OBJECTIVES: In acute ischemic stroke, early neurological deterioration (END) has a severe impact on patient outcome. We tested the hypothesis that initial biological aspirin non-responder status (ANRS) helps predict END. METHODS: A total of 85 patients with acute ischemic stroke on 160mg aspirin daily were prospectively included. END was defined as an increase in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥4 points in the first 72h after admission. Platelet responsiveness to aspirin was assessed using the PFA-100 system, and ANRS was defined as a collagen/epinephrine closure time <165ms. RESULTS: END was observed in 10 patients (11.8%). The presumed reasons for END were progressive stroke (40%), recurrent cerebral ischemia (30%), malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (20%) and secondary acute hydrocephalus (10%). Patients with END had a non-significant worse neurological status on the NIHSS at hospital admission (8.4 vs. 4.2; p=0.15). Initial impaired consciousness (30% vs. 3%), visual disturbance (60% vs. 23%) and ANRS (60% vs. 20%) were observed more frequently in patients with END. In multivariate analysis, impaired consciousness (OR: 17.3; 95% CI: 2.0-149.5; p=0.01) and ANRS (OR: 6.4; 95% CI: 1.4-29.6; p=0.017) were found to be independently associated with END. CONCLUSION: ANRS is common in acute ischemic stroke patients and is predictive of END. The clinical significance of these findings requires further evaluation in larger longitudinal studies.
OBJECTIVES: In acute ischemic stroke, early neurological deterioration (END) has a severe impact on patient outcome. We tested the hypothesis that initial biological aspirin non-responder status (ANRS) helps predict END. METHODS: A total of 85 patients with acute ischemic stroke on 160mg aspirin daily were prospectively included. END was defined as an increase in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥4 points in the first 72h after admission. Platelet responsiveness to aspirin was assessed using the PFA-100 system, and ANRS was defined as a collagen/epinephrine closure time <165ms. RESULTS: END was observed in 10 patients (11.8%). The presumed reasons for END were progressive stroke (40%), recurrent cerebral ischemia (30%), malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (20%) and secondary acute hydrocephalus (10%). Patients with END had a non-significant worse neurological status on the NIHSS at hospital admission (8.4 vs. 4.2; p=0.15). Initial impaired consciousness (30% vs. 3%), visual disturbance (60% vs. 23%) and ANRS (60% vs. 20%) were observed more frequently in patients with END. In multivariate analysis, impaired consciