The effect of calpain inhibitor-I on copper oxide nanoparticle-induced damage and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in a rat model.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the calpain inhibitor N-Acetyl-Leu-Leu-norleucinal (ALLN) on neuroapoptotic cell damage caused by Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuO-NP) and exacerbation of damage through brain ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in a rat model. Male Wistar Albino rats (n=80) were divided into eight groups: Control, I/R, CuO-NP, CuO-NP+I/R, I/R+ALLN, CuO-NP+ALLN, CuO-NP+I/R+ALLN, and DMSO. Biochemical markers (MBP, S100B, NEFL, NSE, BCL-2, Cyt-C, Calpain, TNF-α, Caspase-3, MDA, and CAT) were measured in serum and brain tissue samples. Histological examinations (H&E staining), DNA fragmentation analysis (TUNEL) were performed, along with Caspase-3 assessment. The ALLN-treated groups exhibited significant improvements in biochemical markers and a remarkable reduction in apoptosis compared to the damaged groups (CuO-NP and I/R). H&E and Caspase-3 staining revealed damage-related morphological changes and reduced apoptosis in the ALLN-treated group. However, no differences were observed among the groups with TUNEL staining. The findings suggest that ALLN, as a calpain inhibitor, has potential implications for anti-apoptotic treatment, specifically in mitigating neuroapoptotic cell damage caused by CuO-NP and I/R.

Quality of Life After Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Results From the AcT Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence from thrombolysis trials indicates the noninferiority of intravenous tenecteplase to intravenous alteplase with respect to good functional outcomes in patients with acute stroke. We examined whether the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with acute stroke differs by the type of thrombolysis treatment received. In addition, we examined the association between the modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1 and HRQOL and patient-reported return to prebaseline stroke functioning at 90 days. METHODS: Data were from all patients included in the AcT trial (Alteplase Compared to Tenecteplase), a pragmatic, registry-linked randomized trial comparing tenecteplase with alteplase. HRQOL at 90-day post-randomization was assessed using the 5-item EuroQOL questionnaire (EQ5D), which consists of 5 items and a visual analog scale (VAS). EQ5D index values were estimated from the EQ5D items using the time tradeoff approach based on Canadian norms. Tobit regression and quantile regression models were used to evaluate the adjusted effect of tenecteplase versus alteplase treatment on the EQ5D index values and VAS score, respectively. The association between return to prebaseline stroke functioning and the modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1 and HRQOL was quantified using correlation coefficient (r) with 95% CI. RESULTS: Of 1577 included in the intention-to-treat analysis patients, 1503 (95.3%) had complete data on the EQ5D. Of this, 769 (51.2%) were administered tenecteplase and 717 (47.7%) were female. The mean EQ5D VAS score and EQ5D index values were not significantly higher for those who received intravenous tenecteplase compared with those who received intravenous alteplase (P=0.10). Older age (P<0.01), more severe stroke assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (P<0.01), and longer stroke onset-to-needle time (P=0.004) were associated with lower EQ5D index and VAS scores. There was a strong association (r, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.81-0.89]) between patient-reported return to prebaseline functioning and modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1 Similarly, there was a moderate association between return to prebaseline functioning and EQ5D index (r, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.40-0.49]) and EQ5D VAS scores (r, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.37-0.46]). CONCLUSIONS: Although there is no differential effect of thrombolysis type on patient-reported global HRQOL and EQ 5D-5L index values in patients with acute stroke, sex- and age-related differences in HRQOL were noted in this study. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03889249.

Comparative safety of tenecteplase vs alteplase for acute ischemic stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Tenecteplase has been compared to alteplase in acute stroke randomized trials, with similar outcomes and safety measures, but higher doses of tenecteplase have been associated with higher hemorrhage rates in some studies. Limited data are available on the safety of tenecteplase outside of clinical trials. METHODS: We examined the safety measures of intracranial hemorrhage, angioedema, and serious extracranial adverse events in a 21-hospital integrated healthcare system that switched from alteplase (0.9 mg/kg, maximum dose 90 mg) to tenecteplase (0.25 mg/kg, maximum dose 25 mg) for acute ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Among 3,689 subjects, no significant differences were seen between tenecteplase and alteplase in the rate of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), parenchymal hemorrhage, or volume of parenchymal hemorrhage. Symptomatic hemorrhage (sICH) was not different between the two agents: sICH by NINDS criteria was 2.0 % for alteplase vs 2.3 % for tenecteplase (P = 0.57), and sICH by SITS criteria was 0.8 % vs 1.1 % (P = 0.39). Adjusted logistic regression models also showed no differences between tenecteplase and alteplase: the odds ratio for tenecteplase (vs alteplase) modeling sICH by NINDS criteria was 0.9 (95 % CI 0.33 - 2.46, P = 0.83) and the odds ratio for tenecteplase modeling sICH by SITS criteria was 1.12 (95 % CI 0.25 - 5.07, P = 0.89). Rates of angioedema and serious extracranial adverse events were low and did not differ between tenecteplase and alteplase. Elapsed door-to-needle times showed a small improvement after the switch to tenecteplase (51.8 % treated in under 30 min with tenecteplase vs 43.5 % with alteplase, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In use outside of clinical trials, complication rates are similar between tenecteplase and alteplase. In the context of a stroke telemedicine program, the rates of hemorrhage observed with either agent were lower than expected based on prior trials and registry data. The more easily prepared tenecteplase was associated with a lower door-to-needle time.

