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Objective To investigate longitudinal changes in plantar pressure examinations and plain radiographs and to assess the correlations between these two modalities in pediatric patients with flexible flatfoot (FFF). Methods Pediatric patients diagnosed with FFF were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. Medical records were reviewed to collect data on plain radiographs and plantar pressure examinations. Changes in radiographic angles and plantar pressure parameters were analyzed over a follow-up period exceeding 1 year. Statistical analyses included paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and Spearman’s correlation analysis. Results A total of 52 subjects was included in the plantar pressure analysis, with a mean age of 9.9 years at the first visit and a median follow-up duration of 52 months. The lateral tarso-first metatarsal angle decreased by 1.3° (p

Background This study investigated the impact of premorbid functional dependency on post-stroke mortality in patients with anterior circulation stroke (ACS) and posterior circulation stroke (PCS). Methods This study enrolled 9,698 patients who experienced ischemic stroke between January 2011 and December 2022. The patients were classified into the ACS and PCS groups. Premorbid functional dependency was defined as modified Rankin Scale of ≥3. The risks of premorbid functional dependency and mortality at 3 months and 1-year post-stroke were assessed. A subgroup analysis was further performed to evaluate the risk of premorbid functional dependency in patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment (EVT). Results Among 6,358 patients with ACS and 3,340 with PCS, those with premorbid dependency were older, predominantly female, and had a higher proportion of vascular risk factors and stroke severity. Premorbid functional dependency was associated with increased mortality at both 3 months and 1 year in the PCS (odds ratio [OR], 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–3.13; P=0.04 and OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.86–4.38; P

Background Perfusion imaging (PI) serves as a valuable tool for triaging patients with acute ischemic stroke for endovascular treatment (EVT). This study aims to investigate trends in PI use and its impacts on EVT rates and clinical outcomes, particularly focusing on variations across different time windows. Methods Data from a prospective, nationwide, acute stroke registry in South Korea were analyzed retrospectively. PI was regarded as treatment‐decision imaging when conducted either (1) prior to EVT, or (2) within 3 hours from hospital arrival in patients not receiving EVT. The study spanned 3 epochs: 2011–2014, 2015–2017, and 2018–2021. Based on the time from onset to arrival, patients were categorized into 2 time windows: early (0–6 hours) and late (6–24 hours). We evaluated EVT rates and clinical outcomes in patients with anterior large vessel occlusion. Results From 2011 to 2021 among 49 449 patients with acute ischemic stroke presenting within 24 hours of onset, PI use rates declined from 36.9% to 30.1%. In the early window, rates dropped from 48.4% to 32.4%, whereas in the late window, they increased from 23.5% to 27.8%. Factors such as older age, atrial fibrillation, anterior large vessel occlusion, and severe stroke were associated with higher rates in the late window. Conversely, younger age and male sex were associated with higher rates in the early window. For patients with anterior large vessel occlusion, PI use increased the likelihood of receiving EVT in the late window and minimized the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in the early window. However, 3‐month functional outcomes and mortality were. unaffected. Conclusion The study revealed distinct trends in PI use across early and late time windows, indicating varying roles of PI in these time frames. However, the definitive value and necessity of PI in guiding EVT decision‐making remain unclear, underscoring the need for further research

Background and Purpose In young patients (aged 18–60 years) with patent foramen ovale (PFO)-associated stroke, percutaneous closure has been found to be useful for preventing recurrent ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). However, it remains unknown whether PFO closure is also beneficial in older patients. Methods Patients aged ≥60 years who had a cryptogenic stroke and PFO from ten hospitals in South Korea were included. The effect of PFO closure plus medical therapy over medical therapy alone was assessed by a propensity-score matching method in the overall cohort and in those with a high-risk PFO, characterized by the presence of an atrial septal aneurysm or a large shunt. Results Out of the 437 patients (mean age, 68.1), 303 (69%) had a high-risk PFO and 161 (37%) patients underwent PFO closure. Over a median follow-up of 3.9 years, recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA developed in 64 (14.6%) patients. In the propensity score-matched cohort of the overall patients (130 pairs), PFO closure was associated with a significantly lower risk of a composite of ischemic stroke or TIA (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.24–0.84; P=0.012), but not for ischemic stroke. In a subgroup analysis of confined to the high-risk PFO patients (116 pairs), PFO closure was associated with significantly lower risks of both the composite of ischemic stroke or TIA (HR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.21–0.77; P=0.006) and ischemic stroke (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.23–0.95; P=0.035). Conclusion Elderly patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO have a high recurrence rate of ischemic stroke or TIA, which may be significantly reduced by device closure.

