Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Comparative Study
Arterial spin-labeled perfusion imaging to predict mismatch in acute ischemic stroke.
We assigned a threshold to arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion-weighted images (PWI) from patients with acute ischemic stroke and compared them with dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion images to examine whether mismatch can be determined. ⋯ In acute ischemic stroke, PWI lesions based on ASL threshold of <20 mL/100 g per minute can provide a reliable estimate of mismatch in correspondence at MTT threshold of >10 s.
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Transient or minor ischemic stroke is associated with an early risk of deterioration. Baseline perfusion-diffusion mismatch may predict clinical deterioration and infarct growth in this population. ⋯ Among subjects with high-risk transient ischemic attack and minor stroke, diffusion-weighted imaging-perfusion-weighted imaging mismatch predicts infarct growth and clinical deterioration. These findings suggest that reperfusion strategies would be beneficial in this population.
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Unruptured intracranial aneurysms are increasingly being detected and are a notable healthcare burden. We investigated the long-term natural history of unruptured intracranial aneurysms and risk factors predictive of subsequent rupture. ⋯ Cigarette smoking, patient age inversely, and the size and location of the unruptured intracranial aneurysm seem to be risk factors for aneurysm rupture. The risk of bleeding decreases with a very long-term follow-up.
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Despite 3 recent randomized clinical trials, the management of patients with cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale remains unsettled. The primary results of Evaluation of the STARFlex Septal Closure System in Patients with a Stroke and/or Transient Ischemic Attack due to Presumed Paradoxical Embolism Through a Patent Foramen Ovale (CLOSURE), Percutaneous Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale in Cryptogenic Stroke (PC), and Randomized Evaluation of Recurrent Stroke Comparing PFO Closure to Established Current Standard of Care Treatment (RESPECT) were the same; the intent to treat analysis for the primary end point in all 3 trials failed to demonstrate superiority of device closure compared with medical therapy. ⋯ RESPECT suggested, but did not prove, that highly selected patients without vascular risk factors, with a cortical infarct on baseline magnetic resonance imaging and a substantial patent foramen ovale shunt may benefit from the Amplatzer device during a multiple-year period. In the absence of definitive clinical trial results, the precise definition of which patient subgroups should be considered for patent foramen ovale device closure should be agreed to by the stakeholder societies and the Food and Drug Administration.