Search

Background Recent trials confirmed the efficacy and safety of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS); however, evidence in tandem lesions is limited. This study evaluates endovascular thrombectomy safety and efficacy in patients with acute large‐vessel occlusion with tandem lesions, stratified by baseline ASPECTS. Methods and Results We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from 16 centers. Inclusion criteria included the following: age ≥18 years, anterior circulation tandem lesions, endovascular thrombectomy

Background With the expanding eligibility for endovascular therapy (EVT) of patients presenting in the late window (6–24 hours after last known well), we aimed to derive a score to predict favorable outcomes associated with EVT versus best medical management. Methods and Results A multinational observational cohort of patients from the CLEAR (Computed Tomography for Late Endovascular Reperfusion) study with proximal intracranial occlusion (2014–2022) was queried (n=58 sites). Logistic regression analyses were used to derive a 9‐point score for predicting good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0–2 or return to premorbid modified Rankin Scale score) at 90 days, with sensitivity analyses for prespecified subgroups conducted using bootstrapped random forest regressions. Secondary outcomes included 90‐day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score 0–2), poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 5–6), and 90‐day survival. The score was externally validated with a single‐center cohort (2014–2023). Of the 3231 included patients (n=2499 EVT), a 9‐point score included age, early computed tomography ischemic changes, and stroke severity, with higher points indicating a higher probability of a good functional outcome. The areas under the curve for the primary outcome among EVT and best medical management subgroups were 0.72 (95% CI, 0.70–0.74) and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84–0.90), respectively, with similar performance in the external validation cohort (area under the curve, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.66–0.76]). There was a significant interaction between the score and EVT for good functional outcome, functional independence, and poor outcome (all Pinteraction

Background The optimal strategy for transferring patients to specialized acute stroke care remains controversial. This substudy of the Effect of Direct Transportation to Thrombectomy‐Capable Center vs Local Stroke Center on Neurological Outcomes in Patients with suspected Large‐Vessel Occlusion Stroke in Nonurban Areas (RACECAT) trial aims to investigate the impact of local hospital characteristics and performance on the optimal transport strategy and stroke outcomes. Methods This was a secondary post hoc analysis of the RACECAT trial, evaluating factors potentially associated with functional outcomes among patients initially evaluated at a local stroke center (Local‐SC) versus a thrombectomy‐capable center. The primary outcome was the shift in the 90‐day modified Rankin Scale score in the target population of the RACECAT trial. Door‐to‐needle time, level of care of the Local‐SC (telestroke versus primary stroke center), the specialty of the physician involved with therapeutic decisions, and Local‐SC case volume were assessed for subgroup analyses. Results Of the 1367 patients included in the analysis, 903 had acute ischemic strokes (modified intention to treat). The 90‐day modified Rankin Scale score was associated with door‐to‐needle time in the entire modified intention‐to‐treat cohort (P = 0.026) and in patients initially evaluated in a Local‐SC (P = 0.063), and with local hospital level of care (telestroke versus primary stroke center; P = 0.10). There was a trend favoring direct transport to thrombectomy‐capable center for patients whose assigned Local‐SC was a telestroke center (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.47 [95% CI, 0.93–2.33] versus 0.94 [95% CI, 0.71–1.24]; Pinteraction = 0.08) or had door‐to‐needle time over the global median (adjusted OR, 1.52 [95% CI, 0.97–2.40] versus 0.94 [95% CI, 0.71–1.25]; Pinteraction = 0.06). In patients with confirmed large‐vessel occlusion, the benefit of direct transport to thrombectomy‐capable centers when the Local‐SC was a telestroke center (Pinteraction = 0.04) or had longer door‐to‐needle time (Pinteraction = 0.07) was more evident. Conclusions Direct transport to thrombectomy‐capable centers may be preferable in areas primarily covered by telestroke or Local‐SCs with poorer performance, especially in patients with large‐vessel occlusion. These findings can contribute to refining prehospital triage strategies and optimizing stroke systems of care.

