Supplementary Material for: Amyloid Angiopathy in Brain Hemorrhage: A Postmortem Neuropathological-Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) include hypertension and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). The objective of this study was to determine the autopsy prevalence of CAA and the potential overlap with other risk factors among patients who died from ICH and also the correlation of CAA with cerebral microbleeds. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We analyzed 81 consecutive autopsy brains from patients with ICH. Staining for CAA detection was performed. We used an age- and sex-matched control group of routine brain autopsies of nonneurological patients to determine the frequencies of CAA and hypertension. Postmortem 3D T2-weighted gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a 1.5-T magnet was performed in 11 brains with ICH (5 with CAA and 6 without) and histological correlation was performed when microbleeds were detected. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Hypertension and CAA were found in 69.1 and 24.7% of cases respectively. Among patients with CAA, 65.0% also had hypertension. The prevalence of CAA was similar among non-hypertensive cases and controls (33.3 and 23.1%; <i>p =</i> 0.54), whereas a significant difference was found between hypertensive cases vs. controls (28.9% vs. 0; <i>p =</i> 0.01). MRI documented 48 microbleeds and all 5 brains with CAA had ≥1 microbleed, compared to 3/6 brains without CAA. Among 48 microbleeds on MRI, 45 corresponded histologically to microbleeds surrounding microvessels (23 <200 µm in diameter, 19 between 200 µm and 2 mm, 3 were hemosiderin granules). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Both hypertension and CAA frequently coexist in patients with ICH. MRI-detected microbleeds, proven by histological analysis, were twice as common in patients with CAA as in those with hypertensive ICH

Erratum: Rationale and Design of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group Study of Terutroban 30 mg/day versus Aspirin 100 mg/day in Stroke Patients: The Prevention of Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Events of Ischemic Origin with Terutroban in Patients with a History of Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (PERFORM) Study

<i>Background:</i> Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of mortality worldwide and a major contributor to neurological disability and dementia. Terutroban is a specific TP receptor antagonist with antithrombotic, antivasoconstrictive, and antiatherosclerotic properties, which may be of interest for the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke. This article describes the rationale and design of the Prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular Events of ischemic origin with teRutroban in patients with a history oF ischemic strOke or tRansient ischeMic Attack (PERFORM) Study, which aims to demonstrate the superiority of the efficacy of terutroban versus aspirin in secondary prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events. <i>Methods and Results:</i> The PERFORM Study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study being carried out in 802 centers in 46 countries. The study population includes patients aged ≥55 years, having suffered an ischemic stroke (≤3 months) or a transient ischemic attack (≤8 days). Participants are randomly allocated to terutroban (30 mg/day) or aspirin (100 mg/day). The primary efficacy endpoint is a composite of ischemic stroke (fatal or nonfatal), myocardial infarction (fatal or nonfatal), or other vascular death (excluding hemorrhagic death of any origin). Safety is being evaluated by assessing hemorrhagic events. Follow-up is expected to last for 2–4 years. Assuming a relative risk reduction of 13%, the expected number of primary events is 2,340. To obtain statistical power of 90%, this requires inclusion of at least 18,000 patients in this event-driven trial. The first patient was randomized in February 2006. <i>Conclusions:</i> The PERFORM Study will explore the benefits and safety of terutroban in secondary cardiovascular prevention after a cerebral ischemic event

Supplementary Material for: Specificities of Ischemic Stroke Risk Factors in Arab-Speaking Countries

<p><b><i>Background:</i></b> Stroke is largely preventable, and therefore, a better understanding of risk factors is an essential step in reducing the population stroke rate and resulting disease burden in Arab countries. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> We performed 2 separate analyses in 2 similar populations of patients with noncardioembolic ischemic stroke. This first involved 3,635 patients in the Outcomes in Patients with TIA and Cerebrovascular disease (OPTIC) registry (followed for 2 years), with baseline collection of the usual risk factors and 5 socioeconomic variables (unemployment status, residence in rural area, living in fully serviced accommodation, no health-insurance coverage, and low educational level). The second involved patients in the PERFORM trial (<i>n</i> = 19,100 followed up for 2 years), with baseline collection of the usual risk factors and 1 socioeconomic variable (low educational level). The primary outcome was a composite of nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death. Stroke risk factors were more prevalent in patients in Arab countries. The incidence of major cardiovascular events (MACE; age- and gender-adjusted) was higher in Arab countries (OPTIC, 18.5 vs. 13.3%; PERFORM, 18.4 vs. 9.7%; both <i>p </i>≤ 0.0001). These results remained significant after adjustment on risk factors and were attenuated in OPTIC after further adjustment on socioeconomic variables (hazard ratio 1.24; 95% CI 0.98-1.55; <i>p </i>= 0.07). <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> Patients with ischemic stroke living in Arab countries had a lower mean socioeconomic status, a much higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and a higher rate of MACE compared with patients from non-Arab countries. This finding is partly explained by a higher prevalence of risk factors and also by a high prevalence of poverty and low educational level.</p