Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Quality Criteria Checklist: An International Consensus Statement on Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Imaging and Measurement.

OBJECTIVES: To standardize optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) and improve its research and clinical utility by developing the ONSD POCUS Quality Criteria Checklist (ONSD POCUS QCC). DESIGN: Three rounds of modified Delphi consensus process and three rounds of asynchronous discussions. SETTING: Online surveys and anonymous asynchronous discussion. SUBJECTS: Expert panelists were identified according to their expertise in ONSD research, publication records, education, and clinical use. A total of 52 panelists participated in the Delphi process. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Three Delphi rounds and three asynchronous discussion rounds generated consensus on quality criteria (QC). This started with 29 QC in addition to other QC proposed by expert panelists. The QC items were categorized into probe selection, safety, body position, imaging, measurement, and research considerations. At the conclusion of the study, 28 QC reached consensus to include in the final ONSD POCUS QCC. These QC were then reorganized, edited, and consolidated into 23 QC that were reviewed and approved by the panelists. CONCLUSIONS: ONSD POCUS QCC standardizes ONSD ultrasound imaging and measurement based on international consensus. This can establish ONSD ultrasound in clinical research and improve its utility in clinical practice.

Distinct movement disorders in contactin-associated-protein-like-2 antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis.

Autoimmune encephalitis can be classified into antibody-defined subtypes, which can manifest with immunotherapy-responsive movement disorders sometimes mimicking non-inflammatory aetiologies. In the elderly, anti-LGI1 and contactin associated protein like 2 (CASPR2) antibody-associated diseases compose a relevant fraction of autoimmune encephalitis. Patients with LGI1 autoantibodies are known to present with limbic encephalitis and additionally faciobrachial dystonic seizures may occur. However, the clinical spectrum of CASPR2 autoantibody-associated disorders is more diverse including limbic encephalitis, Morvan's syndrome, peripheral nerve hyperexcitability syndrome, ataxia, pain and sleep disorders. Reports on unusual, sometimes isolated and immunotherapy-responsive movement disorders in CASPR2 autoantibody-associated syndromes have caused substantial concern regarding necessity of autoantibody testing in patients with movement disorders. Therefore, we aimed to systematically assess their prevalence and manifestation in patients with CASPR2 autoimmunity. This international, retrospective cohort study included patients with CASPR2 autoimmunity from participating expert centres in Europe. Patients with ataxia and/or movement disorders were analysed in detail using questionnaires and video recordings. We recruited a comparator group with anti-LGI1 encephalitis from the GENERATE network. Characteristics were compared according to serostatus. We identified 164 patients with CASPR2 autoantibodies. Of these, 149 (90.8%) had only CASPR2 and 15 (9.1%) both CASPR2 and LGI1 autoantibodies. Compared to 105 patients with LGI1 encephalitis, patients with CASPR2 autoantibodies more often had movement disorders and/or ataxia (35.6 versus 3.8%; P < 0.001). This was evident in all subgroups: ataxia 22.6 versus 0.0%, myoclonus 14.6 versus 0.0%, tremor 11.0 versus 1.9%, or combinations thereof 9.8 versus 0.0% (all P < 0.001). The small group of patients double-positive for LGI1/CASPR2 autoantibodies (15/164) significantly more frequently had myoclonus, tremor, 'mixed movement disorders', Morvan's syndrome and underlying tumours. We observed distinct movement disorders in CASPR2 autoimmunity (14.6%): episodic ataxia (6.7%), paroxysmal orthostatic segmental myoclonus of the legs (3.7%) and continuous segmental spinal myoclonus (4.3%). These occurred together with further associated symptoms or signs suggestive of CASPR2 autoimmunity. However, 2/164 patients (1.2%) had isolated segmental spinal myoclonus. Movement disorders and ataxia are highly prevalent in CASPR2 autoimmunity. Paroxysmal orthostatic segmental myoclonus of the legs is a novel albeit rare manifestation. Further distinct movement disorders include isolated and combined segmental spinal myoclonus and autoimmune episodic ataxia.

Brainstem raphe hypoechogenicity is an independent predictor of post-stroke depression.

