Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Oct 2013
Hippocampal magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in cardiac arrest are associated with poor outcome.
The role of neuroimaging in assessing prognosis in comatose cardiac survivors appears promising, but little is known regarding the import of particular spatial patterns. We report a specific spatial imaging abnormality on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that portends a poor prognosis: bilateral hippocampal hyperintensities on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences. ⋯ Bilateral hippocampal hyperintensities on MRI may be a specific imaging finding that is indicative of poor prognosis in patients who suffer global hypoxic-ischemic injury. More research on the prognostic significance of this and similar neuroimaging patterns is indicated.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Oct 2013
Troponin elevation predicts atrial fibrillation in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of ischemic stroke. Cardiac troponin (cTnI) is a marker of myocardial damage and may predict arrhythmia. We sought to determine if increased cTnI levels were a predictor of new-onset AF in ischemic stroke or patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA). ⋯ cTnI elevation predicts new-onset AF on 24-hour Holter measurement in patients with acute ischemic stroke or TIA and may indicate a poorer prognosis and a higher risk of stroke, MI, and death at 3 months.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Oct 2013
Safety and effectiveness of endovascular treatment after 6 hours of symptom onset in patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke: a matched case control study.
Endovascular treatment within 6 hours of symptom onset appears to be beneficial in carefully selected patients with ischemic stroke. It is unclear whether endovascular treatment beyond 6 hours of symptom onset is safe and efficacious. ⋯ We did not observe any evidence of benefit in halting neurologic worsening or improving outcomes among patients undergoing endovascular treatment for treatment of an anterior circulation ischemic stroke after 6 hours of symptom onset. Strong evidence of both the safety and efficacy of emergent endovascular treatment when administered to patients with stroke in the anterior circulation is needed.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Oct 2013
Comparative StudyAccuracy of computed tomographic angiography compared to digital subtraction angiography in the diagnosis of intracranial stenosis and its impact on clinical decision-making.
Few studies to date have examined the accuracy of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) compared to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in diagnosing intracranial stenosis. The purpose of this study was to compare CTA to DSA in diagnosing intracranial stenosis and to explore the impact of the addition of DSA on the management of stroke patients. ⋯ CTA has a high sensitivity and specificity compared to DSA to diagnose intracranial stenosis. The addition of DSA to CTA may not affect clinical management in most patients with suspected stenosis.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Oct 2013
Death and rehospitalization after transient ischemic attack or acute ischemic stroke: one-year outcomes from the adherence evaluation of acute ischemic stroke-longitudinal registry.
Longitudinal data directly comparing the rates of death and rehospitalization of patients discharged after transient ischemic attack (TIA) versus acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are lacking. ⋯ Patients with TIA have similar or worse 12-month postdischarge risk of death or rehospitalization as compared with those with AIS. Outcomes after TIA and AIS might be improved with better adherence to secondary preventive guidelines.