Time to recurrence after first-ever ischaemic stroke within 3 years and its risk factors in Chinese population: a prospective cohort study

Effectiveness of a Health Education Program to Reduce Recurrence of Stroke by Controlling Modifiable Risk Factors in a Specialized Hospital in Bangladesh: Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Health education could be an effective way to increase knowledge regarding behavioral changes to prevent the recurrence of stroke; however, the evidence is ambiguous. A lack of both knowledge and compliance with treatment to control modifiable risk factors and unhealthy lifestyles increases the risk of stroke recurrence.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a health education program among patients with stroke postdischarge and their family caregivers in a tertiary specialized hospital in Bangladesh to reduce stroke recurrence by controlling modifiable risk factors.

METHODS

A parallel (1:1), open-label, prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in Bangladesh. A total of 432 patients with first-time stroke, aged ≥18 years and a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-4, were randomly enrolled at the National Institute of Neuroscience & Hospital. We stratified the patients by age and type of stroke and randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). We collected sociodemographic and clinical data by using a structured questionnaire. The IG received (self) management education, including monitoring blood pressure (BP), medication, diet, and exercise for 12 months, and the CG received usual care. The outcomes were (1) recurrence after 28 days of stroke and (2) all adverse events related to stroke after 12-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Of 432 patients (n=216, 50%, in each group), stroke recurrence was observed 14 (6.5%) patients in the IG and 8 (3.7%) patients in the CG, and the difference was not significant (P=.19). Death was lower in the IG (n=39, 18.1%, vs n=56, 25.9%) compared to the CG. In Cox regression analysis, the unadjusted model showed death was significant (hazard ratio [HR] 1.531, 95% CI 1.017-2.304; P=.04); however, the difference was not significant after adjusting the mRS score at baseline (HR 0.818, 95% CI 0.540-1.238; P=.34). Patients' medication adherence significantly improved at 6-month (P<.001) and 12-month (P=.002) follow-up after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This study failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of health education in reducing recurrence, death, and stroke-related adverse events. However, health education enhanced medication adherence. Some causes of death could not be diagnosed due to inadequate health care systems. Further research with diagnostic facilities and a long observation period is necessary to explore the underlying cause of recurrence. The results suggest the importance of structuring acute care management for patients with stroke into the health care system of Bangladesh.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05520034; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05520034.

Stratifying vascular disease patients into homogeneous subgroups using machine learning and FLAIR MRI biomarkers

This study proposes a framework to stratify vascular disease patients based on brain health and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) risk using regional FLAIR biomarkers. Intensity and texture biomarkers were extracted from FLAIR volumes of 379 atherosclerosis patients. K-Means clustering identified five homogeneous subgroups. The 15 most important biomarkers for subgroup differentiation, identified via Random Forest classification, were used to generate biomarker profiles. ANOVA tests showed age and white matter lesion volume were significantly (p < 0.05) different across subgroups, while Fisher's tests revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences in the prevalence of several vascular risk factors across subgroup. Based on biomarker and clinical profiles, Subgroup 4 was characterized with neurodegeneration unrelated to CVD, Subgroup 3 identified patients with high CVD risk requiring aggressive intervention, and Subgroups 1, 2, and 5 identified patients with varying levels of moderate risk, suitable for long-term lifestyle interventions. This study supports personalized treatment and risk stratification based on FLAIR biomarkers.

Systematic Review of Machine Learning Applied to the Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke is a serious disease posing significant threats to human health and life, with the highest absolute and relative risks of a poor prognosis following the first occurrence, and more than 90% of strokes are attributable to modifiable risk factors. Currently, machine learning (ML) is widely used for the prediction of ischemic stroke outcomes. By identifying risk factors, predicting the risk of poor prognosis and thus developing personalized treatment plans, it effectively reduces the probability of poor prognosis, leading to more effective secondary prevention. This review includes 41 studies since 2018 that used ML algorithms to build prognostic prediction models for ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We analyzed in detail the risk factors used in these studies, the sources and processing methods of the required data, the model building and validation, and their application in different prediction time windows. The results indicate that among the included studies, the top five risk factors in terms of frequency were cardiovascular diseases, age, sex, national institutes of health stroke scale (NIHSS) score, and diabetes. Furthermore, 64% of the studies used single-center data, 65% of studies using imbalanced data did not perform data balancing, 88% of the studies did not utilize external validation datasets for model validation, and 72% of the studies did not provide explanations for their models. Addressing these issues is crucial for enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the research, consequently improving the development and implementation of secondary prevention measures.

