Pre-Stroke Frailty Negatively Affects Leptomeningeal Collateral Flow in Proximal Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion.

Introduction: The adequacy of blood flow from the leptomeningeal collaterals is considered one of the most important factors determining the rate of infarct progression and response to acute stroke treatments in the setting of large vessel occlusions. Several patient-related variables, including age, vascular risk factors, and laboratory parameters, have been proposed to explain the interindividual variability of collateral flow among stroke patients. This study aimed to assess how pre-stroke frailty, an aging-related syndrome characterized by a loss in the physiologic reserve of numerous body functions, affected the degree of leptomeningeal collateral flow in the setting of acute ischemic stroke.

Stroke Mechanism in COVID-19 Infection: A Prospective Case-Control Study.

Background: The characteristics and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in acute ischemic stroke in patients with COVID-19 infection have not been fully clarified. We prospectively studied the phenotypic and etiological features of acute stroke occurring in COVID-19 infection.

Patients & Methods: Within nine months starting from April-2020, the presence of COVID-19 infection was determined by thoracic CT and SARS-CoV-2 PCR in all acute stroke cases managed in a single tertiary center.