Trends in Dual Antiplatelet Therapy of Aspirin and Clopidogrel and Outcomes in Ischemic Stroke Patients Noneligible for POINT/CHANCE Trial Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trials established the benefit of dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel (DAPT-AC) in early-presenting patients with minor ischemic stroke. However, the impact of these trials over time on the use and outcomes of DAPT-AC among the patients with nonminor or late-presenting stroke who do not meet the eligibility criteria of these trials has not been delineated. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a multicenter stroke registry, this study examined yearly changes from April 2008 to August 2022 in DAPT-AC use for stroke patients ineligible for CHANCE/POINT (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events/Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and Minor Ischemic Stroke) clinical trials due to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale >4 or late arrival beyond 24 hours of onset. A total of 32 118 patients (age, 68.1±13.1 years; male, 58.5%) with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of 4 (interquartile range, 1-7) were analyzed. In 2008, DAPT-AC was used in 33.0%, other antiplatelets in 62.7%, and no antiplatelet in 4.3%. The frequency of DAPT-AC was relatively unchanged through 2013, when the CHANCE trial was published, and then increased steadily, reaching 78% in 2022, while other antiplatelets decreased to 17.8% in 2022 (Ptrend<0.001). From 2011 to 2022, clinical outcomes nonsignificantly improved, with an average relative risk reduction of 2%/y for the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality, both among patients treated with DAPT-AC and patients treated with other antiplatelets. CONCLUSIONS: Use of DAPT-AC in stroke patients with stroke ineligible for recent DAPT clinical trials increased markedly and steadily after CHANCE publication in 2013, reaching deployment in nearly 4 of every 5 patients by 2022. The secondary prevention in patients with ischemic stroke seems to be gradually improving, possibly due to the enhancement of risk factor control.

Secular Trends in Outcomes and Impact of Novel Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation-Related Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are currently recommended for the secondary prevention of stroke in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) accompanied by atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the impact of NOACs on clinical outcomes in real-world practice remains ambiguous. This study analyzes the trend of clinical events in patients with AF-related AIS and determines how much the introduction of NOACs has mediated this trend. METHODS: We identified patients with AIS and AF between January 2011 and December 2019 using a multicenter stroke registry. Annual rates of NOAC prescriptions and clinical events within 1 year were evaluated. The primary outcome was a composite of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality. To assess the mediation effect of NOACs on the relationship between the calendar year and these outcomes, we used natural effect models and conducted exposure-mediator, exposure-outcome, and mediator-outcome analyses using multivariable regression models or accelerated failure time models, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Among the 12 977 patients with AF-related AIS, 12 500 (average age: 74.4 years; 51.3% male) were analyzed after excluding cases of valvular AF. Between 2011 and 2019, there was a significant decrease in the 1-year incidence of the primary composite outcome from 28.3% to 21.7%, while the NOAC prescription rate increased from 0% to 75.6%. A 1-year increase in the calendar year was independently associated with delayed occurrence of the primary outcome (adjusted time ratio, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.07-1.14]) and increased NOAC prescription (adjusted odds ratio, 2.20 [95% CI, 2.14-2.27]). Increased NOAC prescription was associated with delayed occurrence of the primary outcome (adjusted time ratio, 3.82 [95% CI, 3.17 to 4.61]). Upon controlling for NOAC prescription (mediator), the calendar year no longer influenced the primary outcome (adjusted time ratio, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.94-1.00]). This suggests that NOAC prescription mediates the association between the calendar year and the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights a temporal reduction in major clinical events or death in Korean patients with AF-related AIS, mediated by increased NOAC prescription, emphasizing NOAC use in this population.

