Parámetros ecocardiográficos de cardiopatía auricular y detección de fibrilación auricular en el ictus criptogénico

Sr, Editor: Los ictus cardioembólicos representan un 20-30% del total de los ictus isquémicos. Con la introducción en 2014 del término «ESUS» o «ictus embólico de origen indeterminado» y ante el importante número de ictus criptogénicos no lacunares, la hipótesis de una fuente embólica no conocida ha llevado a una búsqueda exhaustiva. Esta incluye la monitorización cardiaca prolongada, lo que aumenta la sensibilidad para identificar arritmias proembolígenas paroxísticas. Si bien en un inicio no se conocía la capacidad de dichos paroxismos cardiacos para ocasionar eventos isquémicos, estudios paralelos sobre la fisiopatología del ictus cardioembólico han demostrado que fibrilaciones auriculares (FA) paroxísticas de 5-6 min ya aumentan el riesgo de ictus. La escasa duración de estos episodios y el hecho de que puedan ser asintomáticos y distanciados del momento del cuadro neurológico explican su inclusión durante el ingreso hospitalario en el conjunto de ictus de etiología indeterminada. La heterogeneidad de dicho grupo, junto con el limitado uso de la monitorización cardiaca prolongada, ya sea por mala tolerancia de los pacientes o por la escasez y disparidad de los dispositivos, ha incentivado la búsqueda de parámetros que se correlacionen con mayor incidencia de FA con el objetivo de aumentar la rentabilidad de la prueba. Estos parámetros incluyen aspectos electrocardiográficos, bioquímicos y ecocardiográficos, y en el análisis de muchos de ellos se ha visto su relación, no solo con la FA, sino también su asociación directa con ictus isquémicos o recurrencias..

Epidemiología y características del ictus isquémico en el adulto joven en Aragón

Introducción Alrededor de 15 millones de personas sufren un ictus cada año, de los que un 10-15% ocurre en menores de 50 años (ictus en el adulto joven). La prevalencia de los distintos factores de riesgo vascular y las estrategias sanitarias para el manejo del ictus varían a nivel mundial, siendo interesante conocer la epidemiología y las características específicas de cada región. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la prevalencia de los diferentes factores de riesgo vascular, la etiología y las características de los ictus isquémicos en el adulto joven en la comunidad autónoma de Aragón. Métodos Estudio multicéntrico, de corte transversal, realizado por los Servicios de Neurología de todos los hospitales del Servicio Aragonés de Salud (SALUD). Se identificó a todos los pacientes entre 18 y 50 años que ingresaron en cualquiera de estos hospitales con el diagnóstico de ictus isquémico o AIT entre enero del 2005 y diciembre del 2015. Se recogieron variables demográficas, factores de riesgo vascular y tipo de ictus isquémico entre otras. Resultados En el periodo de estudio, 786 pacientes entre 18 y 50 años ingresaron con el diagnóstico de ictus isquémico o AIT en algún hospital del SALUD, con una tasa anual promedio de 12, 3 por 100.000 habitantes. La mediana de su edad fue de 45 años (RIQ: 40-48 años). El factor de riesgo vascular más prevalente fue el tabaquismo, 404 (51, 4%). La mayoría fue de causa indeterminada (36, 2%), seguida por «otras causas» (26, 5%). La mediana de puntuación en la escala NIHSS fue de 3, 5 (RIQ: 2, 07, 0). En total, 211 (26, 8%) de los ingresos fueron por AIT. De los pacientes que ingresaron con el diagnóstico de ictus isquémico, 59 (10, 3%) se fibrinolizaron. Conclusiones El ictus isquémico en el adulto joven no es infrecuente en Aragón y en un importante número de casos es de etiología indeterminada, por lo que es necesario implementar medidas que nos permitan mejorar su estudio, disminuir su incidencia y prevenir su recurrencia. Introduction: Stroke affects around 15 million people per year, with 10%-15% occurring in individuals under 50 years old (stroke in young adults). The prevalence of different vascular risk factors and healthcare strategies for stroke management vary worldwide, making the epidemiology and specific characteristics of stroke in each region an important area of research. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of different vascular risk factors and the aetiology and characteristics of ischaemic stroke in young adults in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-centre study was conducted by the neurology departments of all hospitals in the Aragonese Health Service. We identified all patients aged between 18 and 50 years who were admitted to any of these hospitals with a diagnosis of ischaemic stroke or TIA between January 2005 and December 2015. Data were collected on demographic variables, vascular risk factors, and type of stroke, among other variables. Results: During the study period, 786 patients between 18 and 50 years old were admitted with a diagnosis of ischaemic stroke or TIA to any hospital of Aragon, at a mean annual rate of 12.3 per 100 000 population. The median age was 45 years (IQR: 40-48 years). The most prevalent vascular risk factor was tobacco use, in 404 patients (51.4%). The majority of strokes were of undetermined cause (36.2%), followed by other causes (26.5%). The median NIHSS score was 3.5 (IQR: 2.0-7.0). In total, 211 patients (26.8%) presented TIA. Fifty-nine per cent of the patients admitted with a diagnosis of ischaemic stroke (10.3%) were treated with fibrinolysis. Conclusions: Ischaemic stroke in young adults is not uncommon in Aragon, and is of undetermined aetiology in a considerable number of cases; it is therefore necessary to implement measures to improve study of the condition, to reduce its incidence, and to prevent its recurrence

