Hemisensory syndrome: Hyperacute symptom onset and age differentiates ischemic stroke from other aetiologies.

Background: An important cause of hemisensory syndrome is ischemic stroke. However, the diagnostic yield of neuroradiological imaging on hemisensory syndrome is low. Therefore, we aim to describe patients hospitalized with isolated hemisensory syndrome, and to identify clinical features associated with an aetiology of ischemic stroke.

Methods: We performed a single centre retrospective observation study, identifying patients who were hospitalised with hemisensory syndrome from October 2015 to March 2016, and whom underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain during the admission. Ischemic stroke was defined as the presence of restricted diffusion-weighted image on the MRI brain. Clinical information was analysed and compared between patients with and without stroke seen on MRI brain.

Results: 79 patients, 36 (45.6%) males and 43 (54.4%) females, aged between 30 to 87 years (mean 54), were included in the final analysis. 18 (22.8%) patients were identified to have an acute ischemic stroke. Clinical features associated with ischemic stroke in hospitalised patients with hemisensory syndrome include symptom onset of ≤24 h at presentation (odds ratio 31.4, 95% CI 3.89-254.4), advanced age (odds ratio 1.14, CI 1.05-1.25) and smoking (odds ratio 7.35, 95% CI 1.20-45).

Conclusion: Older patients, with a history of smoking, and who present with an acute onset of symptoms, are more likely to have ischemic stroke as the cause of their hemisensory syndrome.