Background This study aimed to assess attack rates of ischemic cerebrovascular events (CVEs) in a population‐based registry and to estimate the current and projected burden of the disease in whole France. Methods and Results All cases of ischemic CVE (including ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack) were prospectively identified through the population‐based Dijon Stroke Registry, France (2013–2020). Annual attack rates and temporal trends were assessed. The number of patients in whole France and projections by 2050 were estimated by standardization to age‐ and sex‐specific attack rates. A total of 2869 cases of ischemic CVE were recorded (mean age, 75.7±15.9 years, 54.4% women) including 1763 ischemic stroke and 1106 transient ischemic attack (crude attack rate, 230/100 000 per year). The age‐standardized rate was 237 (95% CI, 229–246), with rates of 144 (95% CI, 137–150) for ischemic stroke and 93 (95% CI, 88–98) for transient ischemic attack. The rates were 152 (95% CI, 145–159) and 85 (95% CI, 80–90), respectively, when considering the tissue‐based American Heart Association/American Stroke Association definition. The attack rate during the 2019 to 2020 period was slightly lower than that observed during 2013 to 2014 (age‐standardized attack rate ratio, 0.90[95% CI, 0.81–0.99]; P =0.035) but did not differ from that of other periods. The number of ischemic CVEs was estimated to be 164 126 annually in France during 2013 to 2020. An increase of 35% and 56% is expected by 2035 and 2050, respectively. Conclusions Our study highlighted a high burden of ischemic CVE that has been largely underestimated in France by administrative databases. Despite roughly stable attack rates over time, the absolute number of cases is expected to dramatically increase in coming years, thus questioning the sustainability of the health care system.

Introduction: Evidence regarding the benefit of endovascular therapy (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to isolated cervical internal carotid artery occlusion (c-ICA-O) is lacking. We assessed the outcomes and safety of EVT in patients with isolated c-ICA-O. Methods: Retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients with an AIS due to isolated c-ICA-O, within 24-h since last-seen-well. Comparisons were made between EVT and best medical therapy (BMT). The primary outcome was 3-months modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ordinal shift. Secondary outcomes included 3-month favorable outcome (mRS 0–2, or return to pre-stroke mRS), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and any parenchymal hemorrhage. Outcomes were compared combining inverse probability of treatment weighting with regression models and propensity score matching (PSM) as sensitivity analysis. Results: We analyzed 998 patients (66.2% male, mean age 71.1 ± 13.2 years). 487 (48.8%) patients received EVT and 511 (51.2%) received BMT. Patients receiving EVT had a higher admission NIHSS [13 (7–18) vs 5 (2–13)] compared to BMT. There was no difference between EVT and BMT groups in 3-month mRS shift (adjusted common odds ratio [OR], 1.01 [95% CI 0.76–1.34]) and favorable outcome (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.16 [95% CI 0.84–1.60]). No patient (0%) in the BMT group had sICH versus 1.6% in the EVT group. Parenchymal hemorrhage was numerically higher in EVT patients (2.7% vs 0.6%; aOR 3.85 [95% CI 0.98–15.23]). PSM analysis revealed similar results. Discussion and conclusion: In patients with isolated c-ICA-O, EVT was associated with similar odds of disability and intracranial bleeding compared to BMT. Randomized-controlled clinical trials in patients with isolated c-ICA-O are warranted.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently diagnosed during the acute stage of ischemic stroke (IS), and it may reflect undiagnosed AF before stroke, thus representing a missed opportunity for stroke prevention. This population-based study aimed to assess the prevalence of known AF (KAF) and AF diagnosed early after IS (AFDAS) and to compare clinical and brain/arterial imaging characteristics between patients. Methods: Among patients with acute IS recorded in the population-based Dijon Stroke Registry, France (2013–2020), we identified those with KAF or AFDAS. AFDAS was considered when AF was diagnosed during the initial work-up based on electrocardiograms, in-hospital continuous electrocardiographic and/or Holter monitoring. Clinical and imaging characteristics on brain CT scan or angio-CT scan when available including old parenchymal lesions, arterial territory of the index IS, and aortic arch, cervical and intracranial arteries atheroma were compared between groups (KAF vs. AFDAS). Regression logistic models were used to assess factors associated with AFDAS (compared to KAF). Results: Among 1,756 IS patients, 550 (31.3%) had AF (mean age: 83.6 ± 10.3 years old, 60.5% women), of whom 367 (66.7%) presented with KAF and 183 (33.3%) had AFDAS. In multivariable model, hypertension (OR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.21–0.64, p < 0.001), chronic heart failure (OR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.18–0.67, p = 0.002), previous stroke (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.26–0.67, p < 0.001), and preexisting dementia (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.21–0.63, p < 0.001) were inversely associated with AFDAS, whereas NIHSS score was associated with AFDAS (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00–1.05, p = 0.012). Conclusions: Our findings indicate a more advanced stage of the atrial cardiomyopathy in KAF as compared with AFDAS patients and may thus contribute to the fact that in these latter patients AF had not been diagnosed prior to stroke. This group of patients undeniably represents a missed opportunity for stroke prevention.

