Thrombelastography does not predict clinical response to rtPA for acute ischemic stroke.

Thrombelastography (TEG) measures coagulation in venous blood. We hypothesized that TEG, by reflecting clot subtype and ex vivo fibrinolysis, might predict fibrinolytic response to tPA as reflected by rapid clinical improvement or hemorrhagic transformation of the infarct. 171 acute ischemic stroke patients treated with tPA were prospectively enrolled. Venous blood for TEG was drawn before and 10 min after tPA bolus. We measured rapid clinical improvement (RCI = 8 point improvement on NIHSS or total NIHSS of 0, 1 at 36 h), Hemorrhagic transformation (HT = any blood on imaging within 36 h), and hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HDMCA = biomarker for erythrocyte-rich clot). Multivariable regression models compared TEG parameters after adjusting for potential confounders. No differences in pre- or post-tPA TEG were found between patients with or without RCI. Also, there was no correlation between TEG and HDMCA. Clotting was slightly prolonged in patients with HT (p = 0.046). We failed to find a robust association between TEG and clinical response to tPA. It is likely that arterial clot lysis is determined by factors unrelated to coagulation status as measured by TEG in the venous circulation. It is unlikely that TEG will be useful to predict clinical response to tPA, but may help predict bleeding.

Impact of Telemedicine on Access to Acute Stroke Care in the State of Texas.

BACKGROUND: To examine the impact of telemedicine on access to acute stroke care and expertise in the state of Texas. METHODS: Texas hospitals were surveyed using a standard questionnaire and categorized as: (1) stand-alone Primary Stroke Centers not using telemedicine for acute stroke care, (2) Primary Stroke Centers using telemedicine for acute stroke care, (3) non-Primary Stroke Center hospitals using telemedicine for acute stroke care, or (4) non-Primary Stroke Center hospitals not using telemedicine for acute stroke care. Population data were obtained from the US Census Bureau and the Neilson Claritas Demographic Estimation Program. Access within 60 minutes to a designated facility was calculated at the block group level. RESULTS: Over 75% of Texans had 60-minute access to a stand-alone Primary Stroke Center. Including Primary Stroke Centers using telemedicine increased access by 6.5%. Adding non- Primary Stroke Centers that use telemedicine for acute stroke care provided 60-minute access for an additional 2% of Texans, leaving 16% of Texans without 60-minute access to acute stroke care. Approximately 62% of Texans had 60-minute access to more than one type of facility that provided acute stroke care. CONCLUSION: The use of telemedicine in the state of Texas brought 60-minute access to >2 million Texans who otherwise would not have had access to acute stroke expertise. Our findings demonstrate that using telemedicine for acute stroke has the ability to provide neurologically underserved areas access to acute stroke care.

Thrombelastography detects possible coagulation disturbance in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage with hematoma enlargement.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has high morbidity, and hematoma enlargement (HE) causes worse outcome. Thrombelastography (TEG) measures the dynamics of clot formation and dissolution, and might be useful for assessing bleeding risk. We used TEG to detect changes in clotting in patients with and without HE after ICH. METHODS: This prospective study included 64 patients with spontaneous ICH admitted from 2009 to 2013. TEG was performed within 6 hours of symptom onset and after 36 hours. Brain imaging was obtained at baseline and at 36±12 hours, and HE was defined as total volume increase>6 cc or >33%. TEG was also obtained from 57 controls. RESULTS: Compared with controls, patients with ICH demonstrated faster and stronger clot formation; shorter R and delta (P<0.0001) at baseline; and higher MA and G (P<0.0001) at 36 hours; 11 patients had HE. After controlling for potential confounders, baseline K and delta were longer in HE+ compared with HE- patients, indicating that HE+ patients had slower clot formation (P<0.05). TEG was not different between HE+ and HE- patients at 36 hours. CONCLUSIONS: TEG may detect important coagulation changes in patients with ICH. Clotting may be faster and stronger in immediate response to ICH, and a less robust response may be associated with HE. These findings deserve further investigation.