Prior therapy with antiplatelet agents is not associated with outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke/TIA

Effects of preceding antiplatelet agents on severity of ischemic stroke in patients with a history of stroke

INTRODUCTION

Antiplatelet agents are effective for secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and can reduce the severity of first-ever ischemic stroke. However, it is uncertain if prophylactic antiplatelet therapy reduces the severity of recurrent ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of preceding antiplatelet treatment on the severity of thrombotic stroke (TS) in patients with a prior history of stroke.

METHODS

From a prospective hospital registry of 1338 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke, we identified patients with a prior history of stroke who were admitted for cardioembolic stroke (CE); TS including large-artery atherosclerosis, small vessel occlusion, and branch atheromatous disease; or other cause or cryptogenic stroke (OCS). Cases in each subtype were categorized based on preceding medication: antiplatelet agents (AP) and none (N). Severity of stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale: NIHSS) on admission was compared between AP and N cases.

RESULTS

The total cohort of 252 patients included 83 with CE, 102 with TS, and 67 with OCS. After excluding those with prior anticoagulants, the median NIHSS on admission was lower in AP cases than in N cases (3 vs. 5, p = 0.002). In multivariate analysis, preceding AP treatment was independently associated with minor stroke (NIHSS ≤4) on admission in CE group (OR 8.48, 95% CI 1.71-62.9, p = 0.008) and TS group (OR 4.24, 95% CI 1.44-13.4, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

Preceding antiplatelet treatment in patients with a prior history of stroke may reduce the severity of subsequent thrombotic and cardiogenic stroke.

High On-Treatment Platelet Reactivity Affects the Extent of Ischemic Lesions in Stroke Patients Due to Large-Vessel Disease

Background: Excessive platelet activation and aggregation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Correlation between platelet reactivity and ischemic lesions in the brain shows contradictory results and there are not enough data about the potential role of stroke etiology and its relationships with chronic lesions. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between platelet reactivity and the extent of ischemic lesions with the particular role of etiopathogenesis. Methods: The study involved 69 patients with ischemic stroke, including 20 patients with large-vessel disease and 49 patients with small-vessel disease. Evaluation of platelet reactivity was performed within 24 h after the onset of stroke using two aggregometric methods (impedance and optical), while ischemic volume measurement in the brain was performed using magnetic resonance imaging (in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences) at day 2–5 after the onset of stroke. Results: In the large-vessel disease subgroup, a correlation was found between platelet reactivity and acute ischemic focus volume (correlation coefficient (R) = 0.6858 and p = 0.0068 for DWI; R = 0.6064 and p = 0.0215 for FLAIR). Aspirin-resistant subjects were significantly more likely to have a large ischemic focus (Odds Ratio (OR) = 45.00, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.49–135.36, p = 0.0285 for DWI; OR = 28.00, 95% CI = 1.35–58.59, p = 0.0312 for FLAIR) than aspirin-sensitive subjects with large-vessel disease. Conclusion: In patients with ischemic stroke due to large-vessel disease, high on-treatment platelet reactivity affects the extent of acute and chronic ischemic lesions.

The effects of cardiovascular risk factor combined anti-platelet therapy and the risk of cerebrovascular events in patients with T2DM in an urban community over 96-months follow-up: The Beijing communities diabetes study 19

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prognostic significance of metabolic risk scores and aspirin with respect to cerebrovascular events.

METHODS

A total of 25 communities of diabetic patients were enrolled in Beijing Community Diabetes Study (BCDS) from 2008. 3413 patients with T2DM in BCDS have complete screening data, including blood glucose, blood pressure, lipid profiles and anti-platelet therapy, which were assigned metabolic score (MS) and add up to the total metabolic score (TMS). According to the total metabolic score (TMS), the patients were divided into four equal groups: Group 1 (24 < TMS < 40), Group 2 (40 < TMS < 47), Group 3 (47 < TMS < 55) and Group 4 (55 < TMS < 87). After 96 months, patients were followed-up to assess the long-term effects of the multifactorial interventions.

