Association of Chinese visceral adiposity index with clinical outcome in patients after endovascular thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index (CVAI) is a reliable indicator of visceral adiposity dysfunction in the Chinese population. We aimed to evaluate the association between CVAI and clinical outcome in Chinese ischemic stroke patients who received endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). METHODS: This study retrospectively included patients with large vessel occlusive stroke receiving EVT treatment in 2 China stroke centers. Baseline CVAI was calculated after admission. Patients with a modified Rankin scale score ≥ 3 at 3 months after ischemic stroke were defined as poor outcome. Binary multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to explore the association between CVAI and the risk of 90-day unfavorable outcome. RESULTS: A total of 453 patients (mean age, 70.4  ± 12.1 years; 280 male) were included. During the 90-day follow-up, 236 (52.1 %) patients experienced poor outcome. After multivariable adjustment for potential confounders, increasing CVAI was associated with an increased risk of 90-day poor outcome (odds ratios, per-standard deviation increase: 1.521; 95 % confidence interval, 1.127-2.052; P = 0.006). Similar significant results were observed when the CVAI was analyzed as a categorical variable. Furthermore, the multiple-adjusted spline regression model showed an inverted J-shape association between CVAI and risk of unfavorable outcome (P = 0.048 for non-linearity). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that CVAI is positively correlated with 90-day poor outcome in Chinese ischemic stroke patients after EVT.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Parenchymal Hematoma in Ischemic Stroke Patients after Endovascular Thrombectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Endothelial dysfunction (ED) may result in parenchymal injury and therefore worsen the outcomes of ischemic stroke. This study aimed to determine whether ED could predict parenchymal hematoma (PH) in ischemic stroke patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). METHODS: Patients with large artery occlusion in the anterior circulation and treated with EVT were prospectively enrolled from 2 stroke centers. Serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, soluble E-selectin, and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were tested and summed to a standardized score to reflect the levels of ED. PH was diagnosed according to the Heidelberg Bleeding Classification. RESULTS: Of the 325 enrolled patients (mean age, 68.6 years; 207 men), 41 (12.6%) developed PH. Patients with PH had higher concentrations of soluble E-selectin, vWF, and ED sum score. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, pretreatment Alberta stroke program early computed tomography score, and other potential confounders, the increased ED burden was associated with PH (odds ratio, 1.432; 95% confidence interval, 1.031-1.988; p = 0.032). Similar significant results were found in the sensitivity analysis. The multiple-adjusted spline regression model showed a linear association between the total ED score and PH (p = 0.001 for linearity). Adding the ED score to the conventional model significantly improved the risk prediction of PH (net reclassification improvement = 25.2%, p = 0.001; integrated discrimination index = 2.9%; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that ED might be related to PH. Introducing the ED score could increase the reliability of the PH risk model for stroke patients treated with EVT.

The prognostic value of caveolin-1 levels in ischemic stroke patients after mechanical thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The impact of serum caveolin-1 (Cav-1) on clinical outcomes in patients after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between serum cav-1 levels and the 3-month functional outcome. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled and analyzed patients with an anterior circulation large vessel occlusion who underwent MT. Serum cav-1 concentrations were tested after admission. The primary outcome was a 90-day modified Rankin Scale score of 3-6. RESULTS: Of the 237 recruited patients (mean age, 69.7 ± 12.1 years; 152 male), 131 (55.3%) experienced a 90-day poor outcome. After adjustment for demographic characteristics and other covariates, patients with higher serum Cav-1 levels had a reduced risk of poor outcome at 3 months (Per 1-standard deviation increase; odd ratios [OR], 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 - 0.89, P = 0.013). Elevated Cav-1 concentrations (Per 1-standard deviation increase; OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.40 - 0.88, P = 0.011) were significantly associated with a favorable shift in modified Rankin Scale score distribution. Similar results were confirmed when the Cav-1 levels were analyzed as a categorical variable. Furthermore, the restricted cubic spline showed a linear association between Cav-1 levels and 90-day poor outcome (P = 0.032 for linearity). CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum Cav-1 levels were associated with improved prognosis at 3 months in ischemic stroke patients after MT, suggesting that Cav-1 may be a potential prognostic biomarker for ischemic stroke after reperfusion therapy.

