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Journal of Neurosurgery Oct 2023Strokes affect almost 13 million new people each year, and whereas the outcomes of stroke have improved over the past several decades in high-income countries, the same... (Review)
Review Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Strokes affect almost 13 million new people each year, and whereas the outcomes of stroke have improved over the past several decades in high-income countries, the same cannot be seen in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. This is the first study to identify the availability of diagnostic tools along with the rates of stroke mortality and other poststroke complications in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
METHODS
A review of the literature was completed with a search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases, with adherence to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Studies were included if they reported any outcomes of stroke in low-income and lower-middle-income countries as designated by the World Bank classification. A meta-analysis calculating pooled prevalence rates of diagnostic characteristics and stroke outcomes was completed for all endpoint variables.
RESULTS
A total of 19 studies were included, of which 6 came from Ethiopia, 3 from Zambia, and 2 each from Tanzania and Iran. Single studies from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda, and Sierra Leone were included. A total of 5265 (61.7%) patients had an ischemic stroke, 2124 (24.9%) had hemorrhagic stroke, with the remaining 1146 (13.4%) having an unknown type. Among 6 studies the pooled percentage of patients presenting to hospital within 1 day was 48.37% (95% CI 38.59%-58.27%; I2 = 97.0%, p < 0.01). The pooled in-hospital mortality rate was 19.81% (95% CI 15.26%-25.31%; I2 = 91%, p < 0.01), but was higher in a hemorrhagic subgroup (27.07% [95% CI 22.52%-32.15%; I2 = 54%, p = 0.05]) when compared to an ischemic group (13.16% [95% CI 8.60%-19.62%; I2 = 87%, p < 0.01]). The 30-day pooled mortality rate was 23.24% (95% CI 14.17%-35.70%; I2 = 93%, p < 0.01). At 30 days, the functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score 0-2) pooled rate was 13.10% (95% CI 7.50%-21.89%; I2 = 82%, p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
A severe healthcare disparity is present in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, where there is delayed diagnosis of strokes and increased rates of poor clinical outcomes for these patients.
Topics: Humans; Developing Countries; Stroke; Income; Uganda
PubMed: 37856884
DOI: 10.3171/2023.2.JNS222807 -
BMC Emergency Medicine Jun 2022The worldwide burden of stroke remains high, with increasing time-to-treatment correlated with worse outcomes. Yet stroke subtype determination, most importantly between... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The worldwide burden of stroke remains high, with increasing time-to-treatment correlated with worse outcomes. Yet stroke subtype determination, most importantly between stroke/non-stroke and ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke, is not confirmed until hospital CT diagnosis, resulting in suboptimal prehospital triage and delayed treatment. In this study, we survey portable, non-invasive diagnostic technologies that could streamline triage by making this initial determination of stroke type, thereby reducing time-to-treatment.
METHODS
Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a scoping review of portable stroke diagnostic devices. The search was executed in PubMed and Scopus, and all studies testing technology for the detection of stroke or intracranial hemorrhage were eligible for inclusion. Extracted data included type of technology, location, feasibility, time to results, and diagnostic accuracy.
RESULTS
After a screening of 296 studies, 16 papers were selected for inclusion. Studied devices utilized various types of diagnostic technology, including near-infrared spectroscopy (6), ultrasound (4), electroencephalography (4), microwave technology (1), and volumetric impedance spectroscopy (1). Three devices were tested prior to hospital arrival, 6 were tested in the emergency department, and 7 were tested in unspecified hospital settings. Median measurement time was 3 minutes (IQR: 3 minutes to 5.6 minutes). Several technologies showed high diagnostic accuracy in severe stroke and intracranial hematoma detection.
CONCLUSION
Numerous emerging portable technologies have been reported to detect and stratify stroke to potentially improve prehospital triage. However, the majority of these current technologies are still in development and utilize a variety of accuracy metrics, making inter-technology comparisons difficult. Standardizing evaluation of diagnostic accuracy may be helpful in further optimizing portable stroke detection technology for clinical use.
