Publicaciones

Impact of Direct Transport to Thrombectomy-Capable Center vs. Nearby/Distant Local Stroke Centers on Stroke Outcome in Patients Undergoing Thrombectomy: A Real-Life Study.

Del Toro-Pérez C, Amaya-Pascasio L. et al. J Pers Med. 2024 Apr 8;14(4):395. doi: 10.3390/jpm14040395. PMID: 38673022
Abstract: : Our aim was to compare the stroke outcomes of a direct transfer (DT) to a thrombectomycapable center vs. initial care at two local stroke centers: a nearby hospital (NH, 36 km) and a distant hospital (DH, 113 km). Patients who underwent a mechanical thrombectomy were analyzed (February 2017–October 2021), and the outcome was considered favorable if the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score was ≤ 2 at three months. A total of 300 patients were included, 55 of which were transferred from the NH and 58 from the DH. There was a difference in the median (IQR) transfer time of 39 min between the hospitals (149 min for the NH vs. 188 min for the DH, p = 0.003). After adjusting for confounding variables, a secondary transfer from the DH, compared to a DT, was associated with a lower functional independence: mRS score ≤ 2 (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.14–0.97,
p = 0.043), without significant differences in the mortality between the groups. These differences were not observed in patients from the NH. Conclusions: A secondary transfer from a distant hospital was associated with a poorer functional outcome at 3 months. This unfavorable outcome was not observed among patients transferred from a nearby hospital. These findings highlight the importance of categorizing the suitability of one transfer model over another based on the proximity of hospitals to the thrombectomy center, but also in accordance with organizational and geographic characteristics that vary within each health region.
Funding: This study is part of the Spanish cooperative research network on stroke (RICORS-ICTUS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Carlos III Health Institute), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Ministry of Science and Innovation), RD21/0006/0010. 

Keeping prior anticoagulation treatment in the acute phase of ischaemic stroke: the REKOALA study

Rigual R, Rodríguez-Pardo J, Lorenzo-Diéguez M et al. J Neurol. 2024 Apr 5. doi: 10.1007/s00415-024-12204-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38578495

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38578495/

Abstract
Introduction; A consensus on the management of anticoagulated patients in the acute phase of ischaemic stroke has not yet been established. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes in such patients based on the continuation or discontinuation of anticoagulation.
Methods: Retrospective study of patients with acute ischaemic stroke and cardioembolic source receiving anticoagulant therapy is done. Patients were classifed based on the continuation or discontinuation of anticoagulation at admission. Clinical outcomes, haemorrhagic and ischaemic events were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis, propensity score matching (PSM) analysis and a sub-analysis of patients with severe ischaemic stroke at admission (NIHSS score≥15) were performed.
Results: Anticoagulation was continued in 147 (78.8%) of 186 patients. Patients continuing anticoagulant had lower NIHSS (median 5 vs 18, p<0.001). There were no diferences in haemorrhagic or ischaemic events. In the multivariate analysis, good functional outcome at discharge was higher in the continuation group, OR (CI95%) 3.77 (1.2–11.2). PSM analysis adjusted for potential confounders such as NIHSS had higher rates of good functional outcomes at discharge (80% vs 36%, p=0.004) and at 90 days (76% vs 44%, p=0.042) in the continuation group. Patients with severe stroke in this group had lower 90-day mortality (34.6% vs 62.5%, p=0.045) and higher rates of good clinical outcome at discharge (33.3% vs 8.3%, p=0.032). No diferences were observed in 90-day haemorrhagic or ischaemic events.
Conclusion: Continuation of anticoagulation in patients with acute ischaemic stroke and cardioembolic source did not increase the risk of intracranial haemorrhage and may be associated with better functional outcomes.

Funding: Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This work was supported by RICORS network under Grant RD21/0006/0012.