Abstract WP19: Transfer Selection for Endovascular Therapy of Ischemic Stroke within A Collaborative Network: Off-site Versus On-site Neurology Service

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon M Winzer ◽  
Kristian Barlinn ◽  
Johannes Gerber ◽  
Timo Siepmann ◽  
Lars-Peder Pallesen ◽  
...  

Introduction: Selection of patients for endovascular therapy (EVT) may depend on the hospital providing first line assessment. In our collaborative stroke network, we aimed to compare clinical characteristics and outcomes in ischemic stroke patients undergoing EVT who were transferred from telestroke hospitals following teleconsultation and in those transferred from hospitals providing on-site neurology service. Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected data from consecutive ischemic stroke patients who underwent emergent EVT at our comprehensive stroke center (01/2010 to 12/2014) after acute transfer from either telestroke hospitals or non-telestroke hospitals with on-site neurology service. We compared baseline characteristics, onset-to-EVT time, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), favorable functional outcome (mRS 0-2) at discharge and in-hospital mortality. Results: Among 133 transferred patients who underwent emergent EVT: median age 67 years (IQR, 15); 56% men; median NIHSS score 17 (21); 52% had anterior and 48% posterior circulation stroke. Sixty-five patients (49%) were transferred from telestroke and 68 (51%) from non-telestroke hospitals. Telestroke patients were less severely affected (median NIHSS scores: 15 [7] vs. 22 [20]; p=.0005) and more likely to have anterior circulation stroke (69% vs. 35%; p<.0001) compared with non-telestroke patients. No between-group differences were present with regard to demographics, vascular risk factors, intravenous tPA rate and onset-to-EVT time. In-hospital mortality was lower among telestroke compared with non-telestroke patients (11% vs. 26%; p=.026). There were no differences in sICH (5% vs. 4%; p=1.0) and favorable functional outcome (17% vs. 18%; p=1.0). Conclusions: Patients transferred from telestroke hospitals were twice as often treated for anterior circulation stroke than those from non-telestroke neurological hospitals within our stroke network. This might be explained by more conservative selection of patients potentially amenable for EVT in hospitals harboring on-site neurology service but no EVT-capability. As our data was acquired prior to evidence from the positive EVT trials, further research is warranted to elaborate these findings.

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 502-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Barlinn ◽  
Johannes Gerber ◽  
Kristian Barlinn ◽  
Lars-Peder Pallesen ◽  
Timo Siepmann ◽  
...  

Background Five randomized controlled trials recently demonstrated efficacy of endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke. Telestroke networks can improve stroke care in rural areas but their role in patients undergoing endovascular treatment is unknown. Aim We compared clinical outcomes of endovascular treatment between anterior circulation stroke patients transferred after teleconsultation and those directly admitted to a tertiary stroke center. Methods Data derived from consecutive patients with intracranial large vessel occlusion who underwent endovascular treatment from January 2010 to December 2014 at our tertiary stroke center. We compared baseline characteristics, onset-to-treatment times, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, in-hospital mortality, reperfusion (modified Treatment in Cerebral Infarction 2b/3), and favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin scale ≤ 2) at discharge between patients transferred from spoke hospitals and those directly admitted. Results We studied 151 patients who underwent emergent endovascular treatment for anterior circulation stroke: median age 70 years (interquartile range, 62–75); 55% men; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 15 (12–20). Of these, 48 (31.8%) patients were transferred after teleconsultation and 103 (68.2%) were primarily admitted to our emergency department. Transferred patients were younger (p = 0.020), received more frequently intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (p = 0.008), had prolonged time from stroke onset to endovascular treatment initiation (p < 0.0001) and tended to have lower rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (4.2% vs. 11.7%; p = 0.227) and mortality (8.3% vs. 22.6%; p = 0.041) than directly admitted patients. Similar rates of reperfusion (56.2% vs. 61.2%; p = 0.567) and favorable functional outcome (18.8% vs. 13.7%; p = 0.470) were observed in telestroke patients and those who were directly admitted. Conclusions Telestroke networks may enable delivery of endovascular treatment to selected ischemic stroke patients transferred from remote hospitals that is equitable to patients admitted directly to tertiary hospitals.


