The Role of Atrial Fibrillation and Oral Anticoagulation Status in Health-Related Quality of Life 12 Months After Ischemic Stroke or TIA.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) accounts for about 20% of all ischemic strokes worldwide. It is known that AF impairs health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the general population, but data on HRQOL in stroke patients with newly diagnosed AF are sparse.

Methods: Post hoc analysis of the prospective, investigator-initiated, multicenter MonDAFIS study (NCT02204267) to analyze whether AF-related oral anticoagulation (OAC), and/or AF-symptom severity are associated with HRQOL after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Ability of patients with acute ischemic stroke to recall given information on intravenous thrombolysis: Results of a prospective multicenter study.

Introduction: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is an on label treatment for selected patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). As major bleeding or allergic shock may occur, the need to ensure patients' informed consent for IVT is a matter of debate.

Patients And Methods: Prospective investigator-initiated multi-center observational study to assess the ability of AIS patients to recall information, provided by a physician during a standardized educational talk (SET) on IVT use.

Clinical outcome, recanalization success, and time metrics in drip-and-ship vs. drive-the-doctor: A retrospective analysis of the HEI-LU-Stroke registry.

Purpose: This study aimed at comparing clinical outcome, recanalization success and time metrics in the "drip and ship" (DS) vs. "drive the doctor" (DD) concept in a comparable setting.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of thrombectomy registries of a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) and a thrombectomy-capable stroke center (TSC).

Percutaneous autologous bone marrow concentrate for knee osteoarthritis: patient-reported outcomes and progenitor cell content.

Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, progressively debilitating joint disease, and the intra-articular injection of autologous bone marrow concentrate (BMC) may offer a minimally invasive method of harnessing the body's own connective tissue progenitor cells to counteract accompanying degenerative effects of the disease. However, the extent to which the progenitor cell content of BMC influences treatment outcomes is unclear. We sought to determine whether patient-reported outcome measures associated with BMC treatment for knee OA are related to the concentration of progenitor cells provided.

Decline in the number of patients with meningitis in German hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background And Objectives: In 2020, a wide range of hygiene measures was implemented to mitigate infections caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In consequence, pulmonary infections due to other respiratory pathogens also decreased. Here, we evaluated the number of bacterial and viral meningitis and encephalitis cases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Clinical, serological and genetic predictors of response to immunotherapy in anti-IgLON5 disease.

Anti-IgLON5 disease is a newly defined clinical entity characterized by a progressive course with high disability and mortality rate. While precise pathogenetic mechanisms remain unclear, features characteristic of both autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases were reported. Data on immunotherapy are limited, and its efficacy remains controversial.

[Telemedicine in stroke-pertinent to stroke care in Germany].

Background And Objective: Telemedical stroke networks improve stroke care and provide access to time-dependent acute stroke treatment in predominantly rural regions. The aim is a presentation of data on its utility and regional distribution.

Methods: The working group on telemedical stroke care of the German Stroke Society performed a survey study among all telestroke networks.

Impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on stroke teleconsultations in Germany in the first half of 2020.

Background And Purpose: The effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on telemedical care have not been described on a national level. Thus, we investigated the medical stroke treatment situation before, during, and after the first lockdown in Germany.

Methods: In this nationwide, multicenter study, data from 14 telemedical networks including 31 network centers and 155 spoke hospitals covering large parts of Germany were analyzed regarding patients' characteristics, stroke type/severity, and acute stroke treatment.

Collateral damages in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemia- two cases.

Background And Aims: At present, "severe acute respiratory syndrome new coronavirus" (SARS-CoV-2) affects the whole world and has led to a pandemia with almost 2.000.000 infected patients in the mid of April 2020 (WHO).

Recurrent versus first cervical artery dissection - a retrospective study of clinical and vascular characteristics.

Background And Purpose: Most recurrent cervical artery dissection (CeAD) events occur shortly after the acute first CeAD. This study compared the characteristics of recurrent and first CeAD events and searched for associations between subsequent events of an individual person.

Methods: Cervical artery dissection patients with a new CeAD event occurring during a 3-6 month follow-up were retrospectively selected in seven specialized stroke centers.

Reevaluation of risk factors for time to subsequent events after first stroke occurrence using a new weighted all-cause effect measure.

Background: Risk diseases and risk factors for stroke include atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and elevated LDL-cholesterol. Due to modern treatment options, the impact of these risk diseases on subsequent cardiovascular events or death after a first stroke is less clear and needs to be elucidated. We therefore aimed to get insights into the persistence of adverse prognostic effects of these risk diseases and risk factors on subsequent stroke or death events 1 year after the first stroke by using the new weighted all-cause hazard ratio.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Identifies Novel Functional Loci Associated with Lung Function in Puerto Rican Youth.

