[Diagnosis of posterior spinal artery infarctions using diffusion-weighted MRI].

Posterior spinal artery (PSA) infarctions are rare and challenging to diagnose in the acute phase. Herein, we report two cases of PSA infarctions diagnosed using spinal diffusion-weighted imaging-MRI (DWI-MRI). Case 1 involved a 74-year-old male patient presenting to our hospital with right leg numbness and unsteadiness while walking.

Incidental finding of aberrant left common carotid artery during intracerebral hemorrhage examination.

We report a case involving an aortic arch anomaly that has not been previously documented. The patients were a 76-year-old female who was urgently transported to the hospital because of a sudden disturbance of consciousness. Neurological symptoms indicated impending brain herniation, and the patient was diagnosed with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (left putamen-thalamus) and acute hydrocephalus, thereafter she died approximately 6 hours after arrival.

Clinical impact of body mass index on outcomes of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

Background And Aim: To investigate the prognostic implication of body mass index (BMI) on clinical outcomes after acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Methods: The subjects of the study included adult patients with available baseline body weight and height data who had suffered an acute stroke and were registered in the Japan Stroke Data Bank-a hospital-based, multicenter stroke registration database-between January 2006 and December 2020. The outcome measures included unfavorable outcomes defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 5-6 and favorable outcomes (mRS 0-2) at discharge, and in-hospital mortality.

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden for Bleeding Risk during Antithrombotic Therapy: Bleeding with Antithrombotic Therapy 2 Study.

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the excess risk of antithrombotic-related bleeding due to cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) burden.

Methods: In this observational, prospective cohort study, patients with cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases taking oral antithrombotic agents were enrolled from 52 hospitals across Japan between 2016 and 2019. Baseline multimodal magnetic resonance imaging acquired under prespecified conditions was assessed by a central diagnostic radiology committee to calculate total SVD score.

High pre-stroke CHADS score predicts unfavorable functional outcome in acute cardioembolic stroke patients prescribed oral anticoagulant therapy: A sub-analysis of the PASTA registry study.

Background And Purpose: The impact of CHADS score on outcome in patients with stroke taking an oral anticoagulant (OAC) has not yet been fully elucidated. We investigated the association between pre-stroke CHADS score and outcome at discharge in patients with acute cardioembolic (CE) stroke due to atrial fibrillation (AF) who were prescribed OAC.

Methods: The data of 548 OAC-treated patients with AF and CE stroke who were registered in the multicenter Prospective Analysis of Stroke patients Taking oral Anticoagulants (PASTA) study were analyzed.

Resumption of oral anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation after intracerebral hemorrhage: A sub-analysis of the PASTA registry study.

Purpose: To investigate the rate and timing of oral anticoagulant (OAC) resumption and its safety in patients after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in current clinical practice in Japan.

Methods: We conducted a sub-analysis of the PASTA registry, an observational, multicenter registry of 1043 patients with stroke receiving OACs in Japan, by including patients with ICH on OAC treatment for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The clinical characteristics of the patients in the resumption and non-resumption groups, rate and timing of OAC resumption, its safety, and switching of OACs after ICH were investigated.

Temporal Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow during Migraine with Aura of Alternating Left and Right Homonymous Hemianopsia.

A 16-year-old boy presented with sudden left homonymous hemianopsia followed by right ocular and occipital pain. Arterial spin labeling (ASL), a non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging technique used to evaluate perfusion, showed a decrease in cerebral blood flow in the right occipital lobe. Three hours after admission, the patient experienced right homonymous hemianopsia and ocular-to-occipital pain on the contralateral side.

Association between Carotid Bifurcation Angle and Vulnerable Plaque Volume Using Black Blood Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The morphology of the internal carotid artery (ICA) bifurcation is increasingly being recognized as the cause of atherosclerosis and vulnerable plaque leading to cerebral infarction. In this study, we investigated the relationship between carotid bifurcation angle and carotid plaque volume evaluated using black blood magnetic resonance imaging (BB-MRI). Among the 90 patients who underwent revascularization for atherosclerotic symptomatic carotid stenosis between April 2016 and October 2022 using BB-MRI, carotid plaque was evaluated in 57 patients.

JAK2 V617F Mutation and Large Cerebral Artery Disease in Patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F mutation and large cerebral artery disease (LCAD) in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

Methods: We retrospectively analysed patients diagnosed with MPNs between June 1992 and June 2022 who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. LCAD was defined as extracranial or intracranial large artery stenosis (≥ 50%) or occlusion on magnetic resonance angiography.

Thrombolysis for Acute Wake-Up and Unclear-Onset Strokes with Alteplase at 0.6 mg/kg in Clinical Practice: THAWS2 Study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of intravenous (IV) alteplase at 0.6 mg/kg for patients with acute wake-up or unclear-onset strokes in clinical practice.

Methods: This multicenter observational study enrolled acute ischemic stroke patients with last-known-well time >4.

Safety of recanalization therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke on direct oral anticoagulants: A sub-analysis of PASTA registry study.

Background: The safety of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) before stroke has not been fully investigated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the safety of recanalization therapy in patients receiving DOACs.

