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(1) Study purpose: The aim of our prospective single-center, matched case–control study was to compare the number and volume of acute ischemic brain lesions following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus carotid artery stenting (CAS) using a propensity-matched design. (2) Methods: Carotid bifurcation plaques were analyzed by using VascuCAP software on CT angiography (CTA) images. The number and volume of acute and chronic ischemic brain lesions were assessed on MRI scans taken 12–48 h after the procedures. Propensity score-based matching was performed at a 1:1 ratio to compare the ischemic lesions on postinterventional MR. (3) Results: A total of 107 patients (CAS, N = 33; CEA, N = 74) were included in the study. There were significant differences in smoking (p = 0.003), total calcification plaque volume (p = 0.004), and lengths of the lesion (p = 0.045) between the CAS and CEA groups. Propensity score matching resulted in 21 matched pairs of patients. Acute ischemic brain lesions were detected in ten patients (47.6%) of the matched CAS group and in three patients (14.2%) in the matched CEA group (p = 0.02). The volume of acute ischemic brain lesions was significantly larger (p = 0.04) in the CAS group than in the CEA group. New ischemic brain lesions were not associated with neurological symptoms in either group. (4) Conclusions: Procedure-related new acute ischemic brain lesions occurred significantly more frequently in the propensity-matched CAS group.

Objective: The aim of this trial was to compare the efficacy of closed-cell stents with Casper stents during carotid angioplasty stenting (CAS). Methods: This was a randomized superiority trial in which 88 patients were enrolled. The primary end points were the incidence, number, and size of new ischemic brain lesions after CAS under distal embolic protection devices (EPD). The secondary end points included stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA) and myocardial infarction (MI). Ischemic brain lesions were assessed by a diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image (DW-MRI). Neurological outcomes were evaluated by means of the National Institutes of Health scale score (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Results: Compared with closed-cell stents (n = 47), Casper stents (n = 41), resulted in no significant reduction in the incidence (44.7% versus 39%, P = 0.592), number (1.3 ± 1.8 versus 0.9 ± 1.5, p = 0.444), and size (3.9 ± 5.8 mm versus 2.8 ± 4.1 mm, p = 0.353) of new ischemic brain lesions. The global rate of stroke/TIA/MI was (2/88, 2.3%). Two TIA occurred during the hospitalization period, one in each group (1/41, 2.4% vs 1/47, 2.1%). One patient of the Casper group had an asymptomatic in-stent thrombosis. One patient of the control group had a MI (1/47, 2.1%) after discharge. Conclusion: The Casper stents did not show superiority in the rate of incidence, number and size of new silent ischemic brain lesions detect by DW-MRI when compared to close cell stents during CAS under distal EPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies report neurological complications such as brain injury induced by ischemia or edema following exhaustive endurance sport. We aimed to detect the frequency of acute brain lesions after a marathon race. In the prospective observational Berlin Beat of Running study, 110 experienced endurance athletes underwent 3-Tesla brain MRI exams 2–3 days prior and within 2 days after a marathon run. MRI results were compared to an age- and sex-matched control group of 68 non-athletes, including the "Age-Related White Matter Changes" (ARWMC) scale to assess white matter lesions (WML) in the brain. 108 athletes (median age 48 years, 24% female, 8% with hypertension; 0% with diabetes) completed the race. No athlete reported neurological deficits, but a single acute ischemic lesion was detected in diffusion-weighted MRI after the race in one athlete. No other acute brain lesions compared to prior MRI were found. An ARWMC score ≥4 was found in 15% of athletes and 12% of non-athletic controls (p=0.7). Chronic ischemic lesions were not found in athletes but in four controls (6%) (p=0.02). In conclusion, acute ischemic brain lesions may be found in endurance runners. Every seventh endurance athlete and every ninth control showed evidence for substantial white matter lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence and the time of onset of early micro-embolism after CAS (carotid artery stenting) with two different mesh-covered stents and to assess the role of DW-MRI (Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging) in their prediction.Methods: Single-institution prospective study including 50 patients (33 male, median age 74 years) who underwent CAS with Roadsaver® or CGuard™. All patients with primary stenosis (37/50, 74%) had carotid plaque DW-MRI pre-procedure, with both qualitative evaluation of the hyperintensity and ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) measurement of the plaque. All patients had brain DW-MRI pre-procedure, at 1 h, 24 h and 30 days post-procedure to evaluate the appearance of hyperintense lesions over time. Imaging analysis was performed in a double-blinded fashion by two radiologists.Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two stents both in the incidence at 1 h (P = 0.23) and 24 h (P = 0.36) and in the volume of new DWI hyperintense brain lesions at 24 h (P = 0.27). Thirty-four new asymptomatic lesions in 19 patients (38%) were reported: 4 (11.8%) at 1 h, 30 (88.2%) at 24 h. The 30-day DWI-MR showed complete resolution of all lesions and no evidence of new lesion. The incidence of new lesions at 24 h resulted significantly higher in patients with DWI hyperintense carotid plaques (12/16, 75% vs. 0/21, 0%, P < 0.0001). This result was paralleled by the difference in ADC value (0.83 ± 0.21 vs. 1.42 ± 0.52).Conclusion: The majority of early asymptomatic brain lesion occurred during the first 24 h after CAS. Pre-procedure high DWI signal of the plaque was associated with an increased incidence of post-procedure microembolizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Study purpose: The aim of our prospective single-center, matched case-control study was to compare the number and volume of acute ischemic brain lesions following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) versus carotid artery stenting (CAS) using a propensity-matched design. (2) Methods: Carotid bifurcation plaques were analyzed by using VascuCAP software on CT angiography (CTA) images. The number and volume of acute and chronic ischemic brain lesions were assessed on MRI scans taken 12-48 h after the procedures. Propensity score-based matching was performed at a 1:1 ratio to compare the ischemic lesions on postinterventional MR. (3) Results: A total of 107 patients (CAS, N = 33; CEA, N = 74) were included in the study. There were significant differences in smoking ( p = 0.003), total calcification plaque volume ( p = 0.004), and lengths of the lesion ( p = 0.045) between the CAS and CEA groups. Propensity score matching resulted in 21 matched pairs of patients. Acute ischemic brain lesions were detected in ten patients (47.6%) of the matched CAS group and in three patients (14.2%) in the matched CEA group ( p = 0.02). The volume of acute ischemic brain lesions was significantly larger ( p = 0.04) in the CAS group than in the CEA group. New ischemic brain lesions were not associated with neurological symptoms in either group. (4) Conclusions: Procedure-related new acute ischemic brain lesions occurred significantly more frequently in the propensity-matched CAS group.

Aim: The aim of the paper is to evaluate the appearance of the new early ischemic lesions in the brain after carotid angioplasty and stenting on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and their relationship with clinical and procedural factors. Methods: Carotid artery stenting (CAS) procedures performed by a single interventional cardiologist in years November 2006 to January 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. In total, 227 procedures for 211 patients (mean age 69.8 ± 8.5 years) were performed, from which 171 (75.3%) for male and 56 (24.7%) for female patients. Seventy-two (34.1%) patients had symptomatic stenosis of carotid artery. The following protection systems to avoid the distal microembolism were used during the CAS: (1) Filters: FilterWire EZ (Boston Scientific Corporation); Emboshield NAV (Abbott Vascular); SpideRX (EV3); Defender (Medtronic); FiberNet Filter (Invatec-Medtronic); (2) Occlusion MoMa Baloon System (Invatec-Medtronic). Acute ischemic damages of the brain before and after CAS procedure were diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences. Sixty-five (30.8%) patients underwent MRI test. Exact and asymptomatic χ2 criteria were applied for testing the hypothesis of inter-dependency of the symptoms. Results: Forty-six (70.8%) patients had new ischemic foci in the brain on MRI DWI after CAS procedures. Among those patients, focal damage of the brain was diagnosed in 36 (78.3%) cases; linear damage of the brain - in 9 (19.6%) patients; ipsilateral damage of the brain - in 37 (80.4%) patients; bilateral damage of the brain - in 16 (34.8%) patients, 38 (82.6%) patients were diagnosed with forebrain damage; 4 (8.7%) patients were diagnosed with damage of brainstem; 5 (10.9%) patients were diagnosed with cerebellum damage. Clinical symptoms of brain damage were diagnosed only for 2 (4.3%) patients. Focal damage of the brain was significantly less frequent only for aortic arch type 1, if compared with aortic arch type 2 and 3: 64.3%, 93.3% and 100.0%, respectively (p < 0.05). Focal damage of the brain occurred least in patients (28.6%) with Emboshield NAV protection type, if compared to other types of protection (71.4-100.0%). Linear >10mmbrain damage was less frequent when using FilterWire EZ, Emboshield NAV and SpideRX protection type. Ipsilateral ischemic brain damage also occurred less frequent when using Emboshield NAV protection type; bilateral damage occurred less