission. CONCLUSION: Dichotomizing the mRS into favorable and unfavorable outcome does not do justice to the full spectrum of stroke. Patients with formal unfavorable outcome after mRS can improve neurologically, achieve treatment goals, and even regain their admission or pre-stroke mRS.

MRI Analysis Of the Water Content Change In the Brain During Acute Ethanol Consumption Via Quantitative Water Mapping.

AIMS: Alcohol consumption influences the water balance in the brain. While the impact of chronic alcohol misuse on cerebral water content has been the subject of several studies, less is known about the effects of acute alcohol misuse, with contradictory results in the literature. Therefore, we investigated the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on cerebral water content using a precise quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence. METHODS: In a prospective study, we measured cerebral water content in 20 healthy volunteers before alcohol consumption and after reaching a breath alcohol concentration of 1 ‰. A quantitative MRI water mapping sequence was conducted on a clinical 3 T system. Non-alcoholic fluid input and output were documented and accounted for. Water content was assessed for whole brain, grey and white matter and more specifically for regions known to be affected by acute or chronic alcohol misuse (occipital and frontal lobes, thalamus and pons). Changes in the volume of grey and white matter as well as the whole brain were examined. RESULTS: Quantitative cerebral water content before and after acute alcohol consumption did not differ significantly (P ≥ 0.07), with changes often being within the range of measurement accuracy. Whole brain, white and grey matter volume did not change significantly (P ≥ 0.12). CONCLUSION: The results of our study show no significant water content or volume change in the brain after recent alcohol intake in healthy volunteers. This accounts for the whole brain, grey and white matter, occipital and frontal lobes, thalamus and pons.

Imaging patterns of cerebral ischemia in hypereosinophilic syndrome: case report and systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic stroke is a potential complication of hypereosinophilic syndromes (HES), and little is known about underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. We aimed to describe the imaging patterns of cerebral ischemia in patients with HES. METHODS: An individual case is reported. A systematic PubMed review of all records reporting adult patients with HES who suffered ischemic stroke and for whom neuroimaging details of ischemic lesions were available was performed. RESULTS: A 60-year-old man presented with progressive subacute gait difficulty and psychomotor slowing as well as an absolute eosinophilia (2.2 × 109/L) at admission. Brain magnetic resonance tomography revealed multiple acute and subacute internal and external border zone infarcts. Cardiac diagnostic suggested the presence of endomyocarditis. After extensive diagnostic workup, idiopathic HES was diagnosed. The systematic review yielded 183 studies, of which 40 fulfilled the inclusion criteria: a total of 64 patients (31.3% female), with mean age 51.1 years and a median absolute eosinophile count at diagnosis of 10.2 × 109/L were included in the analyses. A border zone pattern of cerebral ischemic lesions was reported in 41 patients (64.1%). Isolated peripheral infarcts were reported in 7 patients (10.9%). Sixteen patients had multiple acute infarcts with no border zone distribution (25.0%). An intracardiac thrombus was reported in 15/60 patients (25%), and findings suggestive of endomyocarditis or endomyocardial fibrosis were found in 31/60 patients (51.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Border zone distribution of cerebral ischemia without hemodynamic compromise is the most frequent imaging pattern in patients with HES, occurring in 2/3 of patients who develop ischemic stroke.

Baseline characteristics and outcome for aneurysmal versus non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a prospective cohort study.

This study aims to investigate the characteristics of patients with mild aneurysmal and non-aneurysmal perimesencephalic and non-perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH, pmSAH, npmSAH) with emphasis on admission biomarkers, clinical course, and outcome. A prospective cohort of 115 patients with aSAH (Hunt and Hess 1-3) and of 35 patients without aneurysms (16 pmSAH and 19 npmSAH) admitted between January 2014 and January 2020 was included. Demographic data, blood samples on admission, complications (hydrocephalus, shunt dependency, delayed cerebral ischemia DCI, DCI-related infarction, and mortality), and outcome after 6 months were analyzed. Demographic data was comparable between all groups except for age (aSAH 55 [48-65] vs. npmSAH 60 [56-68] vs. pmSAH 52 [42-60], p = 0.032) and loss of consciousness (33% vs. 0% vs. 0%, p = 0.0004). Admission biomarkers showed poorer renal function and highest glucose levels for npmSAH patients. Complication rate in npmSAH was high and comparable to that of aSAH patients (hydrocephalus, shunt dependency, DCI, DCI-related infarction, mortality), but nearly absent in patients with pmSAH. Favorable outcome after 6 months was seen in 92.9% of pmSAH, 83.3% of npmSAH, and 62.7% of aSAH (p = 0.0264). In this prospective cohort of SAH patients, npmSAH was associated with a complicated clinical course, comparable to that of patients with aSAH. In contrast, such complications were nearly absent in pmSAH patients, suggesting fundamental differences in the pathophysiology of patients with different types of non-aneurysmal hemorrhage. Our findings underline the importance for a precise terminology according the hemorrhage etiology as a basis for more vigilant management of npmSAH patients. NCT02142166, 05/20/2014, retrospectively registered.

Decompressive hemicraniectomy after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage-justifiable in light of long-term outcome?

PURPOSE: Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) is a potentially lifesaving procedure in refractory intracranial hypertension, which can prevent death from brainstem herniation but may cause survival in a disabled state. The spectrum of indications is expanding, and we present long-term results in a series of patients suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of previously registered data including all patients treated for SAH between 2010 and 2018 in a single institution. Patients treated with decompressive hemicraniectomy due to refractory intracranial hypertension were identified. Clinical outcome was assessed by means of the Glasgow outcome scale after 12 months. RESULTS: Of all 341 SAH cases, a total of 82 (24.0%) developed intracranial hypertension. Of those, 63 (18.5%) patients progressed into refractory ICP elevation and were treated with DHC. Younger age (OR 0.959, 95% CI 0.933 to 0.984; p = 0.002), anterior aneurysm location (OR 0.253, 95% CI 0.080 to 0.799; 0.019; p = 0.019), larger aneurysm size (OR 1.106, 95% CI 1.025 to 1.194; p = 0.010), and higher Hunt and Hess grading (OR 1.944, 95% CI 1.431 to 2.641; p < 0.001) were independently associated with the need for DHC. After 1 year, 10 (15.9%) patients after DHC were categorized as favorable outcome. Only younger age was independently associated with favorable outcome (OR 0.968 95% CI 0.951 to 0.986; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decompressive hemicraniectomy, though lifesaving, has only a limited probability of survival in a clinically favorable condition. We identified young age to be the sole independent predictor of favorable outcome after DHC in SAH.

Revisiting the Timeline of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Toward a Temporal Risk Profile.

BACKGROUND: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is one of the main determinants of clinical outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The classical description of risk for DCI over time is currently based on the outdated concept of angiographic vasospasm. The goal of this study was to assess the temporal risk profile of DCI, defined by extended clinical and radiological criteria, as well as the impact the time point of DCI onset has on clinical outcome. METHODS: All patients with aneurysmal SAH referred to a single tertiary care center between 2010 and 2018 were considered for inclusion. This study was designed as a retrospective cohort analysis and data were extracted from existing patient files. In conscious patients, DCI was diagnosed clinically, and in unconscious patients, diagnosis was based on perfusion computed tomography imaging and multimodal neuromonitoring. Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale scores were assessed after 12 months and compared between patients with early (< day 7) and late (≥ day 7) DCI onset. RESULTS: The median delay from day of the hemorrhage (day 0) until detection of the first DCI event was 7.0 days, with an interquartile range of 5 days. The probability of DCI development over time demonstrated a bimodal distribution with a peak risk on day 5 (0.084; confidence interval 0.05.5-0.122) and a second peak on day 9 (0.077; confidence interval 0.045-0.120). A total of 27 patients (15.6%) suffered dominant hemispheric or severe bilateral DCI-related infarctions, resulting in the withdrawal of technical life support. Of those, the majority (20 patients, 22.2%) presented with early DCI onset (vs. late onset: 7 patients, 8.4%; p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The risk profile of DCI over time mirrors the description of angiographic vasospasm; however, it comes with an added timely delay of 1 to 2 days. Early occurrence of DCI (before day 7) is associated with a higher infarct load and DCI-related mortality. Although the exact causal relationship remains to be determined, the time point of DCI onset may serve as an independent prognostic criterion in decision-making.

Incremental Versus Immediate Induction of Hypertension in the Treatment of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a common complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and contributes to unfavorable outcome. In patients with deterioration despite prophylactic nimodipine treatment, induced hypertension (iHTN) can be considered, although the safety and efficacy of induction are still a matter of debate. In this study, two iHTN treatment algorithms were compared with different approaches toward setting pressure targets. METHODS: In a cohort of 325 consecutive patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, 139 patients were treated by induced hypertension as a first tier treatment. On diagnosing DCI, blood pressure was raised via norepinephrine infusion in 20-mm Hg increments in 37 patients (iHTNincr), whereas 102 patients were treated by immediate elevation to systolic pressure above 180 mm Hg (iHTNimm). Treatment choice was based on personal preference of the treating physician but with a gradual shift away from incremental elevation. Both groups were evaluated for DCI-caused infarction, the need of additional endovascular rescue treatment, the occurrence of pressor-treatment-related complications, and clinical outcome assessed by the extended Glasgow outcome scale after 12 months. RESULTS: The rate of refractory DCI requiring additional rescue therapy was comparable in both groups (48.9% in iHTNincr, 40.0% in iHTNimm; p = 0.332). The type of induced hypertension was not independently associated with the occurrence of DCI-related infarction in a logistic regression model (odds ratio 1.004; 95% confidence interval 0.329-3.443; p = 0.942). Similar rates of pressor-treatment-related complications were observed in both treatment groups. Favorable outcome was reached in 44 (43.1%) patients in the immediate vs. 10 (27.0%) patients in the incremental treatment group (p = 0.076). However, only Hunt and Hess grading was identified as an independent predictor variable of clinical outcome (odds ratio 0.422; 95% confidence interval 0.216-0.824; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Immediate induction of hypertension with higher pressure targets did not result in a lower rate of DCI-related infarctions but was not associated with a higher complication rate compared with an incremental approach. Future tailored blood pressure management based on patient- and time-point-specific needs will hopefully better balance the neurological advantages versus the systemic complications of induced hypertension.

Preventing Inadvertent Foreign Body Injection in Angiography.

Background Inadvertent injection of foreign material during angiography, particularly neuroangiography, should be avoided to reduce the risk of embolic complications. Woven gauze and cotton fabrics have been identified as sources of inadvertent foreign body embolization. Purpose To find the source of particles that contaminate injections on an angiography table and to identify measures for their reduction. Materials and Methods The number and size of particles on an angiographic supply table at a tertiary stroke center were analyzed by using the Coulter principle in September 2019. Seven conditions (saline directly drawn from its bag, from a small metal cup, from a small plastic cup, from a large plastic bowl, from a large plastic bowl with a guidewire and its sheath, from a large plastic bowl with a stack of woven gauze, and from a large plastic bowl with a large cotton towel) were tested at different time intervals (0, 30, and 60 minutes). Each container was filled with saline, and particle count was analyzed immediately after unpackaging, after rinsing with saline, and after introduction of foreign material; t tests were used for statistical comparisons. Results Freshly unpacked basins can be contaminated with many submillimetric particles (range, 4.4-25.1 particles per milliliter on average, depending on basin). Cotton towels and woven gauze placed in rinsed basins resulted in a significant increase in particles (from 1.5 particles per milliliter ± 0.4 [standard deviation] to 64.4 particles per milliliter ± 4.1 and 257.1 particles per milliliter ± 11.6, respectively; P < .001). Rinsing basins with saline significantly reduced the number of particles (P ≤ .03). Drawing saline directly from bags through intravenous lines yielded the lowest number of particles (0.1 particles per milliliter). Conclusion To decrease the risk for foreign body embolization, it is best to rinse all basins before use, draw saline and contrast agents directly from the respective bags and bottles through intravenous lines, and avoid cotton towels and woven gauze in basins and on the angiography table altogether whenever possible. © RSNA, 2021 See also the editorial by Nikolic in this issue.

Increased Rates of Hemorrhages after Endovascular Stroke Treatment with Emergency Carotid Artery Stenting and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy.

BACKGROUND: While endovascular stroke treatment (EST) of large vessel occlusions in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is proven to be safe and effective, there are subgroups of patients with increased rates of hemorrhages. Our goal was to identify risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage and to assess whether acute carotid artery stenting (CAS) was associated with increased bleeding rates. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of our monocentric prospective stroke registry in the period from May 2010 to May 2018 and compared AIS patients receiving EST with (n = 73) versus without acute CAS (n = 548). Patients with intracranial stents, intra-arterial thrombolysis, or dissection of the carotid artery were excluded. RESULTS: Parenchymal hemorrhage rates (PH2 according to the ECASS classification) and symptomatic hemorrhage (sICH) rates were increased in EST patients receiving CAS with odds being 6.3 (PH2) and 6.5 (sICH) times higher (PH2 17.8 vs. 3.3%, p < 0.001 and sICH: 16.4 vs. 2.9%, p < 0.001). Additional systemic thrombolysis with rtPA (IVRTPA) was no risk factor for cerebral hemorrhage (p = 0.213). CONCLUSION: AIS patients receiving EST with acute CAS and consecutive tirofiban or dual antiplatelet therapy suffered from an increased risk of relevant secondary intracranial bleeding. After adjusting for confounders, tirofiban and dual antiplatelet therapy were associated with higher bleeding rates.

Frailty is an outcome predictor in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving endovascular treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Frailty is a disorder of multiple physiological systems impairing the capacity of the organism to cope with insult or stress. It is associated with poor outcomes after acute illness. Our aim was to study the impact of frailty on the functional outcome of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) submitted to endovascular stroke treatment (EST). METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients with AIS of the anterior circulation submitted to EST between 2012 and 2017, based on a prospectively collected local registry of consecutive patients. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) at discharge was calculated for each patient. We compared groups of patients with and without favourable 3-month outcome after index AIS (modified Rankin Scale 0-2 and 3-6, respectively). A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify variables independently associated with favourable 3-month outcome. Diagnostic test statistics were used to compare HFRS with other prognostic scores for AIS. RESULTS: We included 489 patients with median age 75.6 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 65.3-82.3) and median NIHSS 15 (IQR = 11-19). About 29.7% presented a high frailty risk (HFRS >15 points). Patients with favourable 3-month outcome presented lower HFRS and lower prevalence of high frailty risk. High frailty risk was independently associated with decreased likelihood of favourable 3-month outcome (adjusted odds ratio = 0.48, 95% confidence interval = 0.26-0.89). Diagnostic performances of HFRS and other prognostic scores (THRIVE and PRE scores, SPAN-100 index) for outcome at 3-months were similar. DISCUSSION: Frailty is an independent predictor of outcome in AIS patients submitted to EST.

Treatment of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in Good-Grade Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Any Role for Invasive Neuromonitoring?

BACKGROUND: Good-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (Hunt and Hess 1-2) is generally associated with a favorable prognosis. Nonetheless, patients may still experience secondary deterioration due to delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), contributing to poor outcome. In those patients, neurological assessment is challenging and invasive neuromonitoring (INM) may help guide DCI treatment. METHODS: An observational analysis of 135 good-grade SAH patients referred to a single tertiary care center between 2010 and 2018 was performed. In total, 54 good-grade SAH patients with secondary deterioration evading further neurological assessment, were prospectively enrolled for this analysis. The cohort was separated into two groups: before and after introduction of INM in 2014 (pre-INMSecD: n = 28; post-INMSecD: n = 26). INM included either parenchymal oxygen saturation measurement (ptiO2), cerebral microdialysis or both. Episodes of DCI (ptiO2 < 10 mmHg or lactate/pyruvate > 40) were treated via induced hypertension or in refractory cases by endovascular means. The primary outcome was defined as the extended Glasgow outcome scale after 12 months. In addition, we recorded the amount of imaging studies performed and the occurrence of silent and overall DCI-related infarction. RESULTS: Secondary deterioration, impeding neurological assessment, occurred in 54 (40.0%) of all good-grade SAH patients. In those patients, a comparable rate of favorable outcome at 12 months was observed before and after the introduction of INM (pre-INMSecD 14 (50.0%) vs. post-INMSecD 16, (61.6%); p = 0.253). A significant increase in good recovery (pre-INMSecD 6 (50.0%) vs. post-INMSecD 14, (61.6%); p = 0.014) was observed alongside a reduction in the incidence of silent infarctions (pre-INMSecD 8 (28.6%) vs. post-INMSecD 2 (7.7%); p = 0.048) and of overall DCI-related infarction (pre-INMSecD 12 (42.8%) vs. post-INMSecD 4 (23.1%); p = 0.027). The number of CT investigations performed during the DCI time frame decreased from 9.8 ± 5.2 scans in the pre-INMSecD group to 6.1 ± 4.0 (p = 0.003) in the post-INMSecD group. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable number of patients with good-grade SAH experiences secondary deterioration rendering them neurologically not assessable. In our cohort, the introduction of INM to guide DCI treatment in patients with secondary deterioration increased the rate of good recovery after 12 months. Additionally, a significant reduction of CT scans and infarction load was recorded, which may have an underestimated impact on quality of life and more subtle neuropsychological deficits common after SAH.

Gaze Deviation and Paresis Score (GPS) Sufficiently Predicts Emergent Large Vessel Occluding Strokes.

