Soluble PD-L1 reprograms blood monocytes to prevent cerebral edema and facilitate recovery after ischemic stroke.

Acute cerebral ischemia triggers a profound inflammatory response. While macrophages polarized to an M2-like phenotype clear debris and facilitate tissue repair, aberrant or prolonged macrophage activation is counterproductive to recovery. The inhibitory immune checkpoint Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) is upregulated on macrophage precursors (monocytes) in the blood after acute cerebrovascular injury. To investigate the therapeutic potential of PD-1 activation, we immunophenotyped circulating monocytes from patients and found that PD-1 expression was upregulated in the acute period after stroke. Murine studies using a temporary middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion (MCAO) model showed that intraperitoneal administration of soluble Programmed Death Ligand-1 (sPD-L1) significantly decreased brain edema and improved overall survival. Mice receiving sPD-L1 also had higher performance scores short-term, and more closely resembled sham animals on assessments of long-term functional recovery. These clinical and radiographic benefits were abrogated in global and myeloid-specific PD-1 knockout animals, confirming PD-1+ monocytes as the therapeutic target of sPD-L1. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that treatment skewed monocyte maturation to a non-classical Ly6Clo, CD43hi, PD-L1+ phenotype. These data support peripheral activation of PD-1 on inflammatory monocytes as a therapeutic strategy to treat neuroinflammation after acute ischemic stroke.

Management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: correlation of UIATS, ELAPSS, and PHASES with referral center practice.

Concordance between the Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment Score (UIATS), Earlier Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Location, Age, Population, Size, Shape (ELAPSS) score, and Population, Hypertension, Age, Size, Earlier Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Site (PHASES) score with real-world management decisions in unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) remains unclear, especially in current practice. This study aimed to investigate this concordance, while developing an optimal model predictive of recent decision practices at a quaternary referral center. A prospective database of patients presenting with UIAs to our institution from January 1 to December 31, 2018, was used. Concordance between the scores and real-world management decisions on every UIA was assessed. Complications and length of stay (LOS) were compared between aneurysms in the UIATS-recommended treatment and observation groups. A subgroup analysis of concordance was also conducted among junior and senior surgeons. An optimal logistic regression model predictive of real-world decisions was also derived. The cohort consisted of 198 patients with 271 UIAs, of which 42% were treated. The UIATS demonstrated good concordance with an AUC of 0.765. Of the aneurysms in the UIATS-recommended "observation" group, 22% were discordantly treated. The ELAPSS score demonstrated good discrimination (AUC = 0.793), unlike the PHASES score (AUC = 0.579). Endovascular treatment rates, complications, and LOS were similar between aneurysms in the UIATS-recommended treatment and observation groups. Similar concordance was obtained among junior and senior surgeons. The optimal predictive model consisted of several significantly associated variables and had an AUC of 0.942. Cerebrovascular specialists may be treating aneurysms slightly more than these scores would recommend, independently of years in practice. Wide variation still exists in management practices of UIAs.

Application of unruptured aneurysm scoring systems to a cohort of ruptured aneurysms: are we underestimating rupture risk?

The predictive values of current risk stratification scales such as the Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment Score (UIATS) and the PHASES score are debatable. We evaluated these scores using a cohort of ruptured intracranial aneurysms to simulate their management recommendations had the exact same patients presented prior to rupture. A prospectively maintained database of ruptured saccular aneurysm patients presenting to our institution was used. The PHASES score was calculated for 992 consecutive patients presenting between January 2002 and December 2018, and the UIATS was calculated for 266 consecutive patients presenting between January 2013 and December 2018. A shorter period was selected for the UIATS cohort given the larger number of variables required for calculation. Clinical outcomes were compared between UIATS-recommended "observation" aneurysms and all other aneurysms. Out of 992 ruptured aneurysms, 54% had a low PHASES score (≤5). Out of the 266 ruptured aneurysms, UIATS recommendations were as follows: 68 (26%) "observation," 97 (36%) "treatment," and 101 (38%) "non-definitive." The UIATS conservative group of patients developed more SAH-related complications (78% vs. 65%, p=0.043), had a higher rate of non-home discharge (74% vs. 46%, p<0.001), and had a greater incidence of poor functional status (modified Rankin scale >2) after 12-18 months (68% vs. 51%, p=0.014). Current predictive scoring systems for unruptured aneurysms may underestimate future rupture risk and lead to more conservative management strategies in some patients. Patients that would have been recommended for conservative therapy were more likely to have a worse outcome after rupture.