Effectiveness of a Health Education Program for Patients Who Had a Stroke and Their Caregivers by Controlling Modifiable Risk Factors to Reduce Stroke Recurrence in a Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a significant public health concern that causes severe and long-lasting disability. The recurrence of stroke is increasing due to lack of patients' knowledge and compliance with treatment to control modifiable risk factors and lifestyle changes. Health education can be an effective way to increase knowledge about behavioral changes in patients who had a stroke.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a health education program in Bangladesh for patients who had their first stroke and their family caregivers in order to reduce the recurrence of stroke by controlling modifiable risk factors.

METHODS

This is a parallel, open-label, prospective randomized controlled trial conducted at the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We enrolled ≥18-year-old patients of both sexes who had a history of first stroke attack (transient ischemic attack, hemorrhagic stroke, lacunar stroke, atherothrombotic stroke, or cardioembolic stroke). We stratified patients into those aged <65 years and those aged ≥65 years and according to types of strokes for randomization. Our estimated sample size was 432. The intervention group receives face-to-face counseling on lifestyle modifications, blood pressure monitoring, and medication compliance-related health education during enrollment and monthly follow-ups. However, the control group receives only usual care from the hospital. The primary end point of this study is the reduction in the stroke recurrence rates at the end of the 12-month follow-up period. The secondary end points are to (1) assess the occurrence of all adverse events such as other cardiac events and all-cause mortality, (2) evaluate the status of the controlling modifiable risk factors such as blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, (3) assess the knowledge related to stroke by using the investigator-developed questionnaire, (4) evaluate the lifestyle behavior related to stroke by using the investigator-developed questionnaire, (5) assess medication adherence, and (6) evaluate the quality of life of patients who had a stroke and their family caregivers. The evaluation points will be at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months for both groups.

RESULTS

Patients' enrollment started on October 2022, and follow-up will be completed in March 2024. A total of 432 participants were included in both the intervention (n=216) and control groups (n=216). This study was approved by the institutional review board and the ethics review board of the National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital (IRB/NINSH/2022/151) on August 30, 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

Our health education program is expected to reduce the recurrence of stroke and improve the quality of life of patients who have had the first stroke. The results of this study will provide insights into the importance of health education for (self)-management and prevention of stroke.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05520034; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05520034.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/51178.

The Predictive Value of Essen and SPI-II on the Risk of 5-Year Recurrence in Chinese Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background

The risk prediction score for stroke recurrence is an important tool for stratifying patients based on the risk of cerebrovascular events and selecting potential preventive treatments.

Objective

The study aimed to validate the Essen Stroke Risk Score (ESRS) and Stroke Prognosis Instrument II (SPI-II) for predicting long-term risk of stroke recurrence and combined vascular events in Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods

A total of 876 consecutive patients with non-atrial fibrillation AIS were recruited. The Kaplan-Meier (KM) method was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of stroke recurrence and combined vascular events in different subgroups stratified by the ESRS and SPI-II scores. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the predictive value of the two scores for stroke recurrence and combined vascular events.

Results

The KM estimate for 5-year cumulative incidence of stroke recurrence and combined vascular events was 28.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.4-32.0) and 35.6% (95% CI, 32.3-38.9), respectively, in Chinese AIS patients. The risk of stroke recurrence and combined vascular events were increased significantly with increasing ESRS and SPI-II scores. The ESRS and SPI-II scores had similar predictive accuracy for stroke recurrence (AUC 0.57 [95% CI 0.52-0.64] vs 0.59 [95% CI 0.55-0.64]) and combined vascular events (AUC 0.59 [95% CI 0.55-0.63] vs 0.62 [95% CI 0.58-0.66]) at 5 years.

Conclusion

In Chinese patients with AIS, both ESRS and SPI-II scores were able to stratify the risk of 5-year recurrent stroke and combined vascular events. The predictive power of the two scores were modest and a prediction model suitable for Chinese IS populations is needed.

Association between post-stroke smoking and stroke recurrence in first-ever ischemic stroke survivors: based on a 10-year prospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Whether smoking is a risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS) recurrence in IS survivors is still uncovered, and evidences are sparse. Meanwhile, an add-on effect of clopidogrel was observed in myocardial infarction patients who smoked, but whether the paradox exists in IS patients is still unsolved. The objectives of this study are to explore the association between smoking behavior after index stroke and IS recurrence and to explore whether the paradox exists.