PURPOSE: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common complication after stroke and has a substantial effect on the quality of life of patients. Nevertheless, reliable individual prediction of PSD is not possible. As depressive symptoms have been associated with brainstem raphe (BR) hypoechogenicity on transcranial sonography (TCS), we aimed to explore the association of BR hypoechogenicity and the occurrence of PSD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Prognostic Markers of Post-Stroke Depression (PROMoSD) study is a prospective, observational, single-center, investigator-initiated study that included patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) to investigate the presence of BR hypoechogenicity by TCS early after symptom onset. The primary outcome was the presence of PSD assessed at the three-month follow-up investigation by a blinded psychiatrist and defined according to the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V criteria). RESULTS: From 105 included AIS patients, 99 patients completed the study. AIS patients with a hypoechogenic BR developed a PSD at three months more frequently compared to patients with normal echogenicity (48.0% versus 4.1%, P <0.001). After adjustment for confounders (sex, mRS at follow-up, previous depressive episode), a hypoechogenic BR remained independently associated with a substantial increase in the appearance of PSD (adjusted OR: 6.371, 95%-CI: 1.181-34.362). CONCLUSION: A hypoechogenic BR is a strong and independent predictor of PSD at three months after AIS. TCS could be a routine tool to assess PSD risk in clinical practice, thereby streamlining diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms.

Cortical blindness as a sign of delayed post-hypoxic encephalopathy: a case report.

We present a case of a 67-year-old female patient, who presented with acute cortical blindness five days after a successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest. The magnetic resonance tomography revealed a mild FLAIR signal increase of the bilateral occipital cortex. A lumbar puncture revealed considerably elevated tau protein levels, in the presence of normal phospho-tau, as a marker of brain injury, whilst neuron-specific enolase levels were normal. The diagnosis of delayed post-hypoxic encephalopathy was set. We hereby describe a rare clinical manifestation after initially successful resuscitation and encourage the studying of tau protein as a potential marker of this disease entity.

A full year of the COVID-19 pandemic with two infection waves and its impact on ischemic stroke patient care in Germany.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Many countries worldwide, including Germany, reported that the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 influenced the care of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, but data are lacking for further pandemic wave periods. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide, retrospective, cross-sectional study of all hospitalized patients with the main diagnosis of AIS in 2019 and 2020. Primary outcomes were the number of hospitalizations for AIS, the application of stroke unit care, intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), and mechanical thrombectomy (MT), as well as the in-hospital mortality during the different pandemic periods in 2020 compared to the corresponding periods in 2019. Secondarily, we analyzed differences in outcomes between patients with and without concurrent COVID-19. RESULTS: We included 429,841 cases with AIS, of which 1268 had concurrent COVID-19. Hospitalizations for AIS declined during both pandemic wave periods in 2020 (first wave: -10.9%, second wave: -4.6%). MT rates were consistently higher throughout 2020 compared to 2019, whereas the IVT rate dropped during the second wave period (16.0% vs. 17.0%, p < 0.001). AIS patients with concurrent COVID-19 frequently received recanalization treatments, with an overall MT rate of 8.4% and IVT rate of 15.9%. The in-hospital mortality was high (22.8% vs. 7.5% in noninfected AIS patients, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate a smaller decline in hospitalizations for AIS in the more severe second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. AIS patients with and without concurrent COVID-19 who did seek acute care continued to receive recanalization treatments in Germany.

Ultrasonography Grading of Internal Carotid Artery Disease: Multiparametric German Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) versus Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) Consensus Criteria.

PURPOSE: We sought to determine the diagnostic agreement between the revised ultrasonography approach by the German Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) and the established Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) consensus criteria for the grading of carotid artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Post-hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter study, in which patients underwent ultrasonography and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) of carotid arteries for validation of the DEGUM approach. According to DEGUM and SRU ultrasonography criteria, carotid arteries were independently categorized into clinically relevant NASCET strata (normal, mild [1-49 %], moderate [50-69 %], severe [70-99 %], occlusion). On DSA, carotid artery findings according to NASCET were considered the reference standard. RESULTS: We analyzed 158 ultrasonography and DSA carotid artery pairs. There was substantial agreement between both ultrasonography approaches for severe (κw 0.76, CI95 %: 0.66-0.86), but only fair agreement for moderate (κw 0.38, CI95 %: 0.19-0.58) disease categories. Compared with DSA, both ultrasonography approaches were of equal sensitivity (79.7 % versus 79.7 %; p = 1.0) regarding the identification of severe stenosis, yet the DEGUM approach was more specific than the SRU approach (70.2 % versus 56.4 %, p = 0.0002). There was equality of accuracy parameters (p > 0.05) among both ultrasonography approaches for the other ranges of carotid artery disease. CONCLUSION: While the sensitivity was equivalent, false-positive identification of severe carotid artery stenosis appears to be more frequent when using the SRU ultrasonography approach than the revised multiparametric DEGUM approach.