Understanding the effectiveness of statin treatment is essential for developing tailored stroke prevention strategies. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of statin treatment in preventing recurrent stroke among patients with various ischemic stroke subtypes. Using data from the Clinical Research Collaboration for Stroke-Korea-National Institute for Health (CRCS-K-NIH) registry, we included patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted between January 2011 and July 2020. To evaluate the differential effects of statin treatment based on the ischemic stroke subtype, we analyzed patients with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), cardio-embolism (CE), and small vessel occlusion (SVO). The primary outcomes were recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent stroke events. The hazard ratio for outcomes between statin users and nonusers was compared using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for covariates. A total of 46,630 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Statins were prescribed to 92%, 93%, and 78% of patients with LAA, SVO, and CE subtypes, respectively. The hazards of recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent stroke in statin users were reduced to 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.99) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.62-0.95) in the LAA subtype and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.52-0.76) and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.53-0.75) in CE subtype compared to nonusers. However, the hazards of these outcomes did not significantly decrease in the SVO subtype. The effectiveness of statin treatment in reducing the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with LAA and CE subtypes has been suggested. Nonetheless, no significant effect was observed in the SVO subtype, suggesting a differential effect of statins on different stroke subtypes.

Purpose Cutting balloon-percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (CB-PTA) is a feasible treatment option for in-stent restenosis (ISR) after carotid artery stenting (CAS). However, the longterm durability and safety of CB-PTA for ISR after CAS have not been well established. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with ISR after CAS who had been treated with CB-PTA from 2012 to 2021 in our center. Detailed information of baseline characteristics, periprocedural and long-term outcomes, and follow-up imaging was collected. Results During 2012–2021, a total of 301 patients underwent CAS. Of which, CB-PTA was performed on 20 lesions exhibiting severe ISR in 18 patients following CAS. No patient had any history of receiving carotid endarterectomy or radiation therapy. These lesions were located at the cervical segment of the internal carotid artery (n=16), proximal external carotid artery (n=1), and distal common carotid artery (n=1). The median time interval between initial CAS and detection of ISR was 390 days (interquartile range 324–666 days). The follow-up period ranged from 9 months to 9 years with a median value of 21 months. Four patients (22.2%) were symptomatic. The average of stenotic degree before and after the procedure was 79.2% and 34.7%, respectively. Out of the 18 patients receiving CB-PTA, 16 (88.9%) did not require additional stenting, and 16 (88.9%) did not experience recurrent ISR during the follow-up period. Two patients who experienced recurrent ISR were successfully treated with CB-PTA and additional stenting. No periprocedural complication was observed in any case. Conclusion Regarding favorable periprocedural and long-term outcomes in our single-center experience, CB-PTA was a feasible and safe option for the treatment of severe ISR after CAS.

Objectives Limited information is available concerning the epidemiology of stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the Republic of Korea. This study aimed to develop a national surveillance system to monitor the incidence of stroke and AMI using national claims data. Methods We developed and validated identification algorithms for stroke and AMI using claims data. This validation involved a 2-stage stratified sampling method with a review of medical records for sampled cases. The weighted positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated based on the sampling structure and the corresponding sampling rates. Incident cases and the incidence rates of stroke and AMI in the Republic of Korea were estimated by applying the algorithms and weighted PPV and NPV to the 2018 National Health Insurance Service claims data. Results In total, 2,200 cases (1,086 stroke cases and 1,114 AMI cases) were sampled from the 2018 claims database. The sensitivity and specificity of the algorithms were 94.3% and 88.6% for stroke and 97.9% and 90.1% for AMI, respectively. The estimated number of cases, including recurrent events, was 150,837 for stroke and 40,529 for AMI in 2018. The age- and sex-standardized incidence rate for stroke and AMI was 180.2 and 46.1 cases per 100,000 person-years, respectively, in 2018. Conclusion This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing a national surveillance system based on claims data and identification algorithms for stroke and AMI to monitor their incidence rates.

