World Stroke Organization and World Hypertension League Position Statement on Hypertension Control Strategies in Prevention and Management of Stroke.

Background And Purpose:-: The goal of this consensus is to provide a comprehensive set of recommendations regarding hypertension control strategies for the prevention and management of stroke. This document is intended for prehospital care providers, physicians, allied health professionals, and hospital administrators and health care policy makers.

Methods:-: Members of the writing group were representatives of the World Stroke Organization and World Hypertension League.

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis: Current Updates in the Asian Context.

Background: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT) is a life-threatening cause of stroke in Asian countries. South Asia, comprising of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, contributed to 40% of strokes in women. Major CVT registries are from the Western nations, which differs from the Asian countries with respect to epidemiology, gender biases, and risk factors.

Stroke Rehabilitation Clinical Practice Guidelines in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Quality and Unique Features.

Introduction: Efforts toward reducing stroke burden have been an immense challenge. One important reasons could be the scope and quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) developed for stroke rehabilitation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), restricting its translation to clinical practice. This systematic review aimed to assess the availability, scope and quality of CPGs for stroke rehabilitation in LMICs.

In ischemic stroke, adding IV thrombolysis ≤2 h after symptom onset to thrombectomy was associated with benefit.

Kaesmacher J, Cavalcante F, Kappelhof M, et al; IRIS Collaborators. JAMA. 2024;331:764-777.

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for stroke rehabilitation from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs): Protocol for systematic review.

Introduction: Stroke rehabilitation guidelines promoteclinical decision making, enhance quality of healthcare delivery, minimize healthcare costs, and identify gaps in current knowledge to guide future research. However, there are no published reviews that have exclusively evaluated the quality of existing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) for stroke rehabilitation from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) or provided any insights into the cultural variation, adaptations, or gaps in implementation specific to LMICs.

Objectives: To identify CPGs developed by LMICs for stroke rehabilitation and evaluate their quality using AGREE-II and AGREE-REX tool.

The burden, risk factors and unique etiologies of stroke in South-East Asia Region (SEAR).

The World Health Organization (WHO) South East Asia Region (SEAR) comprises 11 countries, which are one of the most culturally, topographically, and socially diverse areas worldwide, undergoing an epidemiological transition towards non-communicable diseases, including stroke and other cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This region accounts for over 40% of the global stroke mortality. Few well-designed population-based epidemiological studies on stroke are available from SEAR countries, with considerable variations among them.

Stroke systems of care in South-East Asia Region (SEAR): commonalities and diversities.

The Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) accounts for nearly 50% of the developing world's stroke burden. With various commonalities across its countries concerning health services, user awareness, and healthcare-seeking behavior, SEAR still presents profound diversities in stroke-related services across the continuum of care. This review highlights the numerous systems and challenges in access to stroke care, acute stroke care services, and health care systems, including rehabilitation.

Surveillance of stroke: a South-East Asia Region (SEAR) perspective.

Surveillance of stroke is critical to track its burden and assess progress in prevention and treatment. We reviewed the literature to evaluate stroke surveillance efforts in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) countries, identify progress and assess gaps. Epidemiological data on all the major parameters such as the incidence, prevalence and mortality of stroke were available for India and Thailand but for none of the other SEAR countries.

Eye Signs in Stroke.

A large part of the central nervous system is involved in the normal functioning of the vision, and hence vision can be affected in a stroke patient. Transient visual symptoms can likewise be a harbinger of stroke and prompt rapid evaluation for the prevention of recurrent stroke. A carotid artery disease can manifest as transient monocular visual loss (TMVL), central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS).

Spectrum of Cardiovascular Autonomic Dysfunction and 24-hour Blood Pressure Variability in Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Uncertainty prevails regarding the patterns of autonomic dysfunction in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the complete spectrum of cardiovascular autonomic function tests (CAFTs) and blood pressure variability patterns in IPD patients while comparing the same with age-matched controls.

Methods: Patients with IPD presenting to the Christian Medical College and Hospital from December 2016 to November 2018 along with age-matched controls were prospectively evaluated using CAFTs.

Maintaining Stroke Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries: World Stroke Organization Position Statement Endorsed by American Stroke Association and American Heart Association.

For more than a year, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had a devastating effect on global health. High-, low, and middle-income countries are struggling to cope with the spread of newer mutant strains of the virus. Delivery of acute stroke care remains a priority despite the pandemic.

Regional and national differences in stroke thrombolysis use and disparities in pricing, treatment availability, and coverage.

Background: Major disparities have been reported in recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) availability among countries of different socioeconomic status.

Aims: To characterize variability of rtPA price, its availability, and its association with and impact on each country's health expenditure (HE) resources.

Methods: We conducted a global survey to obtain information on rtPA price (50 mg vial, 2020 US Dollars) and availability.

Expert consensus for in-hospital neurorehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic in low- and middle-income countries.

People with neurological dysfunction have been significantly affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis in receiving adequate and quality rehabilitation services. There are no clear guidelines or recommendations for rehabilitation providers in dealing with patients with neurological dysfunction during a pandemic situation especially in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this paper was to develop consensus-based expert recommendations for in-hospital based neurorehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic for low- and middle-income countries based on available evidence.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Incidence with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping for Stroke Prevention Interventions.

Objectives: GIS mapping as a public health tool has been increasingly applied to chronic disease control. While evaluating TIA incidence from an existing regional stroke registry in Ludhiana city, India, we aim to apply the innovative concept of regional TIA GIS mapping for planning targeted stroke prevention interventions.

Methods: TIA patient data was obtained from hospitals, scan centers and general practitioners from March 2010 to March 2013 using WHO-Stroke STEPS based surveillance as part of establishing a population-based stroke registry in Ludhiana city.

Maintaining stroke care during the COVID-19 pandemic in lower- and middle-income countries: World Stroke Organization Position Statement endorsed by American Stroke Association and American Heart Association.

For more than a year, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had a devastating effect on global health. High-, low-, and middle-income countries are struggling to cope with the spread of newer mutant strains of the virus. Delivery of acute stroke care remains a priority despite the pandemic.