The impact of sex on stroke care: From epidemiology to outcome.

BACKGROUND: Carotid stenosis and atrial fibrillation are key risk factors for development of hemispheric strokes. In this review we aim to identify sex-specific differences in the pathophysiology and treatment of these risk factors and areas for future study. KEY FINDINGS: Women are underrepresented in research studies of stroke in patients with carotid disease and atrial fibrillation. However, key differences have been found between men and women that suggest that the development of carotid disease and atrial fibrillation occur at later stages of life and are associated with higher severity of stroke. Some treatments, including surgical treatment, seem to have different rates of efficacy and women and women are at higher risk of surgical complications. This suggests that treatment recommendations may need to be sex specific. CONCLUSION: Efforts should be made to address research and treatment gaps in women with stroke risk factors. This may lead to the development of sex-specific recommendations for stroke prevention and treatment.

Black-White Differences in Ischemic Stroke Risk Factor Burden in Young Adults.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although the US Black population has a higher incidence of stroke compared with the US White population, few studies have addressed Black-White differences in the contribution of vascular risk factors to the population burden of ischemic stroke in young adults. METHODS: A population-based case-control study of early-onset ischemic stroke, ages 15 to 49 years, was conducted in the Baltimore-Washington DC region between 1992 and 2007. Risk factor data was obtained by in-person interview in both cases and controls. The prevalence, odds ratio, and population-attributable risk percent (PAR%) of smoking, diabetes, and hypertension was determined among Black patients and White patients, stratified by sex. RESULTS: The study included 1044 cases and 1099 controls. Of the cases, 47% were Black patients, 54% were men, and the mean (±SD) age was 41.0 (±6.8) years. For smoking, the population-attributable risk percent were White men 19.7%, White women 32.5%, Black men 10.1%, and Black women 23.8%. For diabetes, the population-attributable risk percent were White men 10.5%, White women 7.4%, Black men 17.2%, and Black women 13.4%. For hypertension, the population-attributable risk percent were White men 17.2%, White women 19.3%, Black men 45.8%, and Black women 26.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable vascular risk factors account for a large proportion of ischemic stroke in young adults. Cigarette smoking was the strongest contributor to stroke among White patients while hypertension was the strongest contributor to stroke among Black patients. These results support early primary prevention efforts focused on smoking cessation and hypertension detection and treatment.

Black-white Differences in Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Rates Among Young Adults with Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies have addressed Black-White differences in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in young stroke patients without a history of hypertension. METHODS: A case-only cross-sectional analysis performed in 2019 of data from the Stroke Prevention in Young Adults Study, a population-based case-control study of ischemic stroke patients ages 15-49. The main outcomes were hypertension indicators at the time of stroke hospitalization: self-reported history of hypertension, LVH by echocardiography (Echo-LVH) and LVH by electrocardiogram (ECG-LVH). The prevalence of Echo-LVH was further determined in those with and without a history of hypertension. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals comparing blacks and whites were calculated by logistic regression. RESULTS: The study population included 1028 early-onset ischemic stroke patients, 48% Black cases, 54% men, median age 43 years (interquartile range, 38-46 years). Overall, the prevalence of hypertension history, Echo-LVH and ECG-LVH were 41.3%, 34.1% and 17.5%, respectively. Each of the hypertension indicators were more frequent in men than in women and in Black cases than in White cases. Black patients without a history of hypertension had higher rates of Echo-LVH than their white counterparts, 40.3% vs 27.7% (age and obesity adjusted OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.02-3.4) among men and 20.9% vs 7.6% (adjusted OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.2-6.2) among women. CONCLUSIONS: LVH was common in young patients with ischemic stroke, regardless of self-reported history of hypertension. These findings emphasize the need for earlier screening and more effective treatment of hypertension in young adults, particularly in the Black population.

Trends in age and sex-specific prevalence of cancer and cancer subtypes in acute ischemic stroke from 2007-2019.