Background The landscape of stroke care has shifted from stand-alone hospitals to cooperative networks among hospitals. Despite the importance of these networks, limited information exists on their characteristics and functional attributes.Methods We extracted patient-level data on acute stroke care and hospital connectivity by integrating national stroke audit data with reimbursement claims data. We then used this information to transform interhospital transfers into a network framework, where hospitals were designated as nodes and transfers as edges. Using the Louvain algorithm, we grouped densely connected hospitals into distinct stroke care communities. The quality and characteristics in given stroke communities were analysed, and their distinct types were derived using network parameters. The clinical implications of this network model were also explored.Results Over 6 months, 19 113 patients with acute ischaemic stroke initially presented to 1009 hospitals, with 3114 (16.3%) transferred to 246 stroke care hospitals. These connected hospitals formed 93 communities, with a median of 9 hospitals treating a median of 201 patients. Derived communities demonstrated a modularity of 0.904, indicating a strong community structure, highly centralised around one or two hubs. Three distinct types of structures were identified: single-hub (n=60), double-hub (n=22) and hubless systems (n=11). The endovascular treatment rate was highest in double-hub systems, followed by single-hub systems, and was almost zero in hubless systems. The hubless communities were characterised by lower patient volumes, fewer hospitals, no hub hospital and no stroke unit.Conclusions This network analysis could quantify the national stroke care system and point out areas where the organisation and functionality of acute stroke care could be improved.

Abstract We hypothesized that the association between BP and endovascular treatment (EVT) outcomes would differ by baseline perfusion and recanalization status. We identified 388 ICA or M1 occlusion patients who underwent EVT ≤ 24 h from onset with successful recanalization (TICI ≥ 2b). BP was measured at 5-min intervals from arrival and during the procedure. Systolic BPs (SBP) were summarized as dropmax (the maximal decrease over two consecutive measurements), incmax (the maximal increase), mean, coefficient of variation (cv), and standard deviation. Adequate baseline perfusion was defined as hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR) ≤ 0.5; infarct proportion as the volume ratio of final infarcts within the Tmax > 6 s region. In the adequate perfusion group, infarct proportion was closely associated with SBPdropmax (β ± SE (P-value); 1.22 ± 0.48, (

Abstract Background Freezing of gait (FOG) is one of the most debilitating symptoms in patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD). Visual cues can relieve FOG symptoms. However, there is no consensus on patient characteristics that can benefit from visual cues. Therefore, we examined the differences in IPD patient characteristics according to the effectiveness of visual cueing. Methods Through gait experiments, we investigated the number of FOG occurrences, average FOG period per episode, proportion of FOG duration in the total gait cycles, and FOG-free period gait spatiotemporal parameters in ten participants diagnosed with FOG due to IPD. Subsequently, the differences between their clinical characteristics and striatal dopamine active transporter availability from six subregions of the striatum were compared by dividing them into two groups based on the three reduction rates: occurrence numbers, mean durations per episode, and proportion of FOG duration in the total gait cycles improved by visual cueing using laser shoes. The relationships among these three reduction rates and other FOG-related parameters were also investigated using Spearman correlation analyses. Results According to the three FOG-related reduction rates, the group assignments were the same, which was also related to the baseline self-reported FOG severity score (New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire): the more severe the FOG, the poorer the response to the visual cueing. By visual cueing, the better response group demonstrated the characteristics of lower new FOG questionnaire total scores, higher dopamine active transporter availability of the anterior and posterior putamen, and shorter mean duration of FOG per episode in the absence of cueing. These results were replicated using Spearman correlation analyses. Conclusions For FOG symptoms following IPD, gait assistance by visual cueing may be more effective when the total NFOGQ score is lower and the DAT of putamen is higher. Through this study, we demonstrated clinical and striatal dopaminergic conditions to select patients who may be more likely to benefit from visual cueing with laser shoes, and these findings lead to the need for early diagnosis of FOG in patients with IPD. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05080413. Registered on September 14, 2021.

