Campbell, B. C.V. et al. (2019) Penumbral imaging and functional outcome in patients with anterior circulation ischaemic stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy versus medical therapy: a meta-analysis of individual patient-level data.ABSTRACT Background: CT-perfusion (CTP) and MRI may assist patient selection for endovascular thrombectomy. We aimed to establish whether imaging assessments of ischaemic core and penumbra volumes were associated with functional outcomes and treatment effect.

Although stroke is common after TIA, the early risk is not predicted by clinical and demographic factors. Validated models to identify which patients require urgent intervention are needed.

Background and Purpose— Acute blood pressure (BP) reduction aimed at attenuation of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) expansion might also compromise cerebral blood flow (CBF). We tested the hypothesis that CBF in acute ICH patients is unaffected by BP reduction. Methods— Patients with spontaneous ICH <24 hours after onset and systolic BP > 150 mm Hg were randomly assigned to an intravenous antihypertensive treatment protocol targeting a systolic BP of <150 mm Hg (n=39) or <180 mm Hg (n=36). Patients underwent computed tomography perfusion imaging 2 hours postrandomization. The primary end point was perihematoma relative (relative CBF). Results— Treatment groups were balanced with respect to baseline systolic BP: 182±20 mm Hg (<150 mm Hg target group) versus 184±25 mm Hg (<180 mm Hg target group; P =0.60), and for hematoma volume: 25.6±30.8 versus 26.9±25.2 mL ( P =0.66). Mean systolic BP 2 hours after randomization was significantly lower in the <150 mm Hg target group (140±19 vs 162±12 mm Hg; P <0.001). Perihematoma CBF (38.7±11.9 mL/100 g per minute) was lower than in contralateral homologous regions (44.1±11.1 mL/100 g per minute; P <0.001) in all patients. The primary end point of perihematoma relative CBF in the <150 mm Hg target group (0.86±0.12) was not significantly lower than that in the <180 mm Hg group (0.89±0.09; P =0.19; absolute difference, 0.03; 95% confidence interval −0.018 to 0.078). There was no relationship between the magnitude of BP change and perihematoma relative CBF in the <150 mm Hg ( R =0.00005; 95% confidence interval, −0.001 to 0.001) or <180 mm Hg target groups ( R =0.000; 95% confidence interval, −0.001 to 0.001). Conclusions— Rapid BP lowering after a moderate volume of ICH does not reduce perihematoma CBF. These physiological data indicate that acute BP reduction does not precipitate cerebral ischemia in ICH patients. Clinical Trial Registration Information— URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov . Unique Identifier: NCT00963976.

OBJECTIVE -Admission hyperglycemia has been associated with worse outcomes in ischemic stroke. We hypothesized that hyperglycemia (glucose Ͼ8.0 mmol/l) in the hyperacute phase would be independently associated with increased mortality, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH), and poor functional status at 90 days in stroke patients treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA).RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -Using data from the prospective, multicenter Canadian Alteplase for Stroke Effectiveness Study (CASES), the association between admission glucose Ͼ8.0 mmol/l and mortality, SICH, and poor functional status at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale Ͼ1) was examined. Similar analyses examining glucose as a continuous measure were conducted.RESULTS -Of 1,098 patients, 296 (27%) had admission hyperglycemia, including 18% of those without diabetes and 70% of those with diabetes. After multivariable logistic regression, admission hyperglycemia was found to be independently associated with increased risk of death (adjusted risk ratio 1.5 [95% CI 1.2-1.9]), .00]), and a decreased probability of a favorable outcome at 90 days (0.7 [0.5-0.9]). An incremental risk of death and SICH and unfavorable 90-day outcomes was observed with increasing admission glucose. This observation held true for patients with and without diabetes.CONCLUSIONS -In this cohort of IV-tPA-treated stroke patients, admission hyperglycemia was independently associated with increased risk of death, SICH, and poor functional status at 90 days. Treatment trials continue to be urgently needed to determine whether this is a modifiable risk factor for poor outcome.