PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Jaume Roquer

Publications and source records attributed to Jaume Roquer.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Frequency and predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in patients with ischemic stroke treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator outside clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: To determine the frequency and predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) in patients treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). METHODS: We reviewed the databases of 7 tertiary hospitals that treated ischemic stroke patients with intravenous rt-PA. We recorded demographic data, vascular risk factors, time between onset and treatment, dose, the NIHSS score, body temperature, blood pressure, platelet count, blood glucose, antiplatelet treatment, and CT data. We also registered the study protocol used for treatment and deviations from the accepted protocol. A control CT was performed on all patients. SICH was diagnosed if a parenchymal hematoma was detected within the 36 h after rt-PA and was associated with an increase of > or =4 in the NIHSS score. Bivariate analyses were performed followed by a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 347 patients were studied, whose mean age was 68 +/- 10.9 years; 56% were men. Thirty-two patients (9.2%) exhibited a parenchymal hematoma, and 8 patients (2.3%) suffered a SICH. Patients with SICH had a higher frequency of previous transient ischemic attack (p = 0.04), early signs of ischemia (p = 0.003), hyperdense arterial sign (p = 0.008), and deviations (p = 0.002). Early signs of ischemia (OR 8.5, 95% CI 1.6-45.4, p = 0.01) and deviation from the protocol (OR 11.1, 95% CI 2.4-50, p = 0.002) were independent predictors of SICH. CONCLUSIONS: SICH is infrequent in patients with ischemic stroke treated with rt-PA outside of a clinical trial. Its frequency increases in the presence of early signs of ischemia on the non-contrast CT scan and deviations from the recommended protocol.

Aged↗

Comparison of the impact of atrial fibrillation on the risk of early death after stroke in women versus men.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is considered a predictive factor of poor clinical outcome in patients with an ischemic stroke (IS). This study addressed whether the impact of AF on the in-hospital mortality after first ever IS is different according to the patient's gender. METHODS: We prospectively studied 1678 patients with first ever IS consecutively admitted to two University Hospitals. We recorded demographic data, vascular risk factors, and the stroke severity (NIHSS) at admission analyzing their impact on the in-hospital mortality and on the combined mortality-dependency at discharge using a Cox proportional hazards model. Two variable interactions between those factors independently related to in-hospital mortality and combined mortality-dependency at discharge were tested. RESULTS: Overall in-hospital mortality was 11.3%. Cox proportional hazards model showed that NIHSS at admission (HR: 1.178 [95% CI 1.149-1.207]), age (HR: 1.044 [95% CI 1.026-1.061]), AF (HR: 1.416 [95% CI 1.048-1.913]), male gender (HR: 1.853 [95% CI 1.323-2.192) and ischemic heart disease (HR: 1.527 [95% CI 1.063-2.192]) were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. A significant interaction between gender and AF was found (p = 0.017). Data were stratified by gender, showing that AF was an independent predictor of poor outcome just for woman (HR: 2.183 [95% CI 1.403-3.396]; p < 0.001). The independent predictors of combined mortality-disability at discharge were NIHSS at admission (HR: 1.052 [95% CI 1.041-1.063]), age (HR: 1.011 [95% CI 1.004-1.018]), AF (HR: 1.197 [95% CI 1.031-1.390]), ischemic heart disease (HR: 1.222 [95% CI 1.004-1.488]), and smoking (HR: 1.262 [95% CI 1.033-1.541]). CONCLUSIONS: The impact of AF is different in the two genders and appears as a specific ischemic stroke predictor of in-hospital mortality just for women.

Age Factors↗

Previous antiplatelet therapy is an independent predictor of 30-day mortality after spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) constitutes 10% to 15% of all strokes. Despite several existing outcome prediction models for ICH, there are some factors with equivocal value as well as others that still have not been evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with first ever supratentorial ICH presenting to our institution between December 1995 and December 2002 were prospectively enrolled into the study. Patients with historic modified Rankin Scale > 2 and those under anticoagulant treatment or with multiple ICH were excluded. The following parameters were analyzed in 194 consecutive patients: age, gender, past history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, past history of ischemic stroke, presence of ischemic heart disease or cardioembolic disease, current antiplatelet treatment, current alcohol overuse, smoking, Glasgow Coma Scale score (GSS) at admission, volume and location (deep or lobar) of ICH, ventricular extension, glycemia and temperature at admission, and leukoaraiosis. We correlated these data with the 30-day mortality identifying the independent predictors by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Factors independently associated with 30-day mortality were: age, Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission, ICH volume, ventricular extension, glucose level at admission, and previous antiplatelet use. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from the classical outcome predictors, the previous use of antiplatelet agents and the glucose value at admission are independent predictors of 30-day mortality in patients suffering a supratentorial ICH.