Background The optimal reperfusion technique in patients with isolated posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusion is uncertain. We compared clinical and technical outcomes with first‐line stent retriever (SR), contact aspiration (CA), or combined techniques in patients with isolated PCA occlusion. Methods This international case–control study was conducted at 30 sites in Europe and North America and included consecutive patients with isolated PCA occlusion presenting within 24 hours of time last seen well from January 2015 to August 2022. The primary outcome was the first‐pass effect (FPE), defined as expanded Treatment in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) 2c/3 on the first pass. Patients treated with SR, CA, or combined technique were compared with multivariable logistic regression. Results There were 326 patients who met inclusion criteria, 56.1% male, median age 75 (interquartile range 65–82) years, and median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 8 (5–12). Occlusion segments were PCA‐P1 (53.1%), P2 (40.5%), and other (6.4%). Intravenous thrombolysis was administered in 39.6%. First‐line technique was SR, CA, and combined technique in 43 (13.2%), 106 (32.5%), and 177 (54.3%) patients, respectively; FPE was achieved in 62.8%, 42.5%, and 39.6%, respectively. FPE was lower in patients treated with first‐line CA or combined technique compared with SR (CA versus SR: adjusted odds ratio 0.45 [0.19–1.06]; P=0.07; combined versus SR: adjusted odds ratio 0.35 [0.016–0.80]; P=0.01). There were lower odds of functional independence (modified Rankin scale score 0–2) in the first‐line CA versus SR alone group (adjusted odds ratio 0.52 [0.28–0.95]; P=0.04). FPE was associated with higher rates of favorable outcomes (modified Rankin scale score 0–2: 58% versus 43.4%; P=0.01; modified Rankin scale score 0–1: 36.6% versus 25.8%; P=0.05). Overall, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was present in 5.6% (18/326) and mortality in 10.9% (35/326) without difference between first‐line technique. Conclusion In patients with isolated PCA occlusion, SR was associated with a higher rate of FPE compared with CA or combined techniques with no difference in final successful reperfusion. Functional independence at 90 days was more likely with first‐line SR compared with CA. FPE was associated with better 90‐day clinical outcomes.

Introduction The optimal reperfusion technique in patients with isolated posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusion is uncertain. Previous studies in LVO and MeVO have demonstrated a correlation between good clinical outcomes and the first pass effect (FPE, eTICI 2c/3 on the first pass) but no differences in FPE rates or clinical outcomes between first‐line endovascular therapy techniques.1‐6 We compared clinical and technical outcomes with first‐line stent‐retriever (SR), contact aspiration (CA), or combined techniques in patients with isolated PCA occlusion. Methods This international cohort study was conducted at 30 sites in Europe and North America and included consecutive patients with isolated PCA occlusion and pre‐stroke modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0‐3, presenting within 24 hours of time last seen well from January 2015 to August 2022.7 The primary outcome was the first‐pass effect (FPE), defined as eTICI 2c/3 on the first pass. Secondary outcomes included final successful reperfusion (eTICI 2b‐3), 90‐day excellent outcome (mRS 0 to 1), 90‐day functional independence (mRS 0 to 2), sICH, and 90‐day mortality. Patients treated with SR, CA, or combined technique were compared with multivariable logistic regression. This study was registered under NCT05291637. Results There were 326 patients who met inclusion criteria, consisting of 56.1% male, median age 75 (IQR 65‐82) years and median NIHSS 8 (5‐12). Occlusion segments were PCA P1 (53.1%), P2 (40.5%), and other (6.4%). Intravenous thrombolysis was administered in 39.6%. First‐line technique was SR, CA, and combined technique in 43 (13.2%), 106 (32.5%), and 177 (54.3%) patients, respectively; FPE was achieved in 62.8%, 42.5%, and 39.6%, respectively. Compared to SR, FPE was lower in patients treated with first‐line combined technique and similar in patients treated with first‐line CA (combined vs. SR: aOR 0.35 [0.016‐0.80], p=0.01; CA vs. SR: aOR 0.45 [0.19‐1.06], p=0.07). Final successful reperfusion (eTICI 2b‐3) was present in 81% of cases with no differences between treatment groups. Excellent outcome (mRS 0‐1) occurred in 30.7% of patients and functional independence (mRS 0‐2) occurred in 50.0% of patients. There were lower odds of functional independence in the first‐line CA versus SR alone group (aOR 0.52 [0.28‐0.95], p=0.04). FPE was associated with higher rates of favorable outcomes (mRS 0‐2: 58% vs. 43.4%, p=0.01; mRS 0‐1: 36.6% vs. 25.8%, p=0.05). sICH was observed in 5.6% (18/326) and mortality in 10.9% (35/326) with no differences between first‐line technique. Conclusion In patients with isolated PCA occlusion undergoing EVT, first line SR was associated with a higher rate of FPE compared to CA or combined techniques with no difference in final successful reperfusion. Functional independence at 90‐days was more likely with first‐line SR compared to CA in adjusted analyses. FPE was associated with higher rates of 90‐day excellent outcomes and functional independence. No difference in sICH or mortality was noted across the three techniques. As the endovascular field evolves to treat patients with distal vessel occlusion and milder severity of stroke, optimizing the efficacy and safety of the procedure is essential.8