BackgroundAtrial Fibrillation (AF) is a common cause of ischemic stroke (IS), and is associated with cognitive impairment in the general population. We aimed to compare the prevalence of preexisting cognitive impairment between IS patients with and without AF, and to assess whether prior brain damage could contribute to the observed differences.MethodsPatients with acute IS were prospectively identified from the population-based Dijon Stroke Registry, France. Patients who had a CT-scan as brain imaging modality were included in this analysis to assess the presence of preexisting leukoaraiosis, old vascular brain lesions, and cerebral atrophy. Characteristics of patients including prior-to-stroke cognitive status (normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia) were compared between those with and without AF.ResultsAmong 916 IS patients, 288 (31.4%) had AF, of whom 88 had newly diagnosed AF. AF patients had more frequent prior MCI (17.8% versus 10.2%) or dementia (22.4% versus 13.1%) (p=0.001), vascular risk factors, and preexisting brain damage. In unadjusted model, preexisting cognitive impairment was associated with AF (OR=2.24; 95% CI: 1.49-3.37, p<0.001 for MCI; OR=2.20; 95% CI: 1.52-3.18, p<0.001 for dementia). After adjustment for clinical and imaging variables, preexisting mild cognitive impairment (OR=1.87; 95% CI: 1.06-3.32, p=0.032) and dementia (OR=1.98; 95% CI: 1.15-3.40, p=0.013) were independently associated with AF.ConclusionAF is a common condition in IS patients and is associated with preexisting cognitive impairment. Brain lesions visible on imaging did not seem to fully account for this association that may involve other mechanisms yet to be elucidated.

First described in December 2019 in Wuhan (China), COVID-19 disease rapidly spread worldwide, constituting the biggest pandemic in the last 100 years. Even if SARS-CoV-2, the agent responsible for COVID-19, is mainly associated with pulmonary injury, evidence is growing that this virus can affect many organs, including the heart and vascular endothelial cells, and cause haemostasis, CNS, and kidney and gastrointestinal tract abnormalities that can impact in the disease course and prognosis. In fact, COVID-19 may affect almost all the organs. Hence, SARS-CoV-2 is essentially a systemic infection that can present a large number of clinical manifestations, and it is variable in distribution and severity, which means it is potentially life-threatening. The goal of this comprehensive review paper in the series is to give an overview of non-pulmonary involvement in COVID-19, with a special focus on underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical presentation.

Introduction: Current guidelines indicate prolonged cardiac rhythm monitoring for atrial fibrillation screening in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA). This study aimed to assess the incidence of cryptogenic IS/TIA eligible for such investigation, and to estimate the number of patients potentially concerned in whole France annually.Methods: All cryptogenic acute IS/TIA cases >= 35 years old were retrieved from the population-based Dijon Stroke Registry, France (2013-2020). Patients eligible for prolonged cardiac rhythm monitoring were defined after excluding those who died in-hospital or within the first 30 days, or with preexisting major impairment. Annual incidence rates of eligible cryptogenic IS/TIA were calculated by age groups and sex. The total number of eligible patients in France was estimated by standardization to age- and sex-specific incidence.Results: Among 2811 IS/TIA patients recorded in the Dijon Stroke Registry, 1239 had cryptogenic IS/TIA of whom 1045 were eligible for prolonged cardiac rhythm monitoring (517 IS and 528 TIA, mean age 73.6 +/- 14.6 years old, 55.4% women). Crude incidence rates of eligible cryptogenic IS/TIA were 169/100,000 per year (95% CI: 159-179) in overall sexes, 83/100,000 per year (95% CI: 76-91) for IS, and 85/100,000 per year (95% CI: 78-93) for TIA. The total number of patients with cryptogenic IS/TIA eligible for prolonged cardiac rhythm monitoring in France was estimated to be 66,125 (95% CI: 65,622-66,630) for the calendar year 2022, including 32,764 (95% CI: 32,410-33,120) with IS and 33,361 (95% CI: 33,004-33,721) with TIA.Conclusions: This study demonstrated a high incidence of cryptogenic IS/TIA eligible for prolonged cardiac rhythm monitoring. Estimates at a national level pointed out the large number of patients who may require access to such atrial fibrillation screening, with attention to be paid on regarding organization of care networks and related costs. Graphical abstract