Identification of acute myocardial infarction and stroke events using the National Health Insurance Service database in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: The escalating burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a critical public health issue worldwide. CVD, especially acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke, is the leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in Korea. We aimed to develop algorithms for identifying AMI and stroke events from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database and validate these algorithms through medical record review. METHODS: We first established a concept and definition of "hospitalization episode," taking into account the unique features of health claims-based NHIS database. We then developed first and recurrent event identification algorithms, separately for AMI and stroke, to determine whether each hospitalization episode represents a true incident case of AMI or stroke. Finally, we assessed our algorithms' accuracy by calculating their positive predictive values (PPVs) based on medical records of algorithm- identified events. RESULTS: We developed identification algorithms for both AMI and stroke. To validate them, we conducted retrospective review of medical records for 3,140 algorithm-identified events (1,399 AMI and 1,741 stroke events) across 24 hospitals throughout Korea. The overall PPVs for the first and recurrent AMI events were around 92% and 78%, respectively, while those for the first and recurrent stroke events were around 88% and 81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully developed algorithms for identifying AMI and stroke events. The algorithms demonstrated high accuracy, with PPVs of approximately 90% for first events and 80% for recurrent events. These findings indicate that our algorithms hold promise as an instrumental tool for the consistent and reliable production of national CVD statistics in Korea.

Incidence and case fatality of stroke in Korea, 2011-2020.

OBJECTIVES: Stroke remains the second leading cause of death in Korea. This study was designed to estimate the crude, age-adjusted and age-specific incidence rates, as well as the case fatality rate of stroke, in Korea from 2011 to 2020. METHODS: We utilized data from the National Health Insurance Services from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2020, to calculate incidence rates and 30-day and 1-year case fatality rates of stroke. Additionally, we determined sex and age-specific incidence rates and computed age-standardized incidence rates by direct standardization to the 2005 population. RESULTS: The crude incidence rate of stroke hovered around 200 (per 100,000 person-years) from 2011 to 2015, then surged to 218.4 in 2019, before marginally declining to 208.0 in 2020. Conversely, the age-standardized incidence rate consistently decreased by 25% between 2011 and 2020. When stratified by sex, the crude incidence rate increased between 2011 and 2019 for both sexes, followed by a decrease in 2020. Age-standardized incidence rates displayed a downward trend throughout the study period for both sexes. Across all age groups, the 30-day and 1-year case fatality rates of stroke consistently decreased from 2011 to 2019, only to increase in 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a decrease in the age-standardized incidence rate, the total number of stroke events in Korea continues to rise due to the rapidly aging population. Moreover, 2020 witnessed a decrease in incidence but an increase in case fatality rates.

Differential impacts of admission LDL-cholesterol on early vascular outcomes by ischemic stroke subtypes.

BACKGROUND: Because ischemic stroke is heterogeneous, the associations between low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels and early vascular outcomes might be different according to the stroke subtype in acute ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: This study was an analysis of a prospective, multicenter, stroke registry. Acute ischemic stroke patients previously not treated with statins were included. Admission LDL-cholesterol levels were divided into 7 groups at 20 mg/dl intervals for comparison. The primary early vascular outcome was a composite of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and all-cause mortality within 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 38,531 patients (age, 68.5 ± 12.8 yrs; male, 59.6%) were analyzed for this study. The 3-month cumulative incidences of the composite of stroke, MI, and all-cause mortality significantly differed among the LDL-cholesterol level groups, with the highest event rate (11.11%) in the lowest LDL-cholesterol group (<70 mg/dl). After adjustment, the U-shaped associations of LDL-cholesterol levels with primary outcome and all-cause mortality were observed. For the stroke subtypes, there were substantial interactions between the LDL-cholesterol groups and stroke subtype and all-cause mortality (Pinteraction=0.07). Different patterns, with higher risks of all-cause mortality in the lower LDL-cholesterol in the large artery atherosclerosis subtype (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-1.69), but in the higher LDL-cholesterol in the cardioembolism subtype (aHR 1.71 95% CI [1.28-2.29]), were observed among stroke subtypes. CONCLUSION: We found that there were differential associations of admission LDL-cholesterol levels with all-cause mortality within 3 months among stroke subtypes. These results suggest that admission LDL-cholesterol and early vascular outcomes had complex relationships in patients with ischemic stroke according to the stroke subtypes.