Monocyte-based inflammatory indices predict outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The contribution of specific immune cell populations to the post-hemorrhagic inflammatory response in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and correlations with clinical outcomes, such as vasospasm and functional status, remains unclear. We aimed to compare the predictive value of leukocyte ratios that include monocytes as compared to the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in aSAH. A prospectively accrued database of consecutive patients presenting to our institution with aSAH between January 2013 and December 2018 was used. Patients with signs and symptoms of infection (day 1-3) were excluded. Admission values of the NLR, monocyte-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (M-NLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) were calculated. Associations with functional status, the primary outcome, and vasospasm were evaluated using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. In the cohort of 234 patients with aSAH, the M-NLR and LMR, but not the NLR, were significantly associated with poor functional status (modified Rankin scale > 2) at 12-18 months following discharge (p = 0.001, p = 0.023, p = 0.161, respectively). The area under the curve for predicting poor functional status was significantly lower for the NLR (0.543) compared with the M-NLR (0.603, p = 0.024) and LMR (0.608, p = 0.040). The M-NLR (OR = 1.01 [1.01-1.02]) and LMR (OR = 0.88 [0.78-0.99]) were independently associated with poor functional status while controlling for age, hypertension, Fisher grade, and baseline clinical status. The LMR was significantly associated with vasospasm (OR = 0.84 [0.70-0.99]) while adjusting for age, hypertension, Fisher grade, aneurysm size, and current smoking. Inflammatory indices that incorporate monocytes (e.g., M-NLR and LMR), but not those that include only neutrophils, predict outcomes after aSAH.

R2eD AVM Score.

Background and Purpose- The management of unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations remains unclear. Using a large cohort to determine risk factors predictive of hemorrhagic presentation of arteriovenous malformations, this study aims to develop a predictive tool that could guide hemorrhage risk stratification. Methods- A database of 789 arteriovenous malformation patients presenting to our institution between 1990 and 2017 was used. A hold-out method of model validation was used, whereby the data was randomly split in half into training and validation data sets. Factors significant at the univariable level in the training data set were used to construct a model based on multivariable logistic regression. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating curves on the training, validation, and complete data sets. The predictors and the complete data set were then used to derive a risk prediction formula and a practical scoring system, where every risk factor was worth 1 point except race, which was worth 2 points (total score varies from 0 to 6). The factors are summarized by R2eD arteriovenous malformation (acronym: R2eD AVM). Results- In 755 patients with complete data, 272 (36%) presented with hemorrhage. From the training data set, a model was derived containing the following risk factors: nonwhite race (odds ratio [OR]=1.8; P=0.02), small nidus size (OR=1.47; P=0.14), deep location (OR=2.3; P<0.01), single arterial feeder (OR=2.24; P<0.01), and exclusive deep venous drainage (OR=2.07; P=0.02). Area under the curve from receiver operating curve analysis was 0.702, 0.698, and 0.685 for the training, validation, and complete data sets, respectively. In the entire study population, the predicted probability of hemorrhagic presentation increased in a stepwise manner from 16% for patients with no risk factors (score of 0) to 78% for patients having all the risk factors (score of 6). Conclusions- The final model derived from this study can be used as a predictive tool that supplements clinical judgment and aids in patient counseling.