Effectiveness and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation at low risk of stroke in japan: a retrospective cohort study.

AIMS: Contemporary guidelines differ in their recommendations regarding initiating non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at low risk of stroke. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of NOACs for low-risk AF in a Japanese cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective cohort study based on the JMDC Claims Database extracted between April 2011 and November 2022, we identified 13 291 patients with AF at low risk of stroke. We performed inverse probability of treatment weighting Cox regression analyses to compare the embolization and bleeding risks between the nontreatment and NOAC groups. Net clinical benefit was defined as the annual incidence of ischaemic stroke events prevented by NOACs after subtracting intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) events attributable to NOACs, multiplied by a weighting factor. The incidences of stroke and ICH in the nontreatment group were 0.47 and 0.15 per 100 person-years, respectively. The NOAC group had higher incidences of ICH (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-4.00) and stroke (HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 0.84-2.36). The net clinical benefit of NOAC treatment was -0.35% per year (95% CI: -0.99-0.29%). CONCLUSION: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants treatment may be associated with a slightly high risk of ICH, and it yielded a neutral clinical benefit in the present Japanese population, which provides reassurance concerning the role of ethnicity in NOAC treatment for patients with AF and suggests a need to assess comprehensive weighting of the respective risk factors.

Tailored immunotherapy approach with nivolumab with or without nivolumab plus ipilimumab as immunotherapeutic boost in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (TITAN-RCC): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab is approved as first-line regimen for intermediate-risk or poor-risk metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and nivolumab monotherapy as second-line therapy for all risk groups. We aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of nivolumab monotherapy and nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination as an immunotherapeutic boost after no response to nivolumab monotherapy in patients with intermediate-risk and poor-risk clear-cell metastatic renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: TITAN-RCC is a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial, done at 28 hospitals and cancer centres across Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK). Adults (aged ≥18 years) with histologically confirmed intermediate-risk or poor-risk clear-cell metastatic renal cell carcinoma who were formerly untreated (first-line population) or pretreated with one previous systemic therapy (anti-angiogenic or temsirolimus; second-line population) were eligible. Patients had to have a Karnofsky Performance Status score of at least 70 and measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (version 1.1). Patients started with intravenous nivolumab 240 mg once every 2 weeks. On early progressive disease (week 8) or non-response at week 16, patients received two or four doses of intravenous nivolumab (3 mg/kg) and ipilimumab (1 mg/kg) boosts (once every 3 weeks), whereas responders continued with intravenous nivolumab (240 mg, once every 2 weeks), but could receive two to four boost doses of nivolumab plus ipilimumab for subsequent progressive disease. The primary endpoint was confirmed investigator-assessed objective response rate in the full analysis set, which included all patients who received at least one dose of study medication; safety was also assessed in this population. An objective response rate of more than 25% was required to reject the null hypothesis and show improvement, on the basis of results from the pivotal phase 3 CheckMate-025 trial. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02917772, and is complete. FINDINGS: Between Oct 28, 2016, and Nov 30, 2018, 207 patients were enrolled and all received nivolumab induction (109 patients in the first-line group; 98 patients in the second-line group). 60 (29%) of 207 patients were female and 147 (71%) were male. 147 (71%) of 207 patients had intermediate-risk metastatic renal cell carcinoma and 51 (25%) had poor-risk disease. After median follow-up of 27·6 months (IQR 10·5-34·8), 39 (36%, 90% CI 28-44; p=0·0080) of 109 patients in the first-line group and 31 (32%, 24-40; p=0·083) of 98 patients in the second-line group had a confirmed objective response for nivolumab with and without nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Confirmed response to nivolumab at week 8 or 16 was observed in 31 (28%) of 109 patients in the first-line group and 18 (18%) of 98 patients in the second-line group. The most frequent grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events (reported in ≥5% of patients) were increased lipase (15 [7%] of 207 patients), colitis (13 [6%]), and diarrhoea (13 [6%]). Three deaths were reported that were deemed to be treatment-related: one due to possible ischaemic stroke, one due to respiratory failure, and one due to pneumonia. INTERPRETATION: In treatment-naive patients, nivolumab induction with or without nivolumab plus ipilimumab boosts significantly improved the objective response rate compared with that reported for nivolumab monotherapy in the CheckMate-025 trial. However, overall efficacy seemed inferior when compared with approved upfront nivolumab plus ipilimumab. For second-line treatment, nivolumab plus ipilimumab could be a rescue strategy on progression with approved nivolumab monotherapy. FUNDING: Bristol Myers Squibb.