METHODS

A prospective cohort of first-ever IS patients was conducted between 2010 and 2019. The prognosis and smoking features of enrolled patients were obtained via telephone follow-up every 3 months. Fine-gray model with interaction terms was applied to measure the relationships between stroke recurrence and smoking behaviors after index stroke and to explore the add-on effect of clopidogrel in smoking patients.

RESULTS

There were 171 (24.26%) recurrences and 129 (18.30%) deaths during follow-up in 705 enrolled IS patients. One hundred forty-six (20.71%) patients smoked after index stroke. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of interaction terms between antiplatelet drug and follow-up smoking (smoking status and daily smoking amount) were 1.092 (95% CI: 0.524, 2.276) and 0.985 (95% CI: 0.941, 1.031), respectively. A significantly higher risk of recurrence was observed in patients with a higher daily smoking amount during follow-up (per cigarette), with HR being 1.027 (95% CI: 1.003, 1.052).

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking could elevate the risk of IS recurrence, and IS survivor should be advised to quit or smoke less. Add-on effect of clopidogrel may not exist in smoking strokers taking clopidogrel.

Elevated white blood cell counts in ischemic stroke patients are associated with increased mortality and new vascular events

Background and purpose

High levels of white blood cells (WBC) in ischemic stroke have been shown to increase the risk of new vascular events and mortality in short and intermediate follow-up studies, but long-term effects remain unknown. We studied whether elevated levels of WBC in ischemic stroke patients are associated with new vascular events and mortality in a 10-year follow-up period.

Methods

We included ischemic stroke patients hospitalized between 2011 and 2012, categorizing their WBC counts within 48 h of stroke onset as high or normal (3.5-8.8 × 109 mmol/L; >8.8 × 109 mmol/L). Using Aahlen Johansen and Cox proportional hazard models with competing risk, we analyzed the association between WBC levels and new vascular events. Kaplan-Meier and standard Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the risk of all-cause mortality.

Results

Among 395 patients (median age 69, [IQR: 63, 78], female patients 38,0%), 38.5% had elevated WBC at admission. During the 10-year follow-up, 113 vascular events occurred, with 46% in patients with elevated WBC and 54% in patients with normal WBC. After adjusting for relevant factors, elevated WBC levels were independently associated with increased risk of new vascular events (HR: 1.61, CI: 1.09-2.39 p < 0.05) and death (HR: 1.55, CI: 1.15-2.09, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Elevated WBC levels in ischemic stroke patients are linked to a higher risk of new vascular events and mortality. Thus, ischemic stroke patients with elevated WBC without clinical infection need special attention to investigate possible underlying conditions to prevent future vascular events and reduce mortality. The interpretation of our results is limited by the absence of adjustment to premorbid functional status, stroke severity, and stroke treatment.

One-year recurrence of stroke and death in Lebanese survivors of first-ever stroke: Time-to-Event analysis

BACKGROUND

To date, despite the application of secondary prevention worldwide, first-ever stroke survivors remain at imminent risk of stroke recurrence and death in the short and long term. The present study aimed to assess the cumulative risk rates and identify baseline differences and stroke characteristics of Lebanese survivors.

METHODS

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted among survivors ≥18 years old who were followed-up for 15 months through a face-to-face interview. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative rates of stroke mortality and recurrence. Cox-regression univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify the predictors of both outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 150 subjects (mean age 74 ± 12 years; 58.7% men vs. 44.3% women; 95.3% with ischemic stroke vs. 4.3% with intracerebral hemorrhage), high cumulative risk rates of stroke recurrence (25%) and death (21%) were highlighted, especially in the acute phase. Survival rates were lesser in patients with stroke recurrence compared to those without recurrence (Log rank test p < 0.001). Older age was the main predictor for both outcomes (p < 0.02). Large artery atherosclerosis was predominant in patients with stroke recurrence and death compared to small vessel occlusion (p < 0.02). Higher mental component summary scores of quality of life were inversely associated with stroke recurrence (p < 0.01). Lebanese survivors exhibited the highest percentages of depression and anxiety; elevated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores were seen in those with stroke recurrence and those who died (≥80% with mean HADS scores ≥8). Lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores at the acute phase increased the risk of both outcomes by 10% (p < 0.03). Three out of 13 mortalities (23.1%) were presented with early epileptic seizures (p = 0.012). High educational level was the protective factor against stroke recurrence (p = 0.019). Administration of intravenous thrombolysis decreased the risk of both outcomes by 10% (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Higher rates of stroke recurrence and death were observed in the first year following a stroke in Lebanon. Various factors were identified as significant determinants. Thus, health care providers and officials in Lebanon can use these findings to implement effective preventive strategies to best address the management of these factors to reduce the stroke burden and improve the short and long-term prognosis of stroke survivors.