OBJECTIVE: To describe age and sex-specific prevalence of cancer in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) hospitalizations in the United States over the last decade. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective serial cross-sectional study using all primary AIS discharges (weighted n=5,748,358) with and without cancer in the 2007-2019 National Inpatient Sample. Admissions with primary central nervous system cancers were excluded. Joinpoint regression was used to compute the average annualized percentage change (AAPC) in cancer prevalence over time. RESULTS: Across the study period, 12.7% of AIS admissions had previous/active cancer, while 4.4% had active cancer. Of these, 18.8% were hematologic cancers, 47.2% were solid cancers without metastasis and 34.0% were metastatic cancers of any type. Age-adjusted active cancer prevalence differed by sex (males:4.8%; females:4.0%) and increased with age up to age 70-79 years (30-39 years 1.4%; 70-79 years:5.7%). Amongst cancer admissions, lung (18.7%) and prostate (17.8%) were the most common solid cancers in men, while lung (19.6%) and breast (13.7%) were the most prevalent in women. Active cancer prevalence increased over time (AAPC 1.7%, p<0.05) but the pace of increase was significantly faster in women (AAPC 2.8%) compared to men (AAPC 1.1%) (p-comparison =0.003). Fastest pace of increased prevalence was seen for genitourinary cancers in women and for gastrointestinal cancers in both sexes. Genitourinary cancers in men declined over time (AAPC -2.5%, p<0.05). Lung cancer prevalence increased in women (AAPC 1.8%, p<0.05) but remained constant in men. Prevalence of head/neck, skin/bone, gastrointestinal, hematological and metastatic cancers increased over time at similar pace in both sexes. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of cancer in AIS admissions increased in the US over the last decade but the pace of this increase was faster in women compared to men. Gastrointestinal cancers in both sexes and genitourinary cancers in women are increasing at the fastest pace. Additional studies are needed to determine whether this increase is from co-occurrence or causation of AIS by cancer.

Marijuana Use and the Risk of Early Ischemic Stroke: The Stroke Prevention in Young Adults Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Few studies have examined the dose-response and temporal relationships between marijuana use and ischemic stroke while controlling for important confounders, including the amount of tobacco smoking. The purpose of our study was to address these knowledge gaps. METHODS: A population-based case-control study with 1090 cases and 1152 controls was used to investigate the relationship of marijuana use and early-onset ischemic stroke. Cases were first-ever ischemic stroke between the ages of 15 and 49 identified from 59 hospitals in the Baltimore-Washington region. Controls obtained by random digit dialing from the same geographic region were frequency-matched to cases by age, sex, region of residence and, except for the initial study phase, race. After excluding subjects with cocaine and other vasoactive substance use, the final study sample consisted of 751 cases and 813 controls. All participants underwent standardized interviews to characterize stroke risk factors and marijuana use. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationships between marijuana use and risk of ischemic stroke, adjusting for age, sex, race, study phase, the amount of current tobacco smoking, current alcohol use, hypertension, and diabetes. RESULTS: After adjusting for other risk factors, including the amount of current tobacco smoking, marijuana use was not associated with ischemic stroke, regardless of the timing of use in relationship to the stroke, including ever use, use within 30 days, and use within 24 hours. There was a nonsignificant trend towards increased stroke risk among those who smoked marijuana at least once a week (odds ratio, 1.9 [95% CI, 0.8-4.9]). CONCLUSIONS: These analyses do not demonstrate an association between marijuana use and an increased risk of early-onset ischemic stroke, although statistical power was limited for assessing the association among very heavy users.

Optimizing the Recognition and Treatment of In-Hospital Stroke: Evaluation of the 2CAN Score.

OBJECTIVES: Stroke-like symptoms may be difficult to appreciate due to the high incidence of stroke mimics (e.g., delirium) in the inpatient population. Many centers have adopted inpatient-specific stroke protocols with the aim of improving time to diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to assess one of these instruments, the "2CAN" score, in our patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for all inpatients for whom our Brain Attack Team (BAT) was called between January 2015 and June 2019. Patients were excluded if they had stroke prior to current admission, were in the emergency department at the time of BAT call, or had incomplete documentation. The 2CAN score was calculated for each patient. RESULTS: The BAT was activated 201 times, and 110 patients met inclusion criteria. Twenty percent of patients had a history of atrial fibrillation, 72% hypertension, and 36% diabetes. Median NIHSS was 14.5 (IQR 5-24). Only 18% of stroke calls occurred within 24 h of hospital admission. The mean 2CAN score was 2.8. Ninety-seven (88%) patients received a final diagnosis of ischemic stroke and 13 (12%) of stroke mimics. There was no difference between 2CAN scores in the stroke and mimic groups (P = 0.91). A 2CAN score of ≥ 2 had sensitivity 83.5%, specificity 23.1%, PPV 89.0%, and NPV 15.8% for stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The 2CAN score was derived and validated in a single academic center as a tool to recognize inpatient stroke. The 2CAN score had good sensitivity and positive predictive value for stroke in our cohort, but poor specificity.