Effect of Time to Thrombolysis on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Treated With Tenecteplase Compared to Alteplase: Analysis From the AcT Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The AcT (Alteplase Compared to Tenecteplase) randomized controlled trial showed that tenecteplase is noninferior to alteplase in treating patients with acute ischemic stroke within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. The effect of time to treatment on clinical outcomes with alteplase is well known; however, the nature of this relationship is yet to be described with tenecteplase. We assessed whether the association of time to thrombolysis treatment with clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke differs by whether they receive intravenous tenecteplase versus alteplase. METHODS: Patients included were from AcT, a pragmatic, registry-linked, phase 3 randomized controlled trial comparing intravenous tenecteplase to alteplase in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Eligible patients were >18 years old, with disabling neurological deficits, presenting within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, and eligible for thrombolysis. Primary outcome was modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1 at 90 days. Safety outcomes included 24-hour symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and 90-day mortality rates. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to assess the following: (a) the association of stroke symptom onset to needle time; (b) door (hospital arrival) to needle time with outcomes; and (c) if these associations were modified by type of thrombolytic administered (tenecteplase versus alteplase), after adjusting for age, sex, baseline stroke severity, and site of intracranial occlusion. RESULTS: Of the 1538 patients included in this analysis, 1146 (74.5%; 591 tenecteplase and 555 alteplase) presented within 3 hours versus 392 (25.5%; 196: TNK and 196 alteplase) who presented within 3 to 4.5 hours of symptom onset. Baseline patient characteristics in the 0 to 3 hours versus 3- to 4.5-hour time window were similar, except patients in the 3- to 4.5-hour window had lower median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Severity Scale (10 versus 7, respectively) and lower proportion of patients with large vessel occlusion on baseline CT angiography (26.9% versus 18.7%, respectively). Type of thrombolytic agent (tenecteplase versus alteplase) did not modify the association between continuous onset to needle time (Pinteraction=0.161) or door-to-needle time (Pinteraction=0.972) and primary clinical outcome. Irrespective of the thrombolytic agent used, each 30-minute reduction in onset to needle time was associated with a 1.8% increase while every 10 minutes reduction in door-to-needle time was associated with a 0.2% increase in the probability of achieving 90-day modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of time to tenecteplase administration on clinical outcomes is like that of alteplase, with faster administration resulting in better clinical outcomes. REGISTRATION: URL: https://classic. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT03889249.

Early Recanalization Among Patients Undergoing Bridging Therapy With Tenecteplase or Alteplase.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with alteplase or tenecteplase before mechanical thrombectomy is the recommended treatment for large-vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke. There are divergent data on whether these agents differ in terms of early recanalization (ER) rates before mechanical thrombectomy, and little data on their potential differences stratified by ER predictors such as IVT to ER evaluation (IVT-to-EReval) time, occlusion site and thrombus length. METHODS: We retrospectively compared the likelihood of ER after IVT with tenecteplase or alteplase in anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke patients from the PREDICT-RECANAL (alteplase) and Tenecteplase Treatment in Ischemic Stroke (tenecteplase) French multicenter registries. ER was defined as a modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score 2b-3 on the first angiographic run, or noninvasive vascular imaging in patients with early neurological improvement. Analyses were based on propensity score overlap weighting (leading to exact balance in patient history, stroke characteristics, and initial management between groups) and confirmed with adjusted logistic regression (sensitivity analysis). A stratified analysis based on pre-established ER predictors (IVT-to-EReval time, occlusion site, and thrombus length) was conducted. RESULTS: Overall, 1865 patients were included. ER occurred in 156/787 (19.8%) and 199/1078 (18.5%) patients treated with tenecteplase or alteplase, respectively (odds ratio, 1.09 [95% CI, 0.83-1.44]; P=0.52). A differential effect of tenecteplase versus alteplase on the probability of ER according to thrombus length was observed (Pinteraction=0.003), with tenecteplase being associated with higher odds of ER in thrombi >10 mm (odds ratio, 2.43 [95% CI, 1.02-5.81]; P=0.04). There was no differential effect of tenecteplase versus alteplase on the likelihood of ER according to the IVT-to-EReval time (Pinteraction=0.40) or occlusion site (Pinteraction=0.80). CONCLUSIONS: Both thrombolytics achieved ER in one-fifth of patients with large-vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke without significant interaction with IVT-to-EReval time and occlusion site. Compared with alteplase, tenecteplase was associated with a 2-fold higher likelihood of ER in larger thrombi.

