Divergence Between Clinical Trial Evidence and Actual Practice in Use of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Transient Ischemic Attack and Minor Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) proved that short-term (21-90 days) dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) reduces the risk of early ischemic recurrences after a noncardioembolic minor stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA) without substantially increasing the hemorrhagic risk. We aimed at understanding whether and how real-world use of DAPT differs from RCTs. METHODS: READAPT (Real-Life Study on Short-Term Dual Antiplatelet Treatment in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or TIA) is a prospective cohort study including >18-year-old patients treated with DAPT after a noncardioembolic minor ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA from 51 Italian centers. The study comprises a 90-day follow-up from symptom onset. In the present work, we reported descriptive statistics of baseline data of patients recruited up to July 31, 2022, and proportions of patients who would have been excluded from RCTs. We compared categorical data through the χ² test. RESULTS: We evaluated 1070 patients, who had 72 (interquartile range, 62-79) years median age, were mostly Caucasian (1045; 97.7%), and were men (711; 66.4%). Among the 726 (67.9%) patients with ischemic stroke, 226 (31.1%) did not meet the RCT inclusion criteria because of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >3 and 50 (6.9%) because of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >5. Among the 344 (32.1%) patients with TIA, 69 (19.7%) did not meet the RCT criteria because of age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of TIA, presence of diabetes score <4 and 252 (74.7%) because of age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of TIA, presence of diabetes score <6 and no symptomatic arterial stenosis. Additionally, 144 (13.5%) patients would have been excluded because of revascularization procedures. Three hundred forty-five patients (32.2%) did not follow the RCT procedures because of late (>24 hours) DAPT initiation; 776 (72.5%) and 676 (63.2%) patients did not take loading doses of aspirin and clopidogrel, respectively. Overall, 84 (7.8%) patients met the RCT inclusion/exclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The real-world use of DAPT is broader than RCTs. Most patients did not meet the RCT criteria because of the severity of ischemic stroke, lower risk of TIA, late DAPT start, or lack of antiplatelet loading dose. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT05476081.

The putative role of neuroinflammation in the complex pathophysiology of migraine: From bench to bedside.

The implications of neurogenic inflammation and neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of migraine have been clearly demonstrated in preclinical migraine models involving several sites relevant in the trigemino-vascular system, including dural vessels and trigeminal endings, the trigeminal ganglion, the trigeminal nucleus caudalis as well as central trigeminal pain processing structures. In this context, a relevant role has been attributed over the years to some sensory and parasympathetic neuropeptides, in particular calcitonin gene neuropeptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide. Several preclinical and clinical lines of evidence also support the implication of the potent vasodilator and messenger molecule nitric oxide in migraine pathophysiology. All these molecules are involved in vasodilation of the intracranial vasculature, as well as in the peripheral and central sensitization of the trigeminal system. At meningeal level, the engagement of some immune cells of innate immunity, including mast-cells and dendritic cells, and their mediators, has been observed in preclinical migraine models of neurogenic inflammation in response to sensory neuropeptides release due to trigemino-vascular system activation. In the context of neuroinflammatory events implicated in migraine pathogenesis, also activated glial cells in the peripheral and central structures processing trigeminal nociceptive signals seem to play a relevant role. Finally, cortical spreading depression, the pathophysiological substrate of migraine aura, has been reported to be associated with inflammatory mechanisms such as pro-inflammatory cytokine upregulation and intracellular signalling. Reactive astrocytosis consequent to cortical spreading depression is linked to an upregulation of these inflammatory markers. The present review summarizes current findings on the roles of immune cells and inflammatory responses in the pathophysiology of migraine and their possible exploitation in the view of innovative disease-modifying strategies.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas and headache features: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Dural arteriovenous fistulas are intracranial vascular malformations, fed by dural arteries and draining venous sinuses or meningeal veins. Clinical course varies widely and ranges from benign with spontaneous remission to fatal, due to cerebral hemorrhage. In a 10-year single institution experience, clinical presentation of dural arteriovenous fistulas, and in particular headache and angiographic features, as well as long-term outcome were analyzed. METHODS: Data of 42 intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas of 40 patients concerning demographic characteristics, medical history and risk factors, clinical presentation and headache features, location and neuroimaging findings, as well as treatment and outcome, were collected. Furthermore, we used the modified-Rankin Scale to assess the long-term outcome, by telephone contact with patients and/or their relatives. RESULTS: Patients aged between 25 and 89 years (mean age 55.8 ± 15.5). According to different clinical presentation and evolution, related to their unique drainage pattern into the cavernous sinus, we examined the carotid-cavernous fistulas separately from other dural arteriovenous fistulas. Interestingly, we found that the migraine-like headache was the major onset symptom of dural arteriovenous fistulas different from carotid-cavernous fistulas (p = 0.036). On the other hand, non-migraine-like headache was a typical characteristic of carotid-cavernous fistulas (p = 0.003). Moreover, ocular symptoms were more frequently observed in carotid-cavernous fistulas (92.9% p < 0.001). Seventy percent of patients did not report any impact on quality of life (mRS 0 or 1) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a link between the site of lesion and clinical features of the headache, a symptom that usually leads to hospitalization. In particular, ocular symptoms accompanying non-migraine-like headache should be promptly recognized and raise the suspicion of a carotid-cavernous fistula, while migraine-like headache may suggests other dural arteriovenous fistulas. This study provides new significant insights on headache and its characteristics as a presentation symptom in dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Antiepileptic drugs in migraine and epilepsy: Who is at increased risk of adverse events?