Mechanical thrombectomy for acute posterior circulation strokes (PCSs) is recommended based on evidence from anterior circulation strokes (ACSs). Two recent randomized controlled trials showed that endovascular treatment (EVT) leads to better functional outcomes than those of the best medical care. However, many studies have shown that patients undergoing PC-EVT have a higher rate of futile recanalization than those undergoing AC-EVT. The characteristics and outcomes of PC-EVT may differ according to the pathological mechanisms, including cardioembolism, intracranial atherosclerosis, and tandem vertebrobasilar occlusion. We reviewed PC-EVT outcomes reported in recent studies and discussed technical considerations for maximizing treatment efficacy according to the etiology of a PCS.

BackgroundThe changes in blood viscosity can influence the shear stress at the vessel wall, but there is limited evidence regarding the impact on thrombogenesis and acute stroke. We aimed to investigate the effect of blood viscosity on stroke and the clinical utility of blood viscosity measurements obtained immediately upon hospital arrival.MethodsPatients with suspected stroke visiting the hospital within 24 h of the last known well time were enrolled. Point-of-care testing was used to obtain blood viscosity measurements before intravenous fluid infusion. Blood viscosity was measured as the reactive torque generated at three oscillatory frequencies (1, 5, and 10 rad/sec). Blood viscosity results were compared among patients with ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and stroke mimics diagnosed as other than stroke.ResultsAmong 112 enrolled patients, blood viscosity measurements were accomplished within 2.4 ± 1.3 min of vessel puncture. At an oscillatory frequency of 10 rad/sec, blood viscosity differed significantly between the ischemic stroke (24.2 ± 4.9 centipoise, cP) and stroke mimic groups (17.8 ± 6.5 cP, p

Background Approximately 10% of patients with acute ischemic stroke with large‐vessel occlusion (LVO) have mild neurological deficits. Although leptomeningeal collaterals (LMCs) are the major determinant of clinical outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke with LVO, the contribution of baseline LMC status to subsequent infarct progression in patients with mild stroke with LVO is poorly defined. Methods This observational study included patients with acute anterior circulation LVO and mild stroke symptoms (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale < 6) from a prospectively collected, multicenter, national stroke registry. The Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score was quantified on the initial and follow‐up images. An infarct progression, defined as any Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score decrease between the initial versus follow‐up scans, was categorized as either 0/1/2+. The LMCs on the baseline images were graded as good, fair, or poor. Results Of the 623 included patients (mean age, 67.6±13.4 years; 380 [61.0%] men; 186 [29.9%] with reperfusion treatment), the baseline LMC was graded as good in 331 (53.1%), fair in 219 (35.2%), and poor in 73 (11.7%). The Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score decrement was noted as 0 in 288 (46%) patients, 1 in 154 (24%), and 2+ in 181 (29%). A poor LMC was associated with an infarct progression (adjusted odds ratio, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.22–3.47]). Conclusions Poor collateral blood flow was associated with infarct progression in patients with acute ischemic stroke with LVO and mild symptoms. In this selective population, early assessment of collateral blood flow status can help in early detection of patients susceptible to infarct progression.

Background Although atrial fibrillation (AF)-associated acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is on the rise, is devastating, and life-threatening, there is limited data on the clinical course and in-hospital mortality of patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to describe the clinical course and factors associated with in-hospital mortality in AF-associated AIS patients admitted to the ICU. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis of a prospective nationwide multicenter cohort including non-valvular AF-AIS patients receiving ICU care admitted to 14 stroke centers in South Korea from 2017 to 2020. In-hospital outcomes, including in-hospital mortality and neurological deterioration (ND) have been described. Results Amongst 2,487 AF-associated AIS patients, 259 (10.4%) were treated in the ICU. In-hospital mortality and ND occurred in 8.5% and 17.0% of the patients, respectively. Higher rates of initial National Institute for Health Stroke Scale scores, symptomatic steno-occlusive lesions, and CHA2DS2-VASc (Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, Age ≥75 [Doubled], Diabetes Mellitus, Prior Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack [Doubled], Vascular Disease, Age 65–74, Female) scores were found in those with in-hospital mortality. The CHA2DS2-VASc score after admission increased the risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–2.18) were associated with in-hospital mortality. Antithrombotic use within 48 hours was related to decreased in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.10–0.67). Conclusion ICU care in AF-associated AIS is common, and the establishment of optimal treatment strategies in the ICU may be needed.

