scholarly journals Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous rtPA in Ischemic Strokes Due to Small-Vessel Occlusion: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Author(s):  
Bartosz Karaszewski ◽  
Adam Wyszomirski ◽  
Bartosz Jabłoński ◽  
David J. Werring ◽  
Dominika Tomaka

AbstractIntravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (iv-rtPA) has been routinely used to treat ischemic stroke for 25 years, following large clinical trials. However, there are few prospective studies on the efficacy and safety of this therapy in strokes attributed to cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). We evaluated functional outcome (modified Rankin scale, mRS) and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) using all available data on the effects of iv-rtPA in SVD-related ischemic stroke (defined either using neuroimaging, clinical features, or both). Using fixed-effect and random-effects models, we calculated the pooled effect estimates with regard to excellent and favorable outcomes (mRS=0–1 and 0–2 respectively, at 3 months), and the rate of sICH. Twenty-three studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria, 11 of which were comparative, and there were only 3 randomized clinical trials. In adjusted analyses, there was an increased odds of excellent outcome (adjusted OR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.29–1.82, I2: 0%) or favorable outcome (adjusted OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.31–2.15,I2: 0%) in patients who received iv-rtPA compared with placebo. Across the six studies which reported it, the incidence of sICH was higher in the treatment group (M-H RR = 8.83, 95% CI: 2.76–28.27). The pooled rate of sICH in patients with SVD administered iv-rtPA was only 0.72% (95% CI: 0.12%–1.64%). We conclude that when ischemic stroke attributed to SVD is considered separately, available data on the effects of iv-rtPA therapy are insufficient for the highest level of recommendation, but it seems to be safe. Although further therapeutic trials in SVD-related ischemic stroke appear to be justified, our findings should not prevent its continued use for this group of patients in clinical practice.

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Bu ◽  
Mohamed Salah Khlif ◽  
Robin Lemmens ◽  
Anke Wouters ◽  
Jochen B. Fiebach ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: Functional outcome after stroke may be related to preexisting brain health. Several imaging markers of brain frailty have been described including brain atrophy and markers of small vessel disease. We investigated the association of these imaging markers with functional outcome after acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We retrospectively studied patients with acute ischemic stroke enrolled in the AXIS-2 trial (AX200 in Ischemic Stroke Trial), a randomized controlled clinical trial of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor versus placebo. We assessed the ratio of brain parenchymal volume to total intracerebral volumes (ie, the brain parenchymal fraction) and total brain volumes from routine baseline magnetic resonance imaging data obtained within 9 hours of symptom onset using the unified segmentation algorithm in SPM12. Enlarged perivascular spaces, white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, as well as a small vessel disease burden, were rated visually. Functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score) at day 90 were determined. Logistic regression was used to test associations between brain imaging features and functional outcomes. Results: We enrolled 259 patients with a mean age of 69±12 years and 46 % were female. Increased brain parenchymal fraction was associated with higher odds of excellent outcome (odds ratio per percent increase, 1.078 [95% CI, 1.008–1.153]). Total brain volumes and small vessel disease burden were not associated with functional outcome. An interaction between brain parenchymal fraction and large vessel occlusion on excellent outcome was not observed. Conclusions: Global brain health, as assessed by brain parenchymal fraction on magnetic resonance imaging, is associated with excellent functional outcome after ischemic stroke. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00927836.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
VIJAYA PAMIDIMUKKALA ◽  
RANJITH K ◽  
SRINIVASA RAO N ◽  
LAKSHMI PRASANNA K ◽  
SOMA SUNDARAM A ◽  
...  