Hemorrhage Risk of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations During Pregnancy and Puerperium in a North American Cohort.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Conclusions reached in existing literature about risk of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) hemorrhage during pregnancy are controversial. This study compares the risk of hemorrhage in pregnant and nonpregnant female patients with AVM in a North American cohort. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed female patients with AVM evaluated from 1990 to 2015. Exposure period for pregnancy and puerperium was calculated as 40 and 6 weeks, respectively, for each full-term pregnancy and 6 weeks for each abortion. Hemorrhage events and patient-years were calculated during an exposure period (pregnancy and puerperium), and a nonexposure period defined as either the interval from birth until AVM obliteration or until last follow-up after subtracting exposure period. Poisson rate ratio test was used to compare rate of hemorrhage between exposure and nonexposure periods. RESULTS: For 270 female patients with AVM, mean age was 35.0±19.6 years, and race distribution was white (n=165, 61.1%), black (n=59, 21.9%), Hispanic (n=9, 3.3%), Asian (n=6, 2.2%), and other (n=31, 11.5%). From 191 total pregnancies occurring before AVM obliteration, there were 175 (91.6%) term deliveries and 16 (8.4%) abortions. Overall annual hemorrhage rate for 149 total hemorrhages during an average of 11 097 patient-years was 1.34%. There were 140 hemorrhages in nonexposed women and 9 hemorrhages in pregnant women, translating to an annual hemorrhage rate of 1.3% in nonpregnant women versus 5.7% in pregnant women (P<0.001). Identical analysis for reproductive age patients (15-50) demonstrated a rate of 1.3% versus 7.0% (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results conflict with those from a recent study describing no increased rate of rupture during pregnancy. This difference may reflect unique population attributes influencing brain AVM hemorrhage during pregnancy.

Transradial approach for mechanical thrombectomy in anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion.

OBJECTIVE The goals of this study were to describe the authors' recent institutional experience with the transradial approach to anterior circulation large-vessel occlusions (LVOs) in acute ischemic stroke patients and to report its technical feasibility. METHODS The authors reviewed their institutional database to identify patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy via a transradial approach over the 2 previous years, encompassing their experience using modern techniques including stent retrievers. RESULTS Eleven patients were identified. In 8 (72%) of these patients the right radial artery was chosen as the primary access site. In the remaining patients, transfemoral access was initially attempted. Revascularization (modified Treatment in Cerebral Ischemia [mTICI] score ≥ 2b) was achieved in 10 (91%) of 11 cases. The average time to first pass with the stent retriever was 64 minutes. No access-related complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS Transradial access for mechanical thrombectomy in anterior circulation LVOs is safe and feasible. Further comparative studies are needed to determine criteria for selecting the transradial approach in this setting.

Influence of insurance status on survival of adults with glioblastoma multiforme: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: To the authors' knowledge, the impact of insurance status on the survival time of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has not been fully understood. The objective of the current study was to clarify the association between insurance status and survival of patients with GBM by analyzing population-based data. METHODS: The authors performed a cohort study using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. They included adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with GBM as their primary diagnosis from the years 2007 to 2012. Patients without information regarding insurance status were excluded. A survival analysis between insurance status and GBM-related death was performed using an accelerated failure time model. Demographic and clinical variables were included to adjust for confounding effects. RESULTS: Among the 13,665 adult patients in the study cohort, 558 (4.1%) were uninsured, 1516 (11.1%) had Medicaid coverage, and 11,591 (84.8%) had non-Medicaid insurance. Compared with patients who were uninsured, insured patients were more likely to be older, female, white, married, and with a smaller tumor size at diagnosis. Accelerated failure time analysis demonstrated that older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; P<.001), male sex (HR, 1.08; P<.001), large tumor size at the time of diagnosis (HR, 1.26; P<.001), uninsured status (HR, 1.14; P =.018), and Medicaid insurance (HR, 1.10; P =.006) were independent risk factors for shorter survival among patients with GBM, whereas radiotherapy (HR, 0.40; P<.001) and married status (HR, 0.86; P<.001) indicated a better outcome. The authors discovered an overall yearly progressive improvement in survival in patients with non-Medicaid insurance who were diagnosed from 2007 through 2011 (P =.015), but not in uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients. CONCLUSIONS: Variations existed in insurance status within the GBM population. Uninsured status and Medicaid insurance suggested shorter survival compared with non-Medicaid insurance among a population of patients with GBM. Cancer 2016;122:3157-65. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Hemorrhage Risk in Pediatric Patients with Multiple Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aims to characterize the clinical features, treatment strategies, and annual hemorrhage incidence rate of pediatric patients with multiple arteriovenous malformations (MAVM). METHODS: The PubMed and EMBASE databases and the arteriovenous malformations (AVM) database at the Johns Hopkins Hospital were searched for reports of pediatric patients (under 21 years of age) with MAVM. Data related to demographics, clinical features, management, and treatment outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Twenty-four pediatric patients met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The annual hemorrhage incidence rate was 2.1%. The most common presenting features were neurological deficit (38%) and hemorrhage (21%). Treatment with embolization has become the most frequently used modality. In patients undergoing staged treatment of MAVM, hemorrhage of an untreated nidus (n = 1), visualization of a new nidus (n = 2), or disappearance of a draining vein (n = 1) occurred. CONCLUSION: The annual hemorrhage incidence rate for pediatric patients with MAVM approaches the upper range of previously reported hemorrhage rates for solitary AVM. A staged approach to treating MAVM requires close follow-up as changes to the remaining nidi may occur during the latency period. Limitations of this study include its small sample size and reporting bias.