Improvement in Delivery of Ischemic Stroke Treatments but Stagnation of Clinical Outcomes in Young Adults in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information on the delivery of acute stroke therapies and secondary preventive measures and clinical outcomes over time in young adults with acute ischemic stroke. This study investigated whether advances in these treatments improved outcomes in this population. METHODS: Using a prospective multicenter stroke registry in Korea, young adults (aged 18-50 years) with acute ischemic stroke hospitalized between 2008 and 2019 were identified. The observation period was divided into 4 epochs: 2008 to 2010, 2011 to 2013, 2014 to 2016, and 2017 to 2019. Secular trends for patient characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 7050 eligible patients (mean age, 43.1; men, 71.9%) were registered. The mean age decreased from 43.6 to 42.9 years (Ptrend=0.01). Current smoking decreased, whereas obesity increased. Other risk factors remained unchanged. Intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy rates increased over time from 2008 to 2010 to 2017 to 2019 (9.5%-13.8% and 3.2%-9.2%, respectively; Ptrend<0.01). Door-to-needle time improved (Ptrend <.001), but onset-to-door and door-to-puncture times remained constant. Secondary prevention, including dual antiplatelets for noncardioembolic minor stroke (26.7%-47.0%), direct oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation (0.0%-56.2%), and statins for large artery atherosclerosis (76.1%-95.3%) increased (Ptrend<0.01). Outcome data were available from 2011. One-year mortality (2.5% in 2011-2013 and 2.3% in 2017-2019) and 3-month modified Rankin Scale scores 0 to 1 (68.3%-69.1%) and 0 to 2 (87.6%-86.2%) remained unchanged. The 1-year stroke recurrence rate increased (4.1%-5.5%; Ptrend=0.04), although the difference was not significant after adjusting for sex and age. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in the delivery of acute stroke treatments did not necessarily lead to better outcomes in young adults with acute ischemic stroke over the past decade, indicating a need for further progress.

Statin Treatment in Patients With Stroke With Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels Below 70 mg/dL.

Background It is unclear whether statin treatment could reduce the risk of early vascular events when baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are already low, at <70 mg/dL, at the time of the index stroke. Methods and Results This study was an analysis of a prospective, multicenter, nationwide registry of consecutive patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke with baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels <70 mg/dL and without statin pretreatment. An inverse probabilities of treatment weights method was applied to control for imbalances in baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke (either hemorrhagic or ischemic), myocardial infarction, and all-cause death within 3 months. A total of 2850 patients (age, 69.5±13.4 years; men, 63.5%) were analyzed for this study. In-hospital statin treatment was used for 74.2% of patients. The primary composite outcome within 3 months occurred in 21.5% of patients in the nonstatin group and 6.7% of patients in the statin group (P<0.001), but the rates of stroke (2.65% versus 2.33%), hemorrhagic stroke (0.16% versus 0.10%), and myocardial infarction (0.73% versus 0.19%) were not significantly different between the 2 groups. After inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, the primary composite outcome was significantly reduced in patients with statin therapy (weighted hazard ratio [HR], 0.54 [95% CI, 0.42-0.69]). However, statin treatment did not increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (weighted HR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.10-12.28]). Conclusions Approximately three-quarters of the patients with first-ever ischemic stroke with baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels <70 mg/dL received in-hospital statin treatment. Statin treatment, compared with no statin treatment, was significantly associated with a reduced risk of the 3-month primary composite outcomes and all-cause death but did not alter the rate of stroke recurrence.

Admission LDL-cholesterol, statin pretreatment and early outcomes in acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Lipid paradox of low LDL-C may cause physicians to be reluctant to use statins in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with low LDL-C levels at admission. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between LDL-C levels and early vascular outcomes and assessed the potential interaction effect between LDL-C and statin pretreatment on early outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a study of a prospective, multicenter, registry of AIS patients with admission LDL-C. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to LDL-C levels: low LDL-C (≤100 mg/dL); intermediate LDL-C (>100, <130 mg/dL); and high LDL-C (≥130 mg/dL). The primary early vascular outcome was a composite of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic), myocardial infarction and all-cause mortality within 3 months. The associations of LDL-C levels as a continuous variable and the risks of primary outcome using Cox proportional hazards models with restricted cubic splines were explored. RESULTS: A total of 32,505 patients (age, 69 ± 12; male, 58.6%) were analyzed. The 3 groups showed significant differences in the 3-month primary outcome, with highest events in the low LDL-C group; after adjustment, no significant associations with the 3-month primary outcome remained. U-shaped nonlinear relationships of LDL-C levels with the 3-month primary outcome were observed (Pnon-linearity<0.001), with substantial relationships in the no pretreatment subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: The relationships between admission LDL-C levels and early outcomes are complex but appear to be paradoxical in patients with low LDL-C and no statin pretreatment. The results suggest that statin pretreatment might offset the paradoxical response of low LDL-C on early vascular outcomes. Further study would be warranted.