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Vaccine breakthrough hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs

Life-threatening `breakthrough' cases of critical COVID-19 are attributed to poor or waning antibody response to the SARS- CoV-2 vaccine in individuals already at risk. Pre-existing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs underlie at least 15% of critical COVID-19 pneumonia cases in unvaccinated individuals; however, their contribution to hypoxemic breakthrough cases in vaccinated people remains unknown. Here, we studied a cohort of 48 individuals ( age 20-86 years) who received 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine and developed a breakthrough infection with hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia 2 weeks to 4 months later. Antibody levels to the vaccine, neutralization of the virus, and auto- Abs to type I IFNs were measured in the plasma. Forty-two individuals had no known deficiency of B cell immunity and a normal antibody response to the vaccine. Among them, ten (24%) had auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs (aged 43-86 years). Eight of these ten patients had auto-Abs neutralizing both IFN-a2 and IFN-., while two neutralized IFN-omega only. No patient neutralized IFN-ss. Seven neutralized 10 ng/mL of type I IFNs, and three 100 pg/mL only. Seven patients neutralized SARS-CoV-2 D614G and the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) efficiently, while one patient neutralized Delta slightly less efficiently. Two of the three patients neutralizing only 100 pg/mL of type I IFNs neutralized both D61G and Delta less efficiently. Despite two mRNA vaccine inoculations and the presence of circulating antibodies capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs may underlie a significant proportion of hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia cases, highlighting the importance of this particularly vulnerable population

Correlation and prediction of solute transfer to chloroalkanes from both water and the gas phase

Article discussing research on the correlation and prediction of solute transfer to chloroalkanes from both water and the gas phase

Pseudooclusión carotídea: un concepto a tener en cuenta en el ictus agudo

Sr. Editor: Se define como pseudooclusión (PO) de carótida interna (ACI) cervical al artefacto asociado-al-flujo, en una angio-TC o angiografía por sustracción digital (ASD), que nos dala apariencia de una oclusión carotídea completa a nivel extracraneal, cuando en realidad este segmento arterial se encuentra permeable y la oclusión está a nivel intracraneal..

Solriamfetol for Excessive Sleepiness in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (TONES 3). A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Rationale: Primary treatment of obstructive sleep apnea can be accompanied by a persistence of excessive sleepiness despite adherence. Furthermore, effectiveness of sleep apnea treatment is limited by poor adherence. Currently available pharmacologic options for the treatment of sleepiness in this population are limited. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of solriamfetol (JZP-110), a selective dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with robust wake-promoting effects, for the treatment of excessive sleepiness in participants with obstructive sleep apnea with current or prior sleep apnea treatment. Methods: This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 12-week trial comparing solriamfetol, 37.5, 75, 150, and 300 mg, with placebo. Measurements and Main Results: Of 476 randomized participants, 459 were included in the prespecified efficacy analyses. Coprimary endpoints (Maintenance of Wakefulness Test sleep latency and Epworth Sleepiness Scale score) were met at all solriamfetol doses (P < 0.05), with dose-dependent effects observed at Week 1 maintained over the study duration. All doses except 37.5 mg resulted in higher percentages of participants reporting improvement on Patient Global Impression of Change (key secondary endpoint; P < 0.05). Adverse events were reported in 47.9% of placebo- and 67.9% of solriamfetol-treated participants; five participants experienced serious adverse events (two [1.7%] placebo, three [0.8%] solriamfetol); none were deemed related to study drug. The most common adverse events with solriamfetol were headache (10.1%), nausea (7.9%), decreased appetite (7.6%), anxiety (7.0%), and nasopharyngitis (5.1%). Conclusions: Solriamfetol significantly increased wakefulness and reduced sleepiness in participants with obstructive sleep apnea and excessive sleepiness; most adverse events were mild or moderate in severity. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02348606) and www.eudract.ema.europa.eu (EudraCT 2014-005514-31)