Background Atrial cardiomyopathy (AC) is an emerging concept explaining the pathophysiology of cardioembolic strokes in absence of atrial fibrillation (AF). A definition based on the presence of electrical abnormality (P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (PTFV1) >5000 µV×ms), N-Terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT pro BNP) >250 pg/mL and/or indexed left atrial diameter (LADI) >3 cm/m² is currently tested in the ARCADIA (AtRial Cardiopathy and Antithrombotic Drugs In prevention After cryptogenic stroke) trial. We set out to estimate the prevalence of AC as defined in the ARCADIA trial, its determinants and its association with AF detected after stroke (AFDAS). Methods Stepwise screening for silent Atrial Fibrillation After Stroke (SAFAS) study prospectively included 240 ischaemic stroke patients. AC markers were complete for 192 of them and 9 were not included in this analysis because AF had been diagnosed on admission. Results A total of 183 patients were analysed, of whom 57% (104 patients) met the AC criteria (79 NT-proBNP, 47 PTFV1, 4 LADI). In the multivariate logistic regression, C reactive protein >3 mg/L (OR (95% CI) 2.60 (1.30 to 5.21), p=0.007) and age (OR (95% CI) 1.07 (1.04 to 1.10), p<0.001) were found to be independently associated with AC. After 6 months of follow-up, AFDAS was detected in 33% of AC patients and in 14% of the remaining ones (p=0.003). However, AC was not independently associated with AFDAS, contrary to left atrial volume index (>34 mL/m 2 , OR 2.35 (CI 1.09 to 5.06) p=0029). Conclusion AC as defined in ARCADIA is mostly based on NT pro BNP elevation (76% of patients) and is associated with age and inflammation. Moreover, AC was not independently associated with AFDAS at follow-up. The ARCADIA trial, which compares aspirin to apixaban in patients with embolic strokes of undetermined source with AC markers and must, therefore be analysed in the light of these limitations. Trial registration number NCT03570060 .

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to assess the type and prevalence of stroke and non-stroke-related findings diagnosed on early cardiac computed tomography (CT) in patients with suspected stroke. The secondary objective was to assess the clinical consequences on the management of patients with non-stroke-related conditions identified by early cardiac CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS:This single-center, retrospective, observational study included 1111 consecutive patients with suspected ischemic stroke between November 2018 and March 2020 who underwent cardiac CT examination in addition to the usual brain CT protocol (i.e., non-enhanced brain CT, perfusion brain CT when needed, aortic arch and supra-aortic CT angiography, and post contrast brain CT). There were 562 women and 549 men with a median age of 74 years (range: 60-85 years). Of these, 415 (415/1111; 37.4%) patients had ischemic stroke and 692 (692/1111; 62.3%) had no stroke. Cardiac CT examinations were retrospectively reviewed for cardiac CT findings at high embolic risk and clinically significant extracardiac incidental findings. RESULTS:Among 1111 included patients, 89 (89/1111; 8.0%) had a stroke-related condition identified on early cardiac CT. This was significantly more frequent in patients with ischemic stroke (66/415; 15.9%) by comparison with those without ischemic stroke (23/696; 3.3%) (P < 0.001), with 41 patients (41/415; 9.9%) diagnosed with left atrial thrombus. Cardiac CT revealed a clinically significant non-stroke-related finding in 173 patients (173/1111; 15.6%), including 17 pulmonary embolisms (1.5%), seven suspicious pulmonary lesions (0.6%), and three breast lesions suspected to be malignant (0.3%). Twenty out of 173 patients (20/173; 11.5%) with incidental findings on early cardiac CT had a change in their management. CONCLUSION:This study shows that adding early cardiac CT to brain CT during the acute phase of an ischemic stroke leads to a higher rate of etiological diagnoses and highlights the major interest of looking at the bigger picture.

