Atrial Fibrillation Detected After Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack: A Novel Clinical Concept Challenging Current Views

Stroke ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciano A. Sposato ◽  
Seemant Chaturvedi ◽  
Cheng-Yang Hsieh ◽  
Carlos A. Morillo ◽  
Hooman Kamel
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Transient Ischemic Attack ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Brain Infarction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cardiac Monitoring ◽  
Stroke Recurrence ◽  
Ischemic Attack

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can be newly detected in approximately one-fourth of patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack without previously recognized AF. We present updated evidence supporting that AF detected after stroke or transient ischemic attack (AFDAS) may be a distinct clinical entity from AF known before stroke occurrence (known atrial fibrillation). Data suggest that AFDAS can arise from the interplay of cardiogenic and neurogenic forces. The embolic risk of AFDAS can be understood as a gradient defined by the prevalence of vascular comorbidities, the burden of AF, neurogenic autonomic changes, and the severity of atrial cardiopathy. The balance of existing data indicates that AFDAS has a lower prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities, a lower degree of cardiac abnormalities than known atrial fibrillation, a high proportion (52%) of very brief (<30 seconds) AF paroxysms, and is more frequently associated with insular brain infarction. These distinctive features of AFDAS may explain its recently observed lower associated risk of stroke than known atrial fibrillation. We present an updated ad-hoc meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials in which the association between prolonged cardiac monitoring and reduced risk of ischemic stroke was nonsignificant (incidence rate ratio, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.71–1.15]). These findings highlight that larger and sufficiently powered randomized controlled trials of prolonged cardiac monitoring assessing the risk of stroke recurrence are needed. Meanwhile, we call for further research on AFDAS and stroke recurrence, and a tailored approach when using prolonged cardiac monitoring after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, focusing on patients at higher risk of AFDAS and, more importantly, at higher risk of cardiac embolism.

Clinical Effects of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy or Aspirin Monotherapy after Acute Minor Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack, a Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Condello ◽  
Gaetano Liccardo ◽  
Giuseppe Ferrante
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Major Bleeding ◽  
Transient Ischemic Attack ◽  
Hemorrhagic Stroke ◽  
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Stroke Recurrence ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Minor Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Ischemic Attack

Background: Evidence about the use of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitors in patients with acute minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is emerging. The aim of our study was to provide an updated and comprehensive analysis about the risks and benefits of DAPT versus aspirin monotherapy in this setting. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov databases, main international conference proceedings were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing DAPT versus aspirin monotherapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke or TIA not eligible for thrombolysis or thrombectomy presenting in the first 24 hours after the acute event. Data were pooled by meta-analysis using a random-effects model. The primary efficacy endpoint was ischemic stroke recurrence, and the primary safety outcome was major bleeding. Secondary endpoints were intracranial hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, and all-cause death. Results: A total of 4 studies enrolling 21,459 patients were included. DAPT with clopidogrel was used in 3 studies, DAPT with ticagrelor in one study. DAPT duration was 21 days in one study, 1 month in one study, and 3 months in the remaining studies. DAPT was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of ischemic stroke recurrence (relative risk [RR], 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.82, P<0.001, number needed to treat 50 [95% CI 40-72], while it was associated with a significantly higher risk of major bleeding (RR, 2.59; 95% CI 1.49-4.53, P=0.001, number needed to harm 330 [95% CI 149-1111]), of intracranial hemorrhage (RR 3.06, 95% CI 1.41-6.66, P=0.005), with a trend towards higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke (RR 1.83, 95% CI 0.83-4.05, P=0.14), and a slight tendency towards higher risk of all-cause death (RR 1.30, 95% CI 0.89-1.89, P=0.16). Conclusions: Among patients with acute minor ischemic stroke or TIA, DAPT, as compared with aspirin monotherapy, might offer better effectiveness in terms of ischemic stroke recurrence at the expense of a higher risk of major bleeding. The trade-off between ischemic benefits and bleeding risks should be assessed in tailoring the therapeutic strategies.