Analysis of Nationwide Stroke Patient Care in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries have introduced strict hygiene measures of social distancing to prevent further spreading of the disease. This may have led to a decreased presentation to hospital of patients with acute medical conditions and time-dependent management, such as stroke. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cohort study using administrative database of all hospitalized patients with main diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), transient ischemic attack, or intracerebral hemorrhage. Data from a total of 1463 hospitals in Germany were included. We compared case numbers and treatment characteristics of pandemic (March 16 to May 15, 2020) and prepandemic (January 16 to March 15, 2020) cases and also with corresponding time period in 2019. RESULTS: We identified a strong decline for hospitalization of AIS (-17.4%), transient ischemic attack (-22.9%), and intracerebral hemorrhage (-15.8%) patients during the pandemic compared with prepandemic period. IVT rate in patients with AIS was comparable (prepandemic versus pandemic: 16.4% versus 16.6%, P=0.448), whereas mechanical thrombectomy rate was significantly higher during the pandemic (8.1% versus 7.7%, P=0.044). In-hospital mortality was significantly increased in patients with AIS during the pandemic period (8.1% versus 7.6%, P=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Besides a massive decrease in absolute case numbers, our data suggest that patients with AIS who did seek acute care during the pandemic, continued to receive acute recanalization treatment in Germany.

SARS-CoV-2 and Stroke Characteristics: A Report From the Multinational COVID-19 Stroke Study Group.

[Figure: see text].

Clinical Profiles and Mortality of COVID-19 Inpatients with Parkinson's Disease in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive, nationwide data regarding Parkinson's disease (PD) hospitalizations, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in-hospital frequency, and COVID-19-associated inpatient mortality during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic are not available. OBJECTIVE: To provide a nationwide analysis on hospitalized PD patients in Germany and evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using an administrative claims database covering 1468 hospitals and 5,210,432 patient hospitalizations including a total of 30,872 COVID-19+ cases between January 16 and May 15, 2020. RESULTS: Compared to 2019, hospitalizations for PD transiently decreased by up to 72.7% in 2020. COVID-19 frequency was significantly higher in the population of 64,434 PD patients (693 being COVID-19+ ) than in non-PD patients (1.1% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001), especially in subjects with advanced age (≥ 65 years). Regarding established COVID-19 risk comorbidities, COVID-19+ inpatients with PD showed higher incidences than non-PD COVID-19+ subjects, particularly hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Advanced age and male sex were significantly more frequent in COVID-19+ than in COVID-19- PD patients. The COVID-19 inpatient mortality rate was much higher in PD patients than in non-PD patients (35.4% vs. 20.7%, P < 0.001), especially in patients aged 75-79 years. Of note, overall inpatient mortality of PD patients was significantly higher in 2020 than in 2019 (5.7% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PD inpatients are more frequently affected by COVID-19 and suffer from increased COVID-19-associated mortality in comparison to non-PD patients. More comprehensive studies are needed to assess the significance of associated comorbidities for COVID-19 risk and mortality in PD. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Cross-sectional area reference values for peripheral nerve ultrasound in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis-Part I: Upper extremity nerves.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Measurement of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of peripheral nerves using ultrasound is useful in the evaluation of focal lesions like entrapment syndromes and inflammatory polyneuropathies. Here, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published CSA reference values for upper extremity nerves was performed. METHODS: Available to date nerve ultrasound studies on healthy adults were included and a meta-analysis for CSA was provided of the following nerves: median nerve at the wrist, forearm, upper arm; ulnar nerve at the Guyon's canal, forearm, elbow, upper arm; radial nerve at the upper arm. Regression and correlation analyses for age, gender, height, weight, geographic continents and publication year are reported. RESULTS: Seventy-four studies with 4186 healthy volunteers (mean age 42.7 years) and 18,226 examined nerve sites were included. The calculated mean pooled CSA of the median nerve at the wrist was 8.3 mm2 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 7.9-8.7, n = 4071), at the forearm 6.4 mm2 (95% CI 5.9-6.9, n = 3021), at the upper arm 8.3 mm2 (95% CI 7.5-9.0, n = 1388), of the ulnar nerve at the Guyon's canal 4.1 mm2 (95% CI 3.6-4.6, n = 1688), at the forearm 5.2 mm2 (95% CI 4.8-5.7, n = 1983), at the elbow 5.9 mm2 (95% CI 5.4-6.5, n = 2551), at the upper arm 6.6 mm2 (95% CI 5.1-6.1, n = 1737) and of the radial nerve 5.1 mm2 (95% CI 4.0-6.2, n = 1787). Substantial heterogeneity across studies (I2 > 50%) was found only for the radial nerve. Subgroup analysis revealed a positive effect of age for the median nerve at the wrist and for height and weight for different sites of the ulnar nerve. CONCLUSION: The first meta-analysis on CSA reference values for the upper extremities with no or only low heterogeneity of reported CSA values in most nerve sites is provided. Our data facilitate the goal of an international standardized evaluation protocol.