Puerto Ricans have the highest childhood asthma prevalence in the United States (23.6%); however, the etiology is uncertain. In this study, we sought to uncover the genetic architecture of lung function in Puerto Rican youth with and without asthma who were recruited from the island ( = 836).

Association of a Multigenetic Pro-Inflammatory Profile with Ischaemic Stroke.

Objective: A multigenetic pro-inflammatory profile may increase stroke risk. We investigated whether a higher number of pro-inflammatory genetic variants are associated with ischaemic stroke risk and whether other risk factors further elevate this risk.

Methods: In a case-control study with 470 ischaemic stroke patients (cases) and 807 population controls, we investigated 23 haplotypes or alleles in 16 inflammatory genes (interleukin [IL]1A, IL1B, IL1 receptor antagonist, IL6, IL6 receptor, IL10, tumour necrosis factor-a; C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, C-C motif chemokine receptor 5, C-reactive protein (CRP), intercellular adhesion molecule 1, transforming growth factor β1, E-Selectin, selenoprotein S, cluster determinant 14, histone deacetylase 9 [HDAC9]).

Expression of SMARCD1 interacts with age in association with asthma control on inhaled corticosteroid therapy.

Background: Global gene expression levels are known to be highly dependent upon gross demographic features including age, yet identification of age-related genomic indicators has yet to be comprehensively undertaken in a disease and treatment-specific context.

Methods: We used gene expression data from CD4+ lymphocytes in the Asthma BioRepository for Integrative Genomic Exploration (Asthma BRIDGE), an open-access collection of subjects participating in genetic studies of asthma with available gene expression data. Replication population participants were Puerto Rico islanders recruited as part of the ongoing Genes environments & Admixture in Latino Americans (GALA II), who provided nasal brushings for transcript sequencing.

Antagonizing dabigatran by idarucizumab in cases of ischemic stroke or intracranial hemorrhage in Germany-Updated series of 120 cases.

Background: Idarucizumab is a monoclonal antibody fragment with high affinity for dabigatran reversing its anticoagulant effects within minutes. Thereby, patients with acute ischemic stroke who are on dabigatran treatment may become eligible for thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA). In patients on dabigatran with intracerebral hemorrhage idarucizumab could prevent lesion growth.

Association of Surgical Hematoma Evacuation vs Conservative Treatment With Functional Outcome in Patients With Cerebellar Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Importance: The association of surgical hematoma evacuation with clinical outcomes in patients with cerebellar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has not been established.

Objective: To determine the association of surgical hematoma evacuation with clinical outcomes in cerebellar ICH.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of 4 observational ICH studies incorporating 6580 patients treated at 64 hospitals across the United States and Germany (2006-2015).

Characteristics in Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulant-Related Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose- Given inconclusive studies, it is debated whether clinical and imaging characteristics, as well as functional outcome, differ among patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) related to vitamin K antagonists (VKA) versus non-vitamin K antagonist (NOAC)-related ICH. Notably, clinical characteristics according to different NOAC agents and dosages are not established. Methods- Multicenter observational cohort study integrating individual patient data of 1328 patients with oral anticoagulation-associated ICH, including 190 NOAC-related ICH patients, recruited from 2011 to 2015 at 19 tertiary centers across Germany.

Heparin for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in intracerebral haemorrhage.

Objective: To determine the occurrence of intracranial haemorrhagic complications (IHC) on heparin prophylaxis (low-dose subcutaneous heparin, LDSH) in primary spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) (not oral anticoagulation-associated ICH, non-OAC-ICH), vitamin K antagonist (VKA)-associated ICH and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC)-associated ICH.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study (RETRACE) of 22 participating centres and prospective single-centre study with 1702 patients with VKA-associated or NOAC-associated ICH and 1022 patients with non-OAC-ICH with heparin prophylaxis between 2006 and 2015. Outcomes were defined as rates of IHC during hospital stay among patients with non-OAC-ICH, VKA-ICH and NOAC-ICH, mortality and functional outcome at 3 months between patients with ICH with and without IHC.

Socioeconomic decline and advancement within and between generations and the risk of stroke - a case-control study.

Background: Disadvantageous socioeconomic conditions (SEC) in both childhood and adulthood increase the risk of stroke. We investigated whether intergenerational and lifetime social advancement decreases and/or social descent increases stroke risk.

Methods: In a case-control study with 466 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke and 807 controls randomly selected from the general population, we compared paternal profession to subjects' professional education in adolescence and their last profession in adulthood.