Prediction of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage after Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage Score.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) is common after intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic strokes (AISs). Available predictive scoring systems were derived mostly in the Western countries. METHODS: Retrospective data in 1 provincial and 4 regional hospitals in the northern part of Thailand were reviewed. Patients with AIS, to whom recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) had been prescribed, were classified into 3 groups: no intracranial hemorrhage (no ICH), asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (asICH) and sICH. Coefficients under the multilevel ordinal logistic model were transformed into item scores and sum scores. Measures of discrimination, calibration, and internal validation were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 1172 patients, there were 78.8% with no ICH (n = 923), 13.1% with asICH (n = 154), and 8.1% with sICH (n = 95). The final model was named "SICH score" and included 6 variables: valvular heart diseases, use of aspirin, systolic blood pressure prior to thrombolysis that is 140 mmHg or higher, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores higher than 10 and 20, a platelet count lower than 250,000 cell/mm3, and use of intravenous antihypertensive drugs during thrombolysis, with an Area under Receiver Operating Characteristic of .75 (95% confidence interval, .71-.80). CONCLUSION: The SICH score could be an assisting tool to predict an individual risk of sICH after intravenous thrombolysis for AIS in Thai patients.

Prognostic Parameters for Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage after Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke in an Asian Population.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) is a major complication after intravenous thrombolysis leading to severe disability and death. The incidence was higher in Asian than in western countries. Prognostic factors across ethnicities are presumably different. Studies in Asian populations are limited. METHOD: Clinical data from January 2008 to September 2016 in one provincial and four regional hospitals in the northern part of Thailand were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were those with acute ischemic stroke, to whom recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) had been prescribed. They were classified into 3 groups; no intracranial hemorrhage (no ICH), asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (asICH) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), based on clinical and brain imaging (computed tomography or CT). Prognostic parameters were investigated using a multi-level, multivariable ordinal logistic model. RESULTS: After exclusion of ineligible patients, the remaining 1,172 patients were classified into no ICH (n=923, 78.8%), asICH (n=154, 13.1%) and sICH (n=95, 8.1%). Independent prognostic parameters for intracranial hemorrhage were the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) >20 (OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 2.18-5.65; p<0.001), NIHSS >10 (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.42-2.87; p<0.001), use of nicardipine during rt-PA (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.09-2.40; p=0.018), systolic blood pressure (SBP) prior to thrombolysis ≥ 140 mmHg (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.06-2.04; p=0.021), and platelet count <250,000 cell/mm3 (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.04-2.01; p=0.029). CONCLUSION: Patients with these parameters should be closely monitored. Information should be provided to the patients and their relatives.