Cross-sectional area reference values for peripheral nerve ultrasound in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis-Part III: Cervical nerve roots and vagal nerve.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Measurement of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of cervical nerve roots using ultrasound is useful in the evaluation of inflammatory polyneuropathies, and measurement of CSA of the vagal nerve might give information about involvement of the autonomic nervous system. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published CSA reference values for cervical nerve roots and vagal nerve. METHODS: We included available-to-date nerve ultrasound studies on healthy adults and provide meta-analysis for CSA of the following nerves: cervical nerve roots C5, C6, and C7 as well as vagal nerve in the carotid sheath at the carotid bifurcation level. We report regression and correlation analyses for age, gender, height, weight, and geographic continent. RESULTS: We included 11 studies with 885 healthy volunteers (mean age = 42.7 years) and 3149 examined nerve sites. Calculated mean pooled CSA of C5 root was 5.6 mm2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.6-6.7 mm2 , n = 911), of C6 root was 8.8 mm2 (95% CI = 7.4-10.3 mm2 , n = 909), of C7 root was 9.5 mm2 (95% CI = 8.0-10.9 mm2 , n = 909), and of vagal nerve was 2.2 mm2 (95% CI = 1.5-2.9 mm2 , n = 420). No heterogeneity was found across studies for any site. Subgroup analysis revealed no significant effects of age, gender, height, weight, and geographic continent on CSA for any of these nerve sites. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first meta-analysis on CSA reference values for the cervical nerve roots and the vagal nerve, with no heterogeneity of reported CSA values at all nerve sites. Our data facilitate the goal of an international standardized evaluation protocol.

Cross-sectional area reference values for peripheral nerve ultrasound in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis-Part II: Lower extremity nerves.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Measurement of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of peripheral nerves using ultrasound is useful in the evaluation of focal lesions such as entrapment syndromes and inflammatory polyneuropathies. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published CSA reference values for lower extremity nerves. METHODS: We included available-to-date nerve ultrasound studies on healthy adults and provide meta-analysis for CSA of the following nerves: fibular nerve at fibular head, popliteal fossa; tibial nerve at popliteal fossa, malleolus; and sural nerve at the level of the two heads of gastrocnemius muscle. We report regression and correlation analyses for age, gender distribution, height, weight, and geographic continent. RESULTS: We included 16 studies with 1001 healthy volunteers (mean age = 47.9 years) and 4023 examined nerve sites. Calculated mean pooled CSA of fibular nerve at fibular head was 8.4 mm2 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.8-9.9 mm2 , n = 1166), at popliteal fossa was 7.9 mm2 (95% CI = 6.6-9.2 mm2 , n = 995), of tibial nerve at popliteal fossa was 25.9 mm2 (95% CI = 17.5-34.4 mm2 , n = 771), at malleolus was 10.0 mm2 (95% CI = 7.7-12.4 mm2 , n = 779), and of sural nerve was 2.4 mm2 (95% CI = 1.7-3.1 mm2 , n = 312). Substantial heterogeneity across studies (I2  > 50%) was found only for tibial nerve at popliteal fossa. Subgroup analysis revealed a lower CSA of tibial nerve at popliteal fossa and sural nerve in studies conducted in Europe than in North America and New Zealand. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first meta-analysis on CSA reference values for the lower extremities with no or low heterogeneity of reported CSA values in all nerve sites except tibial nerve at popliteal fossa. Our data facilitate the goal of an international standardized evaluation protocol.

