Early hospital arrival within 6 hours after stroke onset is associated with favorable outcomes after ischemic stroke, regardless of reperfusion treatment or stroke severity.

Background and Purpose— Smoking is an established risk factor for stroke; however, it is uncertain whether prestroke smoking status affects clinical outcomes of acute ischemic stroke. This study aimed to elucidate the association between smoking status and functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke. Methods— Using a multicenter hospital-based stroke registry in Japan, we investigated 10 825 patients with acute ischemic stroke hospitalized between July 2007 and December 2017 who had been independent before stroke onset. Smoking status was categorized into those who had never smoked (nonsmokers), former smokers, and current smokers. Clinical outcomes included poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≥2) and functional dependence (modified Rankin Scale score 2–5) at 3 months. We adjusted for potential confounding factors using a logistic regression analysis. Results— The mean age of patients was 70.2±12.2 years, and 37.0% were women. There were 4396 (42.7%) nonsmokers, 3328 (32.4%) former smokers, and 2561 (24.9%) current smokers. The odds ratio (95% CI) for poor functional outcome after adjusting for confounders increased in current smokers (1.29 [1.11–1.49] versus nonsmokers) but not in former smokers (1.05 [0.92–1.21] versus nonsmokers). However, among the former smokers, the odds ratio of poor functional outcome was higher in those who quit smoking within 2 years of stroke onset (1.75 [1.15–2.66] versus nonsmokers). The risk of poor functional outcome tended to increase as the number of daily cigarettes increased in current smokers ( P for trend=0.002). All these associations were maintained for functional dependence. Conclusions— Current and recent smoking is associated with an increased risk of unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months after acute ischemic stroke. Registration— URL: http://www.fukuoka-stroke.net/english/index.html . Unique identifier: 000000800.

BackgroundAmong patients with ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation, which ones are at high risk of recurrent stroke is unclear. This study aimed to determine whether left atrial size was associated with long‐term risk of stroke recurrence in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.Methods and ResultsIn this multicenter prospective cohort study, nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke were enrolled and followed up after discharge. Indexed‐left atrial diameter was obtained by dividing left atrial diameter by body surface area. Cause‐specific and subdistribution hazard ratios of recurrent stroke were estimated by Cox proportional hazards and Fine–Gray models, respectively. Risk prediction was evaluated by integrated discrimination improvement and net reclassification improvement. In total, 1611 patients (77.8±10.2 [mean±SD] years, 44.5% female) were included. During follow‐up for 2.40±1.63 (mean±SD) years, 251 patients had recurrent stroke and 514 patients died. An increased indexed‐left atrial diameter (per 1 cm/m2) was significantly associated with elevated risk of stroke recurrence (hazard ratio 1.60, 95% CI 1.30–1.98). The association was maintained when death was regarded as the competing risk and in 1464 patients who were treated with anticoagulants (hazard ratio 1.59, 95% CI 1.27–2.00). Risk prediction for recurrent stroke was significantly improved by adding indexed‐left atrial diameter to the baseline model composed of the factors in the CHADS 2 score or those in the CHA 2 DS 2‐VASc score.ConclusionThese findings suggest that left atrial enlargement is associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients with ischemic stroke.

Key Points Question Is functional outcome similar among potential embolic sources after cryptogenic stroke, and is it better or worse compared with that in cardioembolic stroke? Findings Among 2261 patients with cardioembolic stroke and 2163 patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source in this multicenter hospital-based stroke registry cohort study, multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of functional dependency increased in patients with cancer-associated stroke vs cardioembolic stroke but decreased in patients with paradoxical embolism vs cardioembolic stroke. Meaning Potential embolic sources should be considered an important variable associated with functional outcome after cryptogenic stroke.

This study aimed to elucidate nationwide trends in reperfusion therapy utilization and subsequent 30-day mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients in Japan. The analysis focused on intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA) and endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Using health insurance claims data, we calculated the age- and sex-adjusted monthly number of acute ischemic stroke patients who received IV rt-PA and/or EVT in Japan from April 2010 to March 2016, and investigated the 30-day all-cause mortality rates after undergoing these therapies. Through an interrupted time-series analysis, we examined the During the study period, 69,920 patients with acute ischemic stroke (mean age ± standard deviation: 74.9 ± 12.0 years; 41.4% women) received IV rt-PA and/or EVT. The age- and sex-adjusted number of patients receiving IV rt-PA monotherapy increased immediately after the time window extension (<rk-italic > P < .001), but did not change during the pre- (P = .90) and post-extension (P = .58) periods. In contrast, the number of patients receiving EVT with or without IV rt-PA continuously increased during the pre-extension period (P < .001), and further increased during the post-extension period (P <.001); however, this number decreased immediately after the extension (P < .001). There were no significant changes in 30-day all-cause mortality during the pre- (P = .40) and post-extension (P = .64) periods, as well as immediately after the extension (P = .53). The extension of the IV rt-PA therapeutic time window and progressively widespread use of EVT in Japan have increased the number of acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for reperfusion therapy. These trends were not accompanied by a higher risk of post-reperfusion mortality.