Association of tirofiban with improvement of functional outcomes of direct thrombectomy for acute anterior circulation occlusion: a retrospective, nonrandomized, multicenter, real-world study.

OBJECTIVE: Although tirofiban and endovascular thrombectomy have been widely used in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, the effectiveness of their combined application remains a subject of debate. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of tirofiban in direct thrombectomy for AIS with anterior circulation vessel occlusion. METHODS: A total of 204 patients undergoing direct thrombectomy between January 2020 and December 2021 for AIS with anterior circulation vessel occlusion from four hospitals were included in this study. Patients at high risk of reocclusion with severe atherosclerosis, those who achieved successful recanalization for ≥ 3 stent retriever passes, or those who underwent emergency stenting or balloon angioplasty for severe residual stenosis were treated with tirofiban. Following a low-dose intra-arterial bolus (0.25-1 mg) immediately after endovascular treatment, tirofiban was administered continuously through intravenous infusion (0.1 µg/kg/min) for 12-24 hours. The primary efficacy outcome was evaluated using the 90-day modified Rankin Scale score. The safety outcome was assessed using symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) and mortality rates. RESULTS: The tirofiban group and nontirofiban group each included 102 patients. The favorable outcome rate in the tirofiban group was significantly higher than that in the nontirofiban group (53.9% vs 35.3%, p = 0.007). However, the sICH and 90-day mortality rates were lower in the tirofiban group, despite a lack of statistical significance (sICH: 15.7% vs 16.7%, p = 0.849; 90-day mortality: 16.67% vs 24.51%, p = 0.166). Finally, it was found that older patients (> 72 years), male patients, patients with admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores > 14, patients with a time from onset to reperfusion > 327 minutes, and patients with a medical history of diabetes tend to benefit from tirofiban treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that tirofiban combined with direct thrombectomy improves functional outcomes of AIS and reduces the 90-day mortality rate. Therefore, it could be considered as a suitable treatment option for AIS patients with anterior circulation vessel occlusion.

Cumulative experience improves the procedures of mechanical thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical thrombectomy has been widely performed for large vessel occlusion stroke. The present study aimed to determine whether cumulative experience could improve thrombectomy outcomes. METHODS: In this retrospective single-center analysis, patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy with the Solitaire stent in 3 years from 25 April 2015 were enrolled in the current study. Patients' characteristics, durations of admission and treatment, recanalization rates, clinical outcomes, and hemorrhage transformation rates were compared among the 3 years. Logistic analysis was used to analyze the independent correlation of the years and procedural outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 222 patients underwent mechanical thrombectomy in the 3 years: 50 in the first year, 68 in the second year, and 104 in the third year. Door-to-puncture time (P < 0.001) and puncture-to-recanalization time (P = 0.033) decreased significantly among the 3 years, while successful recanalization rates increased (P = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed an independent increase in the successful recanalization rates in the second year and third year (P = 0.020, P = 0.001) as compared to that in the first year. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative experience might improve the procedures of mechanical thrombectomy. The current findings suggested a potential benefit for centralization in the treatment of large vessel occlusion stroke.

FLAIR vascular hyperintensity predicts early neurological deterioration in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving endovascular thrombectomy.

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensity (FVH) is frequently observed in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). FVH is associated with functional outcome at 3 months in AIS patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy. In the present study, we assessed whether FVH predicted early neurological deterioration (END) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) within 72 h in AIS patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy. We retrospectively analyzed 104 patients with acute internal-carotid-artery or proximal middle-cerebral-artery occlusion within 16 h after symptom onset. Before thrombectomy, all patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. END was defined as an increase of 4 points or more from baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) during 72 h following onset. HT was assessed by brain computed tomography. Statistical analyses were performed to predict END and HT. The proportion of high FVH score, high American Society of Intervention and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Society of Interventional Radiology (ASITN/SIR) grade in non-END group was higher than that in END group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). FVH score was positively correlated with ASITN/SIR grade (r = 0.461, p < 0.001). FVH score was a predictor factor for END (adjusted OR, 13.552; 95% CI, 2.408-76.260; p = 0.003), while FVH score was not a predictor factor for HT. Furthermore, NIHSS at admission (adjusted OR, 1.112; 95% CI, 1.006-1.228; p = 0.038) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (adjusted OR, 18.865; 95% CI, 2.998-118.683; p = 0.002) were predictor factors for HT. To assess FVH score before thrombectomy might be useful for predicting END in AIS patients receiving endovascular thrombectomy.

