scholarly journals Management Of Post Stroke Seizures

Author(s):  
Kavian Ghandehari

The incidence of seizures in relation to stroke is 8.9%, with a frequency of 10.6 and 8.6% in haemorrhagic and ischaemic stroke, respectively. In subarachnoid haemorrhage the incidence is 8.5%. Due to the fact that infarcts are significantly more frequent than haemorrhages, seizures are mainly related to occlusive vascular disease of the brain. The general view is to consider stroke-related seizures as harmless complications in the course of a prolonged vascular disease involving the heart and brain. Seizures can be classified as those of early and those of late onset in a paradigm comparable to post-traumatic epilepsy, with an arbitrary dividing point of two weeks after the event. Most early-onset seizures occur during the first day after the stroke. Late-onset seizures occur three times more often than early-onset ones. A first late-onset epileptic event is most likely to take place between six months and two years after the stroke. However, up to 28% of patients develop their first seizure several years later. Simple partial seizures, with or without secondary generalisation, account for about 50% of total seizures, while complex partial spells, with or without secondary generalisation, and primary generalised tonic–clonic insults account for approximately 25% each. Status epilepticus occurs in 12% of stroke patients, but the recurrence rate after an initial status epilepticus is not higher than after a single seizure. Inhibitory seizures, mimicking transient ischaemic attacks, are observed in 7.1% of cases. The only clinical predictor of late-onset seizures is the initial presentation of partial anterior circulation syndrome due to a territorial infarct. Patients with total anterior circulation syndrome have less chance of developing epileptic spells, not only due to their shorter life expectancy but also due to the fact that the large infarcts are sharply demarcated in these patients. The optimal timing and type of antiepileptic drug treatment for patients with post-stroke seizures is still a controversial issue. Prospective studies in the literature showed that immediate treatment after a first unprovoked seizure does not improve the long-term remission rate. However, because of the physical and psychological influences of recurrent seizures, prophylactic treatment should be considered after a first unprovoked event in an elderly person at high risk of recurrence, taking into consideration the individuality of the patient and a discussion with the patient and his/her family about the risks and benefits of both options latest studies regarding post-stroke seizure treatment showed that 'new-generation' drugs, such as lamotrigine, gabapentin and levetiracetam, in low doses would be reasonable. Although several studies suggest that seizures alter the functional recovery after a stroke, it remains difficult to determine whether or not the occurrence of a second seizure in an untreated stroke patient might hamper the overall outcome. However, repeated seizures and status epilepticus worsen the neurological and mental condition of stroke patienton The decision to initiate antiepileptic drug treatment after a first or a second post-stroke seizure should therefore be individualized, primarily based on the functional impact of the first seizure episode and the patient's preference. Several converging findings suggest that the majority of first-generation antiepileptic drugs, particularly phenytoin, are not the most appropriate choice in stroke patients because of their potential harmful impact on functional recovery and bone health, their suboptimal pharmacokinetic profile and interaction with anticoagulants or salicylates, their greater likelihood to be poorly tolerated, and the lack of level A evidence regarding their specific use in elderly patients. Among the new-generation drugs that do not interact with anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents, or bone health, lamotrigine and gabapentine are the only two drugs that proved to be more effective than immediate-release carbamazepine in elderly patients, providing level A evidence for their use in this indication. In addition, gabapentin remains the only drug that has been specifically evaluated in stroke patients, demonstrating a high rate of long-term seizure freedom. At present, low-dose lamotrigine or gabapentin appears to represent the optimal first-line therapy for post-stroke seizure and epilepsy in elderly patients or in younger patients requiring anticoagulants. However, low-dose extended-release carbamazepine might be a reasonable and less expensive option in patients with appropriate bone health who do not requiring anticoagulat. Based on the stroke management guidelines antiepileptic drugs should not be administered as preventive management in any type of stroke patients without seizure.  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1510
Author(s):  
Charles Morizio ◽  
Maxime Billot ◽  
Jean-Christophe Daviet ◽  
Stéphane Baudry ◽  
Christophe Barbanchon ◽  
...  