Far-lateral transcondylar approach for microsurgical trapping of an anterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm.

Aneurysms of the posterior circulation remain challenging lesions given their proximity to the brainstem and cranial nerves. Many of these aneurysms may best be approached through a retrosigmoid-suboccipital craniectomy with a far-lateral transcondylar extension. In this narrated video illustration, we present the case of a 37-year-old man with an incidentally discovered right-sided anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysm. Diagnostic studies included CT angiography and cerebral angiography. A suboccipital craniectomy and far-lateral transcondylar extension were performed for microsurgical trapping and excision of the AICA aneurysm. The techniques of the retrosigmoid craniectomy, C-1 laminectomy, condylectomy and microsurgical trapping of the aneurysm are reviewed. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/JiM3CXVwXnk.

Contralateral approach for clipping of bilateral anterior circulation aneurysms.

Patients with bilateral anterior circulation aneurysms present a management challenge. These lesions may be treated in a staged manner or alternatively, for select patients, a contralateral approach may be utilized to treat bilateral aneurysms with a single surgery. In this narrated video illustration, we present the case of a 57-year-old woman with incidentally discovered bilateral aneurysms (left middle cerebral artery [MCA], left anterior choroidal artery and right MCA). A contralateral approach through a left pterional craniotomy was performed formicrosurgical clipping of all three aneurysms. The techniques of pterional craniotomy, contralateral approach, microsurgical clipping and intraoperative angiography are reviewed. The authors are grateful to Wuyang Yang, M.D. for his assistance. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/MlPIu3hQZkg.

Microsurgical obliteration of a thoracic spinal perimedullary arteriovenous fistula.

Spinal vascular lesions are rare and may be classified as a) dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), b) arteriovenous malformations, or c) perimedullary AVFs. In this narrated video illustration, we present the case of a 71-year-old woman who presented with progressive bilateral lower extremity weakness and urinary retention who was diagnosed with a thoracic spinal perimedullary arteriovenous fistula. The diagnostic studies included a thoracic MRI and spinal angiogram. A multilevel thoracic laminoplasty was performed for microsurgical obliteration of the AVF. The techniques of intraoperative angiography, thoracic laminoplasty and microsurgical obliteration and resection of the AVF are reviewed. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/5vVp3oq5sLg.