Sickle Cell Trait and Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Approximately 8% of Blacks have sickle cell trait (SCT), and there are conflicting reports from recent cohort studies on the association of SCT with ischemic stroke (IS). Most prior studies focused on older populations, with few data available in young adults. METHODS: A population-based case-control study of early-onset IS was conducted in the Baltimore-Washington region between 1992 and 2007. From this study, 342 Black IS cases, ages 15 to 49, and 333 controls without IS were used to examine the association between SCT and IS. Each participant's SCT status was established by genotyping and imputation. For analysis, χ2 tests and logistic regression models were performed with adjustment for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: Participants with SCT (n=55) did not differ from those without SCT (n=620) in prevalence of hypertension, previous myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and current smoking status. Stroke cases had increased prevalence in these risk factors compared with controls. We did not find an association between SCT and early-onset IS in our overall population (odds ratio=0.9 [95% CI, 0.5-1.7]) or stratified by sex in males (odds ratio=1.26 [95% CI, 0.56-2.80]) and females (odds ratio=0.67 [95% CI, 0.28-1.69]). CONCLUSIONS: Our data did not find evidence of increased risk of early-onset stroke with SCT.

Screening individuals with intracranial aneurysms for abdominal aortic aneurysms is cost-effective based on estimated coprevalence.

OBJECTIVE: Aneurysm rupture is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and evidence suggests shared risk for both abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and intracranial aneurysms (IAs). We hypothesized that screening for AAA in patients with known IA is cost-effective. METHODS: We used a decision tree model to compare costs and outcomes of AAA screening vs no screening in a hypothetical cohort of patients with IA. We measured expected outcomes using quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). We performed a Monte Carlo simulation and additional sensitivity analyses to assess the effects of ranging base case variables on model outcomes and identified thresholds where a decision alternative dominated the model (both less expensive and more effective than the alternative). RESULTS: In our base case analysis, screening for AAA provided an additional 0.17 QALY (2.5-97.5 percentile: 0.11-0.27 QALY) at a saving of $201 (2.5-97.5 percentile: $-127 to $896). This yielded an ICER of $-1150/QALY (2.5-97.5 percentile: $-4299 to $6374/QALY), that is, screening saves $1150 per QALY gained. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this model, screening for AAA in individuals with IA is cost-effective at an ICER of $1150/QALY, well below accepted societal thresholds estimated at $60,000/QALY. Cost-effectiveness of cross-screening in these populations is sensitive to aneurysm coprevalence and risk of rupture. Further prospective study is warranted to validate this finding.

Rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease features distinct structures of amyloid-ß.

Genetic and environmental factors that increase the risk of late-onset Alzheimer disease are now well recognized but the cause of variable progression rates and phenotypes of sporadic Alzheimer's disease is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the relationship between diverse structural assemblies of amyloid-ß and rates of clinical decline in Alzheimer's disease. Using novel biophysical methods, we analysed levels, particle size, and conformational characteristics of amyloid-ß in the posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of 48 cases of Alzheimer's disease with distinctly different disease durations, and correlated the data with APOE gene polymorphism. In both hippocampus and posterior cingulate cortex we identified an extensive array of distinct amyloid-ß42 particles that differ in size, display of N-terminal and C-terminal domains, and conformational stability. In contrast, amyloid-ß40 present at low levels did not form a major particle with discernible size, and both N-terminal and C- terminal domains were largely exposed. Rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease that is associated with a low frequency of APOE e4 allele demonstrates considerably expanded conformational heterogeneity of amyloid-ß42, with higher levels of distinctly structured amyloid-ß42 particles composed of 30-100 monomers, and fewer particles composed of < 30 monomers. The link between rapid clinical decline and levels of amyloid-ß42 with distinct structural characteristics suggests that different conformers may play an important role in the pathogenesis of distinct Alzheimer's disease phenotypes. These findings indicate that Alzheimer's disease exhibits a wide spectrum of amyloid-ß42 structural states and imply the existence of prion-like conformational strains.