People who survive a stroke are often left with long-term neurologic deficits that induce, among other impairments, balance disorders. While virtual reality (VR) is growing in popularity for postural control rehabilitation in post-stroke patients, studies on the effect of challenging virtual environments, simulating common daily situations on postural control in post-stroke patients, are scarce. This study is a first step to document the postural response of stroke patients to different challenging virtual environments. Five subacute stroke patients and fifteen age-matched healthy adults were included. All participants underwent posturographic tests in control conditions (open and closed eyes) and virtual environment without (one static condition) and with avatars (four dynamic conditions) using a head-mounted device for VR. In dynamic environments, we modulated the density of the virtual crowd (dense and light crowd) and the avoidance space with the avatars (near or far). Center of pressure velocity was collected by trial throughout randomized 30-s periods. Results showed that more challenging conditions (dynamic condition) induced greater postural disturbances in stroke patients than in healthy counterparts. Our study suggests that virtual reality environments should be adjusted in light of obtaining more or less challenging conditions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Hotter ◽  
Inken Padberg ◽  
Andrea Liebenau ◽  
Petra Knispel ◽  
Sabine Heel ◽  
...  

Introduction Detailed data on the long-term consequences and treatment of stroke are scarce. We aimed to assess the needs and disease burden of community-dwelling stroke patients and their carers and to compare their treatment to evidence-based guidelines by a stroke neurologist. Methods We invited long-term stroke patients from two previous acute clinical studies ( n = 516) in Berlin, Germany to participate in an observational, cross-sectional study. Participants underwent a comprehensive interview and examination using the Post-Stroke Checklist and validated standard measures of: self-reported needs, quality of life, overall outcome, spasticity, pain, aphasia, cognition, depression, secondary prevention, social needs and caregiver burden. Results Fifty-seven participants (median initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 10 interquartile range 4–12.75) consented to assessment (median 41 months (interquartile range 36–50) after stroke. Modified Rankin Scale was 2 (median; interquartile range 1–3), EuroQoL index value was 0.81 (median; interquartile range 0.70–1.00). The frequencies for disabilities in the major domains were: spasticity 35%; cognition 61%; depression 20%; medication non-compliance 14%. Spasticity ( p = 0.008) and social needs ( p < 0.001) had the strongest impact on quality of life. The corresponding items in the Post-Stroke Checklist were predictive for low mood ( p < 0.001), impaired cognition ( p = 0.015), social needs ( p = 0.005) and caregiver burden ( p = 0.031). In the comprehensive interview, we identified the following needs: medical review (30%), optimization of pharmacotherapy (18%), outpatient therapy (47%) and social work input (33%). Conclusion These results suggest significant unmet needs and gaps in health and social care in long-term stroke patients. Further research to develop a comprehensive model for managing stroke aftercare is warranted. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT02320994.


BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. e016566
Author(s):  
Eline C C van Lieshout ◽  
Johanna M A Visser-Meily ◽  
Sebastiaan F W Neggers ◽  
H Bart van der Worp ◽  
Rick M Dijkhuizen

IntroductionMany patients with stroke have moderate to severe long-term sensorimotor impairments, often including inability to execute movements of the affected arm or hand. Limited recovery from stroke may be partly caused by imbalanced interaction between the cerebral hemispheres, with reduced excitability of the ipsilesional motor cortex while excitability of the contralesional motor cortex is increased. Non-invasive brain stimulation with inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the contralesional hemisphere may aid in relieving a post-stroke interhemispheric excitability imbalance, which could improve functional recovery. There are encouraging effects of theta burst stimulation (TBS), a form of TMS, in patients with chronic stroke, but evidence on efficacy and long-term effects on arm function of contralesional TBS in patients with subacute hemiparetic stroke is lacking.Methods and analysisIn a randomised clinical trial, we will assign 60 patients with a first-ever ischaemic stroke in the previous 7–14 days and a persistent paresis of one arm to 10 sessions of real stimulation with TBS of the contralesional primary motor cortex or to sham stimulation over a period of 2 weeks. Both types of stimulation will be followed by upper limb training. A subset of patients will undergo five MRI sessions to assess post-stroke brain reorganisation. The primary outcome measure will be the upper limb function score, assessed from grasp, grip, pinch and gross movements in the action research arm test, measured at 3 months after stroke. Patients will be blinded to treatment allocation. The primary outcome at 3 months will also be assessed in a blinded fashion.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. The results will be disseminated through (open access) peer-reviewed publications, networks of scientists, professionals and the public, and presented at conferences.Trial registration numberNTR6133


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi Edwards ◽  
Jessica Colby-Milley ◽  
Jiming Fang ◽  
Limei Zhou ◽  
Baiju R Shah ◽  
...  