Topics: Emergency Medical Services; Humans; Intracranial Hemorrhages; Stroke; Time-to-Treatment; Triage
PubMed: 35710360
DOI: 10.1186/s12873-022-00663-z -
Stroke Aug 2022Mechanical thrombectomy is a highly effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel occlusion in the anterior cerebral circulation, significantly... (Review)
Review
Mechanical thrombectomy is a highly effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel occlusion in the anterior cerebral circulation, significantly increasing the likelihood of recovery to functional independence. Until recently, whether intravenous thrombolysis before mechanical thrombectomy provided additional benefits to patients with acute ischemic stroke-large-vessel occlusion remained unclear. Given that reperfusion is a key factor for clinical outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke-large-vessel occlusion and the efficacy of both intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy is time-dependent, achieving complete reperfusion with a single pass should be the primary angiographic goal. However, it remains undetermined whether extending the procedure with additional endovascular attempts or local lytics administration safely leads to higher reperfusion grades and whether there are significant public health and cost implications. Here, we outline the current state of knowledge and research avenues that remain to be explored regarding the consistent therapeutic benefit of intravenous thrombolysis in anterior circulation strokes and the potential place of adjunctive intra-arterial lytics administration, including alternative thrombolytic agent place.
Topics: Brain Ischemia; Fibrinolytic Agents; Humans; Ischemic Stroke; Plasminogen; Stroke; Thrombectomy; Thrombolytic Therapy; Tissue Plasminogen Activator; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35506385
DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.122.039287 -
Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing :...There are 2 classification of strokes: ischemic, if caused by an arterial occlusion from a clot or obstruction by atherosclerosis, and hemorrhagic, if caused by the...
BACKGROUND
There are 2 classification of strokes: ischemic, if caused by an arterial occlusion from a clot or obstruction by atherosclerosis, and hemorrhagic, if caused by the rupture of a vessel and subsequent bleeding. Each type of stroke is influenced by platelet counts and platelet function. The intention of this article is to discuss the role of the platelet in the pathophysiology of acute stroke processes. This serves as a prelude to discussing these processes as disrupted with thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts). Platelets initiate clot formation and obstruct blood flow through the creation of a platelet plug. They also extend the penumbra in ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Thrombocytopenia can be a causal factor in an ischemic stroke, a risk factor for hemorrhagic stroke, and a risk factor for hemorrhagic stroke conversion.
METHODS
The aims of this study were to review 1 case study that illustrates the pivotal role of the platelet in strokes and to review the aspect that was impacted by autoimmune thrombocytopenia.
DISCUSSION
Thrombocytopenia is a hematologic disorder not often included in stroke care discussions. Thrombocytopenia sets up strokes to occur and, paradoxically, may also set the patient up for bleeding complications in the brain or groin.
CONCLUSION
Acknowledging the impact of both platelet and thrombocytopenia on stroke causation, stroke interventions, and outcomes is a pivotal aspect of comprehensive stroke care. Platelet function processes are impactful in each point of the continuum of stroke care, prevention, intervention, and discharge.
Topics: Anemia; Hemorrhagic Stroke; Hemostasis; Humans; Stroke; Thrombocytopenia
PubMed: 33792271
DOI: 10.1097/DCC.0000000000000471 -
Seizure Dec 2023Seizures occurring at the immediate onset of a stroke, abbreviated "seizures at onset" (SaO), pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for physicians. In this study,...
PURPOSE
Seizures occurring at the immediate onset of a stroke, abbreviated "seizures at onset" (SaO), pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for physicians. In this study, we report on the current clinical practice in managing stroke patients with SaO from a large tertiary stroke center in Germany.
METHODS
We selected all patients with SaO and acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital of Cologne between 2019 and 01-01 and 2020-12-31. SaO patients were then compared to patients with acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke without SaO from the local stroke registry. Further, we compared SaO patients who received intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and/or mechanical thrombectomy with matched controls.
RESULTS
Overall, 54 out of 2312 stroke patients (2.3 %) in the examined period presented with SaO. The most prevalent SaO semiology was focal to bilateral tonic-clonic (42.6 %). SaO was associated with hemorrhagic strokes and higher in-hospital mortality in all stroke patients. The rate of acute stroke therapy was not influenced by the occurrence of SaO. In patients that received acute stroke therapy, patients with SaO had higher scores on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at admission, and longer door-to-needle times for the administration of rt-PA, while none of the examined outcome parameters revealed a difference between patients with and without SaO after adjusting for potential confounders.
CONCLUSION
Data show that SaO is rare in stroke patients but associated with more extensive strokes.