Human prion diseases: surgical lessons learned from iatrogenic prion transmission.

The human prion diseases, or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, have captivated our imaginations since their discovery in the Fore linguistic group in Papua New Guinea in the 1950s. The mysterious and poorly understood "infectious protein" has become somewhat of a household name in many regions across the globe. From bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly identified as mad cow disease, to endocannibalism, media outlets have capitalized on these devastatingly fatal neurological conditions. Interestingly, since their discovery, there have been more than 492 incidents of iatrogenic transmission of prion diseases, largely resulting from prion-contaminated growth hormone and dura mater grafts. Although fewer than 9 cases of probable iatrogenic neurosurgical cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) have been reported worldwide, the likelihood of some missed cases and the potential for prion transmission by neurosurgery create considerable concern. Laboratory studies indicate that standard decontamination and sterilization procedures may be insufficient to completely remove infectivity from prion-contaminated instruments. In this unfortunate event, the instruments may transmit the prion disease to others. Much caution therefore should be taken in the absence of strong evidence against the presence of a prion disease in a neurosurgical patient. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have devised risk assessment and decontamination protocols for the prevention of iatrogenic transmission of the prion diseases, incidents of possible exposure to prions have unfortunately occurred in the United States. In this article, the authors outline the historical discoveries that led from kuru to the identification and isolation of the pathological prion proteins in addition to providing a brief description of human prion diseases and iatrogenic forms of CJD, a brief history of prion disease nosocomial transmission, and a summary of the CDC and WHO guidelines for prevention of prion disease transmission and decontamination of prion-contaminated neurosurgical instruments.

Implications of female sex on stroke risk factors, care, outcome and rehabilitation: an Asian perspective.

BACKGROUND: Stroke affects 16.9 million people annually and the greatest burden of stroke is in low- and middle-income countries, where 69% of all strokes occur. Stroke risk factors, mortality and outcomes differ in developing countries as compared to the developed world. We performed a literature review of 28 articles pertaining to epidemiology of stroke in Asian women, stroke risk factors, gender-related differences, and stroke outcomes. SUMMARY: Asian women differ from women worldwide due to differences in stroke awareness, risk factor profile, stroke subtypes, and social issues that impact stroke care. While Asian men have a higher incidence of stroke as compared to women overall, the long- and short-term outcomes in Asian women tend to be poorer. Both conventional and gender-specific risk factors contribute to stroke risk. Oral contraceptive use and addictions such as tobacco and alcohol are less prevalent among Asian women due to socio cultural differences. There is however, a much higher preponderance of pregnancy-related stroke and cardio-embolic stroke secondary to rheumatic heart disease and heavy use of chewing tobacco. The overall outcome is poor due to poor access to health care and lack of resources. Key Messages: Our review exposed the gaps in our knowledge about stroke risk factors and differences in stroke care provided to Asian women. While there are sociocultural barriers that impede the provision of immediate care to these stroke patients, much needs to be done by way of prevention of recurrent stroke and treatment of risk factors.

Stroke in Asia: geographical variations and temporal trends.

Asian countries are in various stages of epidemiological transition and therefore exhibit a great diversity in disease patterns. Collectively, they comprise almost two-third of the world's total mortality due to stroke. The purpose of this review is to explore existing epidemiological data on stroke, highlight the temporal trends in stroke epidemiology in various regions of Asia and predict future patterns based on these observations. Our search revealed that there is a lack of good epidemiological data from most Asian countries. Whatever data exist are not comparable due to lack of standardised methodology for ascertaining stroke and its subtypes. For this and other reasons, these estimates exhibit country-to-country variation and also within-country variability. We have also reviewed temporal trends in stroke incidence and prevalence in 12 Asian countries and the evolution of stroke subtypes over the past two decades. Important observations include a rise in stroke incidence in most Asian countries, an earlier age at onset compared with the West, a relative increase in the proportion of ischaemic strokes and a decline in haemorrhagic strokes. Among ischaemic stroke subtypes, lacunar strokes, which were once the commonest variety, are now declining. Emerging data suggest that large artery atherosclerosis and in particular that of intracranial vessels is the predominant aetiology in most Asian countries. The review also identified important gender differences in terms of stroke risk factors, prevalence and outcomes. There is need for sound epidemiological data from most countries to understand the disease better and plan policy-level interventions to decrease the burden. We identify a need for standard format or guidelines for conducting stroke epidemiological studies especially in developing Asian countries. This region must be identified as a priority region for stroke-related interventions and preventive strategies by global healthcare authorities and organisations.