Background The impact of adverse events (AEs) of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have an impact on compliance and dropouts. We compared tolerability of AEs of AEDs among patients with migraine, epilepsy, or both. Methods Overall, 335 patients (epilepsy (n = 142), migraine (n = 131), and both (n = 62)), were evaluated with the Liverpool Adverse Events Profile (LAEP) to assess the magnitude, profile and occurrence rate of the AEs of valproate, topiramate, and lamotrigine. Results AEs were significantly more common with topiramate treatment (71.0%) and among migraineurs (69.5%), the latter being more prone to discontinue AEDs (46.6%). The profile of AEs with topiramate and valproate differed among groups. Moreover, treatment with both topiramate and valproate was associated, for all groups, with a worse tolerability profile compared to lamotrigine. Conclusion Our data suggest a specific drug and disease AE profile of AEDs. Specifically, migraineurs are the most affected by AEs, even though they receive very low dosages of AEDs. This finding might be considered a clinical implication of central sensitization mechanisms. Both the profile and tolerability of AEs, highly influencing quality of life, depended on the underlying conditions, and deeply impacted on treatment dropout. Therefore, before starting, switching or stopping AED treatment, all options need to be considered.

A novel ATP1A2 gene mutation in familial hemiplegic migraine and epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) is a rare autosomal dominant migraine subtype, characterized by fully reversible motor weakness as a specific symptom of aura. Mutations in the ion transportation coding genes CACNA1A , ATP1A2 and SCN1A are responsible for the FHM phenotype. Moreover, some mutations in ATP1A2 or SCN1A also may lead to epilepsy. CASE: Here we report on a three-generation family with five patients having a novel ATP1A2 mutation on exon 19, causing guanine-to-adenine substitution (c.2620G>A, p.Gly874Ser) that co-segregated in the five living relatives with migraine, four of whom had hemiplegic migraine. Moreover, three patients presented with epilepsy, one of whom had generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+). CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides further evidence on the involvement of ATP1A2 mutations in both migraine and epilepsy, underlying the relevance of genetic analysis in families with a comorbidity of both disorders.