Topics: Humans; Fibrinolytic Agents; Case-Control Studies; Hemorrhagic Stroke; Brain Ischemia; Treatment Outcome; Stroke; Seizures
PubMed: 37948903
DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.10.013 -
Developmental Medicine and Child... Jun 2023We aimed to evaluate the percentage of posterior circulation arterial ischaemic stroke (PCAIS) caused by craniovertebral junction (CVJ) anomalies and describe their... (Review)
Review
We aimed to evaluate the percentage of posterior circulation arterial ischaemic stroke (PCAIS) caused by craniovertebral junction (CVJ) anomalies and describe their clinical course. Children admitted to a tertiary care paediatric hospital with PCAIS between July 2017 and December 2020 were assessed retrospectively for disease aetiology. We reviewed the clinical, radiological, and surgical details of children with evidence of CVJ anomalies. Fourteen (24.1%) of 58 children admitted with arterial ischaemic stroke had posterior circulation involvement. The mean age of patients presenting with posterior circulation stroke was 6 years 6 months (range 3 months-15 years), 11 were male. Six of 14 cases with PCAIS were due to CVJ anomaly, their ages ranged from 4 months to 15 years (two age ranges were noted, 4 months-4 years and 11-15 years), four were male. Two children had atlantoaxial dislocation with basilar invagination, two had Bow Hunter syndrome with Chiari malformation type 1 (one with completed stroke), one had Chiari malformation type 1 alone, and one presented with Farber disease with proatlas segmentation anomaly in CVJ. The time lag to stroke and CVJ diagnosis ranged from 2 weeks to 24 months. A dynamic angiogram was required to evaluate biomechanical changes on scans with inconclusive findings on standard stroke imaging. CVJ anomalies are an important treatable cause of paediatric posterior circulation stroke. Cervical spine x-ray in flexion and extension should be done in all patients with posterior circulation stroke beyond the acute period. In cryptogenic aetiology, provocative angiography with guarded neck rotation should be considered to evaluate possible dynamic vertebral artery compression. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Craniovertebral junction anomalies are an important cause of posterior circulation stroke in children. Evidence of flat occiput, short neck, and short stature in children with posterior circulation stroke should be assessed. Dynamic imaging helps identify dynamic vertebral artery compression.
Topics: Humans; Male; Child; Infant; Female; Brain Ischemia; Retrospective Studies; Stroke; Joint Dislocations; Ischemic Stroke
PubMed: 36380707
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15462 -
Neurologia I Neurochirurgia Polska 2020Stroke, increasingly recognised in children in recent years, is an important cause of long-term morbidity and disability. It can be classified by the stroke type as... (Review)
Review
Stroke, increasingly recognised in children in recent years, is an important cause of long-term morbidity and disability. It can be classified by the stroke type as either arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS), haemorrhagic stroke (HS), or cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT). Furthermore, perinatal and childhood stroke can be distinguished. A wide range of conditions associated with paediatric stroke has been identified, which differ significantly from those in adults. A paediatric stroke can also present with a variety of symptoms and signs, both specific and non-specific. Because of the diversity of the underlying risk factors, limited awareness among the medical community, and therefore insufficient recognition of paediatric stroke symptoms, diagnosis can be difficult and is often delayed. This limits access to acute interventions. The goal of this paper was to examine the current guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of paediatric stroke.
Topics: Brain Ischemia; Child; Humans; Intracranial Hemorrhages; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Risk Factors; Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial; Stroke
PubMed: 31985031
DOI: 10.5603/PJNNS.a2020.0010 -
Stroke Mar 2021Medium vessel occlusions (MeVOs, ie, M2, M3, A2, A3, P2, and P3 segment occlusions) are increasingly recognized as a target for endovascular treatment in acute ischemic... (Review)
Review
Medium vessel occlusions (MeVOs, ie, M2, M3, A2, A3, P2, and P3 segment occlusions) are increasingly recognized as a target for endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke. It is important to note that not all MeVOs are equal. Primary MeVOs occur de novo with the underlying mechanisms being very similar to large vessel occlusion strokes. Secondary MeVOs arise from large vessel occlusions through clot migration or fragmentation, either spontaneously or following treatment with intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular treatment. Currently, there are little data on the prevalence, management, and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke due to secondary MeVOs. This type of stroke is, however, likely to become more relevant in the future as indications for endovascular treatment continue to broaden. In this article, we describe different types of secondary MeVOs, imaging findings associated with them, challenges related to the diagnosis of secondary MeVOs, and their potential implications for treatment strategies and clinical outcomes.
Topics: Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Cerebral Angiography; Endovascular Procedures; Humans; Ischemic Stroke
PubMed: 33467882
DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.032799 -
Stroke and the Bovine Aortic Arch: Incidental or Deliberate? A Comparative Study and our Experience.Neurology India 2022We aimed to find the prevalence of bovine aortic arch in stroke and non-stroke patients and to study the relationship between bovine aortic arch and the occurrence of...
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
We aimed to find the prevalence of bovine aortic arch in stroke and non-stroke patients and to study the relationship between bovine aortic arch and the occurrence of stroke.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
One hundred patients with and without stroke underwent computed tomography (CT) angiography of the thoracic aorta and its arch. Fifty diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-confirmed anterior circulation stroke patients who had undergone digital subtraction angiography (DSA) afterward formed the case group. As controls, another 50 patients who had thoracic CT angiograms for disease other than stroke during this time period were randomly selected. Demographics and prevalence of bovine arch were compared between cases and controls. In the case group, demographics and prevalence of bovine arch variants and their relationship to stroke were studied.
RESULTS
Prevalence of bovine aortic arch variant in anterior circulation stroke was 22%, compared to 6% in non-stroke patients (P = 0.043). The bovine aortic arch was associated with the younger onset of stroke occurrence (P = 0.046). In the bovine arch group, the proportion of left-sided strokes (P = 0.022) and bilateral strokes (P < 0.00001) was significantly higher. As compared to type A (P = 0.140), type B bovine aortic arch had a better association (P = 0.092).
CONCLUSIONS
Bovine aortic arch is a risk factor for young-onset anterior circulation stroke. Bilateral and left-sided infarcts were more common. Endovascular procedures are difficult to perform through conventional routes, so brachioradial access is preferred.
Topics: Aorta, Thoracic; Carotid Artery Diseases; Computed Tomography Angiography; Endovascular Procedures; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Stroke
PubMed: 35532632
DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.344630 -
Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery Jun 2023Atypical symptoms of stroke, such as non-specific visual symptoms, are a challenging aspect of acute stroke diagnostics. Among patients evaluated for stroke in the... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Atypical symptoms of stroke, such as non-specific visual symptoms, are a challenging aspect of acute stroke diagnostics. Among patients evaluated for stroke in the Emergency Department, 2-28% present with stroke chameleons, and 30-43% with stroke mimics. We aimed to identify the type of visual symptoms present in typical strokes, stroke mimics, and stroke chameleons.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
By use of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis we searched PubMed and Embase for studies with reports of acute visual symptoms in typical strokes vs mimics or chameleons (PROSPERO protocol, ID CRD42022364749). Risk of bias was assessed by The Critical Appraisal Skills Program.
RESULTS
Thirteen papers were included, comprising data from 9248 patients evaluated for stroke. Compared to mimics, visual symptoms in stroke presented more frequently as hemianopia (28.2% vs 4.8%, 7,4% vs 2.3%, 22% vs 0%), visual loss (11.6% vs 1.8%), visual field defect (11.6% vs 4%, 24% vs 2%, 19% vs 1.7%), eye movement disorder (19.4% vs 6.4%), eye deviation (9.6% vs 0.9%), gaze palsy (32.1% vs 8.6%), oculomotor disturbance (37% vs 0%), and visual inattention (17.5% vs 4%). Compared to strokes, mimics more often presented "non-systematized visual trouble" (10% vs 3%) and blurred vision (22% vs 5%), whereas "visual disturbance" was reported more often in stroke chameleons than in typical strokes (10% vs 3%).
CONCLUSION
Detailed reports of visual symptoms were lacking in most studies, however blurred vision and "non-systematized visual trouble" were more frequent in mimics, "visual disturbance" in stroke chameleons, and negative visual symptoms such as visual field defects in typical strokes. A more systematic and detailed approach to visual symptoms may facilitate acute stroke recognition in patients with visual symptoms.
Topics: Humans; Stroke; Vision Disorders; Visual Field Tests; Blindness; Diagnosis, Differential
PubMed: 37163931
DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107749