Lipid-Lowering Therapy and Hemorrhagic Stroke Risk: Comparative Meta-Analysis of Statins and PCSK9 Inhibitors

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Borja E. Sanz-Cuesta ◽  
Jeffrey L. Saver
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Relative Risk ◽  
Transient Ischemic Attack ◽  
Hemorrhagic Stroke ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Lipid Lowering ◽  
Medication Dose ◽  
Ischemic Attack

Background and Purpose: Statins were shown to increase hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in patients with a first cerebrovascular event in 2006 (SPARCL), likely due to off-target antithrombotic effects, but continued to sometimes be used in patients with elevated HS risk due to absence of alternative medications. Recently, the PCSK9Is (proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 inhibitors) have become available as a potent lipid-lowering class with potentially less hemorrhagic propensity. Methods: We performed a systematic comparative meta-analysis assessing HS rates across all completed statin and PCSK9I randomized clinical trials with treatment >3 months, following PRISMA guidelines. In addition to HS rates across all trials, causal relation was probed by evaluating for dose-response relationships by medication (low versus high medication dose/potency) and by presence and type of preceding brain vascular events at inception (none versus ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack versus HS). Results: The systematic review identified 36 statin randomized clinical trials (204 918 patients) and 5 PCSK9I randomized clinical trials (76 140 patients). Across all patient types and all medication doses/potencies, statins were associated with increased HS: relative risk 1.15, P =0.04; PCSK9Is were not ( P =0.77). In the medication dose/potency analysis, higher dose/potency statins (7 trials, 62 204 patients) were associated with magnified HS risk: relative risk, 1.53; P =0.002; higher dose/potency PCSK9Is (1 trial, 27 564 patients) were not ( P =0.99). In the type of index brain vascular injury analysis for statins (5 trials, 9772 patients), prior ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack was associated with a magnified risk of HS: relative risk, 1.43; P =0.04; and index intracerebral hemorrhage was associated with an extremely high effect estimate of risk of recurrent HS: hazard ratio, 4.06. For PCSK9Is, prior ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (1 trial, 5337 patients) was not associated with increased HS risk ( P =0.97). Conclusions: Statins increase the risk of HS in a medication dose- and type of index brain vascular injury-dependent manner; PCSK9Is do not increase HS risk. PCSK9Is may be a preferred lipid-lowering medication class in patients with elevated HS risk, including patients with prior HS.

scholarly journals RETRACTED ARTICLE: Dual versus mono antiplatelet therapy for acute non- cardio embolic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, an efficacy and safety analysis - updated meta-analysis

BMC Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christessa Emille Que Albay ◽  
Frederick Gavril D. Leyson ◽  
Federick C. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Antiplatelet Therapy ◽  
Major Bleeding ◽  
Transient Ischemic Attack ◽  
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Stroke Recurrence ◽  
Cardiac Events ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Ischemic Attack

Abstract Background New evidence on the efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention have been realized in the recent years. An updated meta analysis was done to determine the effect of the various dual antiplatelets vs aspirin alone on recurrence rate of ischemic stroke, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and its safety profile as reported through major bleeding. Methods PubMed, Cochrane and Science Direct data bases were utilized, RCTs evaluating dual antiplatelet vs mono antiplatelet therapy for acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack within < 72 h from ictus were searched up to July 2019. Risk ratio at 95% confidence intervals were calculated to evaluate stroke recurrence, cardiac events and mortality, and major bleeding. Results Sixteen randomized controlled trials with a population of 28, 032 patients were pooled into a meta-analysis. Dual antiplatelet therapy was significantly superior over mono antiplatelet therapy in the reduction of stroke (RR 0.75, 95% CI:0.68–0.83, p value< 0.00001) and composite events namely cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (0.73 95% CI: 0.65–0.82, p value < 0.00001), while bleeding events were noted to be not significant (1.22 95% CI: 0.87–1.70, p value = 0.25). Conclusion In acute non-cardioembolic ischemic strokes or those who have suffered a transient ischemic attack, dual antiplatelet therapy was associated with efficacy in stroke recurrence and composite cardiac events, with a non-significant risk of major bleeding.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document