ObjectiveThere is a recognized need to improve selection of patients with carotid artery stenosis for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). We assessed the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined carotid plaque hemorrhage (MRIPH) to predict recurrent ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events, and stroke in symptomatic carotid stenosis.MethodsOne hundred seventy-nine symptomatic patients with ≥50% stenosis were prospectively recruited, underwent carotid MRI, and were clinically followed up until CEA, death, or ischemic event. MRIPH was diagnosed if the plaque signal intensity was >150% that of the adjacent muscle. Event-free survival analysis was done using Kaplan–Meier plots and Cox regression models controlling for known vascular risk factors. We also undertook a meta-analysis of reported data on MRIPH and recurrent events.ResultsOne hundred fourteen patients (63.7%) showed MRIPH, suffering 92% (57 of 62) of all recurrent ipsilateral events and all but 1 (25 of 26) future strokes. Patients without MRIPH had an estimated annual absolute stroke risk of only 0.6%. Cox multivariate regression analysis proved MRIPH as a strong predictor of recurrent ischemic events (hazard ratio [HR] = 12.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8–30.1, p < 0.001) and stroke alone (HR = 35.0, 95% CI = 4.7–261.6, p = 0.001). Meta-analysis of published data confirmed this association between MRIPH and recurrent cerebral ischemic events in symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (odds ratio = 12.2, 95% CI = 5.5–27.1, p < 0.00001).InterpretationMRIPH independently and strongly predicts recurrent ipsilateral ischemic events, and stroke alone, in symptomatic ≥50% carotid artery stenosis. The very low stroke risk in patients without MRIPH puts into question current risk–benefit assessment for CEA in this subgroup. ANN NEUROL 2013;73:774–784

Pouchitis is a heterogeneous disease which tends to occur early after restoration of gastrointestinal continuity. Patients with backwash ileitis and/or PSC are at considerable risk of developing chronic pouchitis. The strong association between backwash ileitis, PSC and chronic pouchitis suggests a common link in their pathogenesis.

BackgroundThe European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST) risk model is a validated tool for predicting cerebrovascular risk in patients with symptomatic carotid disease. Carotid plaque hemorrhage as detected by MRI (MRIPH) and microembolic signals (MES) detected by transcranial Doppler (TCD) are 2 emerging modalities in assessing instability of the carotid plaque. The aim of this study was to assess the strength of association of MES and MRIPH with cerebrovascular recurrence in patients with symptomatic carotid artery disease in comparison with the ECST risk prediction model.Methods and ResultsOne hundred and thirty‐four prospectively recruited patients (mean [SD]: age 72 [9.8] years, 33% female) with symptomatic severe (50% to 99%) carotid stenosis underwent preoperative TCD, MRI of the carotid arteries to assess MES, PH, and the ECST risk model. Patients were followed up until carotid endarterectomy, recurrent cerebral event, death, or study end. Event‐free survival analysis was done using backward conditional Cox regression analysis.Of the 123 patients who had both TCD and MRI, 82 (66.7%) demonstrated PH and 46 (37.4%) had MES. 37 (30.1%) cerebrovascular events (21 transient ischemic attacks, 6 amaurosis fugax, and 10 strokes) were observed. Both carotid PH (HR=8.68; 95% CI 2.66 to 28.40, P<0.001) as well as MES (HR=3.28; 95% CI 1.68 to 6.42, P=0.001) were associated with cerebrovascular event recurrence. Combining MES and MRIPH improved the strength of association (HR=0.74, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.83; P<0.001). The ECST risk model was not associated with recurrence (HR=0.86; 95% CI 0.45 to 1.65; P=0.65).ConclusionsThe presence of carotid plaque hemorrhage is better associated with recurrent cerebrovascular events in patients with symptomatic severe carotid stenosis than the presence of microembolic signals; combining MES and MRIPH, further improves the association while the ECST risk score was insignificant.