Background. - Persistent foramen ovale (PFO) contributes to cryptogenic stroke and is associated with stroke recurrence, although the exact mechanism of ischemic events is not fully understood. Several biomarkers have been developed for the prediction of atrial fibrillation after stroke, but there are currently only limited data on their potential value for the diagnosis of PFO-related stroke. Methods. - This study was a prospective single-center study that included all patients hospitalized between March 31, 2018, and January 18, 2020, in the stroke department of the Dijon University Hospital for ischemic stroke without obvious cause and without a history of atrial fibrillation. PFO was systematically screened by transthoracic echocardiography and images were reviewed by an independent cardiologist blinded from clinical data. PFO was defined according to the CLOSE trial criteria: PFO associated with interatrial septal aneurysm or significant interatrial shunt (> 30 microbubbles in the left atrium within three cardiac cycles after right atrial opacification). The potential association of PFO-related stroke with biomarkers of cardiac fibrosis and inflammation such as galectin-3, GDF-15, ST-2, osteoprotegerin and NT-proBNP was tested using multivariate backward stepwise logistic regression. Results. - Of the 240 patients included in the SAFAS study, 229 had complete echocardiographic data, and 23 (10%) had PFO-related stroke. Patients with PFO-related stroke were significantly younger (58 +/- 14 vs. 69 +/- 14, P < 0.001), had less frequent previous arterial hypertension (30 vs. 60%, P = 0.008), and more frequent cerebellar territory involvement (26 vs. 9%, P = 0.014) compared to the other patients. In addition, they had less frequently left atrial dilatation (left atrial index volume > 34 mL/m(2) [9 vs. 35%, P = 0.009]). After ROC curve analysis for definition of thresholds, PFO-related stroke patients more often had galectin3 < 9.5 ng/mL (59 vs. 27%, P = 0.002), ST2 < 13380 pg/ml (23 vs. 50%, P = 0.007), GDF 15 < 1200 ng/mL (59 vs. 27%, P = 0.002), osteoprotegerin < 1133 pg/mL (82 vs. 58%, P = 0.033) and NT-proBNP < 300 pg/mL (88 vs. 55%, P = 0.009). After multivariate analysis, only galectin-3 < 9.5 ng/mL (OR [95% CI] 3.4 [1.18; 9.8], P = 0.024) and osteoprotegerin < 1133 pg/L (OR [95% CI] 5.0 [1.1; 22.9], P = 0.038) were independently associated with PFO-related stroke. Conclusion. - Patients in whom cryptogenic stroke is attributed to a significant PFO have a specific clinical and biological phenotype. Low levels of galectin-3 and osteoprotegerin may help identify patients with PFO-related strokes. (c) 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Objectives: Up to 20 % of ischemic strokes are associated with overt atrial fibrillation (AF). Furthermore, silent AF was detected by an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM) in 1 in 3 cryptogenic strokes in the CRYSTAL AF study. An ESC position paper has suggested a HAVOC score >= 4 or a Brown ESUS-AF score >= 2 as criteria for ICM implantation after cryptogenic stroke, but neither of these criteria has been developed or validated in ICM populations. We assessed the performance of HAVOC and Brown ESUS-AF scores in a cohort of ICM patients implanted after embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS).Methods: All patients implanted with an ICM for ESUS between February 2016 and February 2022 at two French University Hospitals were retrospectively included. Demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors, and clinical and biological data were collected after a review of electronic medical records. HAVOC and Brown ESUS-AF scores were calculated for all patients.Findings: Among the 384 patients included, 106 (27 %) developed AF during a mean follow-up of 33 months. The scores performances for predicting AF during follow-up were: HAVOC= AUC: 68.5 %, C-Index: 0.662, and Brown ESUS-AF=AUC: 72.9 %, C-index 0.712. Compared with the CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score, only the Brown ESUS-AF score showed significant improvement in NRI/IDI. Furthermore, classifying patients according to the suggested HAVOC and Brown ESUS-AF thresholds, only 24 % and 31 % of the cohort, respectively, would have received an ICM, and 58 (55 %) and 47 (44 %) of the AF patients, respectively, would not have been implanted with an ICM.Conclusion: HAVOC and Brown ESUS-AF scores showed close and moderate performance in predicting AF on ICM after cryptogenic stroke, with a significant lack of sensitivity. Specific risk scores should be developed and validated in large ICM cohorts.