A marginal structural model to estimate the effect of antidepressant medication treatment on major cardiovascular events among people with post-traumatic stress disorder.

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence on antidepressant medication and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been inconclusive. We estimated the association between antidepressant medication and CVD by applying a marginal structural model. METHODS: We analyzed medical utilization records of 27 170 people with PTSD without prior major cardiovascular events in the Korean National Health Insurance Database (NHID). PTSD and CVD were defined in accordance with the recorded ICD-10 diagnostic codes. We acquired information on antidepressant use from the NHID and categorized them by medication type. A composite major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) outcome was defined as coronary artery disease with revascularization, ischaemic stroke, and/or haemorrhagic stroke. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting to estimate the parameters of a marginal structural discrete-time survival analysis regression model, comparing the resulting estimates to those derived from traditional time-fixed and time-varying Cox proportional hazards regression. We calculated cumulative daily defined doses to test for a dose-response relationship. RESULTS: People exposed to antidepressants showed a higher hazard of MACE [hazard ratio (HR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-1.53]. The estimated effects were strongest for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.08-1.44) and TCAs (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.13-1.56). Exposure to serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors did not appear to increase the risk of MACE. People exposed to higher doses of antidepressants showed higher risk of MACE. CONCLUSIONS: In a national cohort of people with PTSD, exposure to antidepressant medications increased the risk of MACE in a dose-response fashion.

Major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with atopic dermatitis treated with oral Janus kinase inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: On the basis of safety data for patients with inflammatory rheumatism or inflammatory bowel disease, treatment with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors (JAKi) has been linked to the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). However, these inflammatory diseases are proatherogenic; in contrast, patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) do not usually have a high cardiovascular (CV) comorbidity burden. OBJECTIVES: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of MACE in patients with AD treated with JAKi. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar from their inception to 2 September 2022. Cohort studies, randomized controlled trials and pooled safety analyses providing CV safety data on patients taking JAKi for AD were selected. We included patients aged ≥ 12 years. We built a 'controlled-period' cohort (n = 9309; 6000 exposed to JAKi and 3309 exposed to comparators) and an 'all-JAKi' cohort (n = 9118 patients exposed to a JAKi in any of the included studies). The primary outcome was a composite of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), ischaemic stroke and CV death. The broader secondary MACE outcome encompassed ACS, stroke (whether ischaemic or haemorrhagic), transient ischaemic attack and CV death. The frequency of primary and secondary MACE was assessed in both cohorts. A fixed-effects meta-analysis using the Peto method was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) for MACE in the 'controlled-period' cohort. Evaluation of the risk of bias was done using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (version 2). Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Eight per cent of the records identified initially met the selection criteria, corresponding to 23 records included in the 'all-JAKi' cohort. Patients had been exposed to baricitinib, upadacitinib, abrocitinib, ivarmacitinib, placebo or dupilumab. Four primary events (three with JAKi and one with placebo) and five secondary events (four with JAKi and one with placebo) occurred among 9309 patients in the 'controlled-period' cohort (MACE frequency 0.04% and 0.05%, respectively). Eight primary events and 13 secondary events occurred among 9118 patients in the 'all-JAKi' cohort (MACE frequency 0.08% and 0.14%, respectively). The OR for primary MACE in patients with AD treated with JAKi vs. placebo or dupilumab was 1.35 (95% confidence interval 0.15-12.21; I2 = 12%, very low certainty of evidence). CONCLUSIONS: Our review highlights rare cases of MACE among JAKi users for AD. JAKi may have little-to-no effect on the occurrence of MACE in patients with AD vs. comparators, but the evidence is uncertain. Real-life long-term population-level safety studies are needed.

Tenecteplase real-world data: A three phase sequential comparison.

