Publications by authors named "Pekka Virtanen"
Article Synopsis
- Researchers developed a 9-point score to predict positive outcomes for patients undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT) in late-presenting strokes (6-24 hours after last known well), based on a multinational study involving over 3,200 patients.
- The score takes into account factors like age, early CT changes, and stroke severity, with higher scores indicating a better chance of functional recovery at 90 days compared to those receiving only medical management.
- Validation of the score showed it is a useful tool for estimating EVT outcomes, particularly benefiting patients with lower to midrange scores in terms of good functional results and independence.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the effectiveness of two anesthesia methods—general anesthesia (GA) and conscious sedation (non-GA)—for patients undergoing endovascular treatment for isolated posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusion stroke.
- Researchers analyzed data from the PLATO study focusing on patient outcomes such as the modified Rankin Scale scores after 90 days, as well as successful reperfusion rates and safety measures like intracranial hemorrhage.
- Results show that while both anesthesia methods had similar functional outcomes and safety profiles, GA was associated with significantly higher rates of successful reperfusion during treatment.
Article Synopsis
- Posterior cerebral artery occlusion (PCAo) can lead to long-term disabilities, and this study compares the effectiveness of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), both with and without intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), against IVT alone for treating PCAo.
- The study analyzed data from 724 patients treated within 24 hours of PCAo onset, measuring outcomes like functional independence and early neurological improvement over a three-month period.
- Results indicated that EVT did not improve overall functional outcomes compared to IVT alone; however, it increased the likelihood of early improvement, but also raised risks of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and mortality.
Background And Purpose: We compared the outcomes of endovascular therapy (EVT) in an extended time window in patients with large-vessel occlusion (LVO) between patients with and without pre-stroke disability.
Methods: In this prespecified analysis of the multinational CT for Late Endovascular Reperfusion study (66 participating sites, 10 countries between 2014 and 2022), we analyzed data from patients with acute ischemic stroke with a pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-4 and LVO who underwent EVT 6-24 hours from the time last seen well. The primary outcome was the composite of functional independence (FI; mRS score 0-2) or return to the pre-stroke mRS score (return of Rankin, RoR) at 90 days.
Introduction: The benefit of endovascular therapy (EVT) among stroke patients with large ischemic core (ASPECTS 0-5) in the extended time window outside of trial settings remains unclear. We analyzed the effect of EVT among these stroke patients in real-world settings.
Patients And Methods: The CT for Late Endovascular Reperfusion (CLEAR) study recruited patients from 66 centers in 10 countries between 01/2014 and 05/2022.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT) versus medical management (MM) in patients with isolated posterior cerebral artery occlusion (iPCAO) during acute ischemic strokes, lacking prior randomized trial evidence.
- Results show that EVT leads to better functional outcomes for patients with more severe stroke symptoms (NIHSS >6), but not for those with milder symptoms (NIHSS ≤6).
- Additionally, while EVT improves outcomes, it is also linked to a higher occurrence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages, regardless of initial stroke severity.
Background: The aim of this study was to contribute to the theoretical development within the field of labour market effects on mental health during life by integrating Bronfenbrenner's ecological model with mainly earlier theoretical work on life-course theory.
Methods: An integrative review was performed of all 52 publications about labour market conditions in relation to mental health from the longitudinal Northern Swedish Cohort study. Inductive and deductive qualitative content analysis were performed in relation to Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework combined with life-course theories.
Background: Studies comparing bridging intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with direct endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke who present late are limited. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes and safety of bridging IVT in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to anterior circulation large vessel occlusion who underwent EVT 6 to 24 hours after time last known well.
Methods: We enrolled patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke and a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥6 from 20 centers across 10 countries in the multicenter retrospective CLEAR study (CT for Late Endovascular Reperfusion) between January 2014 and May 2022.
Background And Objectives: There is uncertainty whether patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) presenting in the late 6-hour to 24-hour time window can be selected for endovascular therapy (EVT) by noncontrast CT (NCCT) and CT angiography (CTA) for LVO detection. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients selected for EVT by NCCT compared with those medically managed in the extended time window.
Methods: This multinational cohort study was conducted at 66 sites across 10 countries.
Introduction: Drawing upon the framework of life course epidemiology, this study aligns with research on the mental health consequences of significant social transitions during early adulthood. The focus is on the variation in initial labour market attachment and the development of depressiveness, assuming that a firm attachment is associated with decreasing depressiveness.
Methods: The baseline investigation of the studied cohort ( = 1,001) took place during their final year of compulsory schooling at age 16.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examines the outcomes of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in patients with basilar artery occlusion (BAO) and compares it to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), noting that IVT has often been underrepresented in prior studies despite being effective beyond the usual treatment window.
- - Data from a cohort of 376 patients treated between 1995-2022 reveals that 65.2% received only IVT, with about 46.5% achieving favorable outcomes at 3 months, although there was a notable mortality rate of 35.9%.
- - Factors like younger age and less severe symptoms were linked to better outcomes for those treated solely with IVT, and the research used advanced
Background: The association between sex and outcome after endovascular thrombectomy of acute ischemic stroke is unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and safety outcomes between men and women treated with endovascular thrombectomy in the late 6-to-24-hour window period.
Methods: This multicenter, retrospective observational cohort study included consecutive patients who underwent endovascular thrombectomy of anterior circulation stroke in the late window from 66 clinical sites in 10 countries from January 2014 to May 2022.