2021 ◽  
pp. neurintsurg-2021-017315
Author(s):  
J Mocco ◽  
Adnan H Siddiqui ◽  
David Fiorella ◽  
Michael J Alexander ◽  
Adam S Arthur ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe PerfusiOn imaging Selection of Ischemic sTroke patIents for endoVascular thErapy (POSITIVE) trial was designed to evaluate functional outcome in patients with emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) presenting within 0–12 hours with pre-specified bifurcated arms of early and late window presentation, who were selected for endovascular thrombectomy with non-vendor specific commercially available perfusion imaging software. Recent trials demonstrating the benefit of thrombectomy up to 16–24 hours following ELVO removed equipoise to randomize late window ELVO patients and therefore the trial was halted.MethodsUp to 200 patients were to be enrolled in this FDA-cleared, prospective, randomized, multicenter international trial to compare thrombectomy and best medical management in patients with ELVO ineligible for or refractory to treatment with IV tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) selected with perfusion imaging and presenting within 0–12 hours of last seen normal. The primary outcome was 90-day clinical outcome as measured by the raw modified Rankin Scale (mRS) with scores 5 and 6 collapsed (mRS shift analysis).ResultsThe POSITIVE trial suspended enrollment with the release of results from the DAWN trial and was stopped after the release of the DEFUSE 3 trial results. Thirty-three patients were enrolled (21 for medical management and 12 for thrombectomy). Twelve of the 33 patients were enrolled in the 6–12 hour cohort. Despite the early cessation, the primary outcome demonstrated statistically significant superior clinical outcomes for patients treated with thrombectomy (P=0.0060). The overall proportion of patients achieving an mRS score of 0–2 was 75% in the thrombectomy cohort and 43% in the medical management cohort (OR 4.00, 95% CI 0.84 to 19.2).ConclusionPOSITIVE supports the already established practice of delayed thrombectomy for appropriately selected patients presenting within 0–12 hours selected by perfusion imaging from any vendor. The results of the POSITIVE trial are consistent with other thrombectomy trials. The statistically significant effect on functional improvement, despite the small number of patients, reinforces the robust benefits of thrombectomy.Clinical trial registrationNCT01852201


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Hartmann ◽  
Simon Winzer ◽  
Timo Siepmann ◽  
Lars-Peder Pallesen ◽  
Alexandra Prakapenia ◽  
...  

Introduction: Hypothermia may be neuroprotective in acute ischemic stroke. Stroke patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (acLVO) who receive endovascular therapy (EVT) are frequently hypothermic after the procedure. We sought to analyze whether this unintended hypothermia was associated with improved functional outcome. Methods: We extracted data of consecutive patients (01/2016-04/2019) from our prospective EVT database that includes all patients screened for EVT at our center. We included patients with acLVO who received EVT and analyzed recanalization (mTICI 2b-3) and complications (i.e., pneumonia, bradyarrhythmia, venous thromboembolism) during the hospital course. We assessed functional outcome at 3 months and analyzed risk ratios (RR) for good outcome (mRS scores 0-2) and mortality of patients who were hypothermic (<36°C) compared to patients who were normothermic ( > 36°C) after EVT. We compared the frequency of complications and calculated RRs for good outcome and mortality in the subgroup with recanalization. Results: Among 674 patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke, 372 patients received EVT for acLVO (178 [47%] male, age 77 years [65-82], NIHSS score 16 [12 - 20]). Of these, 186 patients (50%) were hypothermic (median [IQR] temperature 35.2°C [34.7-35.6]) and 186 patients were normothermic (media temperature 36.4 [36.2-36.8]) after EVT. At 3 months, 54 of 186 (29.0%) hypothermic patients compared with 65 of 186 (35.0%) normothermic patients had a good outcome (RR, 0.83; 95%CI 0.62-1.12) and 52 of 186 (27.9%) hypothermic patients compared with 46 of 186 (24.7%) normothermic patients had died (RR, 1.13; 95%CI 0.8-1.59). This relation was consistent in 307 patients (82.5% of all EVTs) with successful recanalization (good outcome: RR, 0.85; 95%CI 0.63-1.14.; mortality: RR, 1.05; 95%CI 0.7-1.57). More hypothermic patients suffered pneumonia (37.8% vs. 24.7%; p=0.003) or bradyarrhythmia (55.6% vs. 18.3%; p<0.001). Venous thromboembolism was distributed similarly (5.4% vs. 6.5%; p=0.42). Conclusion: Unintended hypothermia following EVT for acLVO was not associated with improved functional outcome or reduced mortality but an increased complication rate in patients with acute ischemic stroke.


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thabele M Leslie-Mazwi ◽  
Syed F Ali ◽  
Sanjeeva R Onteddu ◽  
Adewumi D Amole ◽  
Mehmet S Akdol ◽  
...  