Introduction: Intravenous Thrombolysis is approved upto 4½ hrs and Endovascular Therapy upto 24 hrs in eligible Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) patients with Large Vessel Occlusion. There are still substantial number of AIS patients where there is no effective treatment available. In this Study we aim to test the safety and Efficacy of the reversible gp IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor antagonist Tirofiban in AIS beyond 4 ½ hrs and within 24 hrs. Methodology: Among a total of 750 AIS patients admitted in our Stroke Unit, from July 2019 to March 2020, 100 Consecutive patients were included in this study and received Intravenous tirofiban as an initial bolus followed by infusion. Inclusion criteria were Age 18-80yrs, Window Period 4 ½ to 24 hrs. National Institute of health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) between 5-20, No contraindication for lytic drugs. CT Brain excluding Hemorrhage or > 1/3 rd infarct. Cardioembolic strokes were excluded. Efficacy Assessments: NIHSS and modified Rankin scale (mRS) performed at baseline, within 48hrs, Day-7 and Day-90. The good outcome was defined as mRS 0-1 at 3 months. The safety outcomes were assessed by the incidence of Symptomatic Intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH), Systemic Bleeding and any mortality. Results: There were 74 males, 26 females with median Age of 56 yrs (range from 18 to 80yrs). The Median NIHSS is 10 (range from 5-20), Majority (87%) had anterior circulation strokes and 13% were in Posterior circulation. One patient (1%) developed symptomatic parenchymal Hemorrhage, 4 patients (4%) had mild haemorrhagic transformation within infarct, 8 patients (8%) had nonfatal systemic bleed in the form of Hematuria. Total Mortality - 2 patients (2%), one patient died in the hospital due to cardiac arrest and another patient died at home after discharge. At 3 months, 62 patients (62%) had good outcome (mRS 0-1) and 33 patients (33%) had favourable outcome (mRS 2-3). Conclusion: In this Observational Study we found that Intravenous Tirofiban is not only safe, but effective in AIS patients with extended window period. However, Randomized Clinical Trials are needed to further clarify our observation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-106
Author(s):  
Matheus Gomes Ferreira ◽  
Valeria Cristina Scavasine ◽  
Giovanni Luís Breda ◽  
Bernardo Montesanti Machado de Almeida ◽  
Viviane de Hiroki Flumignan Zétola ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background: Syphilis is an endemic disease, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, with vascular involvement in large vessels (aortitis), but no clear relationship with stroke patients, except for those who presented with meningovascular neurosyphilis. Objective: To investigate the relationship between a positive history of syphilis determined by serological testing and ischemic stroke etiology, particularly small vessel disease (SVD). Methods: In total, 269 first-ever ischemic stroke patients admitted to the stroke unit were tested for syphilis. Patients with neurosyphilis were excluded. All patients were classified according to the ASCOD phenotyping as SVD — when SVD was the potential causal mechanism (S1) — or non-SVD — when SVD was uncertain (S2), unlike (S3), or not detected (S0). Results: Syphilis was positive in 32 (12%) patients. When comparing patients with positive and negative serology, the only significant difference was SVD as the causal mechanism (S1) in patients with positive results: 9 (28%) vs. 22 (9%), p<0.01. Conclusion: The current study showed that the frequency of positive syphilis serological test was higher in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke and SVD as the potential causal mechanism. This finding could be related to the endothelial dysfunction occurring in syphilis.


BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Fu ◽  
Yun Chen ◽  
Ping Li

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out in Wuhan in 2019, has become the global health crisis of our time. Elderly patients with certain fundamental diseases are more likely to develop severe cases. The secondary lesion following viral infection have only rarely been reported. Case presentation We here report two cases of coronavirus-infected pneumonia with acute ischemic stroke in middle-aged patients. In both COVID-19 cases, neurological physical examinations showed normal results before infection. Lymphocytopenia, accompanied by elevated cytokines and D-dimers, were found from serum clinical laboratory examination at admission. Dysarthria and limb muscle weakness are initial manifestations, occurring one week after infect-causative pathogen, SARS-CoV-2. The head CT and head/neck arterial CTA showed small-vessel occlusion. The patients were diagnosed with coronavirus diseases with secondary acute ischemic stroke. They were treated with tirofiban and followed up with daily aspirin and atorvastatin. Conclusions These cases suggested that secondary ischemic stroke, mainly manifested as small-vessel occlusion, should be considered for COVID-19 patients and diagnosed and treated promptly.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Destiny Hooper ◽  
Tariq Nisar ◽  
Meryim Poursheykhi ◽  
Andy Lin ◽  
C. David McCane ◽  
...  

Objective: Recent studies have shown the benefit of revascularization in select patients with extended window large vessel occlusion (EWLVO). We sought to assess the effect of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden on eligibility for intervention with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) and functional outcomes in patients with EWLVO. Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study of 135 patients with anterior circulation LVO who presented in the extended time window, 6 to 24 hours from LKW, between August 2018 and March 2020. All patients underwent perfusion imaging at initial presentation and those with target ischemic core to penumbra mismatch profiles, as defined by DAWN/DEFUSE3 criteria, were treated with MT. Included patients were evaluated for CSVD burden using T2-FLAIR MRI. The Fazekas scale (0-3) was used to quantify the amount of white matter T2 hyperintense lesions in both the periventricular (PVWM) and deep white matter (DWM). Patients’ functional outcomes were assessed at 90 days using the mRS. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression models were used and adjusted for age, gender, thrombus location and LKW to perfusion imaging time. Patient information was collected from the Houston Methodist Hospital Outcomes Based Prospective Endpoints in Stroke (HOPES) registry. Results: Of the 135 patients, 111 met imaging inclusion criteria for revascularization with MT for EWLVO. MT was deferred in 44 of these patients due to other clinical exclusions or patient refusal. Patients ineligible for MT were approximately 13 times more likely to have a higher PVWM Fazekas grade (OR =13.53, 95% CI. [2.94 - 62.39], p=0.001) and 17 times more likely to have a higher DWM Fazekas grade (OR =17.54, 95% CI. [4.20 - 73.17], p<0.001), when compared to patients who were eligible for MT. Patients who did not meet criteria for MT were nearly 7 times more likely to have poor functional outcomes at 90 days (OR =6.85, 95% CI. [2.09 - 22.44], p=0.001). Conclusion: Based on our analytical cohort of EWLVO patients, those with severe CSVD burden were more likely to be excluded from MT and had worse functional outcomes. Poor cerebrovascular reserve and diminished collateral flow leading to rapid infarct progression in patients with greater CSVD burden may be a potential explanation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document