Recurrence prediction of Essen Stroke Risk and Stroke Prognostic Instrument-II scores in ischemic stroke: A study of 5-year follow-up

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the predictive accuracy of the Essen Stroke Risk Score and the Stroke Prognostic Instrument II score on the long-term recurrence in Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS

Patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled and had completed ESRS and SPI-II scores. Patients were stratified according to the Essen Stroke Risk Score and Stroke Prognostic Instrument II score and were followed until stroke recurrence or composite endpoint event (stroke recurrence, myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death). We estimated stratified incidence rates and calculated the cumulative risks at 5 years using Kaplan-Meier estimates. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to compare the predictive ability of the Essen Stroke Risk Score and Stroke Prognostic Instrument II score.

RESULTS

A total of 578 patients completed the follow-up. The cumulative 5-year event rates were 32.3% (95% CI, 28.2% to 36.4%) for recurrent stroke and 37.9% (95% CI: 33.8%-42.0%) for composite endpoint event. The cumulative risk of all outcomes increased with increasing risk scores. AUC for ESRS and SPI-II risk scores were 0.613 (95% CI: 0.565-0.661) and 0.613 (95% CI: 0.564-0.662) for 5-year stroke recurrence respectively and correspondingly 0.622 (95% CI: 0.576-0.668) and 0.627 (95% CI: 0.581-0.674) for composite endpoint events.

CONCLUSION

In Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke, both Essen Stroke Risk Score and Stroke Prognostic Instrument II scores could equally stratify the risk of 5-year recurrent stroke and combined vascular events.

Incident Stroke and Its Influencing Factors in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and/or Hypertension: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objective

To understand the incidence of stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and/or hypertension (HTN), and provide a basis for the prevention of stroke in these patients.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was performed for adults with T2DM and/or HTN. The follow-up period was 1 year. The incidence and recurrence rate of stroke was calculated and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard was used to analyze influencing factors of stroke occurrence and recurrence in the follow-up of patients with T2DM and/or HTN.

Results

Of the 1,650 patients with T2DM and/or HTN, 1,213 patients had no history of stroke. After 1 year of follow-up, 147 new stroke cases occurred, and the incidence rate of stroke was 12.1%. Among the patients who had stroke history (413), there were 116 cases of stroke with a recurrence rate of 26.5%. Seven risk factors were independently associated with stroke occurrence among patients without stroke history, included smoking, abnormal total cholesterol abnormal low-density lipoprotein patients with comorbid T2DM with HTN, physical inactivity, carotid artery stenosis (CAS), and higher scores of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Higher scores of NHISS and CAS were independent risk factors for the recurrence of stroke among patients with stroke history.

Conclusions

Patients with T2DM and/or HTN have a higher rate of new stroke and recurrence after 1-year follow-up. Actively identifying the controllable risk factors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, will help reduce the risk of stroke and recurrence in patients with T2DM and HTN.

An automated ASPECTS method with atlas-based segmentation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

As a simple and reliable systematic method to evaluate the early ischemic changes in the blood supply region of the middle cerebral artery of patients with ischemic stroke, the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score (ASPECTS) can be used for rapid semi-quantitative evaluation of ischemic lesions, which is helpful to select potential candidates for intravenous and intra-arterial therapies, determine the thrombolytic effect and long-term prognosis. This method mainly relies on doctors' visual observation. However, due to different levels of doctor's experience, the poor inter-reader agreement may result in errors in the final ASPECTS. The purpose of this work was to propose an automated semi-quantitative method for the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke based on non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT), to provide a reference for doctors in the diagnosis and evaluation.