Introduction: An overwhelming benefit from endovascular treatment (EVT) of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has been shown in recent trials, making it the new evidence-based standard of care for ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation large vessel occlusion. We sought to determine usage, safety and efficacy of EVT in patients ≥80 years of age. Methods: Using GWTG stroke registry data from MGH and UAMS, we analyzed 7,505 consecutive stroke admissions from 01/2009 - 06/2016. Univariate analysis was carried out to compare AIS patients < 80 vs. those ≥ 80yr. Results: Of the total 7,505 AIS patients, 3,722 presented within 12 hr of last known well and of these 334 (334/3722, 9%) underwent EVT. The majority of AIS patients undergoing EVT were younger than 80yr of age (264/334, 79%). Of the patients who underwent EVT, younger patients were more often male, Caucasian, and had stroke risk factors of atrial fibrillation, CAD, hypertension and smokers. The two groups were similar in NIHSS, initial clinical presentation, modified pre-stroke Rankin scale of ≤ 3, and initiation of tPA as a drip and ship or stroke center front-door administration. Higher rates of pneumonia were observed in younger patients while rates of sICH were similar. Younger patients were more often discharged to home/inpatient rehabilitation facility. On univariate analysis, in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients ≥ 80yr [Unadj. OR 2.50 (1.24, 5.03), p=0.01], however the strength of the association attenuated substantially after adjusting for significant covariates [Adj. OR 2.34 (0.99, 5.47), p=0.05] (Table). Conclusion: Elderly stroke patients are largely excluded from clinical trials and data are limited on the effectiveness of EVT in this cohort. Our results showed that rate of sICH and adjusted in-hospital mortality was not statistically different between those < 80yr vs. ≥ 80yr. Further studies are needed to explore the functional outcome of the elderly stroke patients undergoing EVT.


2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. E5 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Jesus Duffis ◽  
Zaid Al-Qudah ◽  
Charles J. Prestigiacomo ◽  
Chirag Gandhi

Early treatment of ischemic stroke with thrombolytics is associated with improved outcomes, but few stroke patients receive thrombolytic treatment in part due to the 3-hour time window. Advances in neuroimaging may help to aid in the selection of patients who may still benefit from thrombolytic treatment beyond conventional time-based guidelines. In this article the authors review the available literature in support of using advanced neuroimaging to select patients for treatment beyond the 3-hour time window cutoff and explore potential applications and limitations of perfusion imaging in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke.


Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Siepmann ◽  
Jessica Kepplinger ◽  
Charlotte Zerna ◽  
Ana Isabel Penzlin ◽  
Heinz Reichmann ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: Treatment with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) following acute ischemic stroke was shown to improve functional and motor recovery independently of depression, possibly mediated by long-term mechanisms such as increased brain plasticity. In animal studies, chronic SSRI treatment is superior over short-term SSRI in evoking neurogenesis but the applicability of this observation to humans remains unelucidated. We hypothesized that pre-treatment with SSRI in acute ischemic stroke patients is associated with improved recovery compared to post-stroke SSRI. Subjects and Methods: We performed an exploratory analysis in consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients who were pre-treated or treated de novo either with fluoxetine, citalopram or escitalopram. Effects of SSRI-pre-treatment on short-term clinical (total NIHSS and NIHSS motor items) and functional (mRS) outcome at discharge compared to post-stroke SSRI were assessed using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of 2653 patients screened, 239 were included (aged 69±14 years, mean±SD; 42% men, baseline median NIHSS 7 [IQR, 10]). Compared to post-stroke SSRI (n=188), in the SSRI pre-treatment group (n=51) favorable functional outcome at discharge (mRS≤2) was more frequent (41% vs. 20%; p=0.002), duration of hospitalization was shorter (median: 7 versus 11 days; p<0.0001), and there was a non-significant trend toward improved motor recovery (decrease in NIHSS motor items ≥2 points or 0-1 at discharge; 63% vs. 49%; p=0.08). However there was no such difference in total NIHSS recovery (≥4 points or 0-1 at discharge; p=n.s.). Pre-treatment with SSRI was an independent predictor of favorable functional outcome (mRS≤2) at discharge (OR: 4.00; 95%CI: 1.68-9.57; p=0.002) after adjusting for age, pre-stroke mRS, baseline NIHSS and IV-thrombolysis. Conclusions: Our data suggest that pre-treatment with SSRI may be linked to early clinical recovery after acute ischemic stroke and support the hypothesis that pre-stroke SSRI might be superior to post-stroke SSRI.


Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Srikant Rangaraju ◽  
Amin Aghaebrahim ◽  
Christopher Streib ◽  
Chung-Huan Sun ◽  
Marc Ribo ◽  
...  