Endovascular treatment for basilar artery occlusion: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Independent randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) have provided robust evidence for endovascular treatment (EVT) as the standard of care treatment for acute large vessel occlusions in the anterior circulation. We examined available studies specific to posterior cerebral circulation ischemic strokes to see if any conclusions can be drawn regarding EVT options. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search to identify studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of EVT versus standard medical treatment for patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO). We extracted data for outcomes of interest and presented associations between the two groups with the use of risk ratios (RRs) or odds ratios (ORs), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used a random-effects model to pool the effect estimates. RESULTS: We identified five studies (two RCTs, three observational cohorts) including a total of 1098 patients. Patients receiving EVT had a higher risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) compared to those receiving non-interventional medical management (RR 5.42, 95% CI 2.74-10.71). Nonsignificant trends towards modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores 0-2 (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.74-1.41), mRS scores 0-3 (RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.64-1.47), overall functional improvement (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.57-1.51), and all-cause mortality (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.78-1.35) at 3 months were seen. CONCLUSION: Although EVT increases the probability of sICH, the available data do not exclude the possibility of improved functional outcomes over standard therapy. As larger studies are challenged by the perceived lack of equipoise in this vulnerable patient population, results of ongoing RCTs are expected to provide substantial input for future meta-analyses.

Intravenous thrombolysis prior to mechanical thrombectomy in large vessel occlusions.

OBJECTIVE: The substantial clinical improvement in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy (MT), combined with the poor response of proximal intracranial occlusions to intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), led to questions regarding the utility of bridging therapy (BT; IVT followed by MT) compared to direct mechanical thrombectomy (dMT) for AIS patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO). METHODS: We aimed to investigate the comparative safety and efficacy of BT and dMT in AIS patients. We included all observational studies and post hoc analyses from randomized controlled clinical trials that provided data on the outcomes of AIS patients with LVO stratified by IVT treatment status prior to MT. RESULTS: We identified 38 eligible observational studies (11,798 LVO patients, mean age = 68 years, 56% treated with BT). In unadjusted analyses, BT was associated with a higher likelihood of 3-month functional independence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.32-1.76), 3-month functional improvement (common OR [cOR] for 1-point decrease in modified Rankin Scale score = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.18-1.97), early neurological improvement (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.83-1.76), successful recanalization (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02-1.46), and successful recanalization with ≤2 device passes (OR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.43-3.64) compared to dMT. BT was also related to a lower likelihood of 3-month mortality (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.57-0.73). In the adjusted analyses, BT was independently associated with a higher likelihood of 3-month functional independence (adjusted OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.26-1.91) and lower odds of 3-month mortality (adjusted OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.66-0.97) compared to dMT. The two groups did not differ in functional improvement (adjusted cOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.89-1.74) or symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.61-1.25). INTERPRETATION: BT appears to be associated with improved functional independence without evidence for safety concerns, compared to dMT, for AIS patients with LVO. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:395-406.

Modern treatment of perineuriomas: a case-series and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Perineuriomas are rare benign peripheral nerve sheath tumours of perineurial cell origin and can be classified into intraneural and extraneural perineuriomas. They most commonly present a mononeuropathy of gradual onset and slow progression, resulting in progressive neurological deficits like hypoesthesia or motor weakness. Therapy is still variable. Aim of the study was to compare our surgical treatment and our follow-up regime including high-resolution nerve sonography with the current literature to evaluate best treatment of perineuriomas. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of our dataset "peripheral nerve lesion" to identify patients suffering from perineuriomas between 01.01.2012 until 31.12.2018. Surgical treatment and the follow-up examination of three patients were described. Additionally, a systematic review including PubMed, the Cochrane Collaboration Library, Scopus and Google Scholar was performed for literature published between January 1, 1990 and October 31, 2019 independently by 2 authors. RESULTS: In the first case, the left ulnar nerve was affected. In the second case, the left peroneal nerve and in the third case the right median nerve was affected. High-resolution nerve sonography was performed in each case. All patients underwent interfascicular neurolysis combined with a targeted fascicular biopsy under electrophysiological monitoring. Neurological deficits improved subsidized by rehabilitation. Surgical therapy and the neurological outcome were compared with literature. Systematic review revealed 22 articles, which met the inclusion criteria. Therefore, demographics, surgical treatment and neurological outcome of 77 patients were analysed. CONCLUSIONS: Perineuriomas are rare benign nerve sheath tumours with a slow progression, sometimes difficult to diagnose. Decompression and neurolysis may improve neurological deficits. High resolution nerve sonography might serve as a helpful additional diagnostic tool in this process.

