Epicardial and Periaortic Fat Characteristics in Ischemic Stroke: Relationship with Stroke Etiology and Calcification burden

Background: An echocardiogram or transcranial Doppler (TCD) bubble study to test for a right-to-left shunt (RLS) is a standard component of an ischemic stroke workup. Because the pathway for an intracradiac RLS, such as a patent foramen ovale (PFO), is more direct, it has been proposed that the late appearance of a RLS suggests an extracardiac pathway. We sought to characterize a cohort of ischemic stroke patients with late RLS (LRLS) on TCD. Methods: We searched the medical record of a Comprehensive Stroke Center for patients with ischemic stroke who had a TCD and echocardiogram bubble study during 2011-2013. LRLS was defined as TCD bubbles appearing more than 18 cardiac cycles after contrast injection. TOAST stroke etiology classification was performed by a vascular neurologist blinded to TCD results. Results: 124 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 67/124 (54%) had RLS on TCD; and 32/67 (48%) had LRLS. In the 35/67 patients with normal RLS on TCD, 23% did not have RLS on echocardiography, consistent with prior reports of TCD’s superiority for detecting RLS. In the 32/67 patients with LRLS on TCD, 56% were negative for RLS by echocardiography. In the cohort of 124 patients, the percentage of TOAST classification 4 (stroke of other determined cause) was 26%, while in the 32 patients with LRLS the percentage of TOAST 4 was significantly higher at 52%(p=0.005) (Table 1). The increase in TOAST 4 in LRLS patients was created by an even distribution of decreases in the other TOAST categories. The most common TOAST 4 stroke etiology in LRLS patients was PFO with concurrent deep venous thrombosis. Conclusion: This preliminary data supports prior studies that have shown superiority of TCD over echocardiography for detection of RLS, and challenge the prevailing notion that extracardiac shunt, such as pulmonary AVM, is the most common cause of LRLS in ischemic stroke patients. This subgroup of patients warrants further research to clarify mechanisms of ischemic stroke in patients with RLS.

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Abstract 108: Additional Value of Intracranial Vessel Wall Imaging to Determine the Etiology of Ischemic Stroke

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.48.suppl_1.108 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Joanna D Schaafsma ◽

David J Mikulis ◽

Jonathan Coutinho ◽

Cheryl S Jaigobin ◽

Daniel M Mandell

Keyword(s):

Differential Diagnosis ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Vessel Wall ◽

Stroke Work ◽

Standard Work ◽

Additional Information ◽

Stroke Etiology ◽

Additional Value ◽

Work Up ◽

Wall Imaging

Objective: High-resolution MR-imaging of the intracranial arterial wall is a promising technique for diagnosis of intracranial arteriopathies in patients with ischemic stroke. We aimed to evaluate the additional value of vessel wall imaging (VWI) to the standard work-up of ischemic stroke patients. Methods: We selected all patients with ischemic stroke who had intracranial VWI at our institute to evaluate possible intracranial arteriopathy, such as atherosclerosis, dissection, vasculitis, or reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Two observers, who were blinded to the VWI, first determined the most likely stroke etiology based on the standard work-up (clinical history, brain parenchyma imaging, vessel lumen imaging, laboratory results, and cardiac work-up). Then VWI was reviewed to assess whether this would change the suspected stroke etiology or whether the differential diagnosis could be narrowed down. Results: Between 2006 and 2014, 199 patients with ischemic stroke, mean age 55 (IQ-range: 44-67) had VWI. VWI provided additional information to the standard stroke work-up in 128 patients (64%). In 38/199 patients (19%) the conclusion on stroke etiology was altered based on VWI and in 90/199 patients (45%) the differential diagnosis was further narrowed after VWI. VWI did not have additional value when the most likely stroke etiology based on the standard work-up remained the same (50/199 patients; 25%), when the differential diagnosis could not be narrowed down (16/199; 8%), or in case of poor image quality (5/199 patients; 3%). Patients under the age of 46 benefited more often from VWI than older adults (Odds Ratio 3.5; 95%CI: 1.7-7.6). Conclusion: VWI provided additional information to the conventional stroke work-up in almost two-thirds of patients suspected to have intracranial arteriopathy. Next step is to determine how frequently this additional information resulted in altered therapy.