Background: Endovascular therapy seems to benefit a subset of patients with acute large vessel occlusions (LVO). The aim of this study was to develop a clinically useful tool to identify patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusions who are likely to benefit from endovascular therapy. Methods: Adults with anterior circulation LVOs were included. In the derivation cohort (2008-2012) from Grady Memorial hospital (GMH), independent predictors (p<0.2) of good outcome (mRS 0-2 at 90 days) were determined using logistic regression. Highly weighted factors were used to derive the PRE score as a predictor of good outcome. Four risk-quartiles were created based on observed rates of good outcomes. The PRE score was validated in the UPMC database (n=322, 2007-2013) and in a database from Unitat d'Ictus Vall d'Hebron (UIVH), Barcelona (n=203, 2009-2012). Performance of PRE was compared with HIAT-2, THRIVE and ASPECTS in predicting good outcome. Results: In the derivation cohort (N=247, mean age 66±1, median NIHSS 18), independent predictors of good outcome included age (OR 0.96, 0.94-0.98), NIHSS (OR 0.92, 0.87-0.98) and ASPECTS (OR 1.96, 1.6-2.5). The PRE score was calculated as follows: PRE Score = Age + 2 x NIHSS - 10 x ASPECTS. PRE predicted good outcomes in the derivation cohort (AUC 0.79) as well as in the validation cohorts (UPMC: AUC 0.79 and UIVH: AUC 0.72) and comparative rates of good outcome were observed in the four PRE quartiles. PRE < 25 was associated with good outcome (OR 6.0, 3.5-10.5), and controlling for TICI 2B/3 reperfusion status further strengthened this association (OR 12.8, 4.5-36.2). PRE (AUC 0.79) performed better than HIAT2 (AUC 0.75), THRIVE (AUC 0.73) and ASPECTS (AUC 0.57) in predicting good outcomes after endovascular therapy. Conclusions: The PRE score is a validated tool to predict benefit from endovascular therapy in patients with anterior circulation LVO. PRE can aid in the selection of patients for endovascular reperfusion therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Simon ◽  
Matin Forghani ◽  
Andrij Abramyuk ◽  
Simon Winzer ◽  
Claudia Wojciechowski ◽  
...  

Background: While intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in ischemic stroke can be safely applied in telestroke networks within 3 h from symptom onset, there is a lack of evidence for safety in the expanded 3- to 4. 5-h time window. We assessed the safety and short-term efficacy of IVT in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the expanded time window delivered through a hub-and-spoke telestroke network.Methods: Observational study of patients with AIS who received IVT at the Stroke Eastern Saxony Telemedical Network between 01/2014 and 12/2015. We compared safety data including symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH; according to European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II definition) and any intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) between patients admitted to telestroke spoke sites and patients directly admitted to a tertiary stroke center representing the hub of the network. We also assessed short-term efficacy data including favorable functional outcome (i.e., modified Rankin Scale ≤ 2) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at discharge, hospital discharge disposition, and in-hospital mortality.Results: In total, 152 patients with AIS were treated with IVT in the expanded time window [spoke sites, n = 104 (26.9%); hub site, n = 48 (25.9%)]. Patients treated at spoke sites had less frequently a large vessel occlusion [8/104 (7.7) vs. 20/48 (41.7%); p &lt; 0.0001], a determined stroke etiology (p &lt; 0.0001) and had slightly shorter onset-to-treatment times [210 (45) vs. 228 (58) min; p = 0.02] than patients who presented to the hub site. Both cohorts did not display any further differences in demographics, vascular risk factors, median baseline NIHSS scores, or median baseline Alberta stroke program early CT score (p &gt; 0.05). There was no difference in the frequency of sICH (4.9 vs. 6.3%; p = 0.71) or any ICH (8.7 vs. 16.7%; p = 0.15). Neither there was a difference regarding favorable functional outcome (44.1 vs. 39.6%; p = 0.6) nor median NIHSS [3 (5.5) vs. 2.5 (5.75); p = 0.92] at discharge, hospital discharge disposition (p = 0.28), or in-hospital mortality (9.6 vs. 8.3%; p = 1.0). Multivariable modeling did not reveal an association between telestroke and sICH or favorable functional outcome (p &gt; 0.05).Conclusions: Delivery of IVT in the expanded 3- to 4.5-h time window through a telestroke network appears to be safe with equivalent short-term functional outcomes for spoke-and-hub center admissions.


Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anke Wouters ◽  
Robin Lemmens ◽  
Soren Christensen ◽  
Guido Wilms ◽  
Michael Mlynash ◽  
...  

Background: Imaging based selection of acute ischemic stroke patients may improve clinical outcomes after endovascular therapy. DEFUSE 2 was a prospective cohort study of ischemic stroke patients who underwent a baseline MRI scan before endovascular therapy. In DEFUSE 2 reperfusion was associated with increased good functional outcome in patients with the target mismatch (TMM) profile, but not in patients without TMM. AXIS 2 was a randomized, controlled, MRI based trial of IV GM-CSF versus placebo. This study, in which endovascular therapy was not permitted, did not show improved functional outcomes between GM-CSF and placebo. We performed an indirect comparison between the outcomes seen in DEFUSE 2 and a control group from AXIS 2. Methods: Patients from AXIS 2 with a confirmed large vessel occlusion of the MCA or ICA on MR angiography, obtained within 9 hours after symptom onset, were selected as a control-group for patients from DEFUSE 2. The primary endpoint was good functional outcome at day 90 defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 0-2. Reperfusion status could only be assessed in the DEFUSE 2 cohort. We performed a stratified analysis based on the presence of TMM for both studies and reperfusion status in DEFUSE 2. Results: We compared good functional outcome in 102 patients (TMM in n=47, 49%) from AXIS 2 and 98 patients (TMM in n=78, 80%) from DEFUSE 2. After correction for differences in age, NIHSS and DWI volume, rates of good functional outcome were similar, 43% in DEFUSE 2 compared to 30 % in AXIS 2 (OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.5-1.7). In DEFUSE 2 patients with the TMM profile in whom reperfusion was achieved, the rate of good functional outcome was increased compared to TMM patients in AXIS 2, 64% versus 32% (OR 3.2, 95%CI 1.2-8.4). In TMM patients from DEFUSE 2 without reperfusion, the rate of good functional outcome was similar (31%), to the TMM patients in AXIS 2 (OR 1.0, 95%CI 0.4-2.3). No difference in outcomes was observed regardless of reperfusion status when a TMM was not present. Conclusion: This indirect, controlled comparison suggests that endovascular treatment resulting in reperfusion may lead to improved outcomes in patients with the TMM profile.


2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 395-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiromi Ishikawa ◽  
Yoshinobu Wakisaka ◽  
Ryu Matsuo ◽  
Noriko Makihara ◽  
Jun Hata ◽  
...  

Background: Statins have neuroprotective effects against ischemic stroke. However, associations between pre-stroke statin treatment and initial stroke severity and between the treatment and functional outcome remain controversial. This study aimed at determining these associations in ischemic stroke patients. Methods: Among patients registered in the Fukuoka Stroke Registry from June 2007 to October 2014, 3,848 patients with ischemic stroke within 24 h of onset, who had been functionally independent before onset, were enrolled in this study. Ischemic stroke was classified as cardioembolic or non-cardioembolic infarction. Primary and secondary study outcomes were mild neurological symptoms defined as a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≤4 on admission and favorable functional outcome defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≤2 at discharge, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to quantify associations between pre-stroke statin treatment and study outcomes. Results: Of all 3,848 participants, 697 (18.1%) were taking statins prior to the stroke. The frequency of mild neurological symptoms was significantly higher in patients with pre-stroke statin treatment (64.1%) than in those without the treatment (58.3%, p < 0.01). Multivariable analysis showed that pre-stroke statin treatment was significantly associated with mild neurological symptoms (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.04-1.65; p < 0.01). Sensitivity analysis in patients with dyslipidemia (n = 1,998) also showed the same trend between pre-stroke statin treatment and mild neurological symptoms (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.26; 95% CI 0.99-1.62; p = 0.06). In contrast, the frequency of favorable functional outcome was not different between patients with (67.0%) and without (65.3%) the treatment (p = 0.40). Multivariable analysis also showed no significant association between pre-stroke statin treatment and favorable functional outcome (OR 1.21; 95% CI 0.91-1.60; p = 0.19). Continuation of statin treatment, however, was significantly associated with favorable functional outcome among patients with pre-stroke statin treatment (multivariable-adjusted OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.16-4.00; p = 0.02). Conclusions: Pre-stroke statin treatment in ischemic stroke patients was significantly associated with mild neurological symptoms within 24 h of onset. Pre-stroke statin treatment per se did not significantly influence the short-term functional outcome; however, continuation of statin treatment during the acute stage of stroke seems to relate with favorable functional outcome for patients with pre-stroke statin treatment.


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