Perioperative Infection After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Risk Factors, Causative Pathogens, and Long-Term Outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nosocomial infections are the most common complication among critically ill patients and contribute to poor long-term outcomes. Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are highly susceptible to perioperative infections, yet it is unclear what factors influence infection onset and functional recovery. The objective was to investigate risk factors for perioperative infections after aSAH and relate causative pathogens to patient outcomes. METHODS: Clinical records were obtained for 194 adult patients with aSAH treated at our institution from 2016 to 2020. Demographics, clinical course, complications, microbiological reports, and outcomes were collected. χ 2 , univariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyze risk factors. RESULTS: Nearly half of the patients developed nosocomial infections, most frequently pneumonia and urinary tract infection. Patients with infections had longer hospital stays, higher rates of delayed cerebral ischemia, and worse functional recovery up to 6 months after initial hemorrhage. Independent risk factors for pneumonia included male sex, comatose status at admission, mechanical ventilatory use, and longer admission, while those for urinary tract infection included older age and longer admission. Staphylococcus , Klebsiella , and Enterococcus spp. were associated with poor long-term outcome. Certain pathogenic organisms were associated with delayed cerebral ischemia. CONCLUSION: Perioperative infections are highly prevalent among patients with aSAH and are related to adverse outcomes. The risk profiles for nosocomial infections are distinct to each infection type and causative organism. Although strong infection control measures should be universally applied, patient management must be individualized in the context of specific infections.

Hemoglobin Drop is Associated with Early Post-operative Stroke Following Revascularization Surgery for Moyamoya Disease.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative stroke is a potentially devastating neurological complication following surgical revascularization for Moyamoya disease. We sought to evaluate whether peri-operative hemoglobin levels were associated with the risk of early post-operative stroke following revascularization surgery in adult Moyamoya patients. METHODS: Adult patients having revascularization surgeries for Moyamoya disease between 1999-2022 were identified through single institutional retrospective review. Logistic regression analysis was used to test for the association between hemoglobin drop and early postoperative stroke. RESULTS: In all, 106 revascularization surgeries were included in the study. A stroke occurred within 7 days after surgery in 9.4% of cases. There were no significant associations between the occurrence of an early postoperative stroke and patient age, gender, or race. Mean postoperative hemoglobin drop was greater in patients who suffered an early postoperative stroke compared with patients who did not (2.3±1.1 g/dL vs. 1.3±1.1 g/dL, respectively; P=0.034). Patients who experienced a hemoglobin drop post-operatively had 2.03 times greater odds (95% confidence interval, 1.06-4.23; P=0.040) of having a stroke than those whose hemoglobin levels were stable. Early postoperative stroke was also associated with an increase in length of hospital stay (P<0.001), discharge to a rehabilitation facility (P=0.014), and worse modified Rankin scale at 1 month (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: This study found a significant association between hemoglobin drop and early postoperative stroke following revascularization surgery in adult patients with Moyamoya disease. Based on our findings, it may be prudent to avoid hemoglobin drops in Moyamoya patients undergoing surgical revascularization.

Redefining CT perfusion-based ischemic core estimates for the ghost core in early time window stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke patients, relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF)<30% volume thresholds are commonly used in treatment decisions. In the early time window, nearly infarcted but salvageable tissue volumes may lead to pretreatment overestimates of infarct volume, and thus potentially exclude patients who may otherwise benefit from intervention. Our multisite analysis aims to explore the strength of relationships between widely used pretreatment CT parameters and clinical outcomes for early window stroke patients. METHODS: Patients from two sites in a prospective registry were analyzed. Patients with LVOs, presenting within 3 hours of last known well, and who were successfully reperfused were included. Primary short-term neurological outcome was percent National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) change from admission to discharge. Secondary long-term outcome was 90-day modified Rankin score. Spearman's correlations were performed. Significance was attributed to p-value ≤.05. RESULTS: Among 73 patients, median age was 66 (interquartile range 54-76) years. Among all pretreatment imaging parameters, rCBF<30%, rCBF<34%, and rCBF<38% volumes were significantly, inversely correlated with percentage NIHSS change (p<.048). No other parameters significantly correlated with outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our multisite analysis shows that favorable short-term neurological recovery was significantly correlated with rCBF volumes in the early time window. However, modest strength of correlations provides supportive evidence that the applicability of general ischemic core estimate thresholds in this subpopulation is limited. Our results support future larger-scale efforts to liberalize or reevaluate current rCBF parameter thresholds guiding treatment decisions for early time window stroke patients.