Abstract The limited accessibility of medical specialists for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can make obtaining an accurate diagnosis in a timely manner challenging and may influence prognosis. We investigated whether VUNO Med-DeepBrain AD (DBAD) using a deep learning algorithm can be employed as a decision support service for the diagnosis of AD. This study included 98 elderly participants aged 60 years or older who visited the Seoul Asan Medical Center and the Korea Veterans Health Service. We administered a standard diagnostic assessment for diagnosing AD. DBAD and three panels of medical experts (ME) diagnosed participants with normal cognition (NC) or AD using T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The accuracy (87.1% for DBAD and 84.3% for ME), sensitivity (93.3% for DBAD and 80.0% for ME), and specificity (85.5% for DBAD and 85.5% for ME) of both DBAD and ME for diagnosing AD were comparable; however, DBAD showed a higher trend in every analysis than ME diagnosis. DBAD may support the clinical decisions of physicians who are not specialized in AD; this may enhance the accessibility of AD diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract Low hemoglobin levels are known to be associated with hematoma expansion (HE) and poor functional outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, it is not yet known whether low hemoglobin itself causes HE directly or is merely a confounder. Thus, we investigated the mediation effect of the mean Hounsfield unit (HU) of hematoma on the relationship between low hemoglobin and expansion of ICH. Overall, 232 consecutive patients with ICH who underwent non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) within 12 h since onset were included. The mean HU and hematoma volume on NCCT were investigated using semi-automated planimetry. HE was defined as an increase in hematoma volume > 33% or 6 mL. The respective associations among the hemoglobin level, mean HU, and HE were analyzed using multivariable regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, and known HE predictors. Mediation analysis was performed to examine the potential causal association among the three. HE occurred in 34.5% of patients; hemoglobin levels were inversely associated with HE occurrence (adjusted odds ratio, 0.90; p = 0.03). The mean HU of the hematoma was lower in patients with HE than in patients without HE (58.5 ± 3.3 vs. 56.8 ± 3.0; p

Background and purposeThere is much uncertainty in endovascular treatment (EVT) decisions in patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) and mild neurological deficits.MethodsFrom a prospective, nationwide stroke registry, all patients with LVO and baseline NIHSS

Abstract There are several reports in the literature on the association between non-arteritic retinal artery occlusion (NA-RAO) and acute ischemic stroke. We investigated the burden of small vessel disease (SVD) and cerebral coincident infarction observed on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with newly diagnosed NA-RAO. In this retrospective, observational, case-series study, consecutive patients with NA-RAO who underwent cerebral MRI within one month of diagnosis between September 2003 and October 2018 were included. The classification of NA-RAO was based on ophthalmologic and systemic examinations. We also investigated the co-incident infarction and burden of underlying SVD, which were categorized as white matter hyperintensity lesion (WMH), cerebral microbleeds (CMB), and silent lacunar infarction (SLI). Among the 272 patients enrolled in the study, 18% presented co-incident infarction and 73% had SVD, which included WMH (70%), CMB (14%), and SLI (30%). Co-incident infarction, WMH, and SLI significantly increased with age: co-incident infarction was observed in 8% of young (