INTRODUCTION: The New Zealand (NZ) Central Region Stroke Network, serving 1.17 million catchment population, changed to tenecteplase for stroke thrombolysis in 2020 but was forced to revert to Alteplase in 2021 due to a sudden cessation of drug supply. We used this unique opportunity to assess for potential before and after temporal trend confounding. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In NZ all reperfused patients are entered prospectively into a national database for safety monitoring. We assessed Central Region patient outcomes and treatment metrics over three time periods: alteplase use (January 2018-January 2020); during switch to tenecteplase (February 2020-February 2021) and after reverting to alteplase (February 2021-December 2022) adjusting regression analyses for hospital, age, onset-to-needle, NIHSS, pre-morbid mRS and thrombectomy. RESULTS: Between January 2018 and December 2022, we treated 1121 patients with Alteplase and 286 with tenecteplase. Overall, patients treated with tenecteplase had greater odds of favorable outcome ordinal mRS [aOR = 1.43 (95% CI = 1.11-1.85)]; shorter door-to-needle (DTN) time [median 52 (IQR 47-83) vs 61 (45-84) minutes, p < 0.0001] and needle to groin (NTG) times [118 (74.5-218.5) vs 185 (118-255); p = 0.02)]. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) rate was lower in tenecteplase group [aOR 0.29 (0.09-0.95)]. Findings similarly favored tenecteplase when comparing tenecteplase to only the second alteplase phase. There was no inter-group difference when comparing the two alteplase phases. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that previously reported benefits from tenecteplase in a real-world setting were not likely attributable to a temporal confounding.

Determinants of 1-Year Unfavorable Outcomes of Intravenous Alteplase Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy has become the standard of treatment for eligible patients with ischemic stroke. However, outcomes after receiving intravenous thrombolytic therapy vary widely. This study aims to investigate determinants of 1-year clinical outcomes of intravenous thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: In a prospective, observational study, patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis were consecutively included, and clinical information and laboratory data were collected. The patients were followed up for 12 months after onset, and the 1-year clinical outcome was evaluated using modified Rankin Scale scores. A score ≥ 3 was defined as unfavorable functional outcome. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the determinants of the 1-year clinical outcomes of intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. RESULTS: A total of 222 patients with intravenous thrombolysis were enrolled, and we identified 58 patients (26.1%) had unfavorable functional outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that mean platelet volume-to-lymphocyte ratio (MPVLR) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.114, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.024-1.211, P = .012), atrial fibrillation (OR = 2.553, 95% CI: 1.086-6.002, P = .032), symptomatic stenosis occlusion (OR = 2.547, 95% CI: 1.269-5.110, P = .009), and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR = 1.141, 95% CI: 1.074-1.212, P < .001) were independent predictors of unfavorable functional outcomes at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis, we found that MPVLR, atrial fibrillation, symptomatic stenosis occlusion, and baseline NIHSS score were significant predictors of unfavorable functional outcomes at 1 year.

Implementation of an integrated emergency department acute atrial fibrillation pathway safely reduces cardioversions and hospitalisations: A comparative pre-post study.

OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) accounts for high rates of ED presentations and hospital admissions. There is increasing evidence to suggest that delaying cardioversion for acute uncomplicated AF is safe, and that many patients will spontaneously revert to sinus rhythm (SR). We conducted a before-and-after evaluation of AF/AFL management after a change in ED pathway using a conservative 'rate-and-wait' approach, incorporating next working day outpatient clinic follow-up and delayed cardioversion if required. METHODS: We performed a before-and-after retrospective cohort study examining outcomes for patients who presented to the ED in Christchurch, New Zealand, with acute uncomplicated AF/AFL in the 1-year period before and after the implementation of a new conservative management pathway. RESULTS: A total of 360 patients were included in the study (182 'Pre-pathway' vs 178 'Post-Pathway'). Compared to the pre-pathway cohort, those managed under the new pathway had an 81.2% reduction in ED cardioversions (n = 32 vs n = 6), and 50.7% reduction in all cardioversions (n = 65 vs n = 32). There was a 31.6% reduction in admissions from ED (n = 54 vs n = 79). ED length of stay (3.9 h vs 3.8 h, net difference -0.1 h, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.6 to 0.3), 1-year ED AF representation (32.4% vs 26.4%, net difference -6.0% [95% CI -16.0% to 3.9%]), 1-year ED ischaemic stroke presentation (2.2% in both groups) and 7-day all-cause mortality rates (hazard ratio 1.05 [95% CI 0.6 to 1.9]) were all similar. CONCLUSIONS: Using a conservative 'rate-and-wait' strategy with early follow-up for patients presenting to ED with AF/AFL can safely reduce unnecessary cardioversions and avoidable hospitalisations.