Dual antiplatelet Use for extended period taRgeted to AcuTe ischemic stroke with presumed atherosclerotic OrigiN (DURATION) trial: Rationale and design.

RATIONALE: The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with clopidogrel-aspirin for the large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke subtype has been debated. AIMS: To determine whether the 1-year risk of recurrent vascular events could be reduced by a longer duration of DAPT in patients with the LAA stroke subtype. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A total of 4806 participants will be recruited to detect a statistically significant relative risk reduction of 22% with 80% power and a two-sided alpha error of 0.05, including a 10% loss to follow-up. This is a registry-based, multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded end point study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 12-month duration of DAPT compared with a 3-month duration of DAPT in the LAA stroke subtype. Patients will be randomized (1:1) to either DAPT for 12 months or DAPT for 3 months, followed by monotherapy (either aspirin or clopidogrel) for the remaining 9 months. STUDY OUTCOMES: The primary efficacy outcome of the study is a composite of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic), myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality for 1 year after the index stroke. The secondary efficacy outcomes are (1) stroke, (2) ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, (3) hemorrhagic stroke, and (4) all-cause mortality. The primary safety outcome is major bleeding. DISCUSSION: This study will help stroke physicians determine the appropriate duration of dual therapy with clopidogrel-aspirin for patients with the LAA stroke subtype. TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris. CRIS Registration Number: KCT0004407.

Admission hyperglycemia, stroke subtypes, outcomes in acute ischemic stroke.

AIMS: Whether admission hyperglycemia is differentially associated with early vascular outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) depending on stroke subtype has been incompletely delineated. METHODS: In a multicenter, prospective stroke registry, patients with AIS were categorized based on admission glucose levels into normoglycemia, moderate hyperglycemia, and severe hyperglycemia (<140mg/dl, 140-179mg/dl, and ≥180mg/dl, respectively) groups. Multivariate analysis assessed the interaction between the hyperglycemia and ischemic stroke subtypes of large artery atherothrombosis (LAA), cardioembolism (CE), and small vessel occlusion (SVO) and early vascular outcomes (3-month stroke, all-cause mortality, and composite of stroke, MI, and all-cause mortality). RESULTS: Among the 32,772 patients (age:69.0±12.6yrs, male:58.4%) meeting eligibility criteria, 61.9% were in the normoglycemia group, 19.5% were in the moderate hyperglycemia group, and 18.7% were in the severe hyperglycemia group. Substantial interactions between hyperglycemia groups and stroke subtypes were observed for 3-month stroke (Pinteraction = 0.003) and composite of stroke, MI, and all-cause mortality (Pinteraction = 0.001), with differential recurrence strongest among CE, intermediate among LAA, and least among SVO. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia was differently associated with the risk of 3-month stroke by ischemic stroke subtype. The associations of hyperglycemia with 3-month stroke were greatest in CE subtype but not in SVO subtype. These results suggest that the effect of glucose-lowering treatment after AIS may differ according to stroke subtype.