Background: Comorbid diabetes and depression are highly prevalent in atrial fibrillation (AF) and increase the risk of stroke. Women with AF show higher mortality rates and have worse functional outcomes post-stroke. However, the sex-specific effects of comorbid diabetes and depression on mortality and other adverse outcomes in stroke patients with a history of AF is unclear. Methods: Prospectively collected consecutive patients with ischemic stroke and known AF presenting to designated stroke centres in Ontario (2003-2013). Multinomial regression was used to determine sex-specific associations between diabetes and depression and in-hospital mortality post-stroke in individuals with AF. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the adjusted hazard of long-term mortality post-stroke and competing risks models to estimate hazards of recurrent stroke/TIA, admission to long-term care, and incident dementia post-discharge. Results: Among 5082 stroke patients with known AF (median age=80, IQR:73-85), female patients were more likely to have comorbid depression than males (63.5% vs. 36.5%) and those with comorbid diabetes and depression were younger (77 yrs) and had more vascular history (HTN, CAD, hyperlipidemia) than those with AF only. For males, comorbid diabetes increased the likelihood of in-hospital mortality post-stroke by 53% (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.16-2.02), after adjustment for stroke severity, demographic and clinical factors, while comorbid depression did not significantly impact in-hospital mortality and neither diabetes or depression affected in-hospital mortality post-stroke for females. However, diabetes was independently associated with increased hazard of long-term mortality for both female (HR=1.15, 95%CI=1.02-1.29) and male AF stroke patients (HR=1.35, 95%CI=1.19-1.53). No associations with recurrent stroke/TIA, institutionalization or dementia post-stroke were observed for either females or males. Conclusion: In stroke patients with known AF, comorbid diabetes but not depression was independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality for males and increased long-term mortality post-stroke for both females and males.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (17) ◽  
pp. E3536-E3545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianfa Long ◽  
Dinesh Upadhya ◽  
Bharathi Hattiangady ◽  
Dong-Ki Kim ◽  
Su Yeon An ◽  
...  

Status epilepticus (SE), a medical emergency that is typically terminated through antiepileptic drug treatment, leads to hippocampus dysfunction typified by neurodegeneration, inflammation, altered neurogenesis, as well as cognitive and memory deficits. Here, we examined the effects of intranasal (IN) administration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on SE-induced adverse changes. The EVs used in this study are referred to as A1-exosomes because of their robust antiinflammatory properties. We subjected young mice to pilocarpine-induced SE for 2 h and then administered A1-exosomes or vehicle IN twice over 24 h. The A1-exosomes reached the hippocampus within 6 h of administration, and animals receiving them exhibited diminished loss of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons and greatly reduced inflammation in the hippocampus. Moreover, the neuroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of A1-exosomes were coupled with long-term preservation of normal hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive and memory function, in contrast to waned and abnormal neurogenesis, persistent inflammation, and functional deficits in animals receiving vehicle. These results provide evidence that IN administration of A1-exosomes is efficient for minimizing the adverse effects of SE in the hippocampus and preventing SE-induced cognitive and memory impairments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 359-367
Author(s):  
Jin A Yoon ◽  
Yong-Il Shin ◽  
Deog Young Kim ◽  
Min Kyun Sohn ◽  
Jongmin Lee ◽  
...  

Objective To investigate long-term and serial functional outcomes in ischemic stroke patients without diabetes with post-stroke hyperglycemia.Methods The Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation (KOSCO) is a large, multi-center, prospective cohort study of stroke patients admitted to participating hospitals in nine areas of Korea. From KOSCO, ischemic stroke patients without diabetes were recruited and divided into two groups: patients without diabetes without (n=779) and with post-stroke hyperglycemia (n=223). Post-stroke hyperglycemia was defined as a glucose level >8 mmol/L. Functional assessments were performed 7 days and 3, 6, and 12 months after stroke onset.Results There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups, except in the age of onset and smoking. Analysis of the linear correlation between the initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and glucose level showed no significant difference. Among our functional assessments, NIHSS, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (affected side), Functional Ambulatory Category, modified Rankin Scale, and Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) showed statistically significant improvements in each group. All functional improvements except K-MMSE were significantly higher in patients without post-stroke hyperglycemia at 7 days and 3, 6, and 12 months.Conclusion The glucose level of ischemic stroke patients without diabetes had no significant correlation with the initial NIHSS score. The long-term effects of stress hyperglycemia showed worse functional outcomes in ischemic stroke patients without diabetes with post-stroke hyperglycemia.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-46
Author(s):  
AK Banskota

