Fevers in a Patient with Valve Replacement

Author(s):  
Ji Y. Chong ◽  
Michael P. Lerario

Infective endocarditis can cause neurological complications, including stroke, hemorrhage, and mycotic aneurysms. Patients with endocarditis and neurological complications need vascular imaging to evaluate for aneurysm formation. Patients with acute ischemic stroke from septic emboli may not respond to conventional intravenous thrombolysis and have higher rates of hemorrhagic complications.

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Chang ◽  
Xiaojuan Wang ◽  
Yuchen Qiao ◽  
Jie Zhao ◽  
Haiqing Song

Background and objective: Rapid administration of intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is the standard treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). While hemorrhage represents as an important and unpredictable complication of thrombolytic treatment, few studies have specifically assessed the prevalence and predictors of bleeding complications among AIS patients in Asia. We assessed characteristics of hemorrhagic complications after intravenous thrombolysis in Chinese AIS patients. Methods: This single-academic-center study retrospectively evaluated 351 acute ischemic stroke patients who received rt-PA intravenously from April 2011 to April 2016. The occurrence and characteristics of any hemorrhagic complications, as well as their associated risk factors were recorded and summarized. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to analyze significant predictors of bleeding. Results: 134 (38.1%) patients experienced one hemorrhagic event in one or more locations The top seven common sites were gingiva (49.3%), skin (18.3%), urinary system (10.4%), digestive tract (7.5%), intra-cranial cavity (7.5%), mouth (4.4%) and nasal cavity (2.2%). All the gingival bleeding occurred during 1 to 24 hours after thrombolysis and was the first sign of bleeding. Intracranial hemorrhage (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) occurred in 16 patients, of whom 4 presented first with gingival bleeding. Multivariate analysis showed that high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score were independent risk factors for hemorrhage post thrombolysis (P<0.05). Conclusions: One out of three AIS patients in this study had a bleeding complication. The most common site of initial hemorrhage after intravenous thrombolysis was gingival, which frequently occurred as the initial bleeding site within 24 hours after thrombolysis. Consistent with literature, elevated SBP and higher NIHSS were the two key predictors of bleeding risk.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mangala Gopal ◽  
Sushil Lakhani ◽  
Vivien Lee

Introduction: Infective endocarditis (IE) is considered to be an absolute contraindication for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator treatment (IVtPA) in acute ischemic stroke. However during the hyperacute stroke evaluation, the exclusion of IE may be difficult. Methods: We reviewed consecutive patients hospitalized at our comprehensive stroke center from January 1, 2014 to March 31, 2019 with acute ischemic stroke who received IVtPA and identified patients who were diagnosed with infective endocarditis. Data was abstracted on demographics, medical history, clinical presentation, last known normal (LKN) time, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), neuroimaging, culture results, and 90 day modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Good functional outcome was defined as mRS ≤ 2. Results: Among 1022 acute ischemic stroke patients who received IVtPA, 5 patients (0.5%) were ultimately diagnosed with IE. Among the 5 patients with IE, the mean age was 53.4 years (range, 25-74) and 3 (60%) were female. The majority, 4 (80%) were white. Medical risk factors for IE were present in 3 (60%) and included intravenous drug use (1) and dialysis (2). Initial NIHSS was 4.6 (range, 1 to 8). Fever was present on initial presentation in only 1 patient (102.7 F). All patients met criteria for IVtPA and there were no protocol violations. The mean time from LKN to IVtPA was 3.0 hours (range, 1.9 to 4.4). Vascular imaging showed MCA occlusion in 4 (80%) and no occlusion in 1 (20%). One patient underwent endovascular thrombectomy with Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction scale 2A recanalization. Two patients (40%) developed hemorrhagic complications, including 1 patient who developed subarachnoid hemorrhage on Hospital Day #2 due to mycotic cerebral aneurysm. The blood culture results included MRSE (1), Streptococci viridans (2) and negative (2). TEE in all patients showed vegetations on the mitral valve. No patients had good functional outcome, and the mean 3 months mRS was 4.8 (range, 3 to 6). Conclusions: In a large series of acute ischemic stroke patients who received IVtPA, undiagnosed IE is rare (0.5%). Fever was not commonly present during initial evaluation. Despite affecting younger patients with initial mild deficits, patients with IE had poor functional outcomes.


Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 2917-2919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Asaithambi ◽  
Malik M. Adil ◽  
Adnan I. Qureshi

Background and Purpose— Cerebral ischemic events are highly prevalent and associated with high rates of death and disability in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). However, the role of thrombolysis in these patients remains unclear. We sought to determine the rates and outcomes of acute ischemic stroke patients with IE treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Methods— We determined the rates of post-thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage and favorable outcome among acute ischemic stroke patients with IE treated with IVT. Patients were identified using Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from 2002 to 2010. We compared the rates of various outcomes with ischemic stroke patients without IE treated with IVT. Results— There were 222 patients (mean age 59±18 years; 46% women) who were treated with IVT for acute ischemic stroke associated with IE and 134 048 patients (mean age 69±15 years; 49% women) who were treated for stroke without IE. The rate of post-thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage was significantly higher in patients with IE compared with those without IE (20% versus 6.5%; P =0.006). There was a significantly lower rate of favorable outcome in the IE group (10% versus 37%; P =0.01). Conclusions— High rates of post-thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage and low rates of favorable outcome mandate caution in using IVT in acute ischemic stroke patients with IE.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Anticoli ◽  
Maria Cristina Bravi ◽  
Giovanni Perillo ◽  
Antonio Siniscalchi ◽  
Claudio Pozzessere ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Chen ◽  
Fu-Liang Zhang ◽  
Shan Lv ◽  
Hang Jin ◽  
Yun Luo ◽  
...  

Objective:: Increased leukocyte count are positively associated with poor outcomes and all-cause mortality in coronary heart disease, cancer, and ischemic stroke. The role of leukocyte count in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains important. We aimed to investigate the association between admission leukocyte count before thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and 3-month outcomes in AIS patients. Methods:: This retrospective study included consecutive AIS patients who received intravenous (IV) rt-PA within 4.5 h of symptom onset between January 2016 and December 2018. We assessed outcomes including short-term hemorrhagic transformation (HT), 3-month mortality, and functional independence (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score of 0–2 or 0–1). Results:: Among 579 patients who received IV rt-PA, 77 (13.3%) exhibited HT at 24 h, 43 (7.4%) died within 3 months, and 211 (36.4%) exhibited functional independence (mRS score: 0–2). Multivariable logistic regression revealed admission leukocyte count as an independent predictor of good and excellent outcomes at 3 months. Each 1-point increase in admission leukocyte count increased the odds of poor outcomes at 3 months by 7.6% (mRS score: 3–6, odds ratio (OR): 1.076, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.003–1.154, p=0.041) and 7.8% (mRS score: 2–6, OR: 1.078, 95% CI: 1.006–1.154, p=0.033). Multivariable regression analysis revealed no association between HT and 3-month mortality. Admission neutrophil and lymphocyte count were not associated with 3-month functional outcomes or 3-month mortality. Conclusion:: Lower admission leukocyte count independently predicts good and excellent outcomes at 3 months in AIS patients undergoing rt-PA treatment.


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