Abstract TP255: The Emergency Department Dysphagia Screen is Associated With Lower Rates of Pneumonia in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Stroke ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon W Schrock ◽  
Linda Lou

Introduction: Dysphagia is a common problem in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients predisposing them to pneumonia and leading to worse outcomes. The Joint Commission mandated that dysphagia screening be performed at hospital presentation which for most patients with AIS, is the Emergency Department (ED). No evidence exists to demonstrate if the use of an ED dysphagia screen is associated with lower rates of pneumonia. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that the use of our ED dysphagia screen would not be associated with lower rates of pneumonia in AIS patients. Methods: We performed a pre-post cohort study evaluating the rates of pneumonia in AIS patients presenting to our ED. Our pre group were AIS patients presenting from 2005-2009 and our post group from 2011-2015. The presence of pneumonia was pre-defined as new pulmonary infiltrate treated with antibiotics. We collected demographic and clinical data including rates of dysphagia and stroke severity. Data are presented as frequencies and medians with interquartile ranges (IQR) where appropriate. Rates of pneumonia were compared using the t-test. Results: We evaluated 419 pre screen and 1022 post screen AIS patients. Both groups were 50% female. The use of thombolytics in the pre group was 10% and post group was 11%. The median ages and ED NIHSS scores for the pre and post population were 63 years (IQR 53-73), 6 (IQR 3-10) and 64 years (IQR 56-76), 4 (IQR 2-8). Rates of dysphagia during hospitalization were 20% and 31% for the pre-post groups respectively. Rates of pneumonia for the pre-post groups were 13.8% and 8.0% respectively which was significantly different P=0.0007. Conclusion: The use of an ED dysphagia screen is associated with a lower rate of pneumonia in AIS patients. This study was not designed to prove causation so other factors also may have influenced the lower rate of pneumonia including possibly slightly less severe strokes. The rates of diagnosed dysphagia were higher in the post group suggesting ED screening may heighten awareness resulting in increased diagnoses of dysphagia. Given the rates of dysphagia and pneumonia early screening of AIS patients in the ED seems prudent.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-321
Author(s):  
Jiaying Zhu ◽  
Mengmeng Ma ◽  
Jinghuan Fang ◽  
Jiajia Bao ◽  
Shuju Dong ◽  
...  

Background: Statin therapy has been shown to be effective in the prevention of ischemic stroke. In addition, recent studies have suggested that prior statin therapy could lower the initial stroke severity and improve stroke functional outcomes in the event of stroke. It was speculated that prestroke statin use may enhance collateral circulation and result in favorable functional outcomes. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the association of prestroke statin use with leptomeningeal collaterals and to determine the association of prestroke statin use with stroke severity and functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods: We prospectively and consecutively enrolled 239 acute ischemic stroke patients with acute infarction due to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery within 24 h in the neurology department of West China Hospital from May 2011 to April 2017. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) imaging was performed for all patients to detect middle cerebral artery thrombus; regional leptomeningeal collateral score (rLMCS) was used to assess the degree of collateral circulation; the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to measure stroke severity at admission; the modified Rankin scale (mRS) was used to measure outcome at 90 days; and premorbid medications were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Overall, 239 patients met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-four patients used statins, and 185 did not use statins before stroke onset. Prestroke statin use was independently associated with good collateral circulation (rLMCS > 10) (odds ratio [OR], 4.786; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.195–19.171; P = 0.027). Prestroke statin use was not independently associated with lower stroke severity (NIHSS score≤14) (OR, 1.955; 95% CI, 0.657–5.816; p = 0.228), but prestroke statin use was independently associated with favorable outcome (mRS score≤2) (OR, 3.868; 95% CI, 1.325–11.289; P = 0.013). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that prestroke statin use was associated with good leptomeningeal collaterals and clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients presenting with occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. However, clinical studies should be conducted to verify this claim.


Cureus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad F Khan ◽  
Ibrahim Shamael ◽  
Qamar Zaman ◽  
Asad Mahmood ◽  
Maimoona Siddiqui

Stroke ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Korya ◽  
Mohammad Moussavi ◽  
Siddhart Mehta ◽  
Jaskiran Brar ◽  
Harina Chahal ◽  
...  