Frequency, management, and outcomes of early neurologic deterioration due to stroke progression or recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: The frequency, management, and outcomes of early neurologic deterioration (END) after ischemic stroke specifically due to stroke progression or stroke recurrence have not been well delineated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a multicenter, nationwide registry, data on END due to stroke progression or recurrence confirmed by imaging were collected prospectively between January 2019 and July 2020. Patient characteristics, management strategies, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 14,828 consecutive ischemic stroke patients, 1717 (11.6%) experienced END, including 1221 (8.2%) with END due to stroke progression (SP) or stroke recurrence (SR). Active management after END was implemented in 64.2% of patients. Active management strategies included volume expansion (29.2%), change in antithrombotic regimen (26.1%), induced hypertension (8.6%), rescue reperfusion therapy (6.8%), intracranial pressure lowering with hyperosmolar agents (1.5%), bypass surgery (0.6%), and hypothermia (0.1%). Active management strategies that varied with patient features included volume expansion and induced hypertension, used more often in large artery atherosclerosis and small vessel occlusion, and rescue endovascular thrombectomy, more common in other (dissection), cardioembolism, and large artery atherosclerosis. Active management was associated with higher rates of freedom from disability (modified Rankin Scale, mRS, 0-1; 24.3% vs. 16.6%) and functional independence (mRS, 0-2; 41.6% vs. 27.7%) at 3 months. CONCLUSION: END specifically due to stroke progression or recurrence occurs in 1 in 12 acute ischemic stroke patients. In this observational study, active management, undertaken in two-thirds of patients, was most often hemodynamic or antithrombotic and was associated with improved functional outcomes.

Underweight predicts poststroke cardiovascular events in patients without atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether underweight is associated with poststroke cardiovascular events and whether such association is different according to the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack who were prospectively registered in a multicenter stroke database from April 2008 to July 2020 were analyzed, excluding those aged 75 or older and those who were overweight. We prospectively captured major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within one year after stroke. Cox-proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted for each subgroup with or without AF after adjusting for predetermined vascular risk factors and potential confounders. RESULTS: Among 30,912 patients, 1494 (4.8%) cases were underweight and 29,418 (95.2%) cases were normal weight. The cumulative event rate of 1-year MACE was higher in the underweight group (9.0%) than in the normal weight group (5.6%). In Cox-proportional regression, underweight was associated with significantly higher MACE (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26-2.09) and recurrent stroke (adjusted HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02-1.98) in all study patients. In patients with AF, the risk of MACE for the underweight group was not significantly increased. In contrast, in patients without AF, the underweight group had a consistently higher risk of MACE (adjusted HR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.25-2.22) and recurrent stroke (adjusted HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.05-2.14). CONCLUSIONS: Underweight increased the risk of MACE and recurrent stroke within one year after acute stroke, especially in stroke without AF.

Transient splenial lesions of the corpus callosum and infectious diseases.

Transient splenial lesion of the corpus callosum can be observed in various diseases such as cancer, drug use, metabolic disorders, and cerebrovascular disorders, as well as in patients with infectious diseases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there were increasing reports of these lesions being detected on brain imaging tests performed in patients with neurological symptoms. On brain magnetic resonance imaging, findings suggestive of cytotoxic edema are observed in the splenium; these are known to disappear with improvement of clinical symptoms. Cytokinopathy caused by infection increases the permeability of the blood-brain barrier and activates the glial cells of the brain to induce cytotoxic edema. Most patients have a good prognosis. The causes, mechanism, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of transient splenial lesions of the corpus callosum will be summarized in this review.

Effectiveness and safety of EVT in patients with acute LVO and low NIHSS.

Background and purpose: There is much uncertainty in endovascular treatment (EVT) decisions in patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) and mild neurological deficits. Methods: From a prospective, nationwide stroke registry, all patients with LVO and baseline NIHSS <6 presenting within 24 h from the time last known well (LKW) were included. Early neurological deterioration (END) developed before EVT was prospectively collected as an increasing total NIHSS score ≥2 or any worsening of the NIHSS consciousness or motor subscores during hospitalization not related to EVT. Significant hemorrhage was defined as PH2 hemorrhagic transformation or hemorrhage at a remote site. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was prospectively collected at 3 months. Results: Among 1,083 patients, 149 (14%) patients received EVT after a median of 5.9 [3.6-12.3] h after LKW. In propensity score-matched analyses, EVT was not associated with mRS 0-1 (matched OR 0.99 [0.63-1.54]) but increased the risk of a significant hemorrhage (matched OR, 4.51 [1.59-12.80]). Extraneous END occurred in 207 (19%) patients after a median of 24.5 h [IQR, 13.5-41.9 h] after LKW (incidence rate, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.23-1.62] per 100 person-hours). END unrelated to EVT showed a tendency to modify the effectiveness of EVT (P-for-interaction, 0.08), which decreased the odds of having mRS 0-1 in mild LVO patients without END (adjusted OR, 0.63 [0.40-0.99]). Conclusions: The use of EVT in patients with acute LVO and low NIHSS scores may require the assessment of individual risks of early deterioration, hemorrhagic complications and expected benefit.

