Background And Objectives: Whether thrombectomy compared with best medical treatment (BMT) improves outcome in patients with stroke and carotid artery dissection (CAD) is unknown.
Methods: This was an international observational study based on prospective nationwide Austrian, German, and Swiss stroke registries. Patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) due to CAD were compared according to treatment modality (thrombectomy vs BMT including intravenous thrombolysis) and to admission stroke severity NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) <6 vs NIHSS ≥6.
Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) reduce the rate of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation but the benefits and risks in survivors of intracerebral haemorrhage are uncertain. We aimed to determine whether DOACs reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke without substantially increasing the risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage.
Methods: PRESTIGE-AF is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial conducted at 75 hospitals in six European countries.
Introduction: Evidence regarding the benefit of endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to isolated cervical internal carotid artery occlusion (c-ICA-O) is lacking. We assessed the outcomes and safety of EVT in patients with isolated c-ICA-O.
Methods: Retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients with an AIS due to isolated c-ICA-O, within 24-h since last-seen-well.
Background: Sex-related differences in acute ischemic stroke may affect outcomes, yet evidence remains inconsistent. This large-scale study investigated sex-related differences in clinical presentation, peri-interventional parameters, and outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) using data from the German Stroke Registry-Endovascular Treatment (GSR-ET).
Methods: We analyzed 11.
Up to 20% of patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke have an occult malignancy at the time of stroke presentation, providing an opportunity for early cancer detection. Despite this significant association, there is currently no consensus in international guidelines on how to systematically screen for malignancy in ischemic stroke patients. This review aims to summarize recent evidence on clinical features and scores, and predictive laboratory tests, that can guide malignancy screening in ischemic stroke patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: There is an unmet need for high-quality data from prospective studies on the safety and effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the treatment of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). We aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of DOACs versus vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for the treatment of CVT in a setting that reflects daily clinical practice.
Methods: DOAC-CVT was an international, prospective, observational cohort study done in 65 hospitals in 23 countries across five continents.
Background: In the ESCAPE-NA1 trial, treatment with nerinetide, an eicosapeptide that interferes with post-synaptic density protein 95, was associated with improved functional outcome among patients with acute ischaemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion undergoing endovascular thrombectomy without co-treatment with an intravenous thrombolytic agent. There was no benefit when intravenous thrombolytic agent co-treatment was used. We sought to confirm the clinical benefit of nerinetide in the absence of previous intravenous thrombolytic drug treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The impact of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) on haematoma size after intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) compared to no-anticoagulation is controversial and prospective data are lacking.
Methods: The investigator-initiated, multicentre, prospective RASUNOA-prime study enrolled patients with non-traumatic ICH and atrial fibrillation while on a DOAC, vitamin K antagonist (VKA) or no anticoagulation (non-OAC). Neuroimaging was reviewed centrally blinded to group allocation.
Background: Whether the large effect size of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for stroke due to large-vessel occlusion applies to stroke due to medium-vessel occlusion is unclear.
Methods: In a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label trial with blinded outcome evaluation, we assigned patients with acute ischemic stroke due to medium-vessel occlusion who presented within 12 hours from the time that they were last known to be well and who had favorable baseline noninvasive brain imaging to receive EVT plus usual care or usual care alone. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin scale score (range, 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [death]) at 90 days, reported as the percentage of patients with a score of 0 or 1.
Promoting the highest quality, evidence-based research across Europe is a priority of the European Stroke Organisation (ESO). The ESO Guideline Board communicate and promote evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice through their Guidelines. However, there are many aspects of stroke care where robust scientific evidence may be unavailable or difficult to obtain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hematoma expansion after intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in anticoagulated patients significantly influences clinical outcomes and mortality, emphasizing the need for effective reversal agents. Andexanet alfa is a specific reversal agent for factor Xa-associated major bleeding.
Aims: The Andexanet alfa: non-interventional study at STROke centers in Germany (Deutschland, DE) (ASTRO-DE) study collected real-world evidence on the effect of andexanet alfa on mitigating hematoma expansion and altering prognosis in rivaroxaban- or apixaban-treated patients with ICH.
Importance: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common, chronic, cardiac arrythmia in older US adults. It is not known whether AF is independently associated with increased risk of retinal stroke (central retinal artery occlusion), a subtype of ischemic stroke that causes severely disabling visual loss in most cases and is a harbinger of further vascular events.
Objective: To determine whether there is an association between AF and retinal stroke.
Background: A strong association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been established but the exact role of EBV in MS remains controversial. Recently, molecular mimicry between EBNA1 and specific GlialCAM, CRYAB and ANO2 peptides has been suggested as a possible pathophysiological mechanism. The aim of this study was to analyse anti-EBV antibodies in MS patients against (I) EBV lifecycle proteins, (II) putative cross-reactive peptides, and (III) during treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objectives: Covert brain infarcts (CBIs) in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke (IS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with an increased risk of stroke recurrence. We aimed to assess whether CBIs modify the treatment effect of early vs late initiation of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with IS and AF.
Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the international, multicenter, randomized-controlled ELAN trial, which compared early (<48 hours after ischemic stroke for minor and moderate stroke, 6-7 days for major stroke) vs late (>48 hours for minor, 3-4 days for moderate, 12-14 days for major stroke) initiation of DOACs in patients with IS and AF.
Objective: To demonstrate the capability of a deep learning model to detect central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), a retinal pathology with significant clinical urgency, using OCT data.
Design: Retrospective, external validation study analyzing OCT and clinical baseline data of 2 institutions via deep learning classification analysis.
Subjects: Patients presenting to the University Medical Center Tübingen and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany.
Introduction: Migraine is an established risk factor for cerebral ischemic stroke, with an especially robust association in patients with migraine with aura. However, it is not known if migraine is a risk factor for retinal stroke (central or branch retinal artery occlusion; CRAO or BRAO).
Methods: We performed a retrospective, observational, cohort study using population-based data from the State Inpatient Databases and State Emergency Department Databases from New York (2006-2015), California (2003-2011), and Florida (2006-2015) to determine the association between hospital-documented migraine and retinal stroke.
Background: The superiority of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) over medical management was not established in two early basilar artery occlusion (BAO) randomized controlled trials. Despite this, many clinicians recommended EVT for acute BAO under certain circumstances. This paper aims to compare physicians' diagnostic and management strategies of BAO according to gender.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Juvenile strokes (< 55 years) account for about 15% of all ischemic strokes. Structured data on clinical outcome in those patients are sparse. Here, we aimed to fill this gap by systematically collecting relevant data and modeling a juvenile stroke prediction score for the 3-month functional outcome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Endovascular treatment (ET) options for acute stroke due to distal middle cerebral artery occlusions are rapidly evolving, but data on outcome and safety are sparse. We therefore performed an analysis of patients undergoing ET for primary M3 occlusions in routine clinical practice in a nationwide registry.
Methods: Patients enrolled between 01/20 and 12/21 in the prospective, multicenter German Stroke Registry-Endovascular Treatment (GSR-ET) were screened for mechanical thrombectomy performed for primary M3 occlusion.
In the last decade, mobile stroke units (MSUs) have shown the potential to transform prehospital stroke care, marking a paradigm shift in delivering ultra-rapid thrombolysis and streamlining triage processes. These units bring acute stroke care directly to patients, significantly shortening treatment times. This review outlines the rationale for MSU care and discusses the potential applications beyond the original purpose of delivering thrombolysis, including large vessel occlusion detection, intracerebral hemorrhage management, and innovative forms of prehospital research.
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