Introduction Tandem Lesions (TLs) pose unique challenges in the endovascular management of acute ischemic stroke.(1) The absence of anterograde blood flow in the carotid occluded segment may limit the effectiveness of endovascular interventions, resulting in delayed reperfusion or suboptimal recanalization.(2,3) Thus, the presence of unpaired blood flow through the ICA in the context of TLs is believed to exacerbate the extension of ischemic lesions. (4,5) This study compared the clinical and procedural outcomes of patients with TLs and extracranial internal carotid artery occlusion versus those with stenosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on a multicenter cohort of patients with TLs who underwent endovascular treatment. The patients were categorized into two groups: those with extracranial ICA stenosis and those with occlusion. Clinical outcomes, including functional independence, hemorrhagic events, and procedural time metrics including puncture to reperfusion time were assessed. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate these differences segregating patients according to varying degrees of stenosis, and in pre‐specified subgroups. Results A total of 513 patients with TLs were included in the study. 281 (54.8%) presented with ICA occlusion, and 232 (45.2%) presented stenosis >=70% (Table 1). The comparison between the stenosis and occlusion groups revealed no significant differences in the main outcomes, including mTICI 2c‐3 (47.5% vs. 50.6%, aOR 1.07, 95% CI 0.70‐1.64, p=.751) (Figure 1), mRS 0‐2 at 90 days (43.6% vs. 48.9%, aOR 0.79, 95% CI 0.52‐1.20, p=.271), sICH rates (4.7% vs. 5.6%, aOR 0.72, 95% CI 0.31‐1.71, p=.458), and puncture to reperfusion time (58 [40‐80.5] vs. 52.5 [35.2‐80], ratio 1.04, 95% CI 0.88‐1.23, p=.64). Similar analyses performed comparing different degrees of stenosis and occlusion, and in patients treated with the antegrade approach only, did not show significant differences either. Conclusion Our findings indicate that although more severe degrees of stenosis or occlusion of the ICA prolong the time from puncture to reperfusion, no significant differences in clinical outcomes exist. The clinical implications of these findings need to be further evaluated to fully comprehend the specific needs of patients affected by TLs.

Introduction In stroke patients, accurate infarct volume assessment at 24 hours typically requires manual segmentation of lesions that often are not well defined. We aimed to validate an automated machine learning algorithm (MethinksFIV) specifically trained to automatically segment and measure subacute infarcts on non‐contrast CT (NCCT) scans. Methods We retrospectively studied stroke patients with a large vessel occlusion prospectively admitted to a comprehensive stroke center. The final infarct volume was segmented on the 24h NCCT manually (man‐FIV) and with the automated method (auto‐FIV). Both measurements were correlated with clinical outcomes. Results We included 346 patients. On 24h‐NCCT median auto‐FIV was lower than man‐FIV (8.6 ml [2.3‐40.7] vs. 16.9 ml [1.1‐70.8], p2 at three months (OR: 1.02 95%CI 1.01‐1.13, p=0.002) than manual segmentation (OR=1.01, 95%CI 1.00‐1.01, p=0.01). In a multivariable analysis, only auto‐FIV remained a significant predictor of mRS>2 at three months (aOR: 1.03 95% CI 1.01‐1.05, p=0.004). Conclusion An automated method to measure subacute infarct volumes in stroke patients is accurate and correlates well with further clinical outcomes. The method appears to outperform manual segmentation and may be used to facilitate infarct characterization in large clinical trials.

Introduction Tandem lesions (TLs) are present in up to 15% of patients with stroke due to acute large vessel occlusions.(1) Nevertheless, published research on endovascular treatment outcomes in this population is scarce. Although TLs are most commonly of atherosclerotic etiology, some patients present with dissection of the ICA.(2, 3) In this study, we compared the clinical outcomes of TL patients with the two etiologies. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on a multicenter cohort of patients with TLs who underwent endovascular treatment. The patients were categorized into two groups according to the etiology of the ICA lesion: atherosclerosis and dissection. Patients were matched by baseline characteristics. Clinical outcomes, including recanalization success, functional independence and hemorrhagic events were assessed with multivariable analyses. Results Of 691 patients from the database, 526 met the inclusion criteria of this study. 467 (88.8%) patients presented with atherosclerosis of the ICA, and 59 (11.2%) patients presented dissection. Univariable differences were found in median age (69 y. [IQR 61 ‐ 76] vs. 52 y. [IQR 44 ‐ 63], p

Introduction Previous studies did not show a difference in terms of safety and efficacy among first‐line stent retriever (SR), contact aspiration (CA), or combined techniques for proximal large vessel occlusion strokes. However, the optimal reperfusion therapy in patients with primary distal medium vessel occlusion (DMVO) strokes is uncertain. We aimed to compare the clinical and procedural outcomes among first‐line SR, CA and combined techniques in patients with primary DMVO. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database from 14 comprehensive stroke centers in the US and Europe. Patients were included if they had a primary DMVO stroke due to MCA‐M3/M4, ACA‐A1/A2‐3, or PCA‐P1/P2‐3 and underwent mechanical thrombectomy with first‐line SR, CA, or combined technique. The primary outcome was FPE defined as eTICI 2c/3 on the first pass. Secondary outcomes included mFPE defined as eTICI 2b/3 on the first pass, successful reperfusion defined as eTICI 2b/3 at the end of the procedure. Clinical outcomes included 90‐day mRS0‐1 and 90‐day mRS0‐2. Safety measures included procedural complications, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and 90‐day mortality. The secondary analysis aimed to identify the procedural and clinical outcomes in 3 matched cohorts: (SR vs. CA), (SR vs. combined technique), and (CA vs. combined technique). Results A total of 365 patients were eligible for analysis; 38.1% were female, with a mean age of 69.3 years and a median NIHSS score of 11 [7‐18]. The first‐line SR group consisted of n=74 (20.3%), CA group n=142 (38.9%), and combined technique group n=149 (40.8%). Patients with first‐line SR or combined technique had a lower median NIHSS score, less frequent MCA‐M3 segment occlusion, and less usage of the rescue strategy compared to those with first‐line CA, P

Background Our goal is to evaluate whether the administration of thrombolytic treatment has varying effects on clinical and radiological outcomes in patients with large‐vessel occlusion stroke, based on the type of stroke center where the treatment was given (thrombectomy‐capable center versus local stroke center). Methods We included patients with an acute ischemic large‐vessel occlusion stroke who were directly admitted to thrombectomy‐capable centers and treated with endovascular thrombectomy, or were transferred from local stroke centers as thrombectomy candidates, in Catalonia, Spain, between 2017 and 2021. The primary outcome was the shift analysis on the modified Rankin scale score at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included death at 90 days and the rate of parenchymal hemorrhage and successful reperfusion. Inverse‐probability weighting clustered at the type of stroke center was used to estimate the effects. Results The analysis included 2268 patients directly admitted to thrombectomy‐capable centers, of whom 975 (49%) were treated with thrombolysis, and 938 patients transferred from local stroke centers, of whom 580 (66%) were treated with thrombolysis and 616 (67%) were treated with thrombectomy. Mean age was 72 (SD ±13) years, median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score was 17 (interquartile range, 12–21), and 1363 patients were women (48%). Patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis were younger, had shorter time from onset to first image, higher Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score, and lower rates of wake‐up stroke, atrial fibrillation, and anticoagulation intake. Patients treated with thrombolysis had better functional outcome at 90 days, with no difference between patients directly admitted to thrombectomy‐capable centers (adjusted common odds ratio [acOR], 1.50 [95% CI, 1.24–1.81]) and patients transferred from local stroke centers (acOR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.04–2.01]). Patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis had lower death rate, higher rate of parenchymal hematoma, and similar rate of successful reperfusion, with no difference according to type of center (Pinteraction>0.1). Conclusion Administration of intravenous thrombolysis in patients with a large‐vessel stroke with intention of thrombectomy was associated with lower degrees of disability, lower death rate, and higher rates of parenchymal hematoma both in thrombectomy‐capable centers and in local stroke centers.

Introduction Simultaneous tPA administration during mechanical thrombectomy may induce synergistic benefits (1). We aimed to characterize the hypoperfusion status after thrombectomy according to the timing of tPA administration and the degree of final recanalization. Methods We studied consecutive anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy who received a CT perfusion (CTP) immediately after endovascular procedure (2). Patients were divided in three groups according to: no iv tPA treatment (non‐tPA), tPA administration before 120 minutes (tPA>120) or iv tPA administration within 120 min (tPA< 120) of groin puncture. The extend of post‐procedure hypoperfusion (volume Tmax>6s) and relative hypoperfusion reduction compared with admission CTP (volume post‐procedure – admission Tmax>6s/admission Tmax>6s) according to final TICI scores were compared between the three study groups. Results One hundred and sixty‐nine patients were included in the study, mean age 72 years and median baseline NIHSS of 15. Thirty (17.8%) patients received iv tPA more than 2h before groin puncture (tPA>120), 32(18.9%) within 2h of the puncture (tPA < 120) and 107(63.3%) were non‐tPA. No difference on stroke severity, pre‐procedure hypoperfusion volume or occlusion location before thrombectomy were detected between groups. The rate of complete recanalization (TICI 3, 38.5%) was also similar in the 3 study groups (p = 0.12). Overall, the post‐procedure hypoperfusion volume was significantly lower in the tPA< 120 group (19.9±4.6cc vs 35.0±5.5, p = 0.04), and the relative hypoperfusion reduction was higher in tPA< 120 (0.86 vs 0.66, p = 0.05) as compared to non‐tPA. No significant differences were detected between non‐tPA and tPA>120 groups. For each final TICI score the post‐procedure hypoperfusion tended to be lower in the tPA< 120‐group, with a stronger reduction in patients with lower degree of recanalization (Figure). Conclusions A reduction of post‐thrombectomy hypoperfusion volumes was detected in patients treated with iv tPA during or shortly before thrombectomy, which could be a surrogate marker of the beneficial effect of tPA on the microcirculation. The specific reperfusion synergistic effect of tPA and mechanical thrombectomy beyond LVO recanalization warrants future studies.

Introduction Recent studies have shown beneficial effects of Carotid artery stenting (CAS) in acute ischemic stroke patients with tandem lesions (TL). However, stent placement requires the use of antiplatelet medications to prevent in‐stent thrombosis and re‐occlusion of the artery. This must be balanced with the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. In this multicenter study, we aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of using antiplatelet regimens in patients with anterior circulation stroke with TLs. Methods Patient level data were pooled from 17 centers and included patients with intracranial occlusion of ICA or M1/M2 segment of MCA with a concomitant extracranial ICA occlusion or stenosis ≥ 50%. Inclusion criteria were; age ≥ 18 years, EVT for intracranial occlusion, and underwent treatment for extracranial ICA lesions demonstrated on CTA and/or DSA. Patients were divided into groups according to the number of antiplatelets administered at the time of endovascular therapy (EVT) procedure into four groups including; 1) no antiplatelets, 2) single oral antiplatelet, 3) dual antiplatelets, and 4) intravenous antiplatelets (in combination of single or dual antiplatelets). Multivariable logistic regression models with multiple imputations were built to assess the association of primary outcome; symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and secondary outcomes including; modified Rankin Score (mRS) 0–2 at 90 days, and successful reperfusion (mTICI score ≥ 2b). Results A total of 682 patients were included. Of these, 138 (20.2%) did not receive any antiplatelet therapy, while 143 (20.97%) were treated with single oral, 207 (30.35%) with dual oral, and 194 (28.5%) with intravenous combined with single or dual antiplatelets. The rate of favorable outcome was non‐significantly higher in the dual (53%) and IV‐combination (54.4%) antiplatelets, as compared with single (38.9%) and without antiplatelet (38.6%) medications. In the multivariable model, after adjusting, there was no significant differences in the sICH (single: aOR: 1.07, CI: 0.62‐1.84, p = 0.8, dual: aOR: 1.18, CI: 0.70‐1.99, p = 0.55, IV‐combination: aOR: 1.01, CI: 0.57‐1.78, p = 0.98) and functional outcome at 90 days (single: aOR: 1.15, CI: 0.63‐2.12, p = 0.64, dual: aOR: 1.03, CI: 0.55‐1.9, p = 0.9, IV‐combination: aOR: 0.83, CI: 0.42‐1.64, p = 0.59) among the study groups. Interestingly, successful reperfusion (mTICI score ≥ 2b) was significantly higher in dual oral and IV‐combination antiplatelets (single: aOR: 1.14, CI: 0.61‐2.14, p = 0.69, dual: aOR: 4.82, CI: 2.23‐10.42, p = < 0.001, IV‐combination: aOR: 3.65, CI: 1.71‐7.79, p = 0.001). Conclusions Administration of antiplatelet medications during EVT was associated with successful reperfusion without increasing the rate of symptomatic hemorrhage in patients with anterior circulation LVO with TLs. Further large‐scale randomized studies are warranted to validate the optimal antiplatelet regimens during acute carotid artery stenting in patients with TLs.

Introduction Despite the irrefutable benefit of mechanical thrombectomy for patients with isolated intracranial large vessel occlusions (LVO), the effect of endovascular treatment in patients with tandem lesions remains unclear. In this study from the multi‐center PICASSO registry, we compare efficacy and safety outcomes in TLs patients treated in the early versus late window. Methods In this study, we used the data from the multi‐center PICASSO (Proximal Internal Carotid Artery Acute Stroke Secondary to Tandem Occlusion Thrombectomy) registry. PICASSO collaboration is a retrospective observational registry from 17 stroke centers. We compared efficacy and safety outcomes in TLs patients treated in the early versus late window. Patients were divided into two groups depending on last known well (LKW) to puncture time: Early time‐window group (

Background In the endovascular treatment of stroke, achieving complete recanalization in a minimum number of attempts is the main procedural objective. We aimed to explore the effect of the per pass recanalization pattern in patients with final complete recanalization. Methods We analyzed all patients admitted in our center from 2014 to 2022 with a terminal internal carotid artery or M1‐middle cerebral artery occlusion who received endovascular treatment and achieved complete recanalization (expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2c–3) in our center. Complete sudden recanalization (cSR) was considered when expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction improved from 0–1 to 2c–3 in a single pass as opposed to complete progressive recanalization when partial recanalization (2a or 2b) was observed after interim passes. Results Among the 400 included patients with final complete recanalization, 301 (75%) showed a cSR pattern. There were no differences in baseline demographic characteristics between patients with cSR and complete progressive recanalization, including intravenous tissue plasminogen activator treatment (42.2% versus 44.4%; P=0.69). The rate of terminal carotid artery occlusion (28.6% versus 44.4%; P=0.003), median number of passes (1 [interquartile range 1—2] versus 2 [2–3]; P2 passes: 63.6%; P=0.825). Conclusion Among stroke patients with a large vessel occlusion, the cSR pattern predicted favorable outcome independently of the number of thrombectomy passes.

Background Carotid webs (CaWs) may explain embolic strokes particularly in young patients with cerebral embolism of otherwise undetermined cause. We aim to describe the radiological patterns of infarction in patients with symptomatic CaWs. Methods Retrospective analysis of a symptomatic CaW database (September 2014–July 2019) from 2 comprehensive stroke centers. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were reviewed independently by 2 blinded raters. Patterns of acute infarction included territorial (involving ≥2 arterial subdivisions), cortical (affecting 1 arterial subdivision), 1or multiple small cortical infarcts, borderzone infarcts (cortical or internal), striatocapsular lacunes (

Abstract Some patients in the community receive a high burden of antibiotics. We aimed at describing the characteristics of these patients, antibiotics used, and conditions for which they received antibiotics. We carried out a cross‐sectional study. Setting: Thirty Health Primary Care Areas from 12 regions in Spain, covering 5,960,191 inhabitants. Patients having at least 30 packages of antibacterials for systemic use dispensed in 2017 were considered. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of antibiotic use, conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed, clinical characteristics of patients, comorbidities, concomitant treatments, and microbiological isolates. Patient’s average age was 70 years; 52% were men; 60% smokers/ex‐smokers; 54% obese. Overall, 93% of patients had, at least, one chronic condition, and four comorbidities on average. Most common comorbidities were cardiovascular and/or hypertension (67%), respiratory diseases (62%), neurological/mental conditions (32%), diabetes (23%), and urological diseases (21%); 29% were immunosuppressed, 10% were dead at the time of data collection. Patients received three antibiotic treatments per year, mainly fluoroquinolones (28%), macrolides (21%), penicillins (19%), or cephalosporins (12%). Most frequently treated conditions were lower respiratory tract (infections or prophylaxis) (48%), urinary (27%), and skin/soft tissue infections (11%). Thirty‐five percent have been guided by a microbiological diagnosis, being Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30%) and Escherichia coli (16%) the most frequent isolates. In conclusion, high antibiotic consumers in the community were basically elder, with multimorbidity and polymedication. They frequently received broad‐spectrum antibiotics for long periods of time. The approach to infections in high consumers should be differentiated from healthy patients receiving antibiotics occasionally.

Abstract Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a heterogeneous disease with an unpredictable course. Visual pathway is a target of the disease and may reflect mechanisms that lead to disability. Structural and functional changes in the visual pathway may be studied by noninvasive techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual evoked potentials (VEP), or B‐mode transorbital sonography (TOS). Objectives The aim is to assess changes in the visual pathway in eyes of MS patients with and without a history of optic neuritis over a 3‐year period and to explore their relationship with disability. Materials and Methods In total, 112 eyes from 56 patients with relapsing MS were recruited: 29 with, and 83 without a history of ON (hON and nhON, respectively). Several parameters were measured by OCT, VEP, and TOS. Baseline measurements were also compared to 29 healthy controls. At 36 months, measurements were repeated in all eyes. Results At baseline, all tests showed significant differences in optic nerve structure and function in both patient cohorts in all the parameters studied, suggestive of more impairment of the visual pathway among the hON cohort. OCT showed significant differences between healthy controls and the nhON cohort. At 36 months, the nhON cohort showed significant changes by OCT, VEP, and TOS suggestive of further visual pathway impairment. OCT measurements also correlated with baseline EDSS among the nhON cohort. Conclusions OCT is the most suitable technique and outperforms VEP and TOS to detect subclinical damage in the visual pathway. It discriminated MS patients from healthy controls and showed a progressive decline in optic nerve thickness over time among these patients.