RESULTS

During 96-months follow-up, a total of 91 cerebrovascular events occurred, including acute cerebral infarction, acute cerebral hemorrhage and transient ischemic attack (TIA). The incidence of cerebrovascular events was higher in the Group 4 than in the Group 1. In Cox multivariate analyses, there are significant differences in incidences of cerebral infarction events among the four groups during the 96-months follow-up. Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that, HbA1c (p ≤ 0.001), systolic pressure (p ≤ 0.001), aspirin free treatment (P = 0.0023) are independent predictor for cerebrovascular events in diabetic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that total metabolic score (TMS) influences the incidence of cerebrovascular events in diabetic patients. In addition to good control of blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid profiles, anti-platelet therapy is important for the prevention of cerebrovascular events in T2DM.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR-TRC-13003978, ChiCTR-OOC-15006090.

Comparative evaluation of treatment with low-dose aspirin plus dipyridamole versus aspirin only in patients with acute ischaemic stroke

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have suggested that pre-stroke treatment with low-dose aspirin (A) could reduce the severity of acute ischaemic stroke, but less is known on the effect of pre-stroke treatment with a combination of aspirin and dipyridamole (A + D) and post-stroke effects of these drugs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of this drug combination on acute and long-term prognosis of ischaemic stroke.

METHODS

Patients without atrial fibrillation admitted to the stroke unit with acute ischaemic stroke (n = 554) or TIA (n = 108) were studied during acute hospital care and up to 12 months after discharge from hospital.

RESULTS

Prior to acute stroke 62 patients were treated with A + D while 247 patients were treated with A only. No beneficial effects of the combination A + D compared to A only were noted on stroke severity and/or acute in-hospital mortality. However, survival analysis by Cox-proportional hazard model demonstrated lower 12-months all-cause mortality in patients discharged with A + D (n = 275) compared with patients on A only (HR, 0.52; CI, 0.32-0.86; p = 0.011; n = 262) after adjusting for age, baseline NIHSS, previous stroke, previous myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes. We also noted a tendency towards lower all-cause mortality at 3 months with use of A + D, but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.12).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-stroke treatment with a combination of low-dose A + D does not reduce the severity of acute stroke, nor does it reduce the acute in-hospital mortality. However, treatment with A + D at discharge from hospital is seemingly associated with lower long-term mortality compared with A only, contrary to the results from previous randomised studies. However, our results must be interpreted with extreme caution considering the non-randomised study design.

Prior use of antithrombotic agents and neurological functional outcome at discharge in patients with ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

Studies in experimental animals have suggested that antithrombotic agents may have a neuroprotective effect after an ischemic injury. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of prior use of antithrombotic agents (antiplatelets or anticoagulants) on neurological functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients included in the Perugia Stroke Registry were considered for this analysis. Neurological functional outcome was evaluated at discharge using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS >or= 3 disabling stroke).

RESULTS

Of the 1921 patients included in the analysis (mean age 76.3 +/- 12.5 years; 53% males), 662 (34.5%) were on antithrombotic treatment (581 antiplatelets, 71 anticoagulants and 10 antiplatelets associated with anticoagulants). One hundred and twenty-two patients (6.4%) died in hospital; at discharge 712 patients (37.1%) were disabled and 1,087 patients (56.6%) were non-disabled. Fifty-four (44.3%) of the deceased patients and 270 (37.9%) of disabled patients were on antithrombotic treatment, while 338 (31.1%) non-disabled patients were taking antithrombotic agents. From multivariate analysis, age and stroke severity were associated with an adverse outcome. Male gender, dyslipidemia, stroke due to small vessel disease and no history of previous stroke were associated with an improved outcome, while no correlation was found between prior use of antithrombotic agents and outcome (mortality odds ratio; OR = 1.32, 95% confidence interval; CI 0.85-2.04; P = 0.20, mortality or disability OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.72-1.25; P = 0.80).

CONCLUSION

Prior use of antithrombotic agents does not improve the functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.