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Abstract TMP57: The Influence of Telomere Length on Ischemic Stroke Risk and Phenotype

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.51.suppl_1.tmp57 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Ezgi Yetim ◽

Mehmet A Topcuoglu ◽

Nuket Yurur Kutlay ◽

Ajlan Tukun ◽

Kader K Oguz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Significant Relationship ◽

Stroke Risk ◽

Prior History ◽

Lesion Volume ◽

Nihss Score ◽

Stroke Etiology ◽

Age Related

Background: Telomeres are specific nucleotide repeats that play a central role in control of DNA damage related to cell division and aging. The degree of telomere shortening that occurs as part of aging is associated with age-related non-cancer diseases like hypertension, diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease. Although a number of studies have highlighted that a similar relationship might exist with ischemic stroke, contradictory reports are also present in the literature. In this study we investigated the association between telomere length and ischemic stroke, not only in terms of stroke risk in general, but also from the perspective of stroke etiology and severity. Methods: In a Caucasian cohort, telomere length was determined by Southern blot from peripheral blood leukocytes in 163 consecutive ischemic stroke patients, and 210 controls without any prior history of ischemic stroke. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the contribution of telomere length to stroke risk, stroke etiology, admission NIHSS score and DWI lesion volume. Results: The median (interquartile range) telomere length was 7.0 (5.5-9.0) kb in the overall population. Expectedly, telomere length was negatively correlated with aging (r=-0.23; p<0.001). A short telomere length (i.e. lowest quartile; ≤5.5 kb) was significantly associated with ischemic stroke (OR 3.0, 95%CI 1.8-5.1) when adjusted for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors. This significant relationship persisted for all stroke etiologies, except for other rare causes of stroke. There was no significant relationship between admission lesion volume and telomere length; however, patients with short telomeres presented with more severe strokes (NIHSS score ≥16) when adjusted for age, risk factors, stroke etiology and infarct volume (OR 7.0; 95%CI 1.7-28.7). Conclusion: Almost all etiologic subtypes of ischemic stroke are related to shortened telomere length, irrespective of the age of the subject. Furthermore, presence of short telomeres negatively influences the tolerance of brain to ischemia, thereby causing more severe clinical phenotypes in these patients in the setting of ischemic stroke.

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Abstract TP30: Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Etiology and Trends of Readmissions in a National Population-based Cohort Study (2010-2014)

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.50.suppl_1.tp30 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Chirag Savani ◽

Varun Kumar ◽

Xiyan Yi ◽

Tejinder Singh ◽

Ambarish Pathak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Mechanical Thrombectomy ◽

Population Based ◽

National Population ◽

Stroke Etiology

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Association between acute ischemic stroke etiology and macroscopic aspect of retrieved clots: is a clot’s color a warning light for underlying pathologies?

Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery ◽

10.1136/neurintsurg-2019-014905 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1197-1200 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alessandro Sgreccia ◽

Zoé Duchmann ◽

Jean Philippe Desilles ◽

Bertrand Lapergue ◽

Julien Labreuche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Infective Endocarditis ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Mechanical Thrombectomy ◽