Cost-effectiveness of tenecteplase versus alteplase for stroke thrombolysis evaluation trial in the ambulance.

BACKGROUND: Tenecteplase administered to patients with ischaemic stroke in a mobile stroke unit (MSU) has been shown to reduce the perfusion lesion volumes and result in ultra-early recovery. We now seek to assess the cost-effectiveness of tenecteplase in the MSU. METHODS: A within-trial (TASTE-A) economic analysis and a model-based long-term cost-effectiveness analysis were performed. This post hoc within-trial economic analysis utilised the patient-level data (intention to treat, ITT) prospectively collected over the trial to calculate the difference in both healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs, estimated from modified Rankin scale score). A Markov microsimulation model was developed to simulate the long-term costs and benefits. RESULTS: In total, there were 104 patients with ischaemic stroke randomised to tenecteplase (n = 55) or alteplase (n = 49) treatment groups, respectively in the TASTE-A trial. The ITT-based analysis showed that treatment with tenecteplase was associated with non-signficantly lower costs (A$28,903 vs A$40,150 (p = 0.056)) and greater benefits (0.171 vs 0.158 (p = 0.457)) than that for the alteplase group over the first 90 days post the index stroke. The long-term model showed that tenecteplase led to greater savings in costs (-A$18,610) and more health benefits (0.47 QALY or 0.31 LY gains). Tenecteplase-treated patients had reduced costs for rehospitalisation (-A$1464), nursing home care (-A$16,767) and nonmedical care (-A$620) per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of ischaemic stroke patients with tenecteplase appeared to be cost-effective and improve QALYs in the MSU setting based on Phase II data. The reduced total cost from tenecteplase was driven by savings from acute hospitalisation and reduce need for nursing home care.

Tenecteplase Versus Alteplase for Acute Stroke: Mortality and Bleeding Complications.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase has been the foundation of initial treatment of acute ischemic stroke for several decades. Tenecteplase is a thrombolytic agent that offers logistical advantages in cost and administration relative to alteplase. There is evidence that tenecteplase has at least similar efficacy and safety outcomes compared with alteplase for stroke. In this study, we compared tenecteplase versus alteplase for acute stroke in a large retrospective US database (TriNetX) regarding the following 3 outcomes: (1) mortality, (2) intracranial hemorrhage, and (3) the need for acute blood transfusions. METHODS: In this retrospective study using the US cohort of 54 academic medical centers/health care organizations in the TriNetX database, we identified 3,432 patients treated with tenecteplase and 55,894 patients treated with alteplase for stroke after January 1, 2012. Propensity score matching was performed on basic demographic information and 7 previous clinical diagnostic groups, resulting in a total of 6,864 patients with acute stroke evenly matched between groups. Mortality rates, the frequency of intracranial hemorrhage, and blood transfusions (as a marker of significant blood loss) were recorded for each group over the ensuing 7- and 30-day periods. Secondary subgroup analyses were conducted on a cohort treated from 2021 to 2022 in an attempt to determine whether temporal differences in acute ischemic stroke treatment would alter the results. RESULTS: Patients treated with tenecteplase had a significantly lower mortality rate (8.2% versus 9.8%; risk ratio [RR], 0.832) and lower risk of major bleeding as measured by the frequency of blood transfusions (0.3% versus 1.4%; RR, 0.207) than alteplase at 30 days after thrombolysis for stroke. In the larger 10-year data set of patients with stroke treated after January 1, 2012, patients receiving tenecteplase were not found to have a statistically different incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (3.5% versus 3.0%; RR, 1.185) at 30 days after the administration of the thrombolytic agents in patients. However, a subgroup analysis of 2,216 evenly matched patients with stroke treated from 2021 to 2022 demonstrated notably better survival and statistically lower rates of intracranial hemorrhage than the alteplase group. CONCLUSION: In our large retrospective multicenter study using real-world evidence from large health care organizations, tenecteplase for the treatment of acute stroke demonstrated a lower mortality rate, decreased intracranial hemorrhage, and less significant blood loss. The favorable mortality and safety profiles observed in this large study, taken together with previous randomized controlled trial data and operational advantages in rapid dosing and cost-effectiveness, all support the preferential use of tenecteplase in patients with ischemic stroke.

Safety and efficacy of tirofiban in acute ischemic stroke due to tandem lesions undergoing mechanical thrombectomy: A multicenter randomized clinical trial (ATILA) protocol.

