N ovel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) reduce incidence of stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.1 Several studies demonstrated hematoma expansion in patients with ICH occurring during warfarin therapy and poor clinical outcomes.2 However, information regarding hematoma size, its expansion, and functional and vital outcomes of patients with ICH occurring during NOAC treatment have been limited and remain largely unclear.Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are said to be predictive of the occurrence of ICH or ischemic stroke 3 and to increase the risk of warfarin-associated ICH. 4 Furthermore, a considerable interest has been shown in association between CMBs and subsequent ICH in patients treated with NOACs. 5 In the present study, we investigated clinical and neuroradiological characteristics of patients with ICH occurring during NOAC treatment. MethodsFrom April 2011 through October 2013, 585 patients (342 men) with ICH were admitted to the Hirosaki Stroke and Rehabilitation Center for acute therapy <7 days after the onset (n=329) and for further rehabilitation therapy <60 days after the onset from other hospitals (n=256). Of all, 5 patients (1%) had ICH during NOAC treatment with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, 56 (10%) during warfarin, and the other 524 (89%) during Background and Purpose-Neuroradiological characteristics and functional outcomes of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) during novel oral anticoagulant treatment were not well defined. We examined these in comparison with those during warfarin treatment. Methods-The consecutive 585 patients with ICH admitted from April 2011 through October 2013 were retrospectively studied. Of all, 5 patients (1%) had ICH during rivaroxaban treatment, 56 (10%) during warfarin, and the other 524 (89%) during no anticoagulants. We focused on ICH during rivaroxaban and warfarin treatments and compared the clinical characteristics, neuroradiological findings, and functional outcomes. Results-Patients in the rivaroxaban group were all at high risk for major bleeding with hypertension, abnormal renal/ liver function, stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile international normalized ratio, elderly, drugs/alcohol concomitantly (HAS-BLED) score of 3 and higher rate of past history of ICH. Moreover, multiple cerebral microbleeds (≥4) were detected more frequently in rivaroxaban group than in warfarin (80% versus 29%; P=0.04). Hematoma volume in rivaroxaban group was markedly smaller than that in warfarin (median: 4 versus 11 mL; P=0.03). No patient in the rivaroxaban group had expansion of hematoma and surgical treatment. Rivaroxaban group showed lower modified Rankin Scale at discharge relative to warfarin, and the difference between modified Rankin Scale before admission and at discharge was smaller in rivaroxaban than in warfarin (median: 1 versus 3; P=0.047). No patient in the rivaroxaban group died during hospitalization, whereas 10 (18%) warfarin patients died. Conclusions-Rivaroxaban-associated ICH occur...

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This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic yield of 7-day Holter monitoring for detecting covert atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with recent embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) and to identify the preentry screening biomarkers that had significant associations with later detection of AF (clinicaltrials.gov. NCT02801708).Methods: A total of 206 patients who have recent ESUS without previously documented AF underwent Holter electrocardiography using a chest strap-style monitor. External validation of biomarkers predictive of AF was performed using 83 patients with ESUS who were implanted with i nsertable cardiac monitors.Results: T he 7-day Holter monitoring started at a median of 13 days after the onset of stroke. AF was detected in 14 patients, and three of these showed a single AF episode lasting 2 min. The median time delay to the first documented AF was 50 h. Each of serum brain natriuretic peptide ≥ 66.0 pg/mL (adjusted odds ratio 5.23), atrial premature contractions (APCs) ≥ 345 beats (3.80), and APC short runs ≥ 13 (5.74) on 24-h Holter prior to the 7-day Holter showed a significant association with detection of AF, independent of age and physiological findings in this derivation c ohort, and all of these showed a significant association in the validation cohort (adjusted odds ratio 6.59, 7.87, and 6.16, respectively). Conclusions:In recent ESUS patients, the detection rate of AF using the 7-day Holter monitoring was 6.8% (95% CI 4.1%-11.1%). Brain natriuretic peptide, APC count, and APC short runs in the standard clinical workup seemed to be predictors of covert AF.term "embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS)" has been proposed as a new clinical entity to refine its definition,. Covert atrial fibrillation (AF) is thought to be relatively common among potential embolic sources of ESUS.

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