Case Reports ◽

Patient Characteristics ◽

Study Groups ◽

Double Blind ◽

Stroke Etiology

BackgroundFew case reports have considered the chromatic aspect of retrieved clots and the possible association with their underlying etiology.ObjectiveThe aim of our study was to analyze the frequency of the TOAST ischemic stroke typical (atrial fibrillation, dissection, atheroma) and atypical (infective endocarditis, cancer-related, valve-related thrombi) etiologies depending on the chromatic aspect of retrieved clots.MethodsA total of 255 anonymized and standardized clot photos of consecutive patients treated by mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke were included. A double-blind evaluation was performed by two senior interventional neuroradiologists, who classified the visual aspects of the clots into two main patterns: red/black or white. Main patient characteristics, distribution of underlying stroke etiologies, and outcomes were compared between the two study groups.ResultsThe inter-reader agreement for clot colors was excellent (k=0.78). Two hundred and thirty-three patients were classified as having red/black clots and 22 as having white clots. A statistically significant association (p=0.001) between atypical etiologies and white clots was observed.ConclusionsWhite clots were significantly associated with atypical etiologies in this cohort,in particular, with infectious endocarditis.

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Clot composition of embolic strokes of undetermined source: a feasibility study

BMC Neurology ◽

10.1186/s12883-020-01969-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Amre Nouh ◽

Tapan Mehta ◽

Mohamed Hussain ◽

Xianyuan Song ◽

Martin Ollenschleger

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Mechanical Thrombectomy ◽

National Institutes Of Health ◽

Carotid Dissection ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Stroke Etiology ◽

The Mean ◽

Undetermined Etiology ◽

A Prospective Study

Abstract Background A number of emerging studies have evaluated clot composition in acute ischemic stroke. Studies of clot composition of embolic strokes of undetermined strokes are lacking. Objectives We sought to analyze the RBC to platelet ratios in clots and correlated our findings with stroke etiology. Methods This was a prospective study analyzing clots retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients at our institution. All clots were stained and scanned at 200x magnification by using a Scanscope XT digital scanner (Apergio, Vista, California). Image-J software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland) was used for semi quantitative analysis of percentage RBC’s and platelets. Unpaired t-test was used to compare means of RBC to Platelet ratios. Correlation of RBC to Platelet ratios with stroke etiology was performed. Results A total of 33 clots from 33 patients were analyzed. Stroke etiology was undetermined in 6 patients, cardioembolic in 14, large vessel atherosclerosis (LVA) in 9, and carotid dissection in 4. The mean RBC to platelet ratio was 0.78:1 (+/− 0.65) in cardioembolic clots, 1.73:1 (+/− 2.38) in LVA and 1.4:1(+/− 0.70) in carotid dissections. Although patients with undetermined etiology had a similar clot composition to cardioembolic stroke (0.36:1+/− 0.33), (p = 0.19), it differed significantly from LVA and dissections respectively (p = 0.037, p = 0.01). Conclusion In our study, a low RBC to Platelet ratio was found among patients with embolic strokes of undetermined source, however shared similar characteristics with cardioembolic thrombi. Ongoing collection and analysis is needed to confirm these findings and its significance in evaluating stroke etiology.

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Comparison of conventional and modern methods in determining ischemic stroke etiology by general and stroke neurologists

TURKISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES ◽

10.3906/sag-1806-29 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

REFİK KUNT ◽

MUSTAFA KÜRŞAD KUTLUK ◽

BEDİLE İREM TİFTİKÇİOĞLU ◽

NAZİRE EFSER YEŞİM AFŞAR FAK ◽

ALİ KEMAL ERDEMOĞLU ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Q Value ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Stroke Treatment ◽