METHODS

NCCT data from a total of 90 patients were included for auto-ASPECTS training and testing. After preprocessing CT images, the regions of interest (ROI) for ASPECTS were labeled using atlas-based segmentation. The mean difference, mean ratio and brain density shifts (BDS) of the corresponding regions of the contralateral brain were used as the standard for quantitative analysis. The auto-ASPECTS method was developed and validated to predict early ischemic changes whose performance was evaluated by the agreement (accuracy) of predictions and consensus scores of two observers.

RESULTS

A comparison was made among the results on mean difference, mean ratio, BDS and the combination of multiple parameters as the standard. The result of using BDS alone was relatively better than the result of using any other parameter alone or any combination of multiple parameters, and accuracy in the test set was 0.80. In the test set, accuracy with using different BDS thresholds increased by 6.67% compared with using the consistent BDS threshold. After dichotomy of auto-ASPECTS and consensus scores with the threshold of 7, the agreement of them was 83.3% and there was no significant difference between the two distributions (p = 0.344) in McNemar test.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed auto-ASPECTS method for NCCT images can provide useful information for early diagnosis and evaluation of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Traditional risk factors and combined genetic markers of recurrent ischemic stroke in adults

BACKGROUND

The involvement of traditional risk factors and combined genetic markers of recurrent arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) in adults remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine significant clinical and genetic factors of AIS recurrence, and to investigate the combined effect of genotypes on the occurrence of a second cerebral ischemic attack.

METHODS

We investigated a cohort study of AIS patients (18-50 years old) followed in the neurology department over 5 years. Traditional and genetic risk factors were carried through a multivariable logistic regression model. We used a Cox proportional hazard model for identifying predictors of recurrence.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seventy patients were enrolled in our study. The risk of AIS recurrence was 36.2% within 5 years. The potential risk of recurrence of AIS increased with traditional and genetic risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and family history of cerebrovascular diseases. This risk increased with increasing number of genetic factors. The hazard ratio (HR) was 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-2.67) for the subject with one genetic factor, 1.61 (95% CI 0.97-2.25) for combined methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms, and 2.57 (95% CI 1.32-4.99) for combined factor V Leiden (FVL) and MTHFR polymorphisms (677 or 1298). The HR for the three polymorphisms combined was 6.04 (95% CI 2.40-15.16).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that cumulative effect of both traditional and common genetic risk factors was associated with recurrence of ischemic stroke. We demonstrated for the first time that a combined genotype FVL/MTHFR profile increase the risk of a second cerebral ischemic attack.

Clinical characteristics and radiological domains among patients with recurrent strokes-a descriptive cross-sectional study from a tertiary care center in central Nepal

BACKGROUND

Stroke is a significant global health hazard that ripples continuum multi-spectral effects to the patients as well their caretakers.   Methods: We studied 28 consecutive cohorts of patients with recurrent strokes managed in our centre within the last two years.  Results: The most common recurrence stroke pattern was of that of hemorrhagic to hemorrhagic subtype observed in 50% of the patients. The most common anatomical region of involvement was cortical - cortical seen in 39.28% of our cohorts. The surgical intervention was required in 17.85% whereas 42.85% of them were managed conservatively. Paradoxically, 39.28% of patients left against medical advice. The receiver operating curve (ROC) predicting mode of management was highest (area under the curve (AUC) =0.635) for compliance to therapy followed by stroke territory (AUC=0.578), age (AUC=0.457) and motor grading (AUC=0.374). The receiver operating curve (ROC) for influencing decision to leave against medical advice was highest (area under the curve (AUC) =0.861) for motor score followed by sex (AUC=0.701) and age (AUC=0.564). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) study pertaining to the mode of management was significantly connoted by the motor score and the stroke territory only. The ANOVA study pertaining to the decision to leave against medical advice was significantly governed by the motor score, stroke territory, and sex respectively. The multivariate analysis for variables governing mode of management was significant for motor score and the stroke territory only. The multivariate analysis for variables governing leave against medical advice was significant for sex, motor score and the stroke territory.  Conclusions: This study aims to appraise early dichotomization of high-risk patients for recurrent strokes to reduce the continuum of neurological events as well as to mitigate the financial aspects governing stroke care.