Background and purposeSpinal cord infarction (SCI) is difficult to diagnosis using MRI findings. We aimed to suggest the optimal timing of MRI studies for diagnosing SCI.Materials and methodsThis retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board. The requirement for informed consent was waived. MRI scans of SCI patients diagnosed between January 2015 and August 2019 were enrolled in the SCI group and subdivided according to the interval between symptom onset and time of MRI scan (A, within 6 h; B, 6-12 hours; C, 12-24 hours; D, 24-72 hours; E, 3-7 days). Three radiologists analyzed the T2WI scans and evaluated the confidence level of diagnosing SCI using a five-point Likert scale: 1, certainly not; 2, probably not; 3, equivocal; 4, probably yes; 5, certainly yes. Scores of 4 and 5 were defined as "T2WI-positive SCI" and scores of 1-3 were defined as "T2WI-negative SCI".ResultsThe SCI group included 58 MRI scans of 34 patients (mean age, 60.6 ± 14.0 years; 18 women). The T2WI positivity rate was 72.4% (42/58). In contrast to the other subgroups, subgroup A included fewer cases of T2WI-positive SCI (1/4, 25%) than T2WI-negative SCI. A confidence score of 5 was the most common in subgroup D (4/27, 14.8%). Among the 12 patients who underwent MRI studies more than twice, confidence scores increased with time.ConclusionIn patients with suspected SCI showing equivocal initial MRI findings, follow-up MRI studies are helpful, especially when performed between 24 and 72 hours after symptom onset.

Background: Although chest radiographs have not been utilised well for classifying stroke subtypes, they could provide a plethora of information on cardioembolic stroke.This study aimed to develop a deep convolutional neural network that could diagnose cardioembolic stroke based on chest radiographs.Methods: Overall, 4,064 chest radiographs of consecutive patients with acute ischaemic stroke were collected from a prospectively maintained stroke registry. Chest radiographs were randomly partitioned into training/validation (n = 3,255) and internal test (n = 809) datasets in an 8:2 ratio. A densely connected convolutional network (ASTRO-X) was trained to diagnose cardioembolic stroke based on chest radiographs. The performance of ASTRO-X was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping was used to evaluate the region of focus of ASTRO-X. External testing was performed with 750 chest radiographs of patients with acute ischaemic stroke from 7 hospitals.Findings: The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of ASTRO-X were 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–0.89) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.79–0.85) during the internal and multicentre external testing, respectively. The gradient-weighted class activation map demonstrated that ASTRO-X was focused on the area where the left atrium was located. Compared with cases predicted as non-cardioembolism by ASTRO-X, cases predicted as cardioembolism by ASTRO-X had higher left atrial volume index and lower left ventricular ejection fraction in echocardiography.Interpretation: ASTRO-X, a deep neural network developed to diagnose cardioembolic stroke based on chest radiographs, demonstrated good classification performance and biological plausibility.

Background and Purpose: Intracranial atherosclerosis-related large-vessel occlusion caused by in situ thrombo-occlusion (ICAS-LVO) has been regarded an important reason for refractoriness to mechanical thrombectomy (MT). To achieve better outcomes for ICAS-LVO, different endovascular strategies should be explored. We aimed to investigate an optimal endovascular strategy for ICAS-LVO.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed three prospective registries of acute stroke underwent endovascular treatment. Among them, patients with ICAS-LVO were assigned to four groups based on their endovascular strategy: (1) MT alone, (2) rescue intracranial stenting after MT failure (MT-RS), (3) glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor infusion after MT failure (MT-GPI), and (4) a combination of MT-RS and MT-GPI (MT-RS+GPI). Baseline characteristics and outcomes were compared among the groups. To evaluate whether the endovascular strategy resulted in favorable outcome, multivariable analysis was also performed.Results: A total of 184 patients with ICAS-LVO were included. Twenty-four patients (13.0%) were treated with MT alone, 25 (13.6%) with MT-RS, 84 (45.7%) with MT-GPI, and 51 (27.7%) with MT-RS+GPI. The MT-RS+GPI group showed the highest recanalization efficiency (98.0%). Frequency of patent arteries on follow-up (98.0%, p < 0.001) and favorable outcome (84.3%, p < 0.001) were higher in the MT-RS+GPI group than other groups. The MT-RS+GPI strategy remained an independent factor for favorable outcome (odds ratio, 20.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.97–211.4; p = 0.012).Conclusion: Endovascular strategy was significantly associated with procedural and clinical outcomes in acute stroke by ICAS-LVO. A combination of RS and GPI infusion might be an optimal rescue modality when frontline MT fails.