The role that can be effectively played by the orthopaedic surgeon in the long-term management of the stroke victim is often overlooked. Post-stroke patients rely heavily on the orthopaedist, amongst other members of the multidisciplinary team, to regain the maximum possible functional status following the stroke event. A great need to understand and implement the principles of post-stroke orthopaedic treatment and rehabilitation exists in our own community and practice.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/noaj.v2i1.8139 Nepal Orthopaedic Association Journal Vol.2(1) 2011: 43-46


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Merlino ◽  
Gian Luigi Gigli ◽  
Francesco Bax ◽  
Anna Serafini ◽  
Elisa Corazza ◽  
...  

Although seizures are frequently seen after cerebrovascular accidents, their effects on long-term outcome in stroke patients are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between post-stroke seizures and the risk of long-term disability and mortality in stroke patients. This study is part of a larger population-based study. All patients were prospectively followed up by a face-to-face interview or a structured telephone interview. We enrolled 635 patients with first-ever stroke and without a history of seizures. Prevalence of ischemic stroke (IS) was 85.2%, while the remaining 14.8% of patients were affected by intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). During the study period, 51 subjects (8%) developed post-stroke seizures. Patients with post-stroke seizures were younger, had a higher prevalence of ICH, had a more severe stroke at admission, were more likely to have an IS involving the total anterior circulation, and were more likely to have a lobar ICH than patients without seizures. Moreover, subjects with seizures had more frequently hemorrhagic transformation after IS and cortical strokes. At 24 months, the risk of disability in patients with seizures was almost twice than in those without seizures. However, the negative effect of seizures disappeared in multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves at 12 years were not significantly different between patients with and without post-stroke seizures. Using the Cox multivariate analysis, age, NIHSS at admission, and pre-stroke mRS were independently associated with all-cause long-term mortality. In our sample, seizures did not impair long-term outcome in patients affected by cerebrovascular accidents. The not significant, slight difference in favor of a better survival for patients with seizures may be attributed to the slight age difference between the two groups.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junaith S Mohamed ◽  
Peter J Ferrandi ◽  
Paez G Hector ◽  
Christopher R Pitzer ◽  
Stephen E Alway

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability in patients worldwide. Skeletal muscle is the primary systemic target organ of stroke that severely induces muscle wasting and weakness, which contributes more to the long-term functional disability in stroke patients than any other disease. Currently, no approved pharmacological drug is available to treat stroke-induced muscle loss. Rehabilitative therapy is the only available option to improve muscle function in stroke patients. However, higher muscle fatigability and lower muscle strength from extensive muscle wasting in post-stroke patients provide poor rehabilitative outcomes. As a result, about two-thirds of stroke survivors persist in a state of insufficient recovery and experience physical disability that drastically reduces their health and quality of life. The major challenge in the drug discovery effort for treating post-stroke muscle wasting is the lack of our understanding of the molecular and/or cellular mechanisms that underlie the muscle wasting in stroke. To understand the molecular origin of stroke-induced muscle atrophy, gene expression profiling and associated biological pathway enrichment studies were performed in a mouse model of cerebral ischemic stroke using high-throughput RNA sequencing and extensive bioinformatic analyses. RNA-seq data revealed that the elevated atrophy in skeletal muscle observed in response to stroke was primairly associated with the altered expression of genes involved in the muscle protein degradation pathway. Further analysis of RNA-seq data identified Sirtuin1 (SirT1) as a critical protein that plays a significant role in regulating post-stroke muscle mass. SirT1 gain-of-function in skeletal muscle significantly reversed stroke-induced muscle atrophy via inhibiting the activation of the ubiquitin proteasomal pathway and restoring autophagy function. Collectively, this study identified suppression of SirT1as a novel mechanism by which stroke induces muscle atrophy.


PM&R ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. S266-S267
Author(s):  
Shinichi Wada ◽  
Mitsumasa Yoda ◽  
Masazumi Mizuma

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