Methods: We assessed data from a prospective multicenter registry of patients with stroke, including those with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with rtPA and/or MT who were administered DOACs.

Vitamin K antagonists but not non-vitamin K antagonists in addition on antiplatelet therapy should be associated with increase of hematoma volume and mortality in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: A sub-analysis of PASTA registry study.

Background And Purpose: Prior concomitant use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and antiplatelet (AP) therapy increase the hematoma volume and mortality compared with VKA monotherapy in patients with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). However, the prior concomitant use of non-vitamin K oral antagonists (NOACs) and AP has not been clarified.

Methods: We conducted a PASTA registry study, which was an observational, multicenter, registry of 1043 patients with stroke receiving oral anticoagulants (OACs) in Japan.

Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Volumes and Cerebrovascular Events: A 1-Year Follow-up.

Background And Objectives: Declines in stroke admission, IV thrombolysis (IVT), and mechanical thrombectomy volumes were reported during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a paucity of data on the longer-term effect of the pandemic on stroke volumes over the course of a year and through the second wave of the pandemic. We sought to measure the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes of stroke admissions, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), IVT, and mechanical thrombectomy over a 1-year period at the onset of the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021) compared with the immediately preceding year (March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020).

Heterogeneity of Stroke in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective The underlying pathophysiology varies according to stroke subtype. However, stroke heterogeneity among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains unstudied. We hypothesized that the contribution of SLE to stroke might vary according to its subtype and investigated the associations of SLE and various stroke subtypes.

Remote ischemic conditioning for acute ischemic stroke part 2: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) refers to the application of repeated short periods of ischemia intended to protect remote areas against tissue damage during and after prolonged ischemia.

Aim: We aim to evaluate the efficacy of RIC, determined by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days after stroke onset.

Design And Methods: This study is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel-group clinical trial.

[COVID-19 Vaccine-Induced Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome].

Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) induced by the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine is characterized by thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. Positivity for the anti-platelet factor 4-antibody is related to TTS pathophysiology, similar to heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Although TTS is very rare, with an incidence of almost 1/100,000 cases, physicians need to keep in mind this adverse reaction that can lead to serious symptoms and death.

Short-term or long-term outcomes for stroke patients with cancer according to biological markers.

Background: Although hypercoagulability using D-dimer levels may be a useful marker for predicting outcomes in ischemic stroke patients with cancer, other biological markers for predicting outcomes are unclear. We aimed to investigate the associations between several biological markers and short-term or long-term outcomes among ischemic stroke patients with cancer.

Methods: Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients with cancer (n = 309) were registered.

Sustained atrial fibrillation is related to a higher severity of stroke in patients taking direct oral anticoagulants.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) includes paroxysmal and sustained (persistent or permanent) AF, and both forms are considered risk factors for ischemic stroke. This study aimed to investigate the differences in stroke severity at admission between patients with paroxysmal AF and sustained AF when treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).

Methods: Using data from DOAC-treated 300 nonvalvular patients with AF and acute anterior circulation stroke who were registered in the Multicenter Prospective Analysis of Stroke Patients Taking Oral Anticoagulants study, patients were divided into two groups, namely, paroxysmal AF and sustained AF.

Prior direct oral anticoagulant dosage and outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke and non-valvular atrial fibrillation: A sub-analysis of PASTA registry study.

Background And Purpose: Prescribing under-dose direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is alerted to increase cardiovascular events or death. However, the association between dose selection of DOACs and the clinical course remains unclear. This study aimed to propose a novel criterion for selecting the DOAC dose and investigate clinical characteristics of ischemic stroke (IS) under this criterion.

Clinical characteristics and tumor markers in ischemic stroke patients with active cancer.

Cancer-associated ischemic stroke (CAS) refers to a hypercoagulation disorder related to malignant tumors, especially adenocarcinoma. Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 is a mucinous serum marker that might reflect hypercoagulation status, but the association between CA 125 and CAS is unclear across various types of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations among tumor markers, coagulation markers, and clinical factors in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with active cancer.

Characteristics of Ischemic Versus Hemorrhagic Stroke in Patients Receiving Oral Anticoagulants: Results of the PASTA Study.

Objective Limited data exist regarding the comparative detailed clinical characteristics of patients with ischemic stroke (IS)/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) receiving oral anticoagulants (OACs). Methods The prospective analysis of stroke patients taking oral anticoagulants (PASTA) registry, a multicenter registry of 1,043 stroke patients receiving OACs [vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOACs)] across 25 medical institutions throughout Japan, was used. Univariate and multivariable analyses were used to analyze differences in clinical characteristics between IS/TIA and ICH patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who were registered in the PASTA registry.

Predicting hemorrhagic transformation after large vessel occlusion stroke in the era of mechanical thrombectomy.

Serum biomarkers are associated with hemorrhagic transformation and brain edema after cerebral infarction. However, whether serum biomarkers predict hemorrhagic transformation in large vessel occlusion stroke even after mechanical thrombectomy, which has become widely used, remains uncertain. In this prospective study, we enrolled patients with large vessel occlusion stroke in the anterior circulation.