Despite the great socioeconomic burden of stroke, there have been few reports of stroke statistics in Korea. In this scenario, the Epidemiologic Research Council of the Korean Stroke Society launched the “Stroke Statistics in Korea” project, aimed at writing a contemporary, comprehensive, and representative report on stroke epidemiology in Korea. This report contains general statistics of stroke, prevalence of behavioral and vascular risk factors, stroke characteristics, pre-hospital system of care, hospital management, quality of stroke care, and outcomes. In this report, we analyzed the most up-to-date and nationally representative databases, rather than performing a systematic review of existing evidence. In summary, one in 40 adults are patients with stroke and 232 subjects per 100,000 experience a stroke event every year. Among the 100 patients with stroke in 2014, 76 had ischemic stroke, 15 had intracerebral hemorrhage, and nine had subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke mortality is gradually declining, but it remains as high as 30 deaths per 100,000 individuals, with regional disparities. As for stroke risk factors, the prevalence of smoking is decreasing in men but not in women, and the prevalence of alcohol drinking is increasing in women but not in men. Population-attributable risk factors vary with age. Smoking plays a role in young-aged individuals, hypertension and diabetes in middle-aged individuals, and atrial fibrillation in the elderly. About four out of 10 hospitalized patients with stroke are visiting an emergency room within 3 hours of symptom onset, and only half use an ambulance. Regarding acute management, the proportion of patients with ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment was 10.7% and 3.6%, respectively. Decompressive surgery was performed in 1.4% of patients with ischemic stroke and in 28.1% of those with intracerebral hemorrhage. The cumulative incidence of bleeding and fracture at 1 year after stroke was 8.9% and 4.7%, respectively. The direct costs of stroke were about ₩1.68 trillion (KRW), of which ₩1.11 trillion were for ischemic stroke and ₩540 billion for hemorrhagic stroke. The great burden of stroke in Korea can be reduced through more concentrated efforts to control major attributable risk factors for age and sex, reorganize emergency medical service systems to give patients with stroke more opportunities for reperfusion therapy, disseminate stroke unit care, and reduce regional disparities. We hope that this report can contribute to achieving these tasks.

Background The long‐term incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has not been well defined in large cohort studies of various race‐ethnic groups. Methods and Results A prospective cohort of patients with AIS who were registered in a multicenter nationwide stroke registry (CRCS‐K [Clinical Research Collaboration for Stroke in Korea] registry) was followed up for the occurrence of AMI through a linkage with the National Health Insurance Service claims database. The 5‐year cumulative incidence and annual risk were estimated according to predefined demographic subgroups, stroke subtypes, a history of coronary heart disease (CHD), and known risk factors of CHD. A total of 11 720 patients with AIS were studied. The 5‐year cumulative incidence of AMI was 2.0%. The annual risk was highest in the first year after the index event (1.1%), followed by a much lower annual risk in the second to fifth years (between 0.16% and 0.27%). Among subgroups, annual risk in the first year was highest in those with a history of CHD (4.1%) compared with those without a history of CHD (0.8%). The small‐vessel occlusion subtype had a much lower incidence (0.8%) compared with large‐vessel occlusion (2.2%) or cardioembolism (2.4%) subtypes. In the multivariable analysis, history of CHD (hazard ratio, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.01–3.93) was the strongest independent predictor of AMI after AIS. Conclusions The incidence of AMI after AIS in South Korea was relatively low and unexpectedly highest during the first year after stroke. CHD was the most substantial risk factor for AMI after stroke and conferred an approximate 5‐fold greater risk.

Background: Since the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the process of emergency medical services has been modified to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals as well as patients, possibly leading to a negative impact on the timely delivery of acute stroke care. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the acute stroke care processes and outcomes in tertiary COVID-19-dedicated centers in South Korea.Methods: We included 1,213 patients with acute stroke admitted to three centers in three cities (Seoul, Seongnam, and Daegu) through the stroke critical pathway between September 2019 and May 2020 (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic). In all three centers, we collected baseline characteristics and parameters regarding the stroke critical pathway, including the number of admitted patients diagnosed with acute stroke through the stroke critical pathway, door to brain imaging time, door to intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator time, door to groin puncture time, and door to admission time. We performed an interrupted time series analysis to determine the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on outcomes and critical pathway parameters.Results: Three centers modified the protocol of the stroke critical pathway during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was an immediate decrease in the number of patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Korea, especially in the center of Daegu, an epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the number of patients with stroke soon increased to equal that before the Covid-19 outbreak. In several critical pathway parameters, door to imaging time showed a temporary increase, and door to admission was transiently decreased after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, there was no significant effect on the timely trend. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes between the periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the COVID-19 outbreak immediately affected the management process. However, it did not have a significant overall impact on the trends of stroke treatment processes and outcomes. The stroke management process should be modified according to changing situations for optimal acute management.

BACKGROUND:Identifying acute ischemic stroke (AIS) among potential stroke cases is crucial for stroke research based on claims data. However, the accuracy of using the diagnostic codes of the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision was less than expected. METHODS:From the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data, stroke cases admitted to the hospitals participating in the multicenter stroke registry (Clinical Research Collaboration for Stroke in Korea, CRCS-K) during the study period with principal or additional diagnosis codes of I60-I64 on the 10th revision of International Classification of Diseases were extracted. The datasets were randomly divided into development and validation sets with a ratio of 7:3. A stroke identification algorithm using the claims data was developed and validated through the linkage between the extracted datasets and the registry database. RESULTS:Altogether, 40,443 potential cases were extracted from the NHIS claims data, of which 31.7% were certified as AIS through linkage with the CRCS-K database. We selected 17 key identifiers from the claims data and developed 37 conditions through combinations of those key identifiers. The key identifiers comprised brain CT, MRI, use of tissue plasminogen activator, endovascular treatment, carotid endarterectomy or stenting, antithrombotics, anticoagulants, etc. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the algorithm were 81.2%, 82.9%, and 82.4% in the development set, and 80.2%, 82.0%, and 81.4% in the validation set, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Our stroke identification algorithm may be useful to grasp stroke burden in Korea. However, further efforts to refine the algorithm are necessary.

Spontaneous non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains a significant cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. To improve the devastating course of ICH, various clinical trials for medical and surgical interventions have been conducted in the last 10 years. Recent large-scale clinical trials have reported that early intensive blood pressure reduction can be a safe and feasible strategy for ICH, and have suggested a safe target range for systolic blood pressure. While new medical therapies associated with warfarin and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants have been developed to treat ICH, recent trials have not been able to demonstrate the overall beneficial effects of surgical intervention on mortality and functional outcomes. However, some patients with ICH may benefit from surgical management in specific clinical contexts and/or at specific times. Furthermore, clinical trials for minimally invasive surgical evacuation methods are ongoing and may provide positive evidence. Upon understanding the current guidelines for the management of ICH, clinicians can administer appropriate treatment and attempt to improve the clinical outcome of ICH. The purpose of this review is to help in the decision-making of the medical and surgical management of ICH.

Introduction: The neurotrophic drug Cerebrolysin is composed of low-molecular-weight peptides and amino acids and has been shown to have neuroprotective and neuroplastic properties. Cerebrolysin has been reported to promote the recovery of motor functions in central nervous system disorders; however, the effects on the consciousness improvements in post-stroke patients have not yet been studied extensively. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of Cerebrolysin on improving the consciousness level of stroke patients with minimally conscious state (MCS).Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study we included ischemic and/or hemorrhagic stroke patients with MCS according to the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), who were admitted to our hospital between 2014 and 2017. All patients received comprehensive rehabilitation therapy including physical and occupational therapy. We compared patients treated with Cerebrolysin against patients who did not receive Cerebrolysin. Patients were included in the verum group if they received 10 mL of Cerebrolysin IV for at least 20 days. CRS-R scores were assessed at admission and discharge.Results: Of 1,531 patients screened, 75 were included in the study (Cerebrolysin, n = 43; control, n = 32). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. At discharge, ~2 months after onset of stroke, Cerebrolysin-treated patients improved significantly in the CRS-R (p = 0.010) after adjustment for confounders using linear mixed model (LMM), especially in the Oromotor (p = 0.003) and Arousal subscales (p = 0.038). No safety issues were observed.Conclusion: This retrospective study suggests that Cerebrolysin may improve the level of consciousness in stroke patients with MCS, which should be further investigated in a well-designed, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.