Characteristics of wake-up stroke.

BACKGROUND: Wake-up stroke (WUS) accounts for up to 29.6% of ischemic strokes, but its mechanisms are poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors and characteristics of WUS. METHODS: Seven-two ischemic strokes were classified as WUS or non-WUS. Collected were demographic information, medical history, cholesterol profile, and stroke characteristics including severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS]) and mechanism (Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria). Subjects completed questionnaires screening for sleep apnea (Berlin questionnaire) and assessing sleep characteristics. RESULTS: There were 72 ischemic strokes, of which 28 WUS (38.9%). WUS and non-WUS patients were similar in regard to stroke risk factors. WUS patients tended to be African American and were significantly younger. WUS was significantly more likely to result from small-vessel disease mechanism (42.9% versus 14.0%; P=.006) and tended to be less severe WUS (NIHSS score 3 [1, 4] versus 4 [2, 11]; P=.13) than non-WUS. Groups did not differ in regard to scoring positively on the Berlin questionnaire, but WUS sufferers were more likely to snore frequently (90.5% versus 70.0%, P=.08). The lipid profile was significantly worse in WUS compared with non-WUS (low-density lipoprotein 124.6±38.4 versus 103.7±36.8; P=.03; cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio 5.2±1.6 versus 4.3±1.6; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: WUS is more likely to result from small-vessel disease mechanism. Poorer cholesterol profile and frequent snoring may contribute to WUS.

Optimal Angiographic Goal and Number of Passes for Octogenarians Undergoing Endovascular Stroke Thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: The optimal recanalization goal and number of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) passes for elderly patients with large vessel occlusion strokes is unclear. METHODS: Consecutive patients 80 years or older undergoing EVT were identified from 2016 to 2022 at a single center. Clinical information, procedural details, and modified treatment in cerebral ischemia (mTICI) scores were collected. Primary outcome was modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess associations between mTICI scores, EVT passes, and 90-day outcomes. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-six patients were identified. At 90 days, mTICI 2b recanalization resulted in high rates of poor outcomes (8.7% functional independence and 60.9% mortality) not significantly different from mTICI 0, 1 or 2a (median mRS 6 vs. 6, P = 0.61). Complete recanalization (mTICI 2c or 3) led to significantly better mRS outcomes at 90 days compared to mTICI 2b (median mRS 4 vs. 6, adjusted P = 0.038), with 26.8% functional independence and 37.8% mortality. In multivariable analysis, complete recanalization was significantly associated with better 90-day outcomes than mTICI 2b or lower recanalization (odds ratio 4.24 [95% Confidence interval 1.46-12.3]; P = 0.002), while the number of passes was not independently associated with worse outcomes (P = 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: For octogenarians, mTICI 2b recanalization yields limited clinical benefit and results in poor 90-day outcomes. In contrast, complete recanalization is independently associated with significantly better outcomes. Thus, once the decision is made to pursue EVT in the elderly, mTICI 2c or better recanalization should be the angiographic goal. Providers should not withhold thrombectomy passes based on age alone.

Treatments for patients with comorbid epilepsy and depression: a systematic literature review.