Beyond RCTs: Short-term dual antiplatelet therapy in secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) proved the efficacy of short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in secondary prevention of minor ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA). We aimed at evaluating effectiveness and safety of short-term DAPT in real-world, where treatment use is broader than in RCTs. METHODS: READAPT (REAl-life study on short-term Dual Antiplatelet treatment in Patients with ischemic stroke or Transient ischemic attack) (NCT05476081) was an observational multicenter real-world study with a 90-day follow-up. We included patients aged 18+ receiving short-term DAPT soon after ischemic stroke or TIA. No stringent NIHSS and ABCD2 score cut-offs were applied but adherence to guidelines was recommended. Primary effectiveness outcome was stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) or death due to vascular causes, primary safety outcome was moderate-to-severe bleeding. Secondary outcomes were the type of ischemic and hemorrhagic events, disability, cause of death, and compliance to treatment. RESULTS: We included 1920 patients; 69.9% started DAPT after an ischemic stroke; only 8.9% strictly followed entry criteria or procedures of RCTs. Primary effectiveness outcome occurred in 3.9% and primary safety outcome in 0.6% of cases. In total, 3.3% cerebrovascular ischemic recurrences occurred, 0.2% intracerebral hemorrhages, and 2.7% bleedings; 0.2% of patients died due to vascular causes. Patients with NIHSS score ⩽5 and those without acute lesions at neuroimaging had significantly higher primary effectiveness outcomes than their counterparts. Additionally, DAPT start >24 h after symptom onset was associated with a lower likelihood of bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: In real-world, most of the patients who receive DAPT after an ischemic stroke or a TIA do not follow RCTs entry criteria and procedures. Nevertheless, short-term DAPT remains effective and safe in this population. No safety concerns are raised in patients with low-risk TIA, more severe stroke, and delayed treatment start.

Cortical spreading depression as a target for anti-migraine agents.

Spreading depression (SD) is a slowly propagating wave of neuronal and glial depolarization lasting a few minutes, that can develop within the cerebral cortex or other brain areas after electrical, mechanical or chemical depolarizing stimulations. Cortical SD (CSD) is considered the neurophysiological correlate of migraine aura. It is characterized by massive increases in both extracellular K⁺ and glutamate, as well as rises in intracellular Na⁺ and Ca²âº. These ionic shifts produce slow direct current (DC) potential shifts that can be recorded extracellularly. Moreover, CSD is associated with changes in cortical parenchymal blood flow. CSD has been shown to be a common therapeutic target for currently prescribed migraine prophylactic drugs. Yet, no effects have been observed for the antiepileptic drugs carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine, consistent with their lack of efficacy on migraine. Some molecules of interest for migraine have been tested for their effect on CSD. Specifically, blocking CSD may play an enabling role for novel benzopyran derivative tonabersat in preventing migraine with aura. Additionally, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists have been recently reported to inhibit CSD, suggesting the contribution of CGRP receptor activation to the initiation and maintenance of CSD not only at the classic vascular sites, but also at a central neuronal level. Understanding what may be lying behind this contribution, would add further insights into the mechanisms of actions for "gepants", which may be pivotal for the effectiveness of these drugs as anti-migraine agents. CSD models are useful tools for testing current and novel prophylactic drugs, providing knowledge on mechanisms of action relevant for migraine.

Giacomo Balla: A Painter in the Context of Neuroscience.

Giacomo Balla, a famous Italian Futurist painter, was a great observer of both human motion and emotion. He showed a profound interest toward neurophysiological and neurological sciences. During his search of his personal artistic style, he attended the lessons of Cesare Lombroso, a criminal anthropologist, who at the time was also professor of neurology at the University of Turin. Some years later, he became a close friend of Doctor Francesco Ghilarducci, who had spent a few years in Paris at Jean-Martin Charcot's "School." Balla spent most of his career studying the dynamics of movement and speed. Some of his most famous paintings were inspired by photographic studies on the locomotor system, such as those of the French physiologist Étienne-Jules Marey. His personal painting style reveals his deep interest in neurosciences. We hereby illustrate the role of some of Giacomo Balla's paintings as historical records of the neuroscience environment at the turn of the 20th century.

