Reviewing migraine-associated pathophysiology and its impact on elevated stroke risk

Migraine affects up to 20 percent of the global population and ranks as the second leading cause of disability worldwide. In parallel, ischemic stroke stands as the second leading cause of mortality and the third leading cause of disability worldwide. This review aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between migraine and stroke, highlighting the role of genetic, vascular, and hormonal factors. Epidemiological evidence shows a positive association between migraine, particularly with aura, and ischemic stroke (IS), though the link to hemorrhagic stroke (HS) remains inconclusive. The shared pathophysiology between migraine and stroke includes cortical spreading depression, endothelial dysfunction, and genetic predispositions, such as mutations linked to conditions like CADASIL and MELAS. Genetic studies indicate that common loci may predispose individuals to both migraine and stroke, while biomarkers such as endothelial microparticles and inflammatory cytokines offer insights into the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, hormonal influences, particularly fluctuations in estrogen levels, significantly impact migraine pathogenesis and stroke risk, highlighting the need for tailored interventions for women. The presence of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in migraineurs further complicates their risk profile, with device closure showing promise in reducing stroke occurrence. Furthermore, white matter lesions (WMLs) are frequently observed in migraine patients, suggesting potential cognitive and stroke risks. This review hopes to summarize the links between migraine and its associated conditions and ischemic stroke, recognizing the profound implications for clinical management strategies for both disorders. Understanding the complex relationship between migraine and ischemic stroke holds the key to navigating treatment options and preventive interventions to enhance overall patient outcomes

Abstract 1122‐000051: Isolated Diplacusis Due to Ipsilateral Temporal Lobe Infarction: A Case Report

Introduction: Double hearing or Diplacusis is a synchronous double perception of a sound and can have Binauralis or Monauralis pattern, with inner ear disorders being the main culprit [1]. Other forms of Auditory illusions have been reported as a co‐manifestation of stroke syndromes, but none as an isolated presentation [1][2]. This is a case of a 77‐year‐old male with acute onset isolated Diplacusis in a patient due to a right temporal lobe ischemic infarct. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of an isolated diplacusis due to cortical infarct. Methods: A case presentation with Pubmed search of review articles and case reports. Results: The patient had a past medical history of sensorineural deafness in his left ear. He described any sound heard as the same quality but occurring with an echo heard a fraction of a second later in his right ear. There was no decreased hearing quality or tinnitus reported in his right ear. His drug screen test was negative. His examination was only remarkable for a sensorineural hearing loss pattern on his left ear. His (NIHSS) was zero, and no other cranial nerve abnormalities were detected. His MRI was significant for a punctate restricted diffusion on the right temporal lobe, resembling an ischemic infarct (Figure). Conclusions: Isolated diplacusis can present as acute ischemic stroke in the temporal lobe. Further studies are needed to understand its pathophysiology

Direct stroke unit admission of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator: safety, clinical outcome, and hospital cost savings

Background: In the USA, stable intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) patients have traditionally been cared for in an intensive care unit (ICU). We examined the safety of using an acuity-adaptable stroke unit (SU) to manage IV tPA patients. Methods: We conducted an observational study of consecutive patients admitted to our acuity-adaptable SU over the first 3 years of operation. Safety was assessed by symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) rates, systemic hemorrhage (SH) rates, tPA-related deaths, and transfers from SU to ICU; cost savings and length of stay (LOS) were determined. Results: We admitted 333 IV tPA patients, of which 302 were admitted directly to the SU. A total of 31 (10%) patients had concurrent systemic hemodynamic or pulmonary compromise warranting direct ICU admission. There were no differences in admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores between SU and ICU patients (9.0 versus 9.5, respectively). Overall sICH rate was 3.3% ( n = 10) and SH rate was 2.9 ( n = 9), with no difference between SU and ICU patients. No tPA-related deaths occurred, and no SU patients required transfer to the ICU. Estimated hospital cost savings were US$362,400 for ‘avoided’ ICU days, and hospital LOS decreased significantly ( p = 0.001) from 9.8 ± 15.6 days (median 5) in year 1, to 5.2 ± 4.8 days (median 3) by year 3. Conclusions: IV tPA patients may be safely cared for in a SU when nurses undergo extensive education to ensure clinical competence. Use of the ICU solely for monitoring may constitute significant overuse of system resources at an expense that is not associated with additional safety benefit

Statin treatment intensity and cerebral vasomotor reactivity response in patients with ischemic stroke

Background and purposeCerebral vasomotor reactivity (VMR) is vital for regulating brain blood flow and maintaining neurological function. Impaired cerebral VMR is linked to a higher risk of stroke and poor post-stroke outcomes. This study explores the relationship between statin treatment intensity and VMR in patients with ischemic stroke.MethodsSeventy-four consecutive patients (mean age 69.3 years, 59.4% male) with recent ischemic stroke were included. VMR levels were assessed 4 weeks after the index stroke using transcranial Doppler, measuring the breath-holding index (BHI) as an indicator of the percentage increase in middle cerebral artery blood flow (higher BHI signifies higher VMR). Multistep multivariable regression models, adjusted for demographic and cerebrovascular risk factors, were employed to examine the association between statin intensity treatment and BHI levels.ResultsForty-one patients (55%) received high-intensity statins. Patients receiving high-intensity statins exhibited a mean BHI of 0.85, whereas those on low-intensity statins had a mean BHI of 0.67 (mean difference 0.18, 95% confidence interval: 0.13-0.22, p-value<.001). This significant difference persisted in the fully adjusted model (adjusted mean values: 0.84 vs. 0.68, p-value: .008). No significant differences were observed in BHI values within patient groups on high-intensity or low-intensity statin therapy (all p-values>.05). Furthermore, no significant association was found between baseline low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and BHI.ConclusionsHigh-intensity statin treatment post-ischemic stroke is linked to elevated VMR independent of demographic and clinical characteristics, including baseline LDL level. Further research is needed to explore statin therapy's impact on preserving brain vascular function beyond lipid-lowering effects

Safety of protocol violations in acute stroke tPA administration

Background: Intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator remains the only approved therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the United States; however, less than 10% of patients receive treatment. This is partially because of the large number of contraindications, narrow treatment window, and physician reluctance to deviate from these criteria. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who received IV thrombolysis at our stroke center for National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) protocol violations and rates of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). Other outcome variables included systemic hemorrhage, modified Rankin Scale at discharge, and discharge disposition. Results: A total of 212 patients were identified in our stroke registry between 2009 and 2011 and included in the analysis. Protocol violations occurred in 76 patients (36%). The most common violations were thrombolysis beyond 3 hours (26%), aggressive blood pressure management (15%), elevated prothrombin time (PT) or partial thromboplastin time (PTT) (6.6%), minor or resolving deficits (4.2%), unclear time of onset (3.9%), and stroke within 3 months (3%). There were no significant differences in any of the safety outcomes or discharge disposition between patients with or without protocol violations. Controlling for age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale on admission, and glucose on admission, there was no significant increase in sICH (odds ratio: 3.8; 95% confidence interval: .37-38.72) in the patients who had protocol violations. Conclusions: Despite more than one third of patients receiving thrombolysis with protocol violations, overall rates of hemorrhage remained low and did not differ from those who did not have violations. Our data support the need to expand access to thrombolysis in AIS patients

Epidemiology of Intracranial and Extracranial Large Artery Stenosis in a Population-Based Study of Stroke in the Middle East

Background: Intracranial large-artery disease (LAD) is a predominant vascular lesion found in patients with stroke of Asian, African, and Hispanic origin, whereas extracranial LAD is more prevalent among Caucasians. These patterns are not well-established in the Middle East. We aimed to characterize the incidence, risk factors, and long-term outcome of LAD strokes in a Middle-Eastern population. Methods: The Mashhad Stroke Incidence Study is a community-based study that prospectively ascertained all cases of stroke among the 450,229 inhabitants of Mashhad, Iran between 2006 and 2007. Ischemic strokes were classified according to the TOAST criteria. Duplex-ultrasonography (98.6%), MR-angiography (8.3%), CT-angiography (11%), and digital-subtraction angiography (9.7%) were performed to identify involvements. Vessels were considered stenotic when the lumen was occluded by \u3e50%. Results: We identified 72 cases (15.99 per 100,000) of incident LAD strokes (mean age 67.6 ± 11.7). Overall, 77% had extracranial LAD (58% male, mean age 69.8 ± 10.3; 50 [89%] carotid vs. 6 [11%] vertebral artery), and the remaining 23% (56% male, mean age 60.2 ± 13.4; 69% anterior-circulation stenosis) had intracranial LAD strokes. We were unable to detect differences in case-fatality between extracranial (1-year: 28.6%; 5-year: 59.8%) and intracranial diseases (1-year: 18.8%; 5-year: 36.8%; log-rank; p = 0.1). Conclusion: Extracranial carotid stenosis represents the majority of LAD strokes in this population. Thus, public health strategies may best be developed in such a way that they are targeted toward the risk factors that contribute to extracranial stenosis

Transcranial Doppler After Endovascular Treatment to Evaluate Collateral Status and Outcomes in Patients With Large‐Vessel Occlusion

Background Recent advances in endovascular therapy (EVT) have led to significant improvements in functional outcomes of patients with stroke. However, early neurological deterioration after EVT has remained a concerning issue. This cohort study was designed to assess the feasibility of early transcranial Doppler (TCD) after EVT and to identify associations between TCD findings and early neurological deterioration. Methods Between October 16, 2020, and March 28, 2021, we recruited 20 patients with acute ischemic stroke with large‐vessel occlusion who underwent EVT. Five patients were excluded because of a poor temporal window; 2 had an unsuccessful intervention. Using TCD, we measured peak systolic velocity, end‐diastolic velocity, mean flow velocity, and pulsatility index for all selected arteries before and within 60 minutes after EVT. We also examined the association between active leptomeningeal collateral flow after EVT and early neurological deterioration. Patients were followed for 3 months, and disability was measured using the modified Rankin scale. Results Two patients had early neurological deterioration with elevated blood pressure and active leptomeningeal flow despite successful EVT. Most patients with poststroke disability (modified Rankin scale>2) had either flow diversion or active leptomeningeal collateral flow in the presence of elevated blood pressure (≥170/93 mm Hg). In cases without early neurological deterioration and in those with a modified Rankin scale<2, we did not observe any flow diversion or active leptomeningeal collateral. They also had a blood pressure of ≤155/85 mm Hg after EVT. All patients with hemorrhagic transformation had evidence of hyperemia on TCD. Conclusions Early TCD is a feasible and safe approach to evaluate cerebral blood flow before and after EVT and identify those at risk of early neurological deterioration. For the next phase of this study, we plan to manage blood pressures based on individualized cerebral flow and the presence of active collateral arteries after EVT