Background. – Although guidelines recommend screening patients for atrial fibrillation (AF) after stroke, the optimal timing and combination of screening tools remain unclear.Aims. – We evaluated the suitability of a sequential combination of screening techniques for AF detected after stroke (AFDAS). We also compared patient characteristics according to the timing of AFDAS.Methods. – Patients without previous AF admitted for acute ischaemic stroke were prospectively enrolled. After a stepwise screening approach for AFDAS based on electrocardiogram, telemetry monitoring and in-hospital long-term Holter, patients with cryptogenic stroke underwent implantation of an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM). Early AFDAS was defined as AF diagnosed during hospitalization and late AFDAS as AF diagnosed on an ICM.Results. – Of the 240 patients included, 104 (43.3%) had a documented cause of stroke not related to AF. Among the 136 remaining patients, AFDAS was detected in 82 (60.3%) during the acute screening phase or during the 3-year follow-up by ICM. Early AFDAS was diagnosed by ECG, telemetry and in-hospital long-term Holter monitoring in 17 (20.7%), 25 (30.5%) and 18 (22.0%) patients, respectively. Among 76 patients who had an ICM implanted for cryptogenic stroke, AF was detected in 22 patients (28.9%). Except for age and stroke location, patients with early AFDAS did not differ from those with late AFDAS, particularly with regard to the prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy markers.Conclusion. – A stepwise approach to AFDAS screening allows early detection of AF in a considerable number of patients during their hospitalization. ICMs remain complementary to non-invasive screening tools for the detection of remote episodes of AF.

Background: Although guidelines recommend screening patients for atrial fibrillation (AF) after stroke, the optimal timing and combination of screening tools remain unclear. Aims: We evaluated the suitability of a sequential combination of screening techniques for AF detected after stroke (AFDAS). We also compared patient characteristics according to the timing of AFDAS. Methods: Patients without previous AF admitted for acute ischaemic stroke were prospectively enrolled. After a stepwise screening approach for AFDAS based on electrocardiogram, telemetry monitoring and in-hospital long-term Holter, patients with cryptogenic stroke underwent implantation of an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM). Early AFDAS was defined as AF diagnosed during hospitalization and late AFDAS as AF diagnosed on an ICM. Results: Of the 240 patients included, 104 (43.3%) had a documented cause of stroke not related to AF. Among the 136 remaining patients, AFDAS was detected in 82 (60.3%) during the acute screening phase or during the 3-year follow-up by ICM. Early AFDAS was diagnosed by ECG, telemetry and in-hospital longterm Holter monitoring in 17 (20.7%), 25 (30.5%) and 18 (22.0%) patients, respectively. Among 76 patients who had an ICM implanted for cryptogenic stroke, AF was detected in 22 patients (28.9%). Except for age and stroke location, patients with early AFDAS did not differ from those with late AFDAS, particularly with regard to the prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy markers. Conclusion: A stepwise approach to AFDAS screening allows early detection of AF in a considerable number of patients during their hospitalization. ICMs remain complementary to non-invasive screening tools for the detection of remote episodes of AF. (c) 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Importance Women with pregnancy-associated stroke might have different risks of stroke recurrence, including during subsequent pregnancies, and other cardiovascular events due to pregnancy-specific stroke risk factors, such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, or gestational diabetes. Objective To estimate the rate of stroke recurrence, cardiovascular hospitalization, and death in women with pregnancy-associated stroke compared with women with non–pregnancy-associated stroke. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included all women aged 15 to 49 years in France who were affiliated with the general scheme of French health care insurance (94% of women) and had a first hospitalization for stroke between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018. Women were followed up until December 31, 2020, with the registration of stroke recurrence, hospitalization for cardiovascular conditions, and death. Data were from the French health care database Système National des Données de Santé. Statistical analyses were conducted between December 2021 and September 2022. Exposure Pregnancy status at the time of stroke. Main Outcomes and Measures Poisson regressions were used to estimate incidence rates of these events with 95% CIs. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of each event during the follow-up for women with a pregnancy-associated stroke vs women with a non–pregnancy-associated stroke. Results Among women aged between 15 and 49 years between 2010 and 2018 and living in France, 1204 had a pregnancy-associated stroke at a mean (SD) age of 31.5 (5.8) years, and 31 697 had a non–pregnancy-associated stroke at a mean age of 39.6 (8.2) years. Among the 1204 women with a pregnancy-associated stroke, the incidence rate was 11.4 (95% CI, 9.0-14.3) per 1000 person-years, with 2 recurrent events during a subsequent pregnancy. Compared with women with non–pregnancy-associated stroke, women with pregnancy-associated stroke had lower risks of ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36-0.77), cardiovascular events (adjusted HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49-0.69), and death (adjusted HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22-0.79). In contrast, the risk of recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage and cerebral venous thrombosis did not differ significantly, whereas the risks of venous thromboembolism (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.14-3.58) and acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation (HR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.10-14.0) were increased. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, although the risks of ischemic stroke, overall cardiovascular events, and mortality were lower after a pregnancy-associated stroke than after a non–pregnancy-associated stroke, the risks of venous thromboembolism and acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation were higher. Recurrent stroke during a subsequent pregnancy remained rare.