Palinopsia in patients with migraine: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at investigating the frequency of the visual phenomenon of palinopsia (visual perseveration) in patients with migraine. METHODS: We interviewed 63 patients with migraine with aura (MwA), 137 patients with migraine without aura (MwoA) and 226 sex-age-matched healthy control subjects using an ad hoc structured interview/questionnaire. The interview was divided into four classes of variables for statistical testing. RESULTS: Palinopsia occurred in 19/200 patients (9.5%); of them 10/63 had MwA and 9/137 MwoA (14.2% vs 6.6%, chi = 9.7, degrees of freedom = 1, p = 0.002). Patients with palinopsia had a significantly lower migraine attack frequency than those without this visual phenomenon (4.3 ± 0.3 vs 14.4 ± 0.2, z = 7.1, p < 0.0001). No healthy control subjects complained of palinopsia according to the structured interview/questionnaire. DISCUSSION: Palinopsia is probably under-diagnosed in patients with migraine. Further investigations are needed to assess whether migraineurs are particularly susceptible to the development of recurrent episodes of visual perseveration.

Menstrual migraine: what it is and does it matter?

The diagnostic criteria of menstrual migraine (MM), migraine related to menstruation and pure menstrual migraine, are placed in the appendix of the International Classification of Headache Disorders and are still primarily considered as research criteria that need validation. Although there is a great wealth of knowledge about the neurobiological processes underlying MM and its symptoms, the mechanisms by which an attack starts during the menstrual cycle remain baffling, and the disease is still undertreated. In this narrative review, we aim to summarize recent data on pathophysiology, epidemiology, burden of disease and treatment of MM. The vast majority of the literature focuses on the relationship between MM and hormonal factors. The role of falling in estrogen levels is believed to increase the susceptibility of blood vessels to prostaglandins, which have been implicated in neurogenic inflammation. Moreover, fluctuations of ovarian steroid hormone levels modulate calcitonin gene-related peptide in the trigeminovascular system. In addition, it has been observed that gonadal hormones modulate cortical spreading depression susceptibility in animal models. Sex hormone influences on MM affect not only the frequency and severity of headache attack but also its treatment. Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to neuroendocrine vulnerability in some women and some menstrual cycles may yield possible marker of the disease opening treatment options specifically targeting MM. An increased interest for future research on the subject will further elucidate how to manage this debilitating type of migraine.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and migraine with medication-overuse headache.

OBJECTIVE: A strong association has been demonstrated between migraine, particularly in the chronic form and with medication overuse, and either major depression or various anxiety disorders. However, there has been less systematic research on the links between migraine with medication-overuse headache (MOH) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A drug-seeking behavior shares with OCD the compulsive quality of the behavior. We investigated the relationship between OCD and MOH in migraineurs. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was administered to subjects with: episodic migraine (EM) (n = 30), chronic migraine (CM) (n = 24), and MOH with a previous history of EM (n = 33) and 29 control subjects. Psychiatric diagnoses were made by a senior psychiatrist blinded to the diagnosis of migraine. Psychiatric assessment of OCD illness was evaluated by means of The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). RESULTS: In the subgroup of patients with MOH, psychiatric comorbidity (anxiety and mood disorders) was prevalent compared with CM, EM, and controls (P < .0001). Subclinical OCD was significantly prevalent in MOH patients with respect to other groups (P < .0002). Higher scores in Y-BOCS, as a measure of severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, were found in both MOH and CM compared with controls and EM. CONCLUSIONS: The excess of psychiatric comorbidity in patients with MOH can be related either to medication overuse or to chronification of headache. Among anxiety disorders, we observed a high rate of subclinical OCD. However, a direct link between compulsive behavior and medication overuse cannot be established yet. OCD in MOH might be underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Medication-overuse headache: similarities with drug addiction.

Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is a clinically important entity and it is now well documented that the regular use of acute symptomatic medication by people with migraine or tension-type headache increases the risk of aggravation of the primary headache. MOH is one the most common causes of chronic migraine-like syndrome. In this article, we analyse the possible mechanisms that underlie sensitization in MOH by comparing these mechanisms with those reported for other forms of drug addiction. Moreover, the evidence for cognitive impulsivity in drug overuse in headache and in other forms of addiction associated with dysfunction of the frontostriatal system will be discussed. An integrative hypothesis for compulsive reward-seeking in MOH will be presented.

Cytotoxin-associated gene-A--positive Helicobacter pylori strains are associated with atherosclerotic stroke.

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain whether Helicobacter pylori is associated with ischemic syndromes and whether this association is mediated by the induction of atherosclerosis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that atherosclerotic stroke shows a selective association with virulent H pylori strains. METHODS AND RESULTS: The seroprevalence of infection by H pylori and by strains bearing the cytotoxin-associated gene-A (CagA), a strong virulence factor, was assessed by ELISA in 138 patients with large-vessel stroke (group A), in 61 patients with cardioembolic stroke (group B), and in 151 healthy control subjects. The 3 groups had a similar socioeconomic status. Serum levels of C-reactive protein were also measured by ELISA. The prevalence of infection was 71% in group A, 63.9% in group B, and 70.2% in the control group (P=NS), whereas the prevalence of CagA-positive strains was higher in group A than in group B (42.8% versus 19.7%, respectively; odds ratio 3.04, 95% CI 1.43 to 6.49; P<0.001) and higher in group A than in the control group (42.8% versus 17.9%, respectively; odds ratio 4.3, 95% CI 2.12 to 8.64; P<0.001), after adjusting for main cardiovascular risk factors and social class. A trend toward a difference in C-reactive protein was observed between CagA-positive (2.00+/-3.43 [mean+/-SD] mg/dL) and CagA-negative (1.31+/-1.72 [mean+/-SD] mg/dL) patients (P=0.072, Mann-Whitney U test). CONCLUSIONS: The association between H pylori and acute cerebrovascular disease seems to be due to a higher prevalence of more virulent H pylori strains in patients with atherosclerotic stroke.

Pathophysiological basis of migraine prophylaxis.

Several cellular and molecular mechanisms have been implicated in migraine pathophysiology including abnormal neuronal excitability and vascular events. Drugs from different pharmacological classes are used for migraine prophylaxis. These agents may normalize neuronal excitability by modulating distinct ionic channels and various neurotransmitter systems. They can also block cortical spreading depression, prevent peripheral and/or central pain sensitization, and normalize brainstem function. Most of the drugs recently used in migraine prophylaxis have been identified by serendipidy and they have been originally approved for other indications. Subsequently, their use has been extended to migraine prevention, according to their putative mechanisms of action. More recently, trials on adequate samples of migraine patients have been conducted for several drugs. In the present review, we will present and discuss the pathophysiological bases for the use of antidepressants, beta-adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers and antiepileptic drugs in migraine prevention. Currently, the major classes of conventional migraine preventive drugs include the antidepressant amitriptyline, the beta-adrenergic blocker propranolol, and the antiepileptic drugs topiramate and valproic acid. Promising results have recently been obtained for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers. Some limited clinical findings have also been reported for atypical antipsychotic agents, nutritional supplements and also botulinum toxin. Targets of migraine preventive treatment are to reduce frequency and intensity of attacks and to decrease disability related to chronic headache.

Medication-overuse headache: pathophysiological insights.

Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a clinically important entity and it is now well documented that the regular use of acute symptomatic medication by people with migraine or tensiontype headache increases the risk of aggravation of the primary headache. MOH is one of the most common causes of chronic migraine-like syndrome. Because of easy availability and low expense, the greatest problem appears to be associated with barbiturate-containing combination analgesics and over-the-counter caffeine-containing combination analgesics. Even though triptan overuse headache is not encountered with great frequency, all triptans should be considered potential inducers of MOH. There are several different theories regarding the aetiology of MOH, including: (i) central sensitisation from repetitive activation of nociceptive pathways; (ii) a direct effect of the medication on the capacity of the brain to inhibit pain; (iii) a decrease in blood serotonin due to repetitive medication administration with alteration of serotonin receptors; (iv) cellular adaptation in the brain; and (v) changes in the periaqueductal grey matter. The principal approach to management of MOH is built around cessation of overused medication. Without discontinuation of the offending medication, improvement is almost impossible to attain. Thus, the best management advice is to raise awareness and strive for prevention. In this article, we analyse also the possible mechanisms that underlie sensitisation in MOH by comparing these mechanisms with those reported for other forms of drug addiction.