Intravenous Thrombolysis Improves the Prognosis of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke and Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a higher mortality rate and a poor prognosis among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who receive intravenous thrombolysis (IVT); however, it is still unclear whether IVT improves the prognosis of patients with AIS and CKD. OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to evaluate the impact of IVT in patients with AIS and CKD. METHODS: We analyzed patients with AIS and CKD in 3 stroke centers who met the indications for IVT between January 2015 and January 2020. The patients were grouped into an IVT group and a non-IVT group according to whether patients received IVT. After propensity score matching at a 1:1 ratio, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months were compared to assess the safety and efficacy of IVT in patients with AIS with CKD. RESULTS: A total of 888 patients were enrolled: 763 in the IVT group and 125 in the non-IVT group. After matching, 250 patients were analyzed, and no significant differences were found in sICH between the 2 groups. However, the IVT group had a better 90-day mRS (0-2) score (70.4% vs. 57.6; p = 0.048) than the non-IVT group. CONCLUSIONS: IVT improved the 3-month prognosis and did not increase the occurrence of sICH among patients with AIS with CKD.

The Chinese System of Community Care for Older Adults.

China is increasingly turning to community care (CC) to fill the growing gap between the care needs of older adults and availability of that care. The specific application of this concept in China takes two forms: state cash-for-care programs and a market-oriented operational approach. State cash-for-care programs offer cash payments or vouchers, and older adults have a statutory entitlement to apply for the relief of CC charges. The market-oriented operational model comprises urban community care service "supermarkets," where older adults can buy services according to their needs. Even with these two programs, CC still has many shortcomings. Deficits include lack of national standards for individual services and personnel development, and absence of an independent department or systems to oversee supervision and quality assessment. This policy brief offers key recommendations for government investment through supportive social policies and improvements to the quantity and quality of the care workforce. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(6), 7-11.].

The association of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio with post-thrombolysis early neurological outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the association of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) with post-thrombolysis early neurological outcomes including early neurological improvement (ENI) and early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis were enrolled from April 2016 to September 2019. Blood cell counts were sampled before thrombolysis. Post-thrombolysis END was defined as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score increase of ≥ 4 within 24 h after thrombolysis. Post-thrombolysis ENI was defined as NIHSS score decrease of ≥ 4 or complete recovery within 24 h. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the relationship of NLR, PLR, and LMR to post-thrombolysis END and ENI. We also used receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to assess the discriminative ability of three ratios in predicting END and ENI. RESULTS: Among 1060 recruited patients, a total of 193 (18.2%) were diagnosed with END and 398 (37.5%) were diagnosed with ENI. Multinomial logistic model indicated that NLR (odds ratio [OR], 1.385; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.238-1.551, P = 0.001), PLR (OR, 1.013; 95% CI 1.009-1.016, P = 0.001), and LMR (OR, 0.680; 95% CI 0.560-0.825, P = 0.001) were independent factors for post-thrombolysis END. Moreover, NLR (OR, 0.713; 95% CI 0.643-0.791, P = 0.001) served as an independent factor for post-thrombolysis ENI. Area under curve (AUC) of NLR, PLR, and LMR to discriminate END were 0.763, 0.703, and 0.551, respectively. AUC of NLR, PLR, and LMR to discriminate ENI were 0.695, 0.530, and 0.547, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NLR, PLR, and LMR were associated with post-thrombolysis END. NLR and PLR may predict post-thrombolysis END. NLR was related to post-thrombolysis ENI.

Endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation large vessel occlusion beyond 6 hours: a real-world study in China.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with anterior circulation emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) beyond 6 h from symptom onset in a real-world cohort of patients in China. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 305 patients with anterior circulation ELVO treated with EVT. Patients were divided into two groups: treated with known onset within 6 h (n = 238) and beyond 6 h (n = 67). Multivariable logistic regression and ordinal shift analyses were used to evaluate the associations between onset-to-groin puncture time and safety and efficacy outcomes. RESULTS: Treatment beyond 6 h was not associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 48 h (sICH; odds ratio [OR] 2.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48-8.57, p = 0.334), in-hospital mortality (OR 1.95, 95% CI 0.48-7.91, p = 0.348), successful recanalization (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score 2b or 3; OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.31-1.73, p = 0.470), favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2; OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.25-1.23, p = 0.145), and functional improvement (modified Rankin Scale shift by 1-point decrease; common OR 0.80, 95%CI 0.45-1.42, p = 0.450) at 3 months compared with treatment within 6 h. Futher interaction analysis showed that stroke etiology did not modify the associations between onset-to-groin puncture time and outcomes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world study, after careful assessment, EVT beyond 6 h from known stroke onset was safe, effective and had comparable short-term outcomes to EVT within 6 h.

Clinical significance of stroke nurse in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND: Reports have proven that shorter door-to-needle time (DTN time) indicates better outcomes in AIS patients received intravenous thrombolysis. Efforts have been made by hospitals and centers to minimize DTN time in many ways including introducing a stroke nurse. However, there are few studies to discuss the specific effect of stroke nurse on patients' prognosis. This study aimed to compare consecutive AIS patients before and after the intervention to analyze the effect of stroke nurse on clinical outcome of AIS patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we observed 1003 patients from November 2016 to December 2020 dividing in two groups, collected and analyzed AIS patients' medical history, clinical assessment information, important timelines, 90 mRS score, etc. Comparative analysis and mediation analysis were also used in this study. RESULTS: A total of 418 patients was included in this study, and 199 patients were enrolled in the stroke nurse group and 219 was in the preintervention group. Baseline characteristics of patients showed no significant difference except there seems more patients with previous ischemic stroke history in the group of stroke nurse. (p = 0.008). The median DTN time significantly decreased in the stroke nurse group (25 min versus 36 min, p < 0.001) and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the 90-day mRS clinical outcome significantly improved in the stroke nurse group (p = 0.001). Mediation analysis indicated the reduction of DTN time plays a partial role on the 90 days mRS score and the stroke nurse has some direct effect on the improvement of clinical outcome (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of stroke nurse is beneficial to clinical outcome of AIS patients and can be use of reference in other hospitals or centers.

Hypersensitive C-reactive protein-albumin ratio predicts symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after endovascular therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10% of patients would develop symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) after endovascular therapy. The aim of our study was to explore the ability of hypersensitive C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (HAR) in predicting sICH after endovascular therapy. METHODS: From April 2016 to December 2018, 334 consecutive patients with anterior circulation infarction undergoing endovascular therapy were enrolled in our study. sICH was defined using Heidelberg bleeding classification after endovascular therapy. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the potential risk factors of sICH after endovascular therapy. We used receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and nomogram analysis to assess the overall discriminative ability of the HAR in predicting sICH after endovascular therapy. RESULTS: Among these 334 patients enrolled, 37 (11.1%) patients with anterior circulation infarction were identified with sICH after endovascular therapy. Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that patients with higher levels of HAR may be inclined to develop sICH (odds ratio, 10.994; 95% confidence interval, 4.567-26.463; P = 0.001). This association remained significant even after adjustment for potential confounders. Also, a cutoff value of 0.526× 10- 3 for HAR was detected in predicting sICH (area under curve, 0.763). Furthermore, nomogram analysis also suggested that HAR was an indicator of sICH (c-index was 0.890, P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that high levels of HAR could predict sICH after endovascular therapy.

Influence of renal function on stroke outcome after mechanical thrombectomy: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: For acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patient receiving mechanical thrombectomy (MT), renal dysfunction was an independent risk factor of contrast-induced nephropathy which may affect clinical outcomes. However, the influence of renal function on stroke outcomes is still controversial. Thus, we aim to investigate the association between renal function and outcomes of AIS patients receiving MT. METHODS: All consecutive stroke patients receiving MT were included in a prospective stroke registry in China from April 2015 to February 2019. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was measured on admission and categorized into G1 (≥ 90 ml/min/1.73 m2), G2 (60-89 ml/min/1.73 m2), G3a (45-59 ml/min/1.73 m2) and G3b-5 (≤44 ml/min/1.73 m2). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between eGFR and recanalization rate (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction scale 2b-3), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), death in hospital, death at 3 months and poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 3-6 at 3 months). RESULTS: A total of 373 patients were included in the study. Of them, 130 (34.9%) patients were in the eGFR group G1, 170 (45.6%) in G2, 46 (12.3%) in G3a, 27 (7.2%) in G3b-5. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, reduced eGFR was associated with increased risk of sICH (G3a, p = 0.016) and 3-month death (G3b-5, p = 0.025). However, no significant effects were observed between reduced eGFR and the risk of recanalization rate (p = 0.855), death in hospital (p = 0.970), and poor functional outcome (p = 0.644). CONCLUSIONS: For AIS patients underwent MT, reduced eGFR was associated with increased risk of sICH and 3-month death. However, there were no appreciable effects of reduced eGFR on recanalization rate, death in hospital and 3-month functional outcome.

Intravenous thrombolysis for ischemic stroke with hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign: A meta-analysis.

Hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS) on admitting to neuroimaging is reported to have prognostic value for poor outcomes after thrombolysis, while evidence from studies comprising a sufficiently large sample size is limited. To detect prognostic predictors after thrombolysis could help improve therapeutic clinical strategies for acute ischemic stroke. We included prospective and retrospective studies of stroke patients that were treated with intravenous thrombolysis, in which functional outcomes (ie, a modified Rankin scale [mRS]) and systematic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) were assessed in relation to HMCAS during pretreatment head CT. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled risk ratios (RR) of poor outcomes and sICH for HMCAS patients as compared to patients without HMCAS. Eleven studies permitted identification of 11 818 patients. The risk of poor outcome at 3 months in the HMCAS-positive group was 1.56-fold the negative group (RR, 1.56; 95% CI 1.50-1.62; P < .001). The sICH risk when comparing both groups was found to be non-significant. Sensitivity analysis regarding studies performing thrombolysis within 3 hours also exhibited significant differences in their functional outcomes (RR, 1.56, 95% CI 1.49-1.62; P < .001) in patients with HMCAS as compared to non-HMCAS patients, although this was true for sICH risk. The presence of HMCAS on pretreatment CT predicts a poor outcome at 3 months after intravenous thrombolysis, while its relationship with the incidence of sICH was found to have no statistic value. Our study implies that more aggressive treatment should be considered for HMCAS patients.

The lncRNA Malat1 functions as a ceRNA to contribute to berberine-mediated inhibition of HMGB1 by sponging miR-181c-5p in poststroke inflammation.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as essential mediators in neurological dysfunction. Our previous study shows that berberine (BBR) hampers the nuclear-to-cytosolic translocation of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in the process of poststroke inflammation. In this study, we explored the role of lncRNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) in the process of BBR-induced inhibition of HMGB1 in ischemic brain. Before the 60-min MCAO surgery, the mice were pretreated with BBR (50 mg· kg-1 per day, ig) for 14 days or ICV injected with specific lentiviral vector or shRNA. We showed that MCAO caused marked increase in the expression Malat1 and HMGB1 in the ipsilateral cortex, which was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with BBR. Knockdown of Malat1 attenuated the inflammatory injury after brain ischemia, whereas overexpression of Malat1 exacerbated ischemic brain inflammation. Overexpression of Malat1 also reversed BBR-induced reduction of HMGB1 and proinflammatory cytokines. The above results suggested a potential correlation between Malat1 and stroke inflammation. Based on informatics analysis we predicted that HMGB1 was a direct downstream target of miR-181c-5p, whereas Malat1 acted as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-181c-5p targeted the 3'-UTR of HMGB1 to promote inflammation after ischemic stroke. Knockdown of Malat1 significantly decreased HMGB1 level, which could be abrogated by transfection with miR-181c-5p inhibitors. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that Malat1/miR-181c-5p/HMGB1 axis may be a key pathway of BBR-induced antiinflammation effects in stroke, and they may provide a novel avenue for targeted therapy.

One-step analysis of brain perfusion and function for acute stroke patients after reperfusion: A resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) can noninvasively estimate the perfusion and function of the brain. PURPOSE: To investigate the perfusion and functional status using rs-fMRI in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients after reperfusion therapy. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. SUBJECTS: Twenty-five AIS patients who underwent dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) upon hospital admission and both rs-fMRI and DSC scans at 24 hours after reperfusion therapy. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3T; DSC, rs-fMRI. ASSESSMENT: The time delay of the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal was calculated using time-shift-analysis (TSA) and compared with the time to peak (TTP) derived from the DSC. For patients who exhibited partial or complete reperfusion in the supratentorial hemisphere, we quantified the function of different regions (healthy tissue, reperfused tissue, not reperfused tissue) by using three rs-fMRI measurements (functional connectivity, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation [ALFF] and regional homogeneity [ReHo]). Correlations between the functional measurements and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores were calculated. STATISTICAL TESTS: Dice coefficient (DC) analysis, two-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Twelve patients who exhibited complete reperfusion on their TTP maps showed no time-delayed areas on the TSA maps. For the remaining 13 patients with partial reperfusion (5/13) or no reperfusion (8/13) on the TTP maps, the TSA detected comparable time-delayed areas. Eleven out of 13 patients showed moderate to good overlap (mean DC, 0.58 ± 0.1) between the TTP and TSA results. Fourteen patients were chosen for functional analyses and most patients (12/14) showed abnormal functional connectivity in the reperfused regions. The reperfused and not reperfused tissues had lower mean ReHo values than those of the healthy tissue (both P < 0.001). The mRS scores showed negative correlation with mean ReHo values of reperfused region (R = -0.523, P = 0.027). DATA CONCLUSION: rs-fMRI might be a useful way to estimate both the perfusion and functional status for AIS patients after reperfusion therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:221-229.

Berberine Facilitates Angiogenesis Against Ischemic Stroke Through Modulating Microglial Polarization via AMPK Signaling.

Evidence suggests that microglia/macrophages can change their phenotype to M1 or M2 and participate in tissue damage or repair. Berberine (BBR) has shown promise in experimental stroke models, but its effects on microglial polarization and long-term recovery after stroke are elusive. Here, we investigated the effects of BBR on angiogenesis and microglial polarization through AMPK signaling after stroke. In the present study, C57BL/6 mice were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), intragastrically administrated with BBR at 50 mg/kg/day. Neo-angiogenesis was observed by 68Ga-NODAGA-RGD micro-PET/CT and immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescent staining further exhibited an increase of M2 microglia and a reduction of M1 microglia at 14 days after stroke. In vitro studies, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglial cells were used to confirm the AMPK activation effect of BBR. RT-PCR, Flow cytometry, and ELISA all demonstrated that BBR could inhibit M1 polarization and promote M2 polarization. Furthermore, treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with conditioned media collected from BBR-treated BV2 cells promoted angiogenesis. All effects stated above were reversed by AMPK inhibitor (Compound C) and AMPK siRNA. In conclusion, BBR treatment improves functional recovery and promotes angiogenesis following tMCAO via AMPK-dependent microglial M2 polarization.

A COACHS Nomogram to Predict the Probability of Three-Month Unfavorable Outcome after Acute Ischemic Stroke in Chinese Patients.

BACKGROUND: Accurate prognostication of unfavorable outcome made at the early onset of stroke is important to both the clinician and the patient management. This study was aimed to develop a nomogram based on the integration of parameters to predict the probability of 3-month unfavorable functional outcome in Chinese acute ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: We retrospectively collected patients who underwent acute ischemic stroke at Stroke Center of the Nanjing First Hospital (China) between May 2013 and May 2018. After exclusion, the study population includes 1,025 patients for nomogram development. The main outcome measure was 3-month unfavorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale > 2). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to develop the predicting model, and stepwise logistic regression with the Akaike information criterion was utilized to find best-fit nomogram model. We incorporated the creatinine, fast blood glucose, age, previous cerebral hemorrhage, previous valvular heart disease, and NHISS score (COACHS), and these factors were presented with a nomogram. We assessed the discriminative performance by using the area under curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration of risk prediction model by using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of the 1,025 patients for logistic regression helped identify the independent factors as National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, age, previous valvular heart disease, fasting blood glucose, creatinine, and previous cerebral hemorrhage, which were included in the COACHS nomogram. The AUC-ROC of nomogram was 0.799. Calibration was good (p = 0.1376 for the Hosmer-Lemeshow test). CONCLUSIONS: The COACHS nomogram may be used to predict unfavorable outcome at 3 months after acute ischemic stroke in Chinese population. It may be also a reliable tool that is effective in its clinical utilization to risk-stratify acute stroke patients.

A NADE nomogram to predict the probability of 6-month unfavorable outcome in Chinese patients with ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Early prediction of unfavorable outcome after ischemic stroke is of great significance to the clinical and therapeutic management. A nomogram is a better visual tool than earlier models and prognostic scores to predict clinical outcomes, which incorporates different factors to develop a graphic continuous scoring system and calculates accurately the risk probability of poor outcome entirely based on individual characteristics. However, to date, no nomogram models have been found to predict the probability of 6-month poor outcome after ischemic stroke. We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for individualized prediction of the probability of 6-month unfavorable outcome in Chinese patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: Based on the retrospective stroke registry, a single-center study which included 499 patients from May, 2013 to May, 2018 was conducted in Nanjing First Hospital (China) for ischemic stroke within 12 h of symptoms onset. The main outcome measure was 6-month unfavorable outcome (mRS > 2). To generate the nomogram, NIHSS score on admission, Age, previous Diabetes mellitus and crEatinine (NADE) were integrated into the model. We assessed the discriminative performance by using the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration of risk prediction model by using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: A visual NADE nomogram was constructed that NIHSS score on admission (OR: 1.190, 95%CI: 1.125-1.258), age (OR: 1.068, 95%CI: 1.045-1.090), previous diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.995, 95%CI: 1.236-3.221) and creatinine (OR: 1.010, 95%CI: 1.002-1.018) were found to be significant predictors of 6-month unfavorable outcome after acute ischemic stroke in Chinese patients. The AUC-ROC of nomogram was 0.791. Calibration was good (p = 0.4982 for the Hosmer-Lemeshow test). CONCLUSION: The NADE is the first nomogram developed and validated in Chinese ischemic stroke patients to provide an individual, visual and precise prediction of the risk probability of 6-month unfavorable outcome.

The association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein at admission and progressive motor deficits in patients with penetrating artery infarctions.

BACKGROUND: A fraction of patients with penetrating artery infarction (PAI) experience progressive motor deficit deterioration (PMD). We sought to investigate the role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) at admission in predicting PMD. METHODS: From January 2015 to September 2018, consecutive patients with PAI from three centers were prospectively enrolled in this study. PMD was defined as worsening of motor function score by ≥1 point on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale during the first 5 days after admission. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between hs-CRP and PMD in patients with PAI. We also performed receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and constructed a nomogram to assess the overall discriminative ability of hs-CRP in predicting PMD. RESULTS: We ultimately included 544 patients (mean age, 65.4 ± 11.8 years). A total of 85 (15.6%) patients were identified to have PMD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hs-CRP was independently associated with PMD (P = 0.001). The optimal cutoff value for hs-CRP as a predictor for PMD was 3.48 mg/L, with a sensitivity of 73.64% and a specificity of 82.35% (area under curve, 0.792). Moreover, the nomogram we constructed indicated that higher level of hs-CRP was an indicator of PMD (c-index = 0.780, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that hs-CRP might be a useful biomarker for predicting the risk of PMD in patients with PAI.