Stroke of Other Determined Etiology: Results From the Nationwide Multicenter Stroke Registry.

BACKGROUND: Stroke of other determined etiology (OE) includes patients with an uncommon cause of stroke. We described the general characteristics, management, and outcomes of stroke in OE and its subgroups. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of a prospective, multicenter, nationwide registry, the Clinical Research Center for Stroke-Korea-National Institutes of Health registry. We classified OE strokes into 10 subgroups according to the literature and their properties. Each OE subgroup was compared according to clinical characteristics, sex, age strata, lesion locations, and management. Moreover, 1-year composites of stroke and all-cause mortality were investigated according to the OE subgroups. RESULTS: In total, 2119 patients with ischemic stroke with OE types (mean age, 55.6±16.2 years; male, 58%) were analyzed. In the Clinical Research Center for Stroke-Korea-National Institutes of Health registry, patients with OE accounted for 2.8% of all patients with stroke. The most common subtypes were arterial dissection (39.1%), cancer-related coagulopathy (17.3%), and intrinsic diseases of the arterial wall (16.7%). Overall, strokes of OE were more common in men than in women (58% versus 42%). Arterial dissection, intrinsic diseases of the arterial wall and stroke associated with migraine and drugs were more likely to occur at a young age, while disorders of platelets and the hemostatic system, cancer-related coagulopathy, infectious diseases, and hypoperfusion syndromes were more frequent at an old age. The composite of stroke and all-cause mortality within 1 year most frequently occurred in cancer-related coagulopathy, with an event rate of 71.8%, but least frequently occurred in stroke associated with migraine and drugs and arterial dissection, with event rates of 0% and 7.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the different characteristics, demographic findings, lesion locations, and outcomes of OE and its subtypes. It is characterized by a high proportion of arterial dissection, high mortality risk in cancer-related coagulopathy and an increasing annual frequency of cancer-related coagulopathy in patients with stroke of OE.

Sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm with carotid cavernous fistula presenting with delayed subarachnoid hemorrhage: A case report.

RATIONALE: Sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm arising from the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery (ICA) caused by traumatic vessel injury is rare, and rarer is a concomitant carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF). In particular, delayed subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to pseudoaneurysm rupture has not been reported to-date in literature. Here, we report a case of sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm with CCF presenting with delayed SAH. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 73-year-old man presented with traumatic brain injury due to motorcycle accident. DIAGNOSES: Twenty-four days after admission, the patient's neurological status suddenly deteriorated. Brain computed tomography (CT) showed acute SAH along interhemispheric cisterns and suprasellar intracerebral hematoma. Brain CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography revealed giant sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm with CCF and the daughter sac of the pseudoaneurysm extended to the intracranial part via fracture in the superior wall of the sphenoid sinus. INTERVENTIONS: As the sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm and CCF shared one rupture point, endovascular treatment with intraarterial approach using coil and liquid embolic material by balloon assisted technique was performed simultaneously. OUTCOMES: The origin of the pseudoaneurysmal sac and CCF was sufficiently blocked after injection of liquid embolic material and the lesions completely resolved immediately after endovascular treatment. LESSONS: Sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm and CCF rarely occur following head trauma through a series of processes involving fracture of the lateral wall of the sphenoid sinus and ICA cavernous segment injury. Sphenoid sinus pseudoaneurysm may present as SAH through intracranial rupture with concomitant superior wall fracture of the sphenoid sinus. Therefore, early diagnosis using CT or magnetic resonance angiography and appropriate treatment through understanding the disease mechanism is necessary.