Subtype Assignment ◽

Stroke Etiology ◽

Medical Centers ◽

Modern Methods

Background/aim: To investigate the consistency between stroke and general neurologists in subtype assignment using Trial of ORG-10172 using Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) and Causative Classification of Stroke (CCS) systems. Materials and methods: Fifty consecutive, acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to Stroke Unit were recruited. Patients were classified two stroke and two general neurologists, each from different medical centers, according to TOAST followed by CCS. Each neurologist was assessed for consistency and compliance in pairs. Concordance among all four neurologists was investigated and evaluated using Kappa(ĸ)-value. Results: Kappa(ĸ)-value of diagnostic compliance between stroke neurologists was 0.61 (95%CI 0.45-0.77) for TOAST and 0.78 (95%CI 0.62-0.94) for CSS-5. Kappa(ĸ)-value was 0.64 (95%CI 0.48–0.80) for TOAST and 0.75 (95%CI 0.60–0.91) for CCS-5 for general neurologists. Compliance was moderate [ĸ:0.59 (95%CI 0.52–0.65)] in TOAST and was strong [ĸ:0.75 (95%CI 0.68–0.81)] in CCS-5 for all 4 neurologists. ‘Cardioembolism’(91.04%) has reached the highest compliance in both systems. The frequency of group with ‘undetermined etiologies’ was less in CCS (26%) compared to TOAST. Conclusions: The CCS system improved the compliance in both stroke and general neurologists compared with TOAST. These suggest that automatic, evidence-based, easily reproducible CCS system was superior to TOAST system. Keywords: TOAST, CCS, Ischemic stroke, Etiology

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Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Predictors of Disability in a Cohort of Jordanian Patients with the First Ischemic Stroke

Stroke Research and Treatment ◽

10.1155/2020/1920583 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Majdi Al Qawasmeh ◽

Belal Aldabbour ◽

Aiman Momani ◽

Deema Obiedat ◽

Kefah Alhayek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Large Artery ◽

Median Length ◽

Nihss Score ◽

Prolonged Length ◽

Independent Variables ◽

Stroke Etiology ◽

The Mean

Objective. To identify the risk factors, etiologies, length of stay, severity, and predictors of disability among patients with the first ischemic stroke in Jordan. Methods. A retrospective cohort study of 142 patients who were admitted to the Neurology Department at King Abdullah University Hospital between July/2017 and March/2018 with a first ischemic stroke. Etiology was classified according to the TOAST criteria. Severity was represented by NIHSS score, disability by mRS score, and prolonged length of stay as hospitalizations more than 75th percentile of the cohort’s median length of stay. Analysis of the sample demographics and descriptive statistics were done, including frequencies of prevalence of independent variables (risk factors) and frequencies of stroke and etiology work-up. Chi-square and univariate analysis of variance “ANOVA” were used to investigate the relationship between risk factors and type of stroke. Finally, logistic regression analysis was used to measure the contribution of each of the independent variables. IRB approval was obtained as necessary. Results. The mean age for the cohort was 66.5 years. The most common risk factors were hypertension (78.8%), diabetes mellitus (60.5%), and ischemic heart disease (29.4%). The most common stroke etiology was small-vessel occlusion (54.2%). Median length of stay was 4 days. Prolonged length of stay was observed in 23.23% of patients, which was associated with several factors, the most common of which were persistent dysphagia (57.5%), nosocomial infection (39.3%), and combined dysphagia and nosocomial infection (21.2%). The mean admission NIHSS score was 7.94, and on discharge was 5.76. In-hospital mortality was 2.81%, while 50% of patients had a favorable outcome on discharge (mRS score between 0-2). The mean discharge mRS score for the cohort was 2.47 (SD±1.79). Large artery atherosclerosis was associated with the highest residual disability with a mean score of 3.67 (SD±1.88), while the stroke of undetermined etiology was associated with the lowest residual disability with a mean score of 1.60 (SD±1.78). Significant predictors of mRS score were smoking (t 3.24, P<0.001), age (t 1.98, P<0.049), and NIHSS score (t 9.979, P 0.000). Conclusion. Ischemic strokes have different etiologies that are associated with different levels of impact on the patient’s clinical status and prognosis. Large artery atherosclerosis was associated with the highest residual disability. Regarding predictors of prognosis, current smoking status, age above 50, gender, and NIHSS on admission appear to be the strongest predictors of prognosis. Finally, higher NIHSS score on admission resulted in a longer hospital stay.

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