Social Determinants of Stroke Hospitalization and Mortality in United States’ Counties

(1) Background: Stroke incidence and outcomes are influenced by socioeconomic status. There is a paucity of reported population-level studies regarding these determinants. The goal of this ecological analysis was to determine the county-level associations of social determinants of stroke hospitalization and death rates in the United States. (2) Methods: Publicly available data as of 9 April 2021, for the socioeconomic factors and outcomes, was extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outcomes of interest were “all stroke hospitalization rates per 1000 Medicare beneficiaries” (SHR) and “all stroke death rates per 100,000 population” (SDR). We used a multivariate binomial generalized linear mixed model after converting the outcomes to binary based on their median values. (3) Results: A total of 3226 counties/county-equivalents of the states and territories in the US were analyzed. Heart disease prevalence (odds ratio, OR = 2.03, p \u3c 0.001), blood pressure medication nonadherence (OR = 2.02, p \u3c 0.001), age-adjusted obesity (OR = 1.24, p = 0.006), presence of hospitals with neurological services (OR = 1.9, p \u3c 0.001), and female head of household (OR = 1.32, p = 0.021) were associated with high SHR while cost of care per capita for Medicare patients with heart disease (OR = 0.5, p \u3c 0.01) and presence of hospitals (OR = 0.69, p \u3c 0.025) were associated with low SHR. Median household income (OR = 0.6, p \u3c 0.001) and park access (OR = 0.84, p = 0.016) were associated with low SDR while no college degree (OR = 1.21, p = 0.049) was associated with high SDR. (4) Conclusions: Several socioeconomic factors (e.g., education, income, female head of household) were found to be associated with stroke outcomes. Additional research is needed to investigate intermediate and potentially modifiable factors that can serve as targeted interventions

Risk of stroke in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected patients : A multinational study

Background: There is an increased attention to stroke following SARS-CoV-2. The goal of this study was to better depict the short-term risk of stroke and its associated factors among SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients. Methods: This multicentre, multinational observational study includes hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from North and South America (United States, Canada, and Brazil), Europe (Greece, Italy, Finland, and Turkey), Asia (Lebanon, Iran, and India), and Oceania (New Zealand). The outcome was the risk of subsequent stroke. Centres were included by non-probability sampling. The counts and clinical characteristics including laboratory findings and imaging of the patients with and without a subsequent stroke were recorded according to a predefined protocol. Quality, risk of bias, and heterogeneity assessments were conducted according to ROBINS-E and Cochrane Q-test. The risk of subsequent stroke was estimated through meta-analyses with random effect models. Bivariate logistic regression was used to determine the parameters with predictive outcome value. The study was reported according to the STROBE, MOOSE, and EQUATOR guidelines. Findings: We received data from 26,175 hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from 99 tertiary centres in 65 regions of 11 countries until May 1st, 2020. A total of 17,799 patients were included in meta-analyses. Among them, 156(0.9%) patients had a stroke-123(79%) ischaemic stroke, 27(17%) intracerebral/subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 6(4%) cerebral sinus thrombosis. Subsequent stroke risks calculated with meta-analyses, under low to moderate heterogeneity, were 0.5% among all centres in all countries, and 0.7% among countries with higher health expenditures. The need for mechanical ventilation (OR: 1.9, 95% CI:1.1-3.5, p = 0.03) and the presence of ischaemic heart disease (OR: 2.5, 95% CI:1.4-4.7, p = 0.006) were predictive of stroke. Interpretation: The results of this multi-national study on hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection indicated an overall stroke risk of 0.5%(pooled risk: 0.9%). The need for mechanical ventilation and the history of ischaemic heart disease are the independent predictors of stroke among SARS-CoV-2 patients. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Abstract Number: LBA17 SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection Might be a Predictor of Mortality in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Introduction SARS‐CoV‐2 infection may be associated with uncommon complications such as intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), with a high mortality rate. We compared a series of hospitalized ICH cases infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 with a non‐SARS‐CoV‐2 infected control group and evaluated if the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is a predictor of mortality in ICH patients. Methods In a multinational retrospective study, 63 cases of ICH in SARS‐CoV‐2 infected patients admitted to 13 tertiary centers from the beginning of the pandemic were collected. We compared the clinical and radiological characteristics and in‐hospital mortality of these patients with a control group of non‐SARS‐CoV‐2 infected ICH patients of a previous cohort from the country where the majority of cases were recruited. Results Among 63 ICH patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, 23 (36.5%) were women. Compared to the non‐SARS‐CoV‐2 infected control group, in SARS‐CoV‐2 infected patients, ICH occurred at a younger age (61.4± 18.1 years versus 66.8± 16.2 years, P = 0.044). These patients had higher median ICH scores ([3 (IQR 2–4)] versus [2 (IQR 1–3)], P = 0.025), a more frequent history of diabetes (34% versus 16%, P = 0.007), and lower platelet counts (177.8± 77.8 × 109/L versus 240.5± 79.3 × 109/L, P< 0.001). The in‐hospital mortality was not significantly different between cases and controls (65% versus 62%, P = 0.658) in univariate analysis; however, SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was significantly associated with in‐hospital mortality (aOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.28‐14.52) in multivariable analysis adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusions Infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 may be associated with increased odds of in‐hospital mortality in ICH patients

Direct Mechanical Thrombectomy Versus Prior Bridging Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The current guideline recommends using an intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (IV tPA) prior to mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in eligible acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO). Some recent studies found no significant differences in the long-term functional outcomes between bridging therapy (BT, i.e., IV tPA prior to MT) and direct MT (dMT). Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the safety and functional outcomes between BT and dMT in AIS patients with ELVO who were eligible for IV tPA administration. Based on the ELVO location, patients were categorized as the anterior group (occlusion of the anterior circulation), or the combined group (occlusion of the anterior and/or posterior circulation). A subgroup analysis was performed based on the study type, i.e., RCT and non-RCT. Results: Thirteen studies (3985 patients) matched the eligibility criteria. Comparing the BT and dMT groups, no significant differences in terms of mortality and good functional outcome were observed at 90 days. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhagic (sICH) events were more frequent in BT patients in the combined group (OR = 0.73, p = 0.02); this result remained significant only in the non-RCT subgroup (OR = 0.67, p = 0.03). The RCT subgroup had a significantly higher rate of successful revascularization in BT patients (OR = 0.73, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis uncovered no significant differences in functional outcome and mortality rate at 90 days between dMT and BT in patients with AIS who had ELVO. Although BT performed better in terms of successful recanalization rate, there is a risk of increased sICH rate in this group

Risk of stroke in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 infected patients: A multinational study

Mondello, Stefania/0000-0002-8587-3614; Alizada, Orkhan/0000-0003-0942-9906; Ghorbani, Mohammad/0000-0002-7709-3095; Abedi, Vida/0000-0001-7689-933XWOS: 000575454600010PubMed: 32818804Background: There is an increased attention to stroke following SARS-CoV-2. the goal of this study was to better depict the short-term risk of stroke and its associated factors among SARS-CoV-2 hospitalized patients. Methods: This multicentre, multinational observational study includes hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from North and South America (United States, Canada, and Brazil), Europe (Greece, Italy, Finland, and Turkey), Asia (Lebanon, Iran, and India), and Oceania (New Zealand). the outcome was the risk of subsequent stroke. Centres were included by non-probability sampling. the counts and clinical characteristics including laboratory findings and imaging of the patients with and without a subsequent stroke were recorded according to a predefined protocol. Quality, risk of bias, and heterogeneity assessments were conducted according to ROBINS-E and Cochrane Q-test. the risk of subsequent stroke was estimated through meta-analyses with random effect models. Bivariate logistic regression was used to determine the parameters with predictive outcome value. the study was reported according to the STROBE, MOOSE, and EQUATOR guidelines. Findings: We received data from 26,175 hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients from 99 tertiary centres in 65 regions of 11 countries until May 1st, 2020. A total of 17,799 patients were included in meta-analyses. Among them, 156(0.9%) patients had a stroke-123(79%) ischaemic stroke, 27(17%) intracerebral/subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 6(4%) cerebral sinus thrombosis. Subsequent stroke risks calculated with meta-analyses, under low to moderate heterogeneity, were 0.5% among all centres in all countries, and 0.7% among countries with higher health expenditures. the need for mechanical ventilation (OR: 1.9, 95% CI:1.1-3.5, p = 0.03) and the presence of ischaemic heart disease (OR: 2.5, 95% CI:1.4-4.7, p = 0.006) were predictive of stroke. Interpretation: the results of this multi-national study on hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection indicated an overall stroke risk of 0.5%(pooled risk: 0.9%). the need for mechanical ventilation and the history of ischaemic heart disease are the independent predictors of stroke among SARS-CoV-2 patients. (C) 2020 the Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes and Associated Factors between Younger and Older Rural Ischemic Stroke Patients

Introduction: The rise of ischemic stroke among young adults has stressed the need to understand their risk profiles and outcomes better. This study aimed to examine the five-year ischemic stroke recurrence and survival probability among young patients in rural Pennsylvania. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included first-time ischemic stroke patients from the Geisinger Health System between September 2003 and May 2014. The outcomes included all-cause mortality and ischemic stroke recurrence at five years. Kaplan-Meier estimator, cumulative incidence function, Cox proportional hazards model, and Cause-specific hazard model were used to examine the association of independent variables with the outcomes. Results: A total of 4459 first-time ischemic stroke patients were included in the study, with 664 (14.9%) patients in the 18&ndash;55 age group and 3795 (85.1%) patients in the &gt;55 age group. In the 18&ndash;55 age group, the five-year survival probability was 87.2%, and the cumulative incidence of recurrence was 8%. Patients in the 18&ndash;55 age group had significantly lower hazard for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.29&ndash;0.46, p &lt; 0.001), and non-significant hazard for five-year recurrence (HR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.58&ndash;1.12, p = 0.193) compared to the &gt;55 age group. Chronic kidney disease was found to be associated with increased mortality in the 18&ndash;55 age group. Conclusion: In our rural population, younger ischemic stroke patients were at the same risk of long-term ischemic stroke recurrence as the older ischemic stroke patients. Identifying the factors and optimizing adequate long-term secondary prevention may reduce the risk of poor outcomes among younger ischemic stroke patients

Safety of Intravenous Thrombolysis Among Patients Taking Direct Oral Anticoagulants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background and Purpose- There are scarce data regarding the safety of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischemic stroke among patients on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Methods- We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature. Data regarding all adult patients pretreated with DOAC who received IVT for acute ischemic stroke were recorded. Meta-analysis was performed by comparing the rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in these patients with (1) stroke patients without prior anticoagulation therapy and (2) patients on warfarin with international normalized ratio <1.7. Meta-analyses were further conducted in subgroups as follows: (1) administration of DOAC within 48 hours versus an unknown interval before IVT, (2) consideration of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage outcome according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders (NINDS) versus the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II (ECASS-II) criteria. Results- After reviewing 13 392 reports and communicating with certain authors of 12 published studies, a total of 52 823 acute ischemic stroke patients from 6 studies were enrolled in the present meta-analysis: DOACs: 366, warfarin: 2133, and 503 241 patients without prior anticoagulation. We detected no additional risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage following IVT among patients taking DOACs within 48 hours-DOACs-warfarin: NINDS (odds ratio [OR], 0.55 [95% CI, 0.19-1.59]), ECASS-II (OR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.28-2.16]); DOACs-no-anticoagulation: NINDS (OR, 1.23 [95% CI, 0.46-3.31]), ECASS-II (OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.32-2.41]). Similarly, no additional risk was detected with no time limit between last DOAC intake-DOACs warfarin: NINDS (OR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.49-1.45]), ECASS-II (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.67-1.85]); DOACs-no-anticoagulation: NINDS (OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.43-3.15]), ECASS-II (OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.33-2.41]). There was no evidence of heterogeneity across included studies (I2=0%). We also provided the details of 123 individual cases with or without reversal agents before IVT. There was no significant increase in the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (OR, 1.48 [95% CI, 0.50-4.38]), symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.09-2.55]), or early mortality (OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.11-3.43]) between cohorts who did or did not receive prethrombolysis idarucizumab. Conclusions- The results of our study indicated that prior intake of DOAC appears not to increase the risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in selected AIS patients treated with IVT