Cerebrovascular diseases
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2013
Comparative Study Observational StudyMagnetic resonance imaging-based versus computed tomography-based thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke: comparison of safety and efficacy within a cohort study.
In acute ischemic stroke, brain imaging is mandatory in the decision whether to perform intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. The most widespread used imaging modality to exclude intracranial hemorrhage is plain computed tomography (CT). However, there is an ongoing debate whether the information provided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could improve the selection of patients for thrombolysis. We investigated whether the choice of imaging modality (MRI vs. CT) affects therapy safety and the patients' outcome. ⋯ Thrombolysis based on multimodal MRI is associated with reduced rates of SICH and early death. Our results suggest that these complications affect survival principally in the acute phase after thrombolysis. However, nonneurological and especially cardiac comorbidities also influence survival after stroke and are underrepresented in stroke patients undergoing MRI. Selection bias has to be considered.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2013
Gene expression profile of blood cells for the prediction of delayed cerebral ischemia after intracranial aneurysm rupture: a pilot study in humans.
Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a potentially devastating complication after intracranial aneurysm rupture and its mechanisms remain poorly elucidated. Early identification of the patients prone to developing DCI after rupture may represent a major breakthrough in its prevention and treatment. The single gene approach of DCI has demonstrated interest in humans. We hypothesized that whole genome expression profile of blood cells may be useful for better comprehension and prediction of aneurysmal DCI. ⋯ This pilot study suggests that blood cells may be a reservoir of prognostic biomarkers of DCI in patients with intracranial aneurysm rupture. Despite an evident lack of power, this study elicited neuroregulin 1, a vasoreactivity-, inflammation- and angiogenesis-related gene, as a possible candidate predictor of DCI. Larger cohort studies are needed but genome-wide microarray-based studies are promising research tools for the understanding of DCI after intracranial aneurysm rupture.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2013
Comparative StudyComparison of the European and Japanese guidelines for the acute management of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Different aspects of acute stroke management and strategies for stroke prevention derive from two viewpoints: specific traditional and historical backgrounds and evidence-based medicine from modern randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analysis and authorized clinical practice guidelines (GLs). Regarding intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), Cerebrovascular Diseases published the 2006 European stroke initiative recommendations for the management of ICH. In 2009, the revised Japanese GLs for the management of stroke, including that of ICH, appeared in Japanese. Whereas GLs for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke were presented in detail, recommendations with regard to ICH are relatively rare both in Japan and Europe. ⋯ This brief survey - when compared with the lengthy original recommendations - provides a stimulating basis for an extended interest among Japanese and European stroke clinicians to learn from their individual experiences and to strengthen efforts for joint cooperation in treating and preventing stroke all around the globe.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2013
Comparative StudyStroke in heart failure in sinus rhythm: the Warfarin versus Aspirin in Reduced Cardiac Ejection Fraction trial.
The Warfarin versus Aspirin in Reduced Cardiac Ejection Fraction trial found no difference between warfarin and aspirin in patients with low ejection fraction in sinus rhythm for the primary outcome: first to occur of 84 incident ischemic strokes (IIS), 7 intracerebral hemorrhages or 531 deaths. Prespecified secondary analysis showed a 48% hazard ratio reduction (p = 0.005) for warfarin in IIS. Cardioembolism is likely the main pathogenesis of stroke in heart failure. We examined the IIS benefit for warfarin in more detail in post hoc secondary analyses. ⋯ The observed benefits in the reduction of IIS for warfarin compared to aspirin are most significant for cardioembolic IIS among patients with low ejection fraction in sinus rhythm. This is supported by trends to lower frequencies of severe IIS and possible cardioembolic IIS in patients on warfarin compared to aspirin.
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Cerebrovascular diseases · Jan 2013
Derivation and validation of in-hospital mortality prediction models in ischaemic stroke patients using administrative data.
Stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases are a major cause of death and disability. Predicting in-hospital mortality in ischaemic stroke patients can help to identify high-risk patients and guide treatment approaches. Chart reviews provide important clinical information for mortality prediction, but are laborious and limiting in sample sizes. Administrative data allow for large-scale multi-institutional analyses but lack the necessary clinical information for outcome research. However, administrative claims data in Japan has seen the recent inclusion of patient consciousness and disability information, which may allow more accurate mortality prediction using administrative data alone. The aim of this study was to derive and validate models to predict in-hospital mortality in patients admitted for ischaemic stroke using administrative data. ⋯ In this study, we have derived and validated in-hospital mortality prediction models for three different time spans using a large population of ischaemic stroke patients in a multi-institutional analysis. The recent inclusion of JCS, Barthel Index, and mRS scores in Japanese administrative data has allowed the prediction of in-hospital mortality with accuracy comparable to that of chart review analyses. The models developed using administrative data had consistently high predictive abilities for all models in both the derivation and validation subgroups. These results have implications in the role of administrative data in future mortality prediction analyses.