OBJECTIVES: The prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) essentially depends on both prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Endovascular stroke therapy (EST) proved to be highly efficient in the treatment of emergent large vessel occluding (ELVO) strokes in the anterior circulation. To achieve a timely diagnosis, a robust combination of few and simple signs to identify ELVOs in AIS patients applicable by paramedics in the prehospital triage is worthwhile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective single-center study included 904 AIS patients (324 ELVO, 580 non-ELVO) admitted between 2010 and 2015 in a tertiary stroke center. We re-evaluated two symptoms based on NIHSS items, gaze deviation and hemiparesis of the limbs ("Gaze deviation and Paresis Score, GPS") for the pre-hospital prediction of ELVO. RESULTS: A positive GPS AIS in patients predicted ELVO with a sensitivity of 0.89, specificity = 0.97, positive predictive value (PPV) = 0.95, negative predictive value (NPV) = 0.94 and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) = 34.25 (CI: 20.75-56.53). The positive Likelihood-ratio (LR+) was 29.67, the negative Likelihood ratio (LR-) 0.11. NIHSS of patients with positive GPS (gaze palsy NIHSS ≥ 0, Motor arm NIHSS ≥2 and Motor leg NIHSS ≥2) was markedly higher compared to negative GPS patients (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The GPS proved to be similarly accurate in detecting ELVO in the anterior circulation of AIS patients and even more specific than other published clinical scores. Its simplicity and clarity might enable non-neurological medical staff to identify ELVO AIS patients with high certainty in a preclinical setting.

StrokeWatch: An Instrument for Objective Standardized Real-Time Measurement of Door-to-Needle Times in Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Monitoring critical time intervals in acute ischemic stroke treatment delivers metrics for quality of performance - the door-to-needle time being well-established. To resolve the conflict of self-reporting bias a "StrokeWatch" was designed - an instrument for objective standardized real-time measurement of procedural times. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational, monocentric analysis of patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke between January 2018 and September 2019 was performed based on an ongoing investigator-initiated, prospective, and blinded endpoint registry. Patient data and treatment intervals before and after introduction of "StrokeWatch" were compared. RESULTS: "StrokeWatch" was designed as a mobile board equipped with three digital stopwatches tracking door-to-needle, door-to-groin, and door-to-recanalization intervals as well as a form for standardized documentation. 118 patients before introduction of "StrokeWatch" (subgroup A) and 53 patients after introduction of "StrokeWatch" (subgroup B) were compared. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics, procedural times, or clinical outcome. A non-significant increase in patients with door-to-needle intervals of 60 min or faster (93.2 vs 98.1%, p = 0.243) and good functional outcome (mRS d90 ≤ 2, 47.5 vs 58.5%, p = 0.218) as well as a significant increase in reports of delayed arrival of intra-hospital patient transport service (0.8 vs 13.2%, p = 0.001) were observed in subgroup B. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of StrokeWatch for objective standardized real-time measurement of door-to-needle times is feasible in a real-life setting without negative impact on procedural times or outcome. It helped to reassure a high-quality treatment standard and reveal factors associated with procedural delays.

Does Device Selection Impact Recanalization Rate and Neurological Outcome?: An Analysis of the Save ChildS Study.

Background and Purpose- The recent Save ChildS study provides multicenter evidence for the use of mechanical thrombectomy in children with large vessel occlusion arterial ischemic stroke. However, device selection for thrombectomy may influence rates of recanalization, complications, and neurological outcomes, especially in pediatric patients of different ages. We, therefore, performed additional analyses of the Save ChildS data to investigate a possible association of different thrombectomy techniques and devices with angiographic and clinical outcome parameters. Methods- The Save ChildS cohort study (January 2000-December 2018) analyzed data from 27 European and United States stroke centers and included all pediatric patients (<18 years), diagnosed with arterial ischemic stroke who underwent endovascular recanalization. Patients were grouped into first-line contact aspiration (A Direct Aspiration First Pass Technique [ADAPT]) and non-ADAPT groups as well as different stent retriever size groups. Associations with baseline characteristics, recanalization rates (modified Treatment in Cerebral Infarction), complication rates, and neurological outcome parameters (Pediatric National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale after 24 hours and 7 days; modified Rankin Scale and Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure at discharge, after 6 and 24 months) were investigated. Results- Seventy-three patients with a median age of 11.3 years were included. Currently available stent retrievers were used in 59 patients (80.8%), of which 4×20 mm (width×length) was the most frequently chosen size (36 patients =61%). A first-line ADAPT approach was used in 7 patients (9.6%), and 7 patients (9.6%) were treated with first-generation thrombectomy devices. In this study, a first-line ADAPT approach was neither associated with the rate of successful recanalization (ADAPT 85.7% versus 87.5% No ADAPT) nor with the complication rate or the neurological outcome. Moreover, there were no associations of stent retriever sizes with rates of recanalization, complication rates, or outcome parameters. Conclusions- Our study suggests that neurological outcomes are generally good regardless of any specific device selection and suggests that it is important to offer thrombectomy in eligible children regardless of technique or device selection. Registration- URL: https://www.drks.de/; Unique identifier: DRKS00016528.