Pretreatment parameters associated with hemorrhagic transformation among successfully recanalized medium vessel occlusions.

Although pretreatment radiographic biomarkers are well established for hemorrhagic transformation (HT) following successful mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes, they are yet to be explored for medium vessel occlusion (MeVO) acute ischemic strokes. We aim to investigate pretreatment imaging biomarkers representative of collateral status, namely the hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) index, and their association with HT in successfully recanalized MeVOs. A prospectively collected registry of acute ischemic stroke patients with MeVOs successfully recanalized with MT between 2019 and 2023 was retrospectively reviewed. A multivariate logistic regression for HT of any subtype was derived by combining significant univariate predictors into a forward stepwise regression with minimization of Akaike information criterion. Of 60 MeVO patients successfully recanalized with MT, HT occurred in 28.3% of patients. Independent factors for HT included: diabetes mellitus history (p = 0.0005), CBV index (p = 0.0071), and proximal versus distal occlusion location (p = 0.0062). A multivariate model with these factors had strong diagnostic performance for predicting HT (area under curve [AUC] 0.93, p < 0.001). Lower CBV indexes, distal occlusion location, and diabetes history are significantly associated with HT in MeVOs successfully recanalized with MT. Of note, HIR was not found to be significantly associated with HT.

Prolonged venous transit on perfusion imaging is associated with higher odds of mortality in successfully reperfused patients with large vessel occlusion stroke.

BACKGROUND: Poor venous outflow (VO) profiles are associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO), despite achieving successful reperfusion. The objective of this study is to assess the association between mortality and prolonged venous transit (PVT), a novel visual qualitative VO marker on CT perfusion (CTP) time to maximum (Tmax) maps. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from consecutive adult patients with AIS-LVO with successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2b/2c/3). PVT+ was defined as Tmax ≥10 s timing on CTP Tmax maps in at least one of the following: superior sagittal sinus (proximal venous drainage) and/or torcula (deep venous drainage). PVT- was defined as lacking this in both regions. The primary outcome was mortality at 90 days. In a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort, regressions were performed to determine the effect of PVT on 90-day mortality. RESULTS: In 127 patients of median (IQR) age 71 (64-81) years, mortality occurred in a significantly greater proportion of PVT+ patients than PVT- patients (32.5% vs 12.6%, P=0.01). This significant difference persisted after matching (P=0.03). PVT+ was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of 90-day mortality (OR 1.22 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.46), P=0.03) in the matched cohort. CONCLUSIONS: PVT+ was significantly associated with 90-day mortality despite successful reperfusion therapy in patients with AIS-LVO. PVT is a simple VO profile marker with potential as an adjunctive metric during acute evaluation of AIS-LVO patients. Future studies will expand our understanding of using PVT in the evaluation of patients with AIS-LVO.

Racial disparities in functional outcomes following mechanical thrombectomy in a cohort of patients with ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients experience increased prevalence of stroke risk factors and stroke incidence compared with non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients. However, little is known about >90-day post-stroke functional outcomes following mechanical thrombectomy. OBJECTIVE: To describe patient characteristics, evaluate stroke risk factors, and analyze the adjusted impact of race on long-term functional outcomes to better identify and limit sources of disparity in post-stroke care. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 326 patients with ischemic stroke who underwent thrombectomy at two centers between 2019 and 2022. Race was self-reported as NHB, NHW, or non-Hispanic Other. Stroke risk factors, insurance status, procedural parameters, and post-stroke functional outcomes were collected. Good outcomes were defined as modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 and/or discharge disposition to home/self-care. To assess the impact of race on outcomes at 3-, 6-, and 12-months' follow-up, we performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Patients self-identified as NHB (42%), NHW (53%), or Other (5%). 177 (54.3%) patients were female; the median (IQR) age was 67.5 (59-77) years. The median (IQR) National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 15 (10-20). On univariate analysis, NHB patients were more likely to have poor short- and long-term functional outcomes, which persisted on multivariate analysis as significant at 3 and 6 months but not at 12 months (3 months: OR=2.115, P=0.04; 6 months: OR=2.423, P=0.048; 12 months: OR=2.187, P=0.15). NHB patients were also more likely to be discharged to rehabilitation or hospice/death than NHW patients after adjusting for confounders (OR=1.940, P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: NHB patients undergoing thrombectomy for ischemic stroke experience worse 3- and 6-month functional outcomes than NHW patients after adjusting for confounders. Interestingly, this disparity was not detected at 12 months. Future research should focus on identifying social determinants in the short-term post-stroke recovery period to improve parity in stroke care.