Impacts of treatments on recurrence and 28-year survival of ischemic stroke patients

Aspirin and nicametate are well-established therapies for preventing recurrence and mortality from stroke in patients diagnosed as ischemic stroke. However, their respective effects on the recurrence, making allowance for the duration of recurrence and death without the occurrence of recurrence, and long-term survival have not been well elucidated. We aimed to evaluate long-term effect of two kinds of treatment on cerebrovascular death among ischemic stroke patients with or without the recurrence of stroke. Data used in this study were derived from the cohort based on a multicenter randomized double-blind controlled trial during 1992 to 1995 with the enrollment of a total of 466 patients with first-time non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke who were randomly allocated to receive aspirin (n = 222) or nicametate (n = 244). The trial cohort was followed up over time to ascertain the date of recurrence within trial period and death until Sep of 2019. The time-dependent Cox regression model was used to estimate the long-term effects of two treatments on death from cerebrovascular disease with and without recurrence. A total of 49 patients experienced stroke recurrence and 89 cerebrovascular deaths was confirmed. Patients treated with nicametate were more likely, but non statistically significantly, to have recurrence (aHR: 1.73, 95% CI 0.96–3.13) as compared with those treated by aspirin. Nicametate reduced the risk of cerebrovascular death about 37% (aHR: 0.63, 95% CI 0.41–0.97) compared with aspirin. The aspirin group had a lower recurrence rate than the nicametate group even with recurrence after 1–2 years of follow-up of first stroke but the latter had significantly reduced death from cerebrovascular disease for nicametate group, which requires more research to verify.

Pharmaceutical care program for ischemic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial

Background Effective secondary prevention is essential for reducing stroke recurrence. Objective This parallel randomized-controlled study aimed to evaluate the impact of a pharmaceutical care program on risk factor control (blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profile, and medication adherence) and hospital readmissions in post-stroke care. Setting The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, China. Method Ischemic stroke patients were enrolled in the study. Upon hospital discharge, patients were randomly allocated either to a control group (CG, no pharmaceutical care) or to an intervention group (IG, monthly pharmaceutical care follow-up for 6 months). The interventions aimed to increase medication adherence and improve risk factor control through education and counseling. Medication adherence and surrogate laboratory markers of risk factors were assessed and compared between the two groups. Main outcome measures Blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profile, and medication adherence. Results A total of 184 patients with ischemic strokes were randomly assigned, and 84 patients in IG and 82 in CG were analyzed. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in both groups concerning demographic and clinical characteristics. Compared to CG, at the 6-month follow-up, medication adherence rates significantly increased regarding antihypertensive drugs (92.86% versus 78.57%, P = 0.031), anti-diabetic drugs (91.67% versus 69.7%, P = 0.02), and lipid-lowering drugs (77.38% versus 60.98%, P = 0.022) in IG. Compared to CG, more patients in IG attained the goal surrogate risk factor control markers of hemoglobin A1c (87.88% vs. 52.78%, P = 0.038) and low-density lipoprotein-C (66.67% vs. 48.78%, P = 0.02). Significantly fewer patients were re-admitted to the hospital in IG than CG (7.14% vs. 18.3%, P = 0.03). Conclusion Pharmaceutical care programs can improve risk factor control for the secondary prevention of stroke recurrence in ischemic stroke patients.

Machine-Learning-Based Elderly Stroke Monitoring System Using Electroencephalography Vital Signals

Stroke is the third highest cause of death worldwide after cancer and heart disease, and the number of stroke diseases due to aging is set to at least triple by 2030. As the top three causes of death worldwide are all related to chronic disease, the importance of healthcare is increasing even more. Models that can predict real-time health conditions and diseases using various healthcare services are attracting increasing attention. Most diagnosis and prediction methods of stroke for the elderly involve imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is difficult to rapidly and accurately diagnose and predict stroke diseases due to the long testing times and high costs associated with MRI. Thus, in this paper, we design and implement a health monitoring system that can predict the precursors of stroke diseases in the elderly in real time during daily walking. First, raw electroencephalography (EEG) data from six channels were preprocessed via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The raw EEG power values were then extracted from the raw spectra: alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ), delta (δ), and theta (θ) as well as the low β, high β, and θ to β ratio, respectively. The experiments in this paper confirm that the important features of EEG biometric signals alone during walking can accurately determine stroke precursors and occurrence in the elderly with more than 90% accuracy. Further, the Random Forest algorithm with quartiles and Z-score normalization validates the clinical significance and performance of the system proposed in this paper with a 92.51% stroke prediction accuracy. The proposed system can be implemented at a low cost, and it can be applied for early disease detection and prediction using the precursor symptoms of real-time stroke. Furthermore, it is expected that it will be able to detect other diseases such as cancer and heart disease in the future.