Comorbidity burden and outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion: A retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) often have an accumulation of pre-existing comorbidities, but its clinical impact on outcomes after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) remains unknown. Therefore, we examined whether comorbidity burden before AIS onset could predict clinical outcomes after MT. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort, we enrolled consecutive patients with community-onset AIS who underwent MT between April 2016 and December 2021. To evaluate each patient's comorbidity burden, we calculated Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), then classified the patients into the High CCI (≥ 3) and the Low CCI (< 3) groups. The primary outcome was a good neurological outcome at 90 days, defined as a modified Rankin scale 0-2 or no worse than the previous daily conditions. All-cause mortality at 90 days and hemorrhagic complications after MT were also compared between the two groups. We estimated the odds ratios and their confidence intervals using a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 388 patients were enrolled, of whom 86 (22.2%) were classified into the High CCI group. Patients in the High CCI group were less likely to achieve a good neurological outcome (adjusted odds ratio of 0.26 [95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.58]). Moreover, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was more common in the High CCI (14.0% vs. 4.6%; adjusted odds ratio, 4.10 [95% confidence interval, 1.62-10.3]). CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidity burden assessed by CCI was associated with clinical outcomes after MT. CCI has the potential to become a simple and valuable tool for predicting neurological prognosis among patients with AIS and MT.

Outcomes of Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke in Patients Aged ≥90 Years.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Outcomes in patients ≥90 years of age with stroke due to large vessel occlusion were compared between endovascular therapy (EVT) and medical management. METHODS: Of 2420 acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusion in a prospective, multicenter, nationwide registry in Japan, patients aged ≥90 years with occlusion of the internal carotid artery or M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery were included. The primary effectiveness outcome was a favorable outcome at 3 months, defined as achieving a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 or return to at least the prestroke modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months. Safety outcomes included symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 72 hours after onset. Intergroup biases were adjusted by multivariable adjustment with inverse probability of treatment weighting. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients (median age, 92 [interquartile range, 90-94] years; median prestroke modified Rankin Scale score, 2 [interquartile range, 0-4]) were analyzed. EVT was performed in 49 patients (32.7%; mechanical thrombectomy, n=43). The EVT group showed shorter time from onset to hospital arrival (P=0.03), higher Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (P<0.01), and a higher rate of treatment with intravenous thrombolysis (P<0.01) than the medical management group. The favorable outcome was seen in 28.6% of the EVT group and 6.9% of the medical management group (P<0.01). EVT was associated with the favorable outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 8.44 [95% CI, 1.88-37.97]). Rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were similar between the EVT group (0.0%) and the medical management group (3.9%; P=0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent EVT showed better functional outcomes than those with medical management without increased symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages. Given proper patient selection, withholding EVT solely on the basis of the age of patients may not offer the best chance of good outcome. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02419794.

Impact of Procedure Time on Clinical Outcomes of Patients Who Underwent Endovascular Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The time from onset to reperfusion is associated with clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO); nevertheless, the time limit of the continuing procedure remains unclear. We analyzed the relationship between procedure time and clinical outcomes in patients with LVO who underwent endovascular treatment (EVT). METHODS: We assessed 1,247 patients who underwent EVT for LVO. Data were obtained from our multicenter registry, and patients were included if data on procedure time were available. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the impact of procedure time on clinical outcomes using the following parameters: favorable outcome (the modified Rankin score of 0-2 at 90 days), mortality within 90 days, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 72 h after stroke onset, and procedure-related complications. RESULTS: The rate of favorable outcomes linearly decreased with increasing procedure time, but there was no linear relationship between procedure time and other outcomes. The adjusted odds ratio for 30-minute delay in procedure time was 0.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.84) for favorable outcome, 1.15 (0.97-1.36) for mortality, 1.08 (0.87-1.33) for symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and 0.92 (0.75-1.16) for complications. Significant interactions in the effect of procedure time on favorable outcome were observed between the subgroups stratified by age (≥75 or <75 years). Younger patients had a greater deleterious effect of delayed reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing procedure time was associated with less favorable outcomes, but not with the rate of mortality, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, or complications in our cohort.

Differences in Acute Ischemic Stroke Management and Prognosis between Multiple Large-Vessel Occlusion and Single Large-Vessel Occlusion: Subanalysis of the RESCUE-Japan Registry 2.

INTRODUCTION: The management and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke due to multiple large-vessel occlusion (LVO) (MLVO) are not well scrutinized. We therefore aimed to elucidate the differences in patient characteristics and prognosis of MLVO and single LVO (SLVO). METHODS: The Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra-Acute Embolism Japan Registry 2 (RESCUE-Japan Registry 2) enrolled 2,420 consecutive patients with acute LVO who were admitted within 24 h of onset. We compared patient prognosis between MLVO and SLVO in the favorable outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤2, and in mortality at 90 days by adjusting for confounders. Additionally, we stratified MLVO patients into tandem occlusion and different territories, according to the occlusion site information and also examined their characteristics. RESULTS: Among the 2,399 patients registered, 124 (5.2%) had MLVO. Although there was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of hypertension as a risk factor, the mean arterial pressure on admission was significantly higher in MLVO (115 vs. 107 mm Hg, p = 0.004). MLVO in different territories was more likely to be cardioembolic (42.1 vs. 10.4%, p = 0.0002), while MLVO in tandem occlusion was more likely to be atherothrombotic (39.5 vs. 81.3%, p < 0.0001). Among MLVO, tandem occlusion had a significantly longer onset-to-door time than different territories (200 vs. 95 min, p = 0.02); accordingly, the tissue plasminogen activator administration was significantly less in tandem occlusion (22.4 vs. 47.9%, p = 0.003). However, interestingly, the endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) was performed significantly more in tandem occlusion (63.2 vs. 41.7%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-5.0). The type of MLVO was the only and significant factor associated with EVT performance in multivariate analysis. The favorable outcomes were obtained less in MLVO than in SLVO (28.2 vs. 37.1%; aOR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30-0.76). The mortality rate was not significantly different between MLVO and SLVO (8.9 vs. 11.1%, p = 0.42). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The prognosis of MLVO was significantly worse than that of SLVO. In different territories, we might be able to consider more aggressive EVT interventions.

Patient characteristics with negative diffusion-weighted imaging findings in acute lateral medullary infarction.

BACKGROUND: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows limited sensitivity in the acute-phase brainstem infarctions, including lateral medullary infarction (LMI), and the detailed characteristics of acute LMI patients with initially negative DWI-MRI findings have not been reported previously. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the differences in the backgrounds or symptoms of acute LMI patients with initially negative findings in standard axial DWI-MRI and those with positive findings. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we collected the data for 35 consecutive acute LMI patients who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2011 to December 2018. Initial standard axial DWI-MRI was assessed, and the patients were divided into positive and negative groups. The characteristics of the two groups were compared, and the usefulness of additional thin-slice coronal DWI-MRI was also investigated. RESULTS: Nine (26%) acute LMI patients were initially negative on standard axial DWI-MRI. The patients were independently associated with smoking history (78% vs. 23%, p = 0.021) and headache (78% vs. 31%, p = 0.046). Thin-slice coronal DWI-MRI showed positive findings in 50% of the patients with negative findings in standard axial DWI-MRI. All four patients with negative findings in both standard axial and thin-slice coronal DWI-MRI had smoking history and headache. CONCLUSION: Smoking history and headache were associated with initial negative results in standard axial DWI-MRI in acute LMI. Additional thin-slice coronal DWI-MRI was sometimes useful in detecting acute LMI. Follow-up MRI is important for patients showing negative findings in initial DWI-MRI.

Serial Radiological Findings in Meningovascular Neurosyphilis Presenting as Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Meningovascular neurosyphilis, a form of early neurosyphilis, can cause infectious arteritis, which can be complicated by cerebral infarction. High-resolution vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI) is one of the techniques used to directly visualize the vessel wall. Herein, we present a rare case of meningovascular neurosyphilis, in which intracranial arterial vasculitis was evaluated using HR-VWI. CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old man with no medical history of any condition was brought to the emergency room with one day history of right upper and lower extremity weakness. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed a high signal from the left putamen to the corona radiata, and MR angiography showed stenosis of the right internal carotid artery (ICA) and the bilateral middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). HR-VWI showed thickening, along with smooth, intense, and concentric enhancement of the right ICA and the bilateral MCAs. The patient was diagnosed with neurosyphilis based on the findings of the blood tests and cerebrospinal fluid examination. The patient's symptoms gradually improved after treatment with intravenous penicillin G and oral antiplatelet agents. HR-VWI, performed approximately 6 months after the treatment, revealed improvement in the contrast enhancement of the vessel wall and the vascular stenosis. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of meningovascular neurosyphilis that evaluated the course of treatment using HR-VWI. Our report highlights the effectiveness of HR-VWI to determine the effects of treatment on meningovascular neurosyphilis.

Clinical Trial of the New Stent Retriever Tron FX for both Proximal and Distal Intracranial Large Vessel Occlusions.

BACKGROUND: In all of randomized controlled trials of mechanical thrombectomy, the target vessels were proximal. Herein we report a clinical trial of the Tron FX stent retriever, including the smallest size of 2/15 mm for distal intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO). OBJECTIVE: Eligible patients presented within 8 h of onset with proximal or distal LVOs, and the Tron FX 4/20 mm or 2/15 mm were used as the first-line device. METHODS: The primary endpoints were rate of modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) grade 2a-3 immediately after using Tron FX only, and mortality rate 90 d. We compared the outcomes between sizes 4/20 and 2/15 mm. RESULTS: The clinical trial was conducted in 50 cases, of which 44% presented with distal LVO and 15 cases were treated using only Tron FX 2/15 mm. The overall rate of mTICI grade 2a-3 was 80.0% (75.8% with Tron FX 4/20 mm, and 86.7% with 2/15 mm), and a 90-day modified Rankin Scale ≤ 2 or improvement of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale after thrombectomy ≥ 10 was achieved in 66.7% of cases (61.3% with Tron FX 4/20 mm, and 80.0% with 2/15 mm). The overall 90-day mortality rate was 8.0%, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 24 h occurred in 2.0% of cases. CONCLUSION: In this clinical trial using the Tron FX, which included the size of 2/15 mm for distal LVO, its efficacy was similar and its safety was superior compared with previous studies.

Acute Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion Long after Carotid Revascularization by Vein Graft.

We report the case of a 27-year-old woman with acute internal carotid artery occlusion long after carotid artery revascularization by vein graft. She presented with sudden unconsciousness and left hemiparesis. Her right carotid artery was revascularized with an ipsilateral internal jugular vein graft during a carotid body tumor resection 10 years ago. Computed tomography angiography revealed a right internal carotid artery terminus occlusion. Intravenous rt-PA and mechanical thrombectomy were performed, resulting in successful recanalization. Her neurological symptoms gradually recovered. When examining the embolic source, carotid ultrasonography for the vein graft showed intimal thickening, some high-echoic plaques, and lumen dilation, but no thrombus was observed. Color Doppler imaging showed laminar flow at the graft. Angiography after thrombectomy also showed pooling of contrast at the vein graft. We suspected that the blood flow stagnation at the vein graft induced thrombus formation; therefore, anticoagulation therapy was initiated. One year later, she was independent without recurrence of stroke, and anticoagulation therapy was replaced with aspirin because she went abroad. However, a carotid ultrasonography exam the following year revealed a huge thrombus at the graft. Anticoagulation therapy was resumed; subsequently, the thrombus decreased. In conclusion, we could monitor the long-term change in the vein graft by ultrasonography. Moreover, anticoagulation therapy was more effective.

Treatment Outcomes by Initial Neurological Deficits in Acute Stroke Patients with Basilar Artery Occlusion: The RESCUE Japan Registry 2.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We hypothesized that the relationships between treatments and outcomes in acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO) are different, depending on the severity of initial neurological deficits. METHODS: Of 2420 ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusion in a prospective, multicenter registry in Japan, patients with acute BAO were enrolled. Subjects were divided into two severity groups according to the baseline NIH Stroke Scale score: severe (≥10) and mild (<10) groups. The primary effectiveness outcome was favorable outcome, defined as modified Rankin Scale score 0-3 at 3 months. Safety outcomes included any intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) within 72 h. Outcomes in each group were compared between patients who received endovascular therapy (EVT) and those with standard medical treatment (SMT). RESULTS: In this study, 167 patients (52 female; median age 75 years) were analyzed. The favorable outcome was seen in 93 patients (56%) overall. In the severe group (n = 128), the proportion of favorable outcome was higher in patients who received EVT (60/111, 54%) than those with SMT (2/17, 12%, P < 0.01). In the mild group (n = 39), the rates of favorable outcome were comparable between the EVT (13/18, 72%) and SMT patients (18/21, 86%, P = 0.43). No significant differences in the rates of any ICH were seen among any groups. CONCLUSIONS: In acute BAO stroke with severe neurological deficit, independent ambulation was more frequently seen in patients who received EVT than those with SMT. Patients with mild neurological deficits showed similar rates of independent ambulation between the two treatment selections.

Stroke Systems of Care During the COVID-19 Epidemic in Kobe City.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak raised concerns over healthcare systems' ability to provide suitable care to stroke patients. In the present study, we examined the provision of stroke care in Kobe City during the COVID-19 epidemic, where some major stroke centers ceased to provide emergency care. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. The Kobe Stroke Network surveyed the number of stroke patients admitted to all primary stroke centers (PSCs) in the city between March 1 and May 23, 2020, and between March 3 and May 25, 2019. In addition, online meetings between all PSC directors were held regularly to share information. The survey items included emergency response system characteristics, number of patients with stroke hospitalized within 7 days of onset, administered treatment types (IV rt-PA, mechanical thrombectomy, surgery, and endovascular therapy), and stroke patients with confirmed COVID-19. RESULTS: During the period of interest in 2020, the number of stroke patients hospitalized across 13 PSCs was 813, which was 15.5% lower than that during the same period of 2019 (p = 0.285). The number of patients admitted with cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased by 15.4% (p = 0.245), 16.1% (p = 0.659), and 14.0% (p = 0.715), respectively. However, the rates of mechanical thrombectomy and surgery for intracerebral hemorrhage were slightly increased by 12.1% (p = 0.754) and 5.0% (p = 0.538), respectively. PSCs that ceased to provide emergency care reported a decrease in the number of stroke cases of 65.7% compared with the same period in 2019, while other PSCs reported an increase of 0.8%. No case of a patient with stroke and confirmed COVID-19 was reported during the study period. CONCLUSION: Kobe City was able to maintain operation of its stroke care systems thanks to close cooperation among all city PSCs and a temporal decrease in the total number of stroke cases.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings Related to Stroke Risk in Japanese Patients With Fabry Disease.

Background and Purpose- Stroke is the most frequent severe clinical event in patients with Fabry disease. We aimed to evaluate the cerebral magnetic resonance imaging findings of patients with Fabry disease and assess their association with future stroke risk after enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) induction. Methods- We retrospectively reviewed the magnetic resonance imaging findings of 25 patients with Fabry disease. Of these, 12 adult patients without prior stroke or ERT were enrolled to evaluate the association between baseline magnetic resonance imaging findings and stroke occurrence after ERT initiation. We assessed white matter hyperintensities, periventricular hyperintensities, and basilar artery diameter as neuroimaging markers. Results- The mean age of participants was 38.8±16.8 years. Fourteen patients (56.0%) were women. White matter hyperintensities and periventricular hyperintensities were observed in 15 and 13 cases, respectively. The mean basilar artery diameter was 3.2±0.55 mm. Two patients demonstrated old infarct lesions. Three of 12 patients in whom ERT was initiated had symptomatic stroke after baseline magnetic resonance imaging. Of these, 2 developed stroke within 6-month post-ERT initiation. The baseline basilar artery diameter was larger in patients who developed stroke than in those who did not (4.0±0.40 versus 2.9±0.49 mm, P=0.02). Conclusions- Basilar artery diameter may be associated with stroke risk after ERT initiation among Japanese patients with Fabry disease.

Successful Reperfusion with Endovascular Therapy Has Beneficial Effects on Long-Term Outcome Beyond 90 Days.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent studies have demonstrated that endovascular reperfusion therapy improves clinical outcomes at 90 days after ischemic stroke. However, the effects on long-term outcomes are not well known. We hypothesized that successful reperfusion might be associated with long-term improvement beyond 90 days after endovascular therapy. To assess the long-term effects beyond 90 days, we analyzed the association of successful reperfusion with a temporal change in modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score from 90 days to 1 year after endovascular therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a database of consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke who received endovascular therapy between April 2006 and March 2016 at 4 centers. We compared the incidences of improvement and deterioration in patients with successful reperfusion (i.e., modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score of 2b or 3) with those in patients with unsuccessful reperfusion. We defined improvement and deterioration as decrease and increase on the mRS score by 1 point or more from 90 days to 1 year after endovascular therapy respectively. RESULTS: A total of 268 patients were included in the current study. The rate of patients with improvement tended to be higher in patients with successful reperfusion than in patients with unsuccessful reperfusion (20% [34/167 patients] vs. 12% [12/101], p = 0.07). The rate of patients with deterioration was lower in patients with successful reperfusion than in patients with unsuccessful reperfusion (25% [42/167] vs. 42% [42/101], p < 0.01). After adjustment for confounders, successful reperfusion was associated with improvement (adjusted OR 2.65; 95% CI 1.23-5.73; p < 0.05) and deterioration (adjusted OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.18-0.62; p < 0.01), independent of the 90-day mRS score. CONCLUSIONS: Successful reperfusion has further beneficial legacy effects on long-term outcomes beyond 90 days after stroke.

P-Wave Terminal Force in Lead V1 Predicts Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Detection of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) in cryptogenic stroke is critical to selecting an antithrombotic therapy for preventing recurrent stroke. However, the predictor of PAF in patients with acute ischemic stroke is not well elucidated. P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (PTFV1) is a standard electrocardiogram marker of left atrial abnormality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the utility of PTFV1 for the prediction of PAF in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: The study included 295 consecutive patients who had acute ischemic stroke and were admitted to the hospital between September 2014 and August 2016. Patients with a known history of PAF, persistent atrial fibrillation, or cardiac pacemaker were excluded from the study. The clinical characteristics of patients with or without PAF were compared, and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the independent contribution of each variable. RESULTS: Among 226 patients eligible for our analysis, 16 (7.1%) were diagnosed with PAF after admission. PTFV1 was significantly higher in patients with PAF than those without PAF (.051 versus .027 mm⋅s; P < .001). Multivariate analysis showed that PTFV1 per .01 mm⋅s increase was strongly associated with PAF (odds ratio, 1.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-2.09; P < .001). The optimal cutoff value of PTFV1 for the prediction of PAF was .04 mm⋅s. CONCLUSIONS: PTFV1 is a strong predictor of PAF detection in acute ischemic stroke.

Vertebrobasilar ectasia in patients with lacunar stroke: the secondary prevention of small subcortical strokes trial.

BACKGROUND: The clinical implications of vertebrobasilar ectasia (VBE) in patients with cerebral small-artery disease are not well defined. We investigated whether VBE is associated with recurrent stroke, major hemorrhage, and death in a large cohort of patients with recent lacunar stroke. METHODS: Maximum diameters of the vertebral and basilar arteries were measured by magnetic resonance angiography and computed tomographic angiography in 2621 participants in the Secondary Prevention of Small Subcortical Strokes trial. VBE was defined a priori as basilar artery greater than 4.5 mm and/or vertebral artery greater than 4.0 mm. Patient characteristics and risks of stroke recurrence and mortality during follow-up (median, 3.5 years) were compared between patients with and without VBE. RESULTS: VBE affecting 1 or more arteries was present in 200 (7.6%) patients. Patient features independently associated with VBE were increasing age, male sex, white race ethnicity, hypertension, and higher baseline diastolic blood pressure. Baseline systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with VBE. After adjustment for other risk factors, VBE was not predictive of recurrent stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], .85-1.9) or major hemorrhage (HR, 1.5; CI, .94-2.6), but was of death (HR, 1.7; CI, 1.1-2.7). CONCLUSIONS: In this large well-characterized cohort of patients with recent lacunar stroke, VBE was predictive of death but not of recurrent stroke or major hemorrhage. In these exploratory analyses, the frequency of VBE was directly related to diastolic blood pressure but inversely related to systolic blood pressure.

Treatment Results of Carotid Artery Stenting with an Open-Cell Stent: Analysis of 734 Consecutive Cases at a Single Center.

OBJECTIVE: In carotid artery stenting (CAS) for internal carotid artery stenosis, the stent is often selected according to the plaque properties and arterial tortuosity. In our institute, an open-cell stent is used as the first-line stent regardless of the characteristics of the lesion. This study was performed to examine the outcome of CAS with an open-cell stent as the real-world results. METHODS: In total, 811 CAS procedures using open-cell stents were performed for internal carotid artery stenosis from April 2002 to December 2019. Of these patients, we excluded those with hyperacute conditions for which CAS was performed within 3 days of onset, those in whom acute mechanical thrombectomy was performed simultaneously with CAS, and those with stenosis due to arterial dissection. Thus, 734 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Perioperative and long-term outcomes and risk factors for perioperative infarction were investigated. RESULTS: The periprocedural stroke rate and mortality rate were 3.7% (27/734) and 0.4% (3/734), respectively. Low-echoic plaque was a significant risk factor for periprocedural stroke in both univariate (P < 0.03) and multivariate (odds ratio, 2.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-6.66; P = 0.02) analyses. Cerebral infarction and high grade restenosis were observed in 15 (2.0%) and 17 (2.3%) patients during a median 50-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: CAS with open-cell stents showed good results in terms of both the postoperative stroke incidence and long-term severe restenosis rate. However, low-echoic plaque was a risk factor for perioperative stroke incidence, which should be considered when deciding on the indication for CAS with an open-cell stent.

Von Willebrand Factor Antigen Levels Predict Poor Outcomes in Patients With Stroke and Cancer: Findings From the Multicenter, Prospective, Observational SCAN Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute ischemic stroke and active cancer have more severe neurological symptoms, elevated risks of stroke recurrence, and death compared with the general population. We examined whether von Willebrand factor (vWF) antigen levels at stroke onset were associated with the poor outcomes of patients with stroke and cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using data from 90 patients with acute ischemic stroke and active cancer who were registered in the SCAN (Ischemic Stroke in Patients With Cancer and Neoplasia) study, a prospective multicenter, observational study in Japan, we divided patients into 2 groups according to their median vWF antigen levels (high, n=46; or low, n=44). The high-vWF group had a significantly higher initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (median, 7 [interquartile range, 3-11.25] versus 3 [interquartile range, 1-8.5]; P<0.05) and a significantly higher incidence of cryptogenic stroke (32 [70%] versus 16 [36%]; P<0.01) and venous thromboembolism (7 [15%] versus 0 [0%]; P<0.01), as well as multiple lesions (28 [62%] versus 12 [27%]; P<0.001), than the low-vWF group. We observed no significant difference in the rate of stroke recurrence within 1 year between the groups. However, increased vWF levels were an independent predictor of death within 1 year of stroke onset, after adjusting for potential confounders (odds ratio, 6.77 [95% CI, 1.49-30.78]; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated vWF antigen levels were associated with adverse outcomes in patients with cancer-associated stroke and may represent a useful biomarker to guide future therapeutic interventions.

Clinical evaluation of mechanical thrombectomy for patients with posterior circulation occlusion: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Although consensus has been reached regarding the use of mechanical thrombectomy for acute large anterior circulation occlusion, its effectiveness in patients with posterior circulation occlusion remains unclear. This study aimed to establish the determining factors for good clinical outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for posterior circulation occlusion. METHODS: We extracted cases of acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) in the posterior circulation from a database comprising 536 patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy at our hospital between April 2015 and March 2021. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for LVO in the posterior circulation were identified. Five patients with simultaneous occlusion of the anterior and posterior circulation were excluded; finally, 47 patients were included in this study. The median patient age was 78 years, and 36% of the patients were women. The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission was 31, the median posterior circulation-Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (pc-ASPECTS) was 8, and the median Basilar Artery on Computed Tomography Angiography (BATMAN) score was 6. The rate of good recanalization (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale grades 2b and 3) was 96%, and a good prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2 at 90 days) was achieved in 19 patients (40%). The median pc-ASPECTS was significantly higher in the good prognosis group than in the poor prognosis group (10 vs. 7; p = 0.007). The median NIHSS score at presentation was significantly lower in the good prognosis group than in the poor prognosis group (17 vs. 34; p = 0.02). The median BATMAN score was significantly higher in the good prognosis group than in the poor prognosis group (8 vs. 3.5; p = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis showed that an NIHSS score ≦ 20 at presentation was the only independent factor for good prognoses. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of mechanical thrombectomy for posterior circulation LVO was better in patients with lower NIHSS scores at presentation.