Depression is recognized as a serious comorbidity of epilepsy, but treatment of depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy is challenging. The aim of this article was to review published controlled clinical treatment studies of depression and anxiety in patients with epilepsy. The PubMed, Cochrane and PsycINFO databases were searched for controlled clinical trials, or controlled psychosocial or behavioral trials published in English before June 2012. Search terms were: seizures, epilepsy, depression, psychotherapy, cognitive therapy/treatment, behavioral therapy/treatment and nonpharmacologic therapy/treatment, education and stress management. Seven studies were included in this review. Interventions included antidepressant medications, antiepileptic medications, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Despite the methodological limitations in the studies identified by this review, both medications and psychotherapy improved depression and anxiety in patients with epilepsy. However, further research is needed in the form of randomized controlled clinical trials to establish appropriate pharmacological and psychosocial co-management of depression and epilepsy.

Analog restless legs syndrome rating scale.

We propose an analog restless legs syndrome (RLS) rating scale (ARLS) to assess RLS severity. ARLS has three components: overall perceived severity of symptoms, the severity of urge to move and the degree to which symptoms improve with movement, each scored from 0 to 100. ARLS is relatively convenient, easy to administer in clinics and can be rapidly assessed. Our goal was to compare the novel ARLS with the well-known International RLS Study Group scale (IRLS) to assess the efficacy of the ARLS. ARLS and IRLS were administered on 93 occasions. Perceived severity of the disease measured with ARLS positively correlated with the normalized IRLS score (correlation coefficient 0.6; slope 1.2; p<0.0001). Improvement in symptoms after movement inversely correlated with the disease burden as measured with normalized IRLS score (slope -0.94; correlation coefficient 0.4; p=0.0001). For both low and high IRLS scores, the urge to move measured with ARLS saturated, suggesting a non-linear, multifactorial relationship between the perception of RLS severity and the urge to move. In conclusion, individual components of the ARLS correlated well with total IRLS score. We emphasize that the ARLS is a simple RLS rating tool that can be used in clinical settings.

Mildly elevated INR is associated with worse outcomes following mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Elevated International Normalized Ratio (INR) is a marker of coagulopathy, but its impact on outcomes following mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with stroke is unclear. This study investigates the impact of mild INR elevations on clinical outcomes following MT. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, consecutive patients with stroke treated with MT were identified from 2015 to 2020 at a Comprehensive Stroke Center. Demographic information, past medical history, INR, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, use of tissue plasminogen activator, and last known normal to arteriotomy time were recorded. Outcome measures included modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) score, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days, and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Patients were divided into two groups: normal INR (0.8-1.1) and mildly elevated INR (1.2-1.7). RESULTS: A total of 489 patients were included for analysis, of which 349 had normal INR and 140 had mildly elevated INR. After multivariable adjustments, mildly elevated INR was associated with lower odds of excellent outcomes (mRS 0-1, OR 0.24, p=0.009), lower odds of functional independence (mRS 0-2, OR 0.38, p=0.038), and higher odds of 90-day mortality (OR 3.45, p=0.018). Elevated INR was not associated with a higher likelihood of ICH, and there were no differences in rates of HI1, HI2, PH1, or PH2 hemorrhagic transformations; however, elevated INR was associated with significantly higher odds of 90-day mortality in patients with ICH (OR 6.22, p=0.024). This effect size was larger than in patients without ICH (OR 3.38, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with stroke treated with MT, mildly elevated INR is associated with worse clinical outcomes after recanalization and may worsen the mortality risk of hemorrhagic transformations.

Isolated necrotizing myopathy associated with ANTI-PL12 antibody.

INTRODUCTION: Immune-mediated myopathies are a heterogeneous group of chronic autoimmune disorders. Autoantibodies associated with this disease complex are classified into myositis-associated and myositis-specific. Anti-tRNA synthetase antibodies are the most well known of the myositis-specific antibodies. Previous reports have revealed an association of tRNA synthetase autoantibodies with systemic connective tissue disorders. METHODS: Our case report involved a 49-year-old man who developed difficulty walking and climbing stairs 5 months prior to his initial visit. No rash or skin changes were observed. RESULTS: Laboratory testing was positive for anti-PL12 autoantibody with a negative evaluation for connective tissue disorder (CTD). The patient was found to have necrotizing myopathy associated with anti-PL12 antibodies in the absence of inflammatory changes on biopsy, significant derangement of muscle enzymes, or findings characteristic of a typical CTD. CONCLUSION: A high index of suspicion must be maintained for immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy despite the absence of an identifiable CTD and milder symptoms.