Age Factors↗

Favorable outcome of ischemic stroke in patients pretreated with statins.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Statins may be beneficial for patients with acute ischemic stroke. We tested the hypothesis that patients pretreated with statins at the onset of stroke have less severe neurological effects and a better outcome. METHODS: We prospectively included consecutive patients with ischemic stroke of <24-hour duration. We recorded demographic data, vascular risk factors, Oxfordshire Classification, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, admission blood glucose and body temperature, cause (Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Treatment [TOAST] criteria), neurological progression at day 3, previous statin treatment, and outcome at 3 months. We analyzed the data using univariate methods and a logistic regression with the dependent variable of good outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] 0 to 1, Barthel Index [BI] 95 to 100). RESULTS: We included 167 patients (mean age 70.7+/-12 years, 94 men). Thirty patients (18%) were using statins when admitted. In the statin group, the median NIHSS score was not significantly lower and the risk of progression was not significantly reduced. Favorable outcomes at 3 months were more frequent in the statin group (80% versus 61.3%, P=0.059 with the mRS; 76.7% versus 51.8%, P=0.015 with the BI). Predictors of favorable outcome with the BI were: NIHSS score at admission (OR: 0.72; CI: 0.65 to 0.80; P<0.0001), age (OR: 0.96; CI: 0.92 to 0.99; P=0.017), and statin group (OR: 5.55; CI: 1.42 to 17.8; P=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Statins may provide benefits for the long-term functional outcome when administered before the onset of cerebral ischemia. However, randomized controlled trials will be required to evaluate the validity of our results.

Aged↗

Sex differences in first-ever acute stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are few studies analyzing stroke in women, taking into account the vascular risk factors, cause of stroke, clinical picture, and outcome. The purpose of this study was to analyze possible sex differences in patients suffering first-ever acute stroke. METHODS: From December 1995 to January 2002, 1581 patients with first-ever acute stroke were analyzed, taking into account sex, age, risk factors, clinical presentation, stroke subtype, treatment, and outcome data. RESULTS: Mean age was higher in women than in men (P<0.001). Hypertension (P=0.0027) and cardioembolic disease (P=0.0035) were independent factors related to women. Alcohol overuse (P<0.001), smoking (P<0.001), and vascular peripheral disease (P=0.031) were related to the male sex. Women more often suffered aphasic disorders (P<0.001), visual field disturbances (P<0.05), and dysphagia (P<0.01) than men. There were no differences in hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes according to sex. Women suffered more cardioembolic strokes (P<0.001); men suffered more atherothrombotic (P<0.001) and lacunar strokes (P<0.05). Women who survived remained more disabled than men (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sex determines some clear differences in patients suffering a first-ever stroke. Women were, on average, 6 years older than men and had a different profile of vascular risk factors and a different distribution of stroke subtypes. Women had a longer hospital stay and remained more disabled than men. The amelioration of hypertension control and increase in anticoagulant treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation would be the best options for preventing stroke, especially in women.

Acute Disease↗

Stroke in renal transplant recipients: epidemiology, predictive risk factors and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases are the most important causes of increased morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. Stroke has been widely reported in chronic dialysis patients, but there is scarce information about stroke in renal transplant recipients (RTR), although cerebrovascular events are the most common and potentially life-threatening neurological complications in them. Our aim is to analyze the prevalence, risk factors, etiopathogenia, clinical aspects and outcome of stroke in RTR. METHODS: We analyzed 403 patients who received one or more renal grafts between 1979 and 2000: group A = patients who had stroke (n = 19); group B = those who did not (n = 384). Medical records and pertinent data were compiled. The risk of stroke was studied using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. RESULTS: prevalence of stroke in RTR was 7.97% at 10 yr. Time elapsed between renal transplantation (RT) and stroke: 49.3 months. Possible risk factors based on the univariate analyses were: diabetic nephropathy (DN) (p < 0.001) and autosomal-dominant-polycystic-kidney-disease (p = 0.049) as original nephropathies, peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus prior to RT (p = 0.005), age older than 40 yr (p = 0.037) and hypertension (p = 0.049). Other analysed risk factors such as gender, renal function, cytomegalovirus infection, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, erythrocytosis or hypertensive donor failed to show any significant predictive value for stroke in these patients. When multivariate analyses were carried out, we found that DN (OR = 4.8; p = 0.010), PVD (OR = 8.2; p < 0.001) and age > 40 yr (OR = 3.3; p = 0.019) were predictive risk factors for stroke. For group A, hypertension was present in all patients, 68.4% had hyperlipidemia and 42.1% reported previous stroke. Cerebral hemorrhage occurred in seven of 19 (36.84%) of the stroke patients, but no subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred in them. Seven of 12 ischemic strokes were atherotrombotic. Considering all strokes, basal ganglia was the predominant localization. The outcome was poor, as nearly half of the patients died in the 3 months following stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of stroke in our RTR population was 7.97%. Cerebral hemorrhage appears to be more prevalent in RTR than in general population. More than that, the cerebral hemorrhage rate we found is higher than that reported elsewhere in RTR. The main predictors of stroke were DN, PVD and age. No patient with interstitial nephropathy suffered stroke. Mortality is high in RTR with stroke.

Adult↗