Age and Sex Differences in Ischemic Stroke Treatment in a Nationwide Analysis of 1.11 Million Hospitalized Cases.

Background and Purpose- To date, there is still uncertainty about age and sex differences in access to stroke unit treatment and use of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), while age and sex differences have not been investigated for the new treatment option of mechanical thrombectomy (MT). We, therefore, undertook a complete nationwide analysis of all hospitalized ischemic stroke patients in Germany from 2013 to 2017. Methods- We used the nationwide administrative database of the German Federal Statistical Office and investigated access to stroke unit treatment, IVT, MT, and in-hospital mortality. Patients were subdivided into 6 predefined age groups (20-44, 45-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89, and >90 years). Pooled overall and age group estimates were calculated using the random-effects model. To evaluate potential sex disparities, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. Results- A total of 1 112 570 patients were hospitalized for first or recurrent ischemic stroke from 2013 to 2017. Overall, stroke unit treatment increased significantly from 66.8% in 2013 to 73.5% in 2017, as did IVT (from 12.4% to 15.9%) and MT (from 2.4% to 5.8%; all P<0.001). Although the difference became smaller over time, patients ≥80 years of age still received significantly less often treatments. Men of all age groups had a significantly higher probability receiving stroke unit treatment (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09-1.12) and lower in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.89-0.93). No disparity was observed in the use of IVT (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.98-1.01), while women of all ages were treated more often with MT (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.22-1.30). Conclusions- Access to stroke unit treatment has to be increased in both older patients and women of all ages. While there was no sex difference in IVT use, it is important to further investigate the significantly higher frequency of MT in women with ischemic stroke irrespective of age.

Prolonged Cardiac Rhythm Monitoring and Secondary Stroke Prevention in Patients With Cryptogenic Cerebral Ischemia.

Background and Purpose- Although prolonged cardiac rhythm monitoring (PCM) can reveal a substantial proportion of ischemic stroke (IS) patients with atrial fibrillation not detected by conventional short-term monitoring, current guidelines indicate an uncertain clinical benefit for PCM. We evaluated the impact of PCM on secondary stroke prevention using data from available to date randomized clinical trials and observational studies. Methods- We performed a comprehensive literature search in MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial), and conference proceedings to identify studies reporting stroke recurrence rates in patients with history of cryptogenic IS or transient ischemic attack (TIA) receiving PCM compared with patients receiving conventional (non-PCM) cardiac monitoring. Results- We included 4 studies (2 randomized clinical trials and 2 observational studies), including a total of 1102 patients (mean age: 68 years, 41% women). We documented an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation detection (risk ratio=2.46; 95% CI, 1.61-3.76) and anticoagulant initiation (risk ratio=2.07; 95% CI, 1.36-3.17) and decreased risk of recurrent stroke (risk ratio=0.45; 95% CI, 0.21-0.97) and recurrent stroke/TIA (risk ratio=0.49; 95% CI, 0.30-0.81) during follow-up for IS/TIA patients who underwent PCM compared with IS/TIA patients receiving conventional cardiac monitoring. In the subgroup analysis, according to study type, atrial fibrillation detection, anticoagulant initiation, and IS/TIA recurrence rates were comparable between PCM and non-PCM in randomized clinical trials and observational studies. No evidence of heterogeneity (I2<12%) was documented across all the aforementioned subgroups. Conclusions- We provide preliminary evidence for a potential impact of PCM on secondary stroke prevention, as patients with cryptogenic IS/TIA undergoing PCM had higher rates of atrial fibrillation detection, anticoagulant initiation, and lower stroke recurrence.