Background: This study, conducted on a Swedish population cohort, explores how internalized (depressive and functional somatic) and externalized (smoking, drinking, truancy, vandalism, delinquency) mental health symptoms, as well as close interpersonal relations (family climate and school connectedness) reported during adolescence, influence the work-life course up to late midlife.
Methods: We examined repeated measurements of labour market status from age 16 to 56 using sequence analyses. We identified five different labour market attachment (LMA16-56) trajectories, namely 'strong,' 'early intermediate,' 'early weak,' 'late weak,' and 'constantly weak.
Aim: The aim of the paper is to analyse if alcohol consumption could explain the scarring effect of youth unemployment on later depressive symptoms.
Methods: The analyses are based on the 24-year follow-up of school leavers in a municipality in Northern Sweden (the Northern Swedish Cohort). Four-way decomposition analyses were performed to analyse if alcohol use at age 30 years could mediate and/or moderate the effect of youth unemployment (ages 18/21 years) on depressive symptoms in later adulthood (age 43 years).
Introduction: Present-day computer tomography (CT) scanners have excellent spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio and are instrumental detecting early ischemic changes (EIC) in brain. We assessed the temporal changes of EIC based on the recanalization status after thrombectomy.
Patients And Methods: The cohort comprises consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke in anterior circulation treated with thrombectomy in tertiary referral hospital.
Article Synopsis
- A study comparing endovascular therapy (EVT) and medical management (MM) for patients with isolated posterior cerebral artery occlusion found no significant difference in disability outcomes at 90 days.
- EVT showed a greater likelihood of achieving a substantial improvement on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and better overall recovery, despite higher risks of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and mortality.
- The findings suggest that while EVT may lead to better recovery, it comes with increased risks, indicating the need for careful patient selection in treatment decisions.
Impact of white matter hypodensities on outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis
February 2023
Objectives: White matter hypodensities (WMH), a surrogate of small vessel disease, associate with cognitive decline and stroke risk. The impact of WMH on functional outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has differed between studies. We aimed to examine factors associated with the severity of WMH in ICH, and whether there is an independent association between the extent of WMH and outcome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Data concerning the results of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in old patients is still limited. We aimed to investigate the outcomes in thrombectomy-treated ischemic stroke patients aged ≥ 80 years, focusing on frailty as a contributing factor.
Patients And Methods: We performed a single-centre retrospective cohort study with 159 consecutive patients aged ≥ 80 years and treated with EVT for acute ischemic stroke between January 1st 2016 and December 31st 2019.
Article Synopsis
- Somatic symptoms are common in adolescents, but understanding their long-term development and influencing factors is limited.
- The study involved 1,001 participants from Northern Sweden, examining various individual, family, and school-related factors at age 16 to see how they predict somatic symptom trajectories over 27 years.
- Key findings revealed that poor maternal contact and low school satisfaction significantly forecasted adverse symptom trajectories, with unique influences such as low birth weight for women and smoking/social adversity for men.
Background: The prevalence of mental disorders is increased among people of low socioeconomic status or educational level, but it remains unclear whether their access to treatment matches their increased need.
Aims: Our objective was to examine whether educational level as an indicator of socioeconomic status is associated with use of mental health services, psychotropic medication and psychotherapy in Finland.
Method: Cross-sectional data from a follow-up survey of a longitudinal, population-based cohort study were used to form a sample of 3,053 men and women aged 24 to 68 with a current or previous physician diagnosed mental disorder.
Objectives: Selected patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) or internal carotid artery occlusion benefit from endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in extended time window (6-24 h from last seen well) based on two landmark randomized controlled trials (RCTs) DAWN and DEFUSE-3. We evaluated patients' outcome in the real-life with the focus on adherence to protocol of the two RCTs.
Materials And Methods: We included consecutive patients with AIS (excluding basilar artery occlusions) referred to EVT in our stroke center in the extended time window between January 2018 and December 2019 and compared the outcome of patients who fulfilled criteria of the RCTs with those who did not.
Objectives: Current guidelines for recanalization treatment are based on the time elapsed between symptom onset and treatment and visualization of existing penumbra in computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging. The time window for treatment options relies on linear growth of infarction although individual infarct growth rate may vary. We aimed to test how accurately the estimated follow-up infarct volume (eFIV) can be approximated by using a linear growth model based on CTP baseline imaging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Psychotherapy is a widely used treatment for mental disorders, but whether it also improves employment and other labour market outcomes remains inconclusive. This study examined the effectiveness of a nationwide subsidized psychotherapy programme using extensive register-based data.
Methods: The sample consisted of individuals who applied for rehabilitative psychotherapy in Finland in 2009-2012 ( = 35,083).
Previous studies have implicated several brain cell types in schizophrenia (SCZ), but the genetic impact of astrocytes is unknown. Considering their high complexity in humans, astrocytes are likely key determinants of neurodevelopmental diseases, such as SCZ. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived astrocytes differentiated from five monozygotic twin pairs discordant for SCZ and five healthy subjects were studied for alterations related to high genetic risk and clinical manifestation of SCZ in astrocyte transcriptomics, neuron-astrocyte co-cultures, and in humanized mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to review and compare the performance of various prehospital scales designed to identify large vessel occlusion (LVO) in stroke patients, emphasizing the importance of early identification for timely treatment.
- Sixteen LVO scales were evaluated on 610 patients, revealing significant variability in their sensitivity (8%-73%), specificity (71%-97%), and overall accuracy (71%-87%).
- Among the scales, FAST-ED emerged as the most effective, with an area under the curve (AUC) above 0.8, while the other top performers included G-FAST and EMSA, both with AUCs greater than 0.7.