Background: In-stent thrombosis after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) worsen outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to tandem lesions (TL). Although an optimal antiplatelet therapy is needed, the best approach to avoid in-stent thrombosis is yet to be elucidated. Hypothesis: Low-dose intravenous tirofiban is superior to intravenous aspirin in avoiding in-stent thrombosis in patients undergoing MT plus carotid stenting in the setting of AIS due to TL. Methods: The ATILA-trial is a multicenter, prospective, phase IV, randomized, controlled (aspirin group as control), assessor-blinded clinical trial. Patients fulfilling inclusion criteria (AIS due to TL, ASPECTS ⩾ 6, pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale ⩽2 and onset <24 h) will be randomized (1:1) at MT onset to experimental (intravenous tirofiban) or control group (intravenous aspirin). Intravenous aspirin will be administered at a 500 mg single dose and tirofiban at a 500 µg bolus followed by a 200 µg/h infusion during first 22 h. All patients will be followed up to 3 months. Sample size estimated is 240 patients. Outcomes: The primary efficacy outcome is the proportion of patients with carotid in-stent thrombosis within the first 24 h after MT. The primary safety outcome is the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes include functional independence defined as modified Rankin Scale 0-2, proportion of patients undergoing rescue therapy due to in-stent aggregation during MT and carotid reocclusion at 30 days. Discussion: ATILA-trial will be the first clinical trial regarding the best antiplatelet therapy to avoid in-stent thrombosis after MT in patients with TL. Trial registration: NCT0522596.

High- vs. low-dose diclofenac and cardiovascular risks: a target trial emulation.

AIMS: To examine the dose dependency of diclofenac's cardiovascular risks. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using Danish health registries and the target trial emulation design, we conducted a series of 300 nationwide cohort studies during 1996-2020, each mimicking the strict design criteria of a clinical trial. Adults eligible for inclusion had no recent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions, contraindications (gastrointestinal diseases, thrombocytopenia, or heart failure), or conditions with low adherence (dementia or psychiatric disease). Diclofenac initiators were compared to healthcare-seeking non-initiators and head-to-head using an approximated high dose of ≥150 mg/day vs. low dose of <150 mg/day. Cox regression was used to compute the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 30 days following initiation. We adjusted for age, sex, calendar period, comorbidity, comedication, and socioeconomic position. Compared with non-initiators (n = 3 789 617), diclofenac initiators (n = 1 894 834) had an approximately 50% increased rate of MACE (IRR 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-1.63), reflecting IRRs of 1.54 (95% CI: 1.40-1.69) for myocardial infarction, 1.29 (1.14-1.45) for ischaemic stroke, and 1.92 (1.71-2.16) for cardiac death. The risk increase was observed for most conditions with chronic pain, in particular headache (IRR 5.10, 95% CI: 1.46-17.85). The risk increase was similar for initiators of high- (IRR 1.55, 95% CI: 1.40-1.71) and low-dose diclofenac (IRR 1.52, 1.41-1.63), which was confirmed in a head-to-head analysis (IRR 1.01, 95% CI: 0.90-1.12). CONCLUSIONS: Initiators of high- and low-dose diclofenac had comparably increased cardiovascular risks. This finding provides evidence against the assumption that low-dose diclofenac is risk-neutral.

The effectiveness of atrial fibrillation special clinic on oral anticoagulant use for high risk atrial fibrillation patients managed in the community.

BACKGROUND: Service gaps exist in oral anticoagulant (OAC) use among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in primary care. The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical effectiveness of a community dwelling Atrial Fibrillation Special Clinic (AFSC) run by primary care physicians by evaluating its impact on OAC use and the control of modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in high risk AF patients. METHOD: Quasi-experimental study was conducted in AFSC run by public primary care physicians in Hong Kong. Study subjects were high risk AF patients with CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥ 2, who had been followed up (FU) at AFSC for at least one year from 01 August, 2019 to 31 October, 2020. OAC usage and modifiable CVD risk factor control were compared before and after one year of FU at AFSC. Drug-related adverse events, emergency attendance or hospitalisation episodes, survival and mortality rates after one year FU at AFSC were also reviewed. RESULTS: Among the 299 high risk AF patients included in the study, significant increase in OAC use was observed from 58.5% at baseline to 82.6% after one year FU in AFSC (P < 0.001). Concerning CVD risk factor control, the average diastolic blood pressure level was significantly reduced (P = 0.009) and the satisfactory blood pressure control rate in non-diabetic patients was markedly improved after one year FU (P = 0.049). However, the average HbA1c and LDL-c levels remained static. The annual incidence rate of ischaemic stroke/systemic embolism was 0.4%, intra-cranial haemorrhage was 0.4%, major bleeding episode was 3.2% and all-cause mortality was 4.3%, all of which were comparable to reports in the literature. CONCLUSION: AFSC is effective in enhancing OAC use and maintaining optimal modifiable CVD risk factor control among high risk AF patients managed in primary care setting, and therefore may reduce AF-associated morbidity and mortality in the long run.