Introduction: Understanding the influence of preexisting cognitive impairment on the poststroke outcome is a critical challenge in the context of current aging and growing population. This study aimed to assess long-term survival of patients with acute ischemic stroke (IS) according to their premorbid cognitive status and to identify contributing factors of death. Methods: Patients with IS were prospectively identified among residents of Dijon, France, using a population-based registry (2013–2017). The association between case fatality at 5 years and prestroke cognitive status was assessed by multivariable Cox models adjusted for other clinical characteristics and preexisting brain damage on the initial CT scan including leukoaraiosis, old vascular brain lesions, and cortical and central brain atrophy, as well as major arterial occlusion. Results: 1,049 patients were included (mean age ± SD: 76.3 ± 15.2 years old, 54% women). Case fatality rates at 5 years were 38.1% in patients without cognitive impairment, 65.9% in patients with prior mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 132, 12.6%), and 86.6% in patients with dementia (n = 164, 15.6%) (p < 0.001). MCI (HR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06–1.81, p = 0.016) and dementia (HR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.45–2.46, p < 0.001) were both independently associated with higher case fatality after adjustment for clinical variables. The association remained significant after further adjustment for preexisting brain damage and major arterial occlusion (HR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.10–1.98, p = 0.009, for MCI and HR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.43–2.53, p < 0.001, for dementia) among patients with available data on the CT scan (n = 916). Factors associated with death were roughly similar across groups. Conclusion: This study highlighted a poor long-term survival of IS patients with preexisting cognitive impairment, independently of other contributing factors of death. It is critical to better understand the trajectory of IS patients with preexisting cognitive impairment and to identify prognostic markers to guide clinicians in their management strategies.

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common causes of ischemic stroke. It is essential to target patients at highest risk of AF diagnosed after stroke (AFDAS), who should benefit from a prolonged rhythm screening strategy. Cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) was added to the stroke CT protocol used in our institution in 2018, allowing measurement of left atrial dimensions, epicardial fat and LAA. We sought to assess the predictive value on AFDAS of atrial cardiopathy markers assessed by a CCTA performed at admission for acute ischemic stroke. From November 2018 to October 2019, consecutive stroke patients with no history of AF were included. Left atrial volume, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) density and volumes, and LAA characteristics were measured during CCTA performed on admission. Epicardial adipose tissue volume was determined by a semi-automatic bypass method including tissue between −200 and −50 HU on CCTA. The primary endpoint was the presence of AFDAS at follow-up, diagnosed by ECG on admission, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, long-term external Holter during hospital stay or implantable cardiac monitor if clinically indicated after discharge. After a median follow-up of 639 [540–708] days, 60 (24%) of 247 included patients developed AF. The median time to diagnosis of AF was 2 [0–12] days. After multivariate Cox analysis, independent predictors of AFDAS were age > 80 years (HR 2.50; 95% CI (1.23–5.08), P = 0.011), indexed left atrial volume (LAVI) > 45 mL/m2 (HR 2. 54; 95% CI (1.16–5.59), P = 0.020), mean EAT density < -85 HU (HR 2.27; 95% CI (1.15–4.46), P = 0.018) and LAA thrombus (HR 2.60; 95% CI (1.09–6.19), P = 0.031). When added consecutively to a model including only clinical and biological data at admission, the 3 CCTA markers had an incremental predictive value compared with the overall Chi2 of the initial model (P = 0.019, 0.015 and 0.013 respectively). The addition of cardiac CT to the acute stroke protocol allows assessment of markers of atrial cardiopathy associated with AFDAS. These markers may help to better stratify the AF screening strategy, including the use of an implantable cardiac monitor after stroke hospitalisation.

IntroductionAging population leads to changes in the profile of patients with acute ischemic stroke (IS), and older adults were largely excluded from randomized clinical trials of acute revascularization therapy. This study aimed to assess functional outcomes of treated IS patients > 80 years old according to prior disability and identify associated factors.MethodsConsecutively older patients with acute IS treated with either IV thrombolysis and/or mechanical thrombectomy were enrolled between 2016 and 2019. Pre-morbid disability was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, and patients were classified as being independent (mRS score, 0–2) or having pre-existing disability (mRS score, 3–5). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with a poor functional outcome (mRS score > 3) at 3 and 12 months in each group of patients.ResultsAmong 300 included patients (mean age: 86.3 ± 4.6 years, 63% women, median NIHSS score: 14, IQR: 8–19), 100 had a pre-existing disability. In patients with a pre-morbid mRS score of 0–2, 51% had mRS >3 including 33% of deaths at 3 months. At 12 months, 50% had a poor outcome including 39% of deaths. In patients with a pre-morbid mRS score of 3–5, 71% had a poor outcome at 3 months including 43% of deaths, and at 12 months, 76% had mRS >3 including 52% of deaths. In multivariable models, the NIHSS score at 24 h was independently associated with poor outcomes at 3 and 12 months in both patients with (OR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.16–1.51, p < 0.001 for 12 months outcome) or without (OR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.19–1.44, p < 0.001 for 12 months outcome) pre-morbid disability.ConclusionAlthough a large proportion of older patients with a pre-existing disability had a poor functional outcome, they did not differ from their non-impaired counterparts regarding prognostic factors. This means that there were no factors in our study that would help clinicians identify patients at risk of poor functional outcomes after revascularization therapy among those with prior disability. Further studies are needed to better understand the post-stroke trajectory of older IS patients with a pre-morbid disability.

Introduction: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in women with ischemic stroke (IS) during pregnancy/post-partum is challenging, and recent guidelines claimed for additional information to better argue its effectiveness and safety. This observational national study aimed to describe characteristics, rates and outcomes of pregnant/post-partum women receiving acute revascularization therapy for IS compared to their non-pregnant counterparts, and pregnant women with IS not receiving such therapy. Patients and methods: In this cross-sectional study, all women aged 15-49 years hospitalized in France for IS between 2012 and 2018 were retrieved from the French hospital discharge databases. Pregnant or post-partum (<= 6 weeks after delivery) women were identified. Data about patients' characteristics, risk factors, revascularization therapy, delivery, post-stroke survival, and recurrent vascular events during follow-up were recorded. Results: Over the study period, 382 women with pregnancy-related IS were registered. Among them, 7.3% (n = 28) received a revascularization therapy, including nine cases during pregnancy, one the same day as delivery, and 18 during the post-partum period, compared with 8.5% (n = 1285) in women with non-pregnancy-related IS (n = 15,084). Treated pregnant/post-partum women had more severe IS than not-treated pregnant/post-partum. Compared with treated not-pregnant women, they were younger, but did not differ regarding other characteristics including stroke severity. There were no differences in systemic or intracranial hemorrhages or in the length of hospital stay between pregnant/post-partum women compared with treated not-pregnant women. All women receiving revascularization during pregnancy had a live baby. After a mean follow-up of 4.3 years, all pregnant/post-partum women were alive, one had recurrent IS and none had other vascular events. Discussion and conclusion: Only a few women with pregnancy-related IS were treated with acute revascularization therapy, but this was proportionately similar to their non-pregnant counterparts, from whom they did not differed regarding characteristics, survival, and risk of recurrent events. These findings suggest that stroke physicians applied treatment strategies of IS in a similar way regardless of pregnancy in France, and this attitude was an anticipation but consistent with the recently published guidelines on the topic.

(1) Background: bridging revascularization therapy is now the standard of care in patients with ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion. This study aimed to determine the frequency of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) related to this treatment, and to assess contributing factors and patients' outcomes. (2) Methods: consecutive ischemic stroke patients treated with bridging therapy were prospectively enrolled. sICH (intracranial hemorrhage with an increase in NIHSS score of ≥4 points) was assessed on imaging at 24 h. The functional status of patients was measured at 6 months using the mRS score; (3) Results: 176 patients were included (mean age 68.7 ± 1.2 years, 52.3% women), among whom 15 (8.5%) had sICH. Patients with sICH had more frequent alcohol abuse (30.1% versus 9.7%, p = 0.023), prestroke use of dual antiplatelet therapy (14.3% versus 1.3%, p = 0.002), higher NIHSS scores at admission (median score 20.5 versus 15, p = 0.01), greater systolic blood pressure upon admission, more frequent vascular intracranial calcifications (p = 0.004), leukoaraiosis (p = 0.001), and intracranial atheroma (p = 0.02), and higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (p = 0.02) and neutrophil-to-platelet ratios (p = 0.04). At 6-month follow-up, 9 (60%) patients with sICH died, versus 18% of patients without sICH (p < 0.001). Only 1 (7%) patient with sICH had a good functional outcome, defined as an mRS score of 0 to 2, versus 51% of patients without sICH. (4) Conclusions: one in twelve ischemic stroke patients treated with bridging therapy suffered sICH. Given the observed poor outcomes after sICH, further studies are required to better identify patients at risk to help clinicians in guiding therapeutic strategies.

Up to 20% of ischemic strokes are associated with overt atrial fibrillation (AF). In addition, silent AF is detected by an implantable cardiac monitor in one in three cryptogenic strokes. After ischemic stroke, ESC guidelines recommend continuous ECG monitoring for at least 72 hours, and additional ECG monitoring with long-term non-invasive ECG monitors or implanted cardiac monitors (ICMs) in cryptogenic stroke. However, in the CRYSTAL AF trial, 70% of implanted cardiac monitors did not record an AF episode during three years of follow-up. To date, no predictors or scores are available to assist in patient selection prior to ICM. We sought to identify factors associated with AF after cryptogenic stroke in a large cohort of ICM patients. All patients implanted with an ICM for cryptogenic stroke between February 2016 and February 2022 at the University Hospital of Dijon and Besançon were retrospectively included. Clinical, electrocardiographic, imaging, biological and follow-up data were collected. Of the 383 patients included, 98 (25.6%) developed AF during a mean follow-up of 23 months. Kaplan-Meier estimates of AF on ICM were 16% at 1 year, 24% at 2 years and 31% at 3 years of follow-up. Compared to patients in sinus rhythm, AF patients were significantly older, more often had previous hypertension and dyslipidemia. In addition, AF patients had larger left atrial index volumes (LAVI), lower creatinine clearance and higher CRP. After multivariable Cox analysis, age > 69 years (HR (95%CI) 3.79 (1.90–7.58), P < 0.001) and LAVI > 34 mL/m2 (HR (95%CI) 2.97 (1.54–5.72) remained independently associated with AF. In a large ICM cohort, we identified two independent predictors of AF, age > 69yo and LAVI > 34 mL/m2, which are readily available in daily practice. Based on these results, we aim to construct a simple score for the diagnostic efficacy of ICM to be validated in another cohort. This score would improve the diagnostic efficiency of ICM and decrease the number of time-consuming and costly implantations.

Background: We evaluated whether pre-existing brain damage may explain greater severity in cognitivelyimpaired patients with ischemic stroke (IS). Methods: IS patients were retrieved from the population-based registry of Dijon, France. Pre-existing damage (leukoaraiosis, old vascular brain lesions, cortical and central brain atrophy) was assessed on initial CT-scan. Association between prestroke cognitive status defined as no impairment, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia, and clinical severity at IS onset assessed with the NIHSS score was evaluated using ordinal regression analysis. Mediation analysis was performed to assess pre-existing brain lesions as mediators of the relationship between cognitive status and severity. Results: Among the 916 included patients (mean age 76.8 +/- 15.0 years, 54.3% women), those with pre-existing MCI (n = 115, median NIHSS [IQR]: 6 [2-15]) or dementia (n = 147, median NIHSS: 6 [3-15]) had a greater severity than patients without (n = 654, median NIHSS: 3 [1-9]) in univariate analysis (OR=1.69; 95% CI: 1.182.42, p = 0.004, and OR=2.06; 95% CI: 1.49-2.84, p < 0.001, respectively). Old cortical lesion (OR=1.53, p = 0.002), central atrophy (OR=1.41, p = 0.005), cortical atrophy (OR=1.90, p < 0.001) and moderate (OR=1.41, p = 0.005) or severe (OR=1.84, p = 0.002) leukoaraiosis were also associated with greater severity. After adjustments, pre-existing MCI (OR=1.52; 95% CI: 1.03-2.26, p = 0.037) or dementia (OR=1.94; 95% CI: 1.32-2.86, p = 0.001) remained associated with higher severity at IS onset, independently of confounding factors including imaging variables. Association between cognitive impairment and severity was not mediated by pre-existing visible brain damages. Conclusion: Impaired brain ischemic tolerance in IS patients with prior cognitive impairment could involve other mechanisms than pre-existing visible brain damage.