frequent when using FilterWire EZ, Emboshield NAV and SpideRX protection type. Ischemic forebrain damage was also diagnosed less often in patients for whom protection type FilterWire EZ and Emboshield NAV was applied. Conclusions: Most frequent findings by MRI after CAS procedures were focal, ipsilateral and forebrain damage (about 80%), but less than 5% patients had clinical symptoms. In the case of aorta arch type 1 focal ischemic damage of the brain was significantly less frequent, then in aortic arch type 2 and 3. The localization and extent of brain damage was associated with the type of protection systems that have been used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has become an alternative treatment for patients presenting symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. The improvement in clinical outcomes with CAS has been associated with the development of embolic protection devices. The trial aim is to compare flow reversal versus filter protection during CAS through femoral access.Patients were randomly enrolled in CAS using flow reversal or filter protection. The primary end points were the incidence, number, and size of new ischemic brain lesions after CAS. The secondary end points included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, transient ischemic attack, and definitive ischemic brain lesions on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance image at a 3-month follow-up. Ischemic brain lesions were assessed by a 3T magnetic resonance image. Neurological outcomes were evaluated by means of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Forty consecutive patients were randomly assigned. Compared with flow reversal (n=21), filter protection (n=19) resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence (15.8% versus 47.6%, P=0.03), number (0.73 versus 2.6, P=0.05), and size (0.81 versus 2.23 mm, P=0.05) of new ischemic brain lesions. Two patients, 1 from each group, presented transient ischemic attack at 3-month follow-up. There were no major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in the hospital or at 3-month follow-up.In this small sample size trial, filter protection was more effective than flow reversal in reducing ischemic brain lesions during CAS through femoral approach.URL: http://portal2.saude.gov.br/sisnep/. Unique identifier: 0538.0.004.000-10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following hemorheological parameters were determined in 68 patients with ischemic brain lesions and in 28 controls: yield shear stress, erythrocyte aggregation, erythrocyte rigidity, plasma viscosity, and hematocrit. The patients were classified into various groups on the basis of etiological criteria. The results revealed differences between certain hemorheological variables (erythrocyte aggregation, plasma viscosity) in some of the stroke groups. Plasma viscosity was significantly higher in patients with Binswanger's disease and significantly lower in the control group compared with values measured in patients with macroangiopathy and microangiopathy. Erythrocyte aggregation was significantly lower in the controls than in the other groups. Discriminant analysis revealed that plasma viscosity, erythrocyte aggregation and hematocrit were the most useful variables for classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has become an alternative treatment for patients presenting symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. The improvement in clinical outcomes with CAS has been associated with the development of embolic protection devices. The trial aim is to compare flow reversal versus filter protection during CAS through femoral access., Methods and Results: Patients were randomly enrolled in CAS using flow reversal or filter protection. The primary end points were the incidence, number, and size of new ischemic brain lesions after CAS. The secondary end points included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, transient ischemic attack, and definitive ischemic brain lesions on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance image at a 3-month follow-up. Ischemic brain lesions were assessed by a 3T magnetic resonance image. Neurological outcomes were evaluated by means of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Forty consecutive patients were randomly assigned. Compared with flow reversal (n=21), filter protection (n=19) resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence (15.8% versus 47.6%, P=0.03), number (0.73 versus 2.6, P=0.05), and size (0.81 versus 2.23 mm, P=0.05) of new ischemic brain lesions. Two patients, 1 from each group, presented transient ischemic attack at 3-month follow-up. There were no major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in the hospital or at 3-month follow-up., Conclusions: In this small sample size trial, filter protection was more effective than flow reversal in reducing ischemic brain lesions during CAS through femoral approach., Clinical Trial Registration Url: http://portal2.saude.gov.br/sisnep/. Unique identifier: 0538.0.004.000-10.