Cerebrovascular events during pregnancy and puerperium

Though cerebrovascular complications of pregnancy remain relatively rare, they represent a potentially devastating event that necessitates prompt identification and treatment. Eighteen percent of strokes occurring in young women are linked to pregnancy. They occur mostly in the third trimester or during the post-partum period. Their biggest risk factors are hypertension, preeclampsia/eclampsia and migraine. Cerebrovascular events occurring during this period may involve specific pathophysiological processes that include embolic phenomena or endothelial dysfunction, but can also have common etiologies that are simply favored by the context of pregnancy. Thus, posterior encephalopathy and vasoconstriction cerebral syndrome are relatively frequently involved in cerebrovascular complications of pregnancy. Other very specific causes like amniotic fluid embolism or postpartum cardiomyopathy can also be responsible for such events. The management of stroke during pregnancy must be multidisciplinary and include a neurovascular expertise. Some conditions can lead to a long-life follow-up and modify the management of a future pregnancy.     

Improvements in balance reaction impairments following reactive balance training in individuals with sub-acute stroke: A prospective cohort study with historical control

ABSTRACT

Background

Reactive balance training (RBT) has been previously found to reduce fall risk in individuals with sub-acute stroke; however, our understanding of the effects of RBT on specific balance impairments is lacking.     

血栓弹力图预测急性缺血性卒中出血转化的价值研究

背景　血栓弹力图（TEG）可以快速评估急诊患者的止血过程,但其能否作为急性缺血性卒中患者发生出血转化的预测工具目前数据有限。目的　探究TEG对急性缺血性卒中患者发生出血转化的预测价值。方法　选取2018年3月至2020年3月海南医学院第二附属医院卒中中心收治的符合研究标准的2 040例急性缺血性卒中患者为研究对象,患者均进行TEG测量,并记录TEG的主要参数（R值,表示凝血反应时间;K值和α角,表示血凝块形成的速率;MA值,表示最大振幅;LY30,表示血凝块的稳定性）。本研究主要观察结果为出血转化,次要观察结果为神经功能恶化。采用Logistic回归分析探究急性缺血性卒中患者发生出血转化的影响因素。结果　2 040例患者中280例（13.7%）发生出血转化,24例（1.2%）发生神经功能恶化,9例（0.3%）同时出现以上2种情况。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示：使用双重抗血小板药〔OR=1.335,95%CI（1.100,1.621）,P=0.004〕和R值<5.0 min〔OR=1.689,95%CI（1.324,2.153）,P<0.001〕是急性缺血性卒中患者发生出血转化的独立影响因素。结论　TEG预测急性缺血性卒中患者发生出血转化有一定价值,且TEG中的R值<5.0 min是急性缺血性卒中发生出血转化的危险因素。     

卒中相关性肺炎的预防进展

卒中相关性肺炎（Stroke Associated Pneumonia,SAP）是指人院时无肺部感染的卒中患者于卒中发病后发生感染性肺部炎症.SAP是卒中患者极为常见并发症之一,发生率为7％～22％,严重影响了患者的康复进程,延长了住院时间,显著增加脑卒中患者的病死率.综合相关临床研究和文献表明,引起SAP的危险因素[1]有很多,从而导致其病理学改变[2]也较其他原因导致的肺炎复杂多样.病因主要包括以下两方面：一为患者发病时的自身状况,如年龄偏大、意识障碍、吞咽障碍、脑血管病的类型及位置、呕吐或误吸、长期卧床、房颤、心功能下降、低白蛋白血症、其他基础疾病等;二为医源性因素,包括气管插管、呼吸机应用、不适宜的留置鼻饲管或留置时间较久、不合理使用抑酸剂和脱水药物、不良卧姿、口腔清洁护理不到位、不合理的应用抗生素预防或治疗等.关键词：卒中相关性肺炎;预防;预后     

Is vascular imaging valuable prior to administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator?

Our goals were to explore whether performing computerized tomography angiography (CTA) prior to administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) delays treatment and impacts outcome in patients with proximal middle cerebral artery occlusions (pMCAO). Patients with pMCAO with a National Institutes of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS) score >10 were identified from a prospective Stroke Registry. Patients underwent multi-parametric imaging studies whenever possible. Patients who underwent CTA were compared to those who only had non-contrast CT scan. Disability was measured with the modified Rankin Scale. Logistic regression was used to determine outcome modifiers. We included 73 patients (median age 73 years, 52% men) with moderate-severe stroke (median admission NIHSS 14). Of those, 44 underwent CTA and 29 did not. There were no differences between the groups in risk factor profile or baseline characteristics including stroke severity and door to needle, door to imaging or imaging to treatment times. At 90 days post-stroke there were no statistically significant differences in outcomes between the groups. On multivariate analysis, performing CTA had no impact on the chance of obtaining favorable outcome. In conclusion, CTA does not have a major impact on outcome in patients with pMCAO treated with tPA. Therefore, performing CTA should be considered on an individual basis prior to administration of tPA.     

High incidence of stroke in young women with sleep apnea syndrome

ObjectivePatients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) carry a higher stroke risk. The differential stroke risk between sex and among different age groups has not yet been specifically addressed in previous studies.MethodsUsing a universal insurance claims database, we identified a large cohort of SAS patients from 1997 to 2010 and assessed the sex- and age-specific stroke risk compared with a control cohort matched for age, sex, and index date. Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the hazard ratio (HR) of stroke and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Stroke-free probabilities were computed using the Kaplan–Meier method and differences between both cohorts were examined using the log-rank test.ResultsWe identified 29,961 patients with SAS and a control cohort of 119,844 subjects without SAS. The overall incidence of stroke in the SAS cohort was 37% higher compared to the non-SAS cohort (54.6 per 10,000 individual-years vs 39.8 per 10,000 individual-years). After controlling for sex and comorbidities, the SAS cohort exhibited a 19% higher risk for stroke compared to the control cohort (adjusted HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.09–1.30]). Women with SAS ages 35 years or younger had the highest stroke risk compared to older age groups of the same sex and their risk for stroke was relatively higher compared to their male counterparts.ConclusionWomen aged 35 years or younger with SAS have a higher stroke risk.