Neuroimaging and clinical outcomes of oral anticoagulant-associated intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Whether intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) associated with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC-ICH) has a better outcome compared to ICH associated with vitamin K antagonists (VKA-ICH) is uncertain. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis of cohort studies comparing clinical and radiological outcomes between NOAC-ICH and VKA-ICH patients. The primary outcome measure was 30-day all-cause mortality. All outcomes were assessed in multivariate regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, ICH location, and intraventricular hemorrhage extension. RESULTS: We included 7 eligible studies comprising 219 NOAC-ICH and 831 VKA-ICH patients (mean age = 77 years, 52.5% females). The 30-day mortality was similar between NOAC-ICH and VKA-ICH (24.3% vs 26.5%; hazard ratio = 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67-1.31). However, in multivariate analyses adjusting for potential confounders, NOAC-ICH was associated with lower admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (linear regression coefficient = -2.83, 95% CI = -5.28 to -0.38), lower likelihood of severe stroke (NIHSS > 10 points) on admission (odds ratio [OR] = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.30-0.84), and smaller baseline hematoma volume (linear regression coefficient = -0.24, 95% CI = -0.47 to -0.16). The two groups did not differ in the likelihood of baseline hematoma volume < 30cm3 (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.81-1.62), hematoma expansion (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.63-1.48), in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.49-1.11), functional status at discharge (common OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.57-1.07), or functional status at 3 months (common OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.75-1.43). INTERPRETATION: Although functional outcome at discharge, 1 month, or 3 months was comparable after NOAC-ICH and VKA-ICH, patients with NOAC-ICH had smaller baseline hematoma volumes and less severe acute stroke syndromes. Ann Neurol 2018;84:702-712.

Dynamics of device-based treatments for Parkinson's disease in Germany from 2010 to 2017: application of continuous subcutaneous apomorphine, levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel, and deep brain stimulation.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a very common extrapyramidal movement disorder and currently the world's fastest growing neurological disorder. In the course of disease progression, a majority of PD patients develop severe motor fluctuations which often cannot be adequately treated with common oral anti-Parkinsonian medications. With continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI), levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel infusion (LCIG), and deep brain stimulation (DBS), there exist three effective treatment options for advanced PD patients with motor fluctuations. In this study, we analyze the dynamics of implementation for these treatments in Germany over the years 2010-2017 based on the diagnosis-related group statistics and structured quality reports. All three intensified therapy measures are increasingly applied in Germany. The mean age of therapy implementation is rising and more male than female patients receive treatments. Although DBS is provided primarily in university hospitals with a caseload of at least two procedures per month, there exists a substantial proportion of DBS procedures which is conducted in hospitals with only a low caseload. Most of the drug pump implementations (CSAI and LCIG) are conducted in a large number of hospitals with an overall low case number. As we detect a strong rise of the implementation of these device-based therapies, it will be a challenging task to satisfy patient need and perpetuate high standards for these specialized procedures in the future.

Stroke prevention in patients with acute ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation in Germany - a cross sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is present in 15-20% of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Oral anticoagulation reduces the risk of AF-related recurrent stroke but clinical guideline recommendations are rather vague regarding its use in the acute phase of stroke. We aimed to assess the current clinical practice of medical stroke prevention in AF patients during the acute phase of ischemic stroke. METHODS: In April 2017, a standardized anonymous questionnaire was sent to clinical leads of all 298 certified stroke units in Germany. RESULTS: Overall, 154 stroke unit leads participated (response rate 52%). Anticoagulation in the acute phase of stroke is considered feasible in more than 90% of AF patients with ischemic stroke. Clinicians assume that about two thirds of all AF patients (range 20-100%) are discharged on oral anticoagulation. According to local preferences, acetylsalicylic acid is given orally in the majority of patients with delayed initiation of oral anticoagulation. A non-vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulant (NOAC) is more often prescribed than a vitamin K-dependent oral anticoagulant (VKA). VKA is more often chosen in patients with previous VKA intake than in VKA naive patients. In the minority of patients, stroke unit leads discuss the prescription of a specific oral anticoagulant with the treating general practitioner. Adherence to medical stroke prevention after hospital discharge is not assessed on a regular basis in any patient by the majority of participating stroke centers. CONCLUSIONS: Early secondary stroke prevention in AF patients in German stroke units is based on OAC use but prescription modalities vary in clinical practice.