Definition, prediction, prevention and management of patients with severe ischemic stroke and large infarction / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Severe ischemic stroke carries a high rate of disability and death. The severity of stroke is often assessed by the degree of neurological deficits or the extent of brain infarct, defined as severe stroke and large infarction, respectively. Critically severe stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires neurocritical care or neurosurgical intervention, which includes stroke with malignant brain edema, a leading cause of death during the acute phase, and stroke with severe complications of other vital systems. Early prediction of high-risk patients with critically severe stroke would inform early prevention and treatment to interrupt the malignant course to fatal status. Selected patients with severe stroke could benefit from intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment in improving functional outcome. There is insufficient evidence to inform dual antiplatelet therapy and the timing of anticoagulation initiation after severe stroke. Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) <48 h improves survival in patients aged <60 years with large hemispheric infarction. Studies are ongoing to provide evidence to inform more precise prediction of malignant brain edema, optimal indications for acute reperfusion therapies and neurosurgery, and the individualized management of complications and secondary prevention. We present an evidence-based review for severe ischemic stroke, with the aims of proposing operational definitions, emphasizing the importance of early prediction and prevention of the evolution to critically severe status, summarizing specialized treatment for severe stroke, and proposing directions for future research.

Effect of endovascular therapy on the requirement for decompressive craniectomy and functional outcomes in patients with large anterior circulation ischemic stroke / 国际脑血管病杂志

Objective:To investgate the effect of endovascular therapy (EVT) on the requirement for decompressive craniectomy (DC) and functional outcomes in patients with large anterior circulation ischemic stroke.Methods:Patients with large anterior circulation ischemic stroke within 24 hours of onset admitted to the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University between September 2017 and December 2019 were included. Outcome indicators included DC demand and poor outcome at 3 months. The latter was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score >2. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent factors of DC requirement and functional outcomes at 3 months. Results:A total of 381 patients with large anterior circulation ischemic stroke were enrolled, including 203 males (53.3%), and the mean age was 70.7±14.3 years. The median time from onset to admission was 4.5 hours. The median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 17 and median baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) was 7. Totally 139 patients (36.5%) received EVT, and 64 (16.8%) required DC; 376 patients (98.7%) completed a 3-month follow-up (5 who did not complete follow-up did not require DC, of which 2 received EVT), 312 (83.0%) had poor outcome at 3 months, and 146 (38.8%) died. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that EVT was an independent predictor for the requiremet of DC (odds ratio [ OR] 4.42, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.81-10.81; P=0.001), higher baseline ASPECTS ( OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.71-0.89; P<0.001) and successful recanalization ( OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.15-0.90; P=0.028) were independent protective factors of reducing the requirement of DC. Successful recanalization ( OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.72; P=0.023) and antiplatelet therapy ( OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11-0.76; P=0.012) were independent predictors for reduced risk of poor outcome. In 139 patients who received EVT, 27 (19.4%) received intravenous thrombolysis, 96 (69.1%) achieved successful recanalization, 88 (63.3%) had hemorrhagic transformation, 61 (43.9%) had symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation, and 34 (24.5%) required DC; 137 (98.6%) completed a 3-month follow-up, 116 (84.7%) had poor outcome at 3 months, and 67 (48.9%) died. For patients receiving EVT, a higher baseline ASPECTS ( OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.88; P=0.001) and successful recanalization ( OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.90; P=0.029) were independent predictors of reducing the requirement of DC, while successful recanalization ( OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.71; P=0.022) was an independent predictor for reduced risk of poor outcome. Among 64 patients who required DC, 22 (34.4%) received DC. Receiving DC significantly reduced the mortality within 3 months ( OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.07-0.86; P=0.028), but had no significant effect on functional outcome at 3 months ( OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.03-4.38; P=0.412). There was no significant interaction of either EVT or successful recanalization in the effect of DC on 3-month death ( P for interaction > 0.05). Conclusions:Successful recanalization after EVT reduces requirement for DC in patients with large anterior circulation ischemic stroke and improves functional outcome at 3 months. DC can reduce the mortality in patients required DC, and have no interactive effect with EVT or successful recanalization.

Association between Plasma Osmolality and Case Fatality within 1 Year after Severe Acute Ischemic Stroke

Purpose@#Plasma osmolality, a marker of dehydration, is associated with cardiovascular mortality. We aimed to investigate whether elevated plasma osmolality is associated with case fatality within 1 year after severe acute ischemic stroke. @*Materials and Methods@#We included severe ischemic stroke patients (defined as National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥15 score) within 24 hours from symptom onset admitted to the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital between January 2017 and June 2019. Admission plasma osmolality was calculated using the equation 1.86 * (sodium+potassium)+1.15 * glucose+urea+14. Elevated plasma osmolality was defined as plasma osmolality >296 mOsm/kg, indicating a state of dehydration. Study outcomes included 3-month and 1-year case fatalities. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine independent associations between plasma osmolality and case fatalities at different time points. @*Results@#A total of 265 patients with severe acute ischemic stroke were included. The mean age was 71.2±13.1 years, with 51.3% being males. Among the included patients, case fatalities were recorded for 31.7% (84/265) at 3 months and 39.6% (105/265) at 1 year. Elevated plasma osmolality (dehydration) was associated with 3-month case fatality [odds ratio (OR) 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–3.66, p=0.029], but not 1-year case fatality (OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.84–2.72, p=0.165), after full adjustment for confounding factors. @*Conclusion@#Elevated plasma osmolality was independently associated with 3-month case fatality, but not 1-year case fatality, for severe acute ischemic stroke.

Association between Plasma Osmolality and Case Fatality within 1 Year after Severe Acute Ischemic Stroke

Purpose@#Plasma osmolality, a marker of dehydration, is associated with cardiovascular mortality. We aimed to investigate whether elevated plasma osmolality is associated with case fatality within 1 year after severe acute ischemic stroke. @*Materials and Methods@#We included severe ischemic stroke patients (defined as National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥15 score) within 24 hours from symptom onset admitted to the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital between January 2017 and June 2019. Admission plasma osmolality was calculated using the equation 1.86 * (sodium+potassium)+1.15 * glucose+urea+14. Elevated plasma osmolality was defined as plasma osmolality >296 mOsm/kg, indicating a state of dehydration. Study outcomes included 3-month and 1-year case fatalities. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine independent associations between plasma osmolality and case fatalities at different time points. @*Results@#A total of 265 patients with severe acute ischemic stroke were included. The mean age was 71.2±13.1 years, with 51.3% being males. Among the included patients, case fatalities were recorded for 31.7% (84/265) at 3 months and 39.6% (105/265) at 1 year. Elevated plasma osmolality (dehydration) was associated with 3-month case fatality [odds ratio (OR) 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–3.66, p=0.029], but not 1-year case fatality (OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.84–2.72, p=0.165), after full adjustment for confounding factors. @*Conclusion@#Elevated plasma osmolality was independently associated with 3-month case fatality, but not 1-year case fatality, for severe acute ischemic stroke.

Calls for the awareness and research on prevention of malignant brain oedema following massive brain infarction / 中华神经科杂志

Massive brain infarction is a major type of severe ischaemic stroke, for which malignant brain oedema is a common cause for poor prognosis. Existing studies and guidelines mostly focused on the intensive care and surgical treatment for malignant brain oedema, whilst there is insufficient evidence to guide the widely applicable interventions specifically targeting malignant brain oedema. We propose that early prediction and prevention may be more feasible and beneficial in practice, than the treatment for malignant brain oedema. Future research is urgently needed to a) dynamically illustrate its natural history and explore the time window for prevention; b) investigate risk factors and early predictors, to guide the selection of high-risk patients for individualised interventions. Clinical doctors should be aware of the importance of early presentation of massive brain infarction, dynamically record changes in symptoms and sign, and provide individualised and comprehensive management, with an aim to reduce the development of malignant brain oedema, and finally reduce stroke burden.