Acute amnesia during pregnancy due to bilateral fornix infarction: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy and puerperium. Isolated amnesia is a rare clinical symptom caused by ischemic stroke during pregnancy. We present the first documented case of acute amnesia during pregnancy due to bilateral fornix infarction. CASE SUMMARY: A 32-year-old nullipara presented at 35 wk of gestation with acute amnesia and headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and angiography revealed acute infarction in the bilateral anterior fornix. There was no evidence of causative abnormality after extensive work-up, including for vascular abnormality, cardiac disease, coagulopathy, and pregnancy-related conditions. The patient was diagnosed with cryptogenic stroke. Aspirin was administered immediately, and the patient recovered fully without recurrence. CONCLUSION: Acute isolated amnesia due to stroke is rare during pregnancy. Early diagnosis of stroke and immediate treatment prevent neurologic sequelae.

Impact of Neurointensivist Co-Management in a Semiclosed Neurocritical-Care Unit.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The importance of the specialized management of neurocritical patients is being increasingly recognized. We evaluated the impact of neurointensivist comanagement on the clinical outcomes (particularly the mortality rate) of neurocritical patients admitted to a semiclosed neurocritical-care unit (NCU). METHODS: We retrospectively included neurocritical patients admitted to the NCU between March 2015 and February 2018. We analyzed the clinical data and compared the outcomes between patients admitted before and after the initiation of neurointensivist co-management in March 2016. RESULTS: There were 1,785 patients admitted to the NCU during the study period. Patients younger than 18 years (n=28) or discharged within 48 hours (n=200) were excluded. The 1,557 remaining patients comprised 590 and 967 who were admitted to the NCU before and after the initiation of co-management, respectively. Patients admitted under neurointensivist co-management were older and had higher Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores. The 30-day mortality rate was significantly lower after neurointensivist co-management (p=0.042). A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that neurointensivist co-management significantly reduced mortality rates in the NCU and in the hospital overall [odds ratio=0.590 (p=0.002) and 0.585 (p=0.001), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the higher severity of the condition during neurointensivist co-management, co-management significantly improved clinical outcomes (including the mortality rate) in neurocritical patients.

Unusual manifestation of heat stroke: Isolated trochlear nerve palsy.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening disease characterized by hyperthermia and neurological dysfunction. The central nervous system is highly sensitive to hyperthermia, which causes neurological complications due to the involvement of the cerebellum, basal ganglia, anterior horn cells, and peripheral nerves. Several studies reported about clinical symptoms and brain image findings of heat stroke. Isolated cranial nerve dysfunction caused by lacunar infarction is an extremely rare condition in patient with heat stroke. We experienced a rare case of trochlear nerve palsy due to midbrain infarction caused by heat stroke.

Radiologic Measurement of Brain Swelling in Patients with Large Hemispheric Infarctions During Targeted Temperature Management.

Brain herniation is most often the result of severe brain swelling and can rapidly lead to death or brain death. We retrospectively identified radiologic indicators to evaluate the effects of targeted temperature management (TTM) on the extent of cerebral edema and determine the cutoff values that best predict TTM outcomes in patients with large hemispheric infarction. We retrospectively reviewed brain computed tomography (CT) scans of 21 patients with large hemispheric infarctions, who were treated with TTM. We excluded 4 patients whose CT scans were inadequate for evaluation, which left 17 patients. We divided the patients into success and failure groups. TTM failure was defined as death or the need for decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) after TTM. Infarction size was measured as the total restricted area in diffusion-weighted imaging that was performed on admission. CT scans were obtained on the first and second days after TTM initiation and then every 2 days. We measured septum pellucidum shifts (SPS) and pineal gland shifts (PGS) on CT scans. The median time from symptom onset to TTM initiation was 14.5 hours. Ten patients were successfully treated with TTM, six patients died, and one patient underwent a DHC. Initial infarction sizes were not significantly different between the success and failure groups (p = 0.529), but the SPS and PGS at 36-72 hours after TTM initiation were (mean SPS: 5.0 vs. 14.9 mm, p = 0.001; mean PGS: 2.3 vs. 7.9 mm, p = 0.001). The sensitivity and negative predictive value for TTM failure caused by cerebral edema (SPS ≥9.25 mm and PGS ≥3.70 mm) at 36-72 hours after TTM initiation were both 100%. The SPS and PGS on CT scans taken 36-72 hours after TTM initiation may help to estimate the effect of TTM on cerebral edema and guide further treatment.