Venous thromboembolism in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Risk factors and timing of chemoprophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality among patients recovering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Prophylactic heparin reduces the risk of VTE, but the optimal timing for its initiation among aSAH patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a retrospective study assessing risk factors for VTE and optimal timing of chemoprophylaxis in patients treated for aSAH. METHODS: From 2016-2020, 194 adult patients were treated for aSAH at our institution. Patient demographics, clinical diagnoses, complications, pharmacologic interventions, and outcomes were recorded. Risk factors for symptomatic VTE (sVTE) were analyzed via Chi-squared, univariate, and multivariate regression. RESULTS: In total 33 patients presented with sVTE (25 DVT, 14 PE). Patients with sVTE had longer hospital stays (p < 0.01) and worse outcomes at one-month (p < 0.01) and three-month follow-up (p = 0.02). Univariate predictors of sVTE included male sex (p = 0.03), Hunt Hess score (p = 0.01), Glasgow Coma scale (p = 0.02), intracranial hemorrhage (p = 0.03), hydrocephalus requiring external ventricular drain (EVD) placement (p < 0.01), and mechanical ventilation (p < 0.01). Only hydrocephalus requiring EVD (p = 0.01) and ventilator use (p = 0.02) remained significant upon multivariate analysis. Patients with delayed heparin introduction were significantly more likely to sustain sVTE on univariate analysis (p = 0.02) with a trend-level significance on multivariate analysis (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with aSAH are more likely to develop sVTE following use of perioperative EVD or mechanical ventilation. sVTE leads to longer hospital stays and worse outcomes among patients treated for aSAH. Delayed heparin initiation increases the risk of sVTE. Our results may help guide surgical decision-making during recovery from aSAH and improve VTE-related postoperative outcomes.

No Delayed Ruptures on Long-Term Follow-Up of a Case Series of Persistently Filling Saccular Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms After Flow Diversion With the Pipeline Embolization Device.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Flow diversion of intracranial aneurysms results in high occlusion rates. However, 10% to 20% remain persistently filling at 1 year. Often, these are retreated, but benefits of retreatment are not well established. A better understanding of the long-term rupture risk of persistently filling aneurysms after flow diversion is needed. METHODS: Our institutional database of 974 flow diversion cases was queried for persistently filling saccular aneurysms of the clinoidal, ophthalmic, and communicating segments of the internal carotid artery treated with the pipeline embolization device (PED, Medtronic). Persistent filling was defined as continued flow into the aneurysm on 1 year catheter angiogram. The clinical record was queried for retreatments and delayed ruptures. Clinical follow-up was required for at least 2 years. RESULTS: Ninety-four persistent aneurysms were identified. The average untreated aneurysm size was 5.6 mm. A branch vessel originated separately in 55% of cases from the body of the aneurysm in 10.6% of cases and from the neck in 34% of cases. Eighteen percent of aneurysms demonstrated >95% filling at 1 year, and 61% were filling 5% to 95% of their original size. The mean follow-up time was 4.9 years, including 41 cases with >5 years. No retreatment was undertaken in 91.5% of aneurysms. There were no cases of delayed subarachnoid hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Among saccular internal carotid artery aneurysms treated with PED that demonstrated persistent aneurysm filling at 1 year, there were no instances of delayed rupture on long-term follow-up. These data suggest that observation may be appropriate for continued aneurysm filling at least in the first several years after PED placement.