Diffusion-weighted imaging lesions and risk of recurrent stroke after intracerebral haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the presence of diffusion-weighted imaging-positive (DWI+) lesions is associated with recurrent stroke after intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: The REstart or STop Antithrombotics Randomised Trial (RESTART) assessed the effect of restarting versus avoiding antiplatelet therapy after ICH on major vascular events for up to 5 years. We rated DWI sequences of MRI done before randomisation for DWI+ lesion presence, masked to outcome and antiplatelet use. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to quantify associations. RESULTS: Of 537 participants in RESTART, 247 (median (IQR) age 75.7 (69.6-81.1) years; 170 men (68.8%); 120 started vs 127 avoided antiplatelet therapy) had DWI sequences on brain MRI at a median of 57 days (IQR 19-103) after ICH, of whom 73 (30%) had one or more DWI+ lesion. During a median follow-up of 2 years (1-3), 18 participants had recurrent ICH and 21 had ischaemic stroke. DWI+ lesion presence was associated with all stroke, (adjusted HR 2.2 (95% CI 1.1 to 4.2)) and recurrent ICH (4.8 (95% CI 1.8 to 13.2)), but not ischaemic stroke (0.9 (95% CI 0.3 to 2.5)). DWI+ lesion presence (0.5 (95% CI 0.2 to 1.3)) vs absence (0.6 (95% CI 0.3 to 1.5), pinteraction=0.66) did not modify the effect of antiplatelet therapy on a composite outcome of recurrent stroke. CONCLUSIONS: DWI+ lesion presence in ICH survivors is associated with recurrent ICH, but not with ischaemic stroke. We found no evidence of modification of effects of antiplatelet therapy on recurrent stroke after ICH by DWI+ lesion presence. These findings provide a new perspective on the significance of DWI+ lesions, which may be markers of microvascular mechanisms associated with recurrent ICH. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN71907627.

Bioactive versus bare platinum coils for the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Bioactive coils were introduced in 2002 in an attempt to improve aneurysm healing and durability of angiographic results. Evidence demonstrating superior efficacy to justify the routine use of bioactive coils over bare coils is limited. We compared the periprocedural and clinical outcome after bioactive and bare platinum coiling for intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and ISI Web of Knowledge Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science were searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing bioactive and bare coils. The methodological quality was evaluated to assess bias risk. Periprocedural outcomes and mid-term outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Five independent RCTs comparing bioactive (n=1084) and bare coils (n=1084) were identified. Periprocedural outcome was similar for both groups. Bioactive coiling increased the rate of complete aneurysm occlusion (47% vs 40%; RR 1.17 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.31); p=0.006) and reduced the rate of residual aneurysm neck at 10 months compared with bare coiling in the mid-term (26% vs 31%; RR 0.82 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.96); p=0.01). There were no differences in aneurysm recurrence, aneurysm rupture, stroke, neurological death, modified Rankin Scale score and reinterventions. Subgroup analysis for the three RCTs on hydrogel coils demonstrated reduction of residual aneurysms compared with bare coiling (25% vs 34%; RR 0.76 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.99); p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Bioactive coils ensure a higher rate of medium-term complete aneurysm occlusion while reducing the rate of residual neck aneurysms compared with bare coiling in the mid-term. Hydrogel coils reduce residual aneurysms compared with bare coils. While there is level 1a evidence to show more complete aneurysm occlusion, longer term follow-up is needed to determine if this translates into clinical significance.