Tenecteplase Treatment and Thrombus Characteristics Associated With Early Reperfusion: An EXTEND-IA TNK Trials Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial occlusion site, contrast permeability, and clot burden are thrombus characteristics that influence alteplase-associated reperfusion. In this study, we assessed the reperfusion efficacy of tenecteplase and alteplase in subgroups based on these characteristics in a pooled analysis of the EXTEND-IA TNK trial (Tenecteplase Versus Alteplase Before Endovascular Therapy for Ischemic Stroke). METHODS: Patients with large vessel occlusion were randomized to treatment with tenecteplase (0.25 or 0.4 mg/kg) or alteplase before thrombectomy in hospitals across Australia and New Zealand (2015-2019). The primary outcome, early reperfusion, was defined as the absence of retrievable thrombus or >50% reperfusion on first-pass angiogram. We compared the effect of tenecteplase versus alteplase overall, and in subgroups, based on the following measured with computed tomography angiography: intracranial occlusion site, contrast permeability (measured via residual flow grades), and clot burden (measured via clot burden scores). We adjusted for covariates using mixed effects logistic regression models. RESULTS: Tenecteplase was associated with higher odds of early reperfusion (75/369 [20%] versus alteplase: 9/96 [9%], adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.18 [95% CI, 1.03-4.63]). The difference between thrombolytics was notable in occlusions with low clot burden (tenecteplase: 66/261 [25%] versus alteplase: 5/67 [7%], aOR, 3.93 [95% CI, 1.50-10.33]) when compared to high clot burden lesions (tenecteplase: 9/108 [8%] versus alteplase: 4/29 [14%], aOR, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.16-2.06]; Pinteraction=0.01). We did not observe an association between contrast permeability and tenecteplase treatment effect (permeability present: aOR, 2.83 [95% CI, 1.00-8.05] versus absent: aOR, 1.98 [95% CI, 0.65-6.03]; Pinteraction=0.62). Tenecteplase treatment effect was superior with distal M1 or M2 occlusions (53/176 [30%] versus alteplase: 4/42 [10%], aOR, 3.73 [95% CI, 1.25-11.11]), but both thrombolytics had limited efficacy with internal carotid artery occlusions (tenecteplase 1/73 [1%] versus alteplase 1/19 [5%], aOR, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.01-3.83]; Pinteraction=0.16). CONCLUSIONS: Tenecteplase demonstrates superior early reperfusion versus alteplase in lesions with low clot burden. Reperfusion efficacy remains limited in internal carotid artery occlusions and lesions with high clot burden. Further innovation in thrombolytic therapies are required.

Metronidazole-induced encephalopathy delayed diagnosis due to cerebellar infarction: A case report.

RATIONALE: Metronidazole is a 5-nitroimidazole antibiotic effective against anaerobic bacterial and parasitic infections. Long-term use may cause side effects in the central nervous system, although the occurrence of encephalopathy is rare. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 73-year-old man was diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis and received antibiotic treatment. During the treatment, the patient complained of back pain. Lumbar spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed infective spondylitis, and metronidazole (1.5 g) was administered daily for approximately 160 days. The patient developed cognitive dysfunction and gait disorder after antibiotic treatment, and brain MRI showed acute infarction in both cerebellar lobes. Secondary prevention with antiplatelet and physiotherapy was prescribed; however, functional recovery was not achieved. DIAGNOSIS: After 1 month, a follow-up brain MRI showed high signal intensity and diffusion restriction in the corpus callosum on diffusion-weighted images and high signal intensity in the dentate nucleus on T2-weighted images. Therefore, metronidazole-induced encephalopathy was suspected. INTERVENTIONS: Metronidazole was discontinued, and ceftriaxone (2 g/day) was administered to manage the infective spondylitis. OUTCOMES: One week after the discontinuation of the drug, the patient's cognition improved to the extent that communication was possible. Thus, even if other neurological deficits, such as cerebellar infarction, are found in patients with long-term disability, the possibility of metronidazole-induced encephalopathy should be considered when metronidazole is used for a long time.