Introduction: The list of contraindications for IV tPA in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is often too long and may lead to physicians opting to offer no treatment for certain strokes. An alternative treatment is proposed in cases where IV tPA is not an option due to time-window restrictions or contraindications. We compared the stroke severity, outcomes and safety of IV eptifibatide when compared with IV tPA. Methods: Patients who presented to a community based university affiliated comprehensive stroke center from 2012-15 with AIS over a two-year period were included in the study. Those who qualified for IV tPA, and were treated, were compared with patients who only received IV eptifibatide. The initial NIH Stroke Score (NIHSS), 24-hour NIHSS, discharge NIHSS (DCNIHSS), discharge mRS (DCmRS) and symptomatic ICH rates were compared with a paired samples t-test to determine significance of difference between the means. SPSS Version 22 was used for all data analysis. Results: A total of 864 patients presented with AIS in the evaluated time period and of those 166 met study criteria. There were 119 patients who received IV tPA alone (group A) and 47 patients received eptifibatide (group B). The mean initial NIHSS, 24-NIHSS, DCNIHSS, DCmRS and percent bleeding complications for group A were: 11.2, 10.8, 8.6, 3.1 and 6%. For group B the figures were: 6.7, 4.8, 4.3, 1.7 and 0%, respectively. Group A was compared with group B in a paired samples T-test and yielded -4.3, -6.2, -6, -1.5 (p=.0001 to .04) for initial, 24-hour, discharge NIHSS and discharge mRS, respectively. The difference between initial and discharge NIHSS between the two groups was -2.7 (p=.009), favoring IV tPA. Conclusion: In patients who are either outside the time-window or with contraindications to IV tPA, eptifibatide may be a safe alternative and appears to be efficacious. None of the patients who were started on eptifibatide had bleeding complications and they had a statistically significant improvement in their level of disability and stroke severity at discharge. A limitation of this study is that patients in group A had significantly worse initial NIHSS compared with group B. To better evaluate the efficacy of eptifibatide, a larger, prospective study should be initiated.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolle W Davis ◽  
Meghan Bailey ◽  
Natalie Buchwald ◽  
Amreen Farooqui ◽  
Anna Khanna

Background/Objective: There is growing importance on discovering factors that delay time to intervention for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, as rapid intervention remains essential for better patient outcomes. The management of these patients involves a multidisciplinary effort and quality improvement initiatives to safely increase treatment with intravenous thrombolytic (IV tPa). The objective of this pilot is to evaluate factors of acute stroke care in the emergency department (ED) and the impact they have on IV tPa administration. Methods: A sample of 89 acute ischemic stroke patients that received IV tPa from a single academic medical institution was selected for retrospective analysis. System characteristics (presence of a stroke nurse and time of day) and patient characteristics (mode of arrival and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) on arrival) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression to address the study question. Results: The mean door to needle time is 53.74 minutes ( + 38.06) with 74.2% of patients arriving to the ED via emergency medical services (EMS) and 25.8% having a stroke nurse present during IV tPa administration. Mode of arrival ( p = .001) and having a stroke nurse present ( p = .022) are significant predictors of door to needle time in the emergency department (ED). Conclusion: While many factors can influence door to needle times in the ED, we did not find NIHSS on arrival or time of day to be significant factors. Patients arriving to the ED by personal vehicle will have a significant delay in IV tPa administration, therefore emphasizing the importance of using EMS. Perhaps more importantly, collaborative efforts including the addition of a specialized stroke nurse significantly decreased time to IV tPa administration for AIS patients. With this dedicated role, accelerated triage and more effective management of AIS patients is accomplished, leading to decreased intervention times and potentially improving patient outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Cinar ◽  
M.I Hayiroglu ◽  
V Cicek ◽  
S Asal ◽  
M.M Atmaca ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction The present study aimed to determine independent predictors of left atrial thrombus (LAT) in acute ischemic stroke patients without atrial fibrillation (AF) using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Material and methods In this single center, retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 149 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients. All of the patients underwent TEE examination to detect LAT within 10 days following admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess independent predictors of LAT. Results Among all cases, 14 patients (9.3%) had a diagnosis of LAT on TEE examination. In a multivariate analysis; a previous diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident, elevated mean platelet volume (MPV), low left ventricle ejection fraction (EF) and a reduced left atrium appendix (LAA) peak emptying velocity were independent predictors of LAT. The area of MPV under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.57–0.83; p=0.011). With the optimal cut-off value of 9.45, MPV had a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 63% to predict LAT. Conclusion Patients with low ventricle EF and elevated MPV should undergo further TEE examination for the possibility of cardio-embolic source. In addition, this research may provide novel information with respect to the applicability of MPV to predict LAT in acute ischemic stroke patients without AF. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
pp. 156-159
Author(s):  
Bindu Menon ◽  
Krishnan Ramalingam ◽  
Rajeev Kumar

Abstract Background The role of oxidative stress in neuronal injury due to ischemic stroke has been an interesting topic in stroke research. Malondialdehyde (MDA) has emerged as a sensitive oxidative stress biomarker owing to its ability to react with the lipid membranes. Total antioxidant power (TAP) is another biomarker to estimate the total oxidative stress in stroke patients. We aimed to determine the oxidative stress in acute stroke patients by measuring MDA and TAP. Materials and Methods MDA and TAP were determined in 100 patients with ischemic stroke and compared with that in 100 age- and sex-matched healthy adults. Demographic data, stroke severity measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and disability measured by the Barthel index (BI) were recorded. The association of MDA and TAP with other variables was analyzed by paired t-test. Results Of the whole sample, 74% represented males. The mean NIHSS score was 13.11 and BI was 38.87. MDA was significantly higher in stroke patients (7.11 ± 1.67) than in controls (1.64 ± 0.82; p = 0.00). TAP was significantly lower in stroke patients (5.72 ± 1.41) than in controls (8.53 ± 2.4; p = 0.00). The lipid profile and blood sugar levels were also significantly higher in stroke patients. There was no association of MDA and TAP with other variables. Conclusion We found that oxidative stress was associated with acute ischemic stroke. However, we could not establish an association between oxidative stress and the severity of acute stroke.


2016 ◽  
Vol 80 (9) ◽  
pp. 2033-2036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohisa Nezu ◽  
Naohisa Hosomi ◽  
Gregory YH Lip ◽  
Shiro Aoki ◽  
Ryo Shimomura ◽  
...  

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 713-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Sherman ◽  
Gregory W. Albers ◽  
Christopher Bladin ◽  
Min Chen ◽  
Cesare Fieschi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin (UFH) is recommended in acute ischemic stroke patients, but most studies comparing LMWH and UFH are limited in methodology or sample size. The PREVAIL study was designed to assess the superiority of enoxaparin over UFH for VTE prophylaxis in acute ischemic stroke patients and to evaluate efficacy and safety according to stroke severity. Methods: Patients with acute ischemic stroke, confirmed by CT scan, and unable to walk unassisted due to motor impairment of the leg were enrolled in this prospective, open-label, parallel group, multicenter study. Patients from 15 countries were randomized within 48 h of stroke symptoms to receive enoxaparin 40 mg SC qd or UFH 5000 IU SC q12h for 10±4 days. Patients were stratified by NIH Stroke Scale score (NIHSS; severe ≥14, less severe <14). The primary efficacy endpoint was the composite of symptomatic or asymptomatic deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE), or fatal PE during treatment. DVT was confirmed primarily by venography, or ultrasonography when venography was not practical. PE was confirmed by VQ or CT scan, or angiography. Primary safety endpoints included clinically significant intracranial and major extracranial bleeding. Results: 1762 acute ischemic stroke patients were randomized. Characteristics were similar between groups; mean age was 66.0±12.9 yrs, mean NIHSS score was 11.3. In the efficacy population, enoxaparin (n=666) and UFH (n=669) were given for a mean of 10.5±3.2 days. Enoxaparin resulted in a 43% relative reduction in the risk of the primary efficacy endpoint compared with UFH (10.2% vs 18.1%; RR 0.57; 95% CI 0.44–0.76; p=0.0001, adjusted for NIHSS score). Incidences of VTE events are shown in Table 1. Reductions in the primary endpoint remained significant in patients with a NIHSS score ≥14 (16.3% vs 29.7%, p=0.0036) and <14 (8.3% vs 14.0%, p=0.0043). The composite of clinically significant intracranial and major extracranial bleeding was low and not significantly different between groups (Table 1). Conclusion: Enoxaparin 40 mg qd is superior to UFH q12h for reducing the risk of VTE in acute ischemic stroke patients, with no significant difference in clinically relevant bleeding. The reduction in VTE risk was consistent in patients with a NIHSS score ≥14 or <14. Table 1: Incidence of VTE and bleeding Endpoint Enoxaparin n/N (%, 95% CI) UFH n/N (%, 95% CI) *P<0.001 Symptomatic VTE 2/666 (0.3, 0.0–0.7) 6/669 (0.9, 0.2–1.6) Proximal DVT 30/666 (4.5, 2.9–6.1) 64/669 (9.6, 7.3–11.8)* Distal DVT 44/666 (6.6, 4.7–8.5) 85/669 (12.7, 10.2–15.2)* PE 1/666 (0.2, 0.0–0.4) 6/669 (0.9, 0.2–1.6) Composite of major extracranial and clinically significant intracranial bleeding 11/877 (1.3, 0.5–1.9) 6/872 (0.7, 0.1–1.2)


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