Cerebrovascular diseases
-
Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been shown to be beneficial in patients with high-grade symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Patients with high-grade asymptomatic stenosis may only exceptionally benefit from CEA during periods of increased plaque vulnerability. Imaging modalities to characterize unstable, vulnerable plaques are strongly needed for better risk stratification in these patients. ⋯ Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a novel and noninvasive technique capable to identify several surrogate markers of vulnerable carotid plaques. The use of specific ultrasound microbubbles allows a reliable detection of microulcerations due to an optimized visualization of the plaque-lumen border. As microbubbles are strictly intravascular tracers, the detection of individual microbubbles within the plaque corresponds to intraplaque neovessels. The accuracy of CEUS in the visualization of newly formed microvessels has been confirmed in histological studies on carotid endarterectomy specimens. Together with the formation of adventitial vasa vasorum, intraplaque neovascularization is a strong predictor for symptomatic disease. The phenomenon of late phase contrast enhancement is based on the adherence of microbubble-containing monocytes on inflamed endothelium. Recent studies suggest that late phase contrast enhancement may reflect endothelial inflammation or activation within carotid plaques. The development of conjugated microbubbles that bind to specific ligands such as thrombotic material or neovessels has led to the term 'molecular imaging'. CEUS with microbubbles targeted to P-selectin and VCAM-1, key molecules in leukocyte trafficking, was used to detect an inflammatory plaque phenotype, whereas microbubbles coupled to the VEGF-receptor may allow for a detection of neovascularization. Even though imaging with targeted microbubbles is yet in an experimental stage, this technique can visualize active plaque reorganization with increased vulnerability leading to generation of arterio-arterial embolism. Key Messages: The use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be recommended to assess atherosclerotic carotid lesions at risk for rupture. Prospective clinical studies are needed to validate the use of CEUS in patients with high risks of recurrent large artery strokes. In particular, this applies to the detection of intraplaque neovascularization, a well-established marker in preclinical and observational studies, while the clinical significance of late phase contrast enhancement still needs to be determined..
-
Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2015
Cervical artery dissection in young adults in the stroke in young Fabry patients (sifap1) study.
Patients with carotid artery dissection (CAD) have been reported to have different vascular risk factor profiles and clinical outcomes to those with vertebral artery dissection (VAD). However, there are limited data from recent, large international studies comparing risk factors and clinical features in patients with cervical artery dissection (CeAD) with other TIA or ischemic stroke (IS) patients of similar age and sex. ⋯ We identified clinical features and risk factor profiles that are specific to young patients with CeAD, and to subgroups with either CAD or VAD compared to patients without CeAD. Therefore, our data support the concept that certain vascular risk factors differentially affect the risk of CAD and VAD.
-
Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2015
Multicenter Study Observational StudyThe RoPE Score and Right-to-Left Shunt Severity by Transcranial Doppler in the CODICIA Study.
For patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) and patent foramen ovale (PFO), it is unknown whether the magnitude of right-to-left shunt (RLSh) measured by contrast transcranial Doppler (c-TCD) is correlated with the likelihood an identified PFO is related to CS as determined by the Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score. Additionally, for patients with CS, it is unknown whether PFO assessment by c-TCD is more sensitive for identifying RLSh compared with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Our aim was to determine the significance of RLSh grade by c-TCD in patients with PFO and CS. ⋯ For patients with CS, severity of RLSh by c-TCD is positively correlated with the RoPE score, indicating that this technique for shunt grading identifies patients more likely to have pathogenic rather than incidental PFOs. c-TCD is also more sensitive in detecting RLSh than TEE. These findings suggest an important role for c-TCD in the evaluation of PFO in the setting of CS.
-
Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2015
ReviewPost stroke pain: identification, assessment, and therapy.
Pain is a common complication after stroke and is associated with the presence of depression, cognitive dysfunction, and impaired quality of life. It remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, despite evidence that effective treatment of pain may improve function and quality of life. ⋯ We provide an overview of the means for clinical assessment and risk factors for the development of post-stroke pain, then review the newest available literature regarding the commonest post-stroke pain syndromes, including central post-stroke pain, complex regional pain syndrome, musculoskeletal pain including shoulder subluxation, spasticity-related pain, and post-stroke headache, as well as the available epidemiology and current treatment options. Key Messages: In the best interests of optimizing quality of life and function after stroke, clinicians should be aware of pain as a common complication after stroke, identify those patients at highest risk, directly inquire as to the presence and characteristics of pain, and should be aware of the options for treatment for the various pain syndromes.
-
Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2015
Observational StudyIs Hypothermia Helpful in Severe Subarachnoid Hemorrhage? An Exploratory Study on Macro Vascular Spasm, Delayed Cerebral Infarction and Functional Outcome after Prolonged Hypothermia.
Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is an established treatment after cardiac arrest and growing evidence supports its use as neuroprotective treatment in stroke. Only few and heterogeneous studies exist on the effect of hypothermia in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A novel approach of early and prolonged TH and its influence on key complications in poor-grade SAH, vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) was evaluated. ⋯ Early and prolonged TH was associated with a reduced degree of macrovascular spasm and significantly decreased occurrence of DCI, possibly ameliorating functional outcome. TH may represent a promising neuroprotective therapy possibly targeting multiple pathways of DCI development, notably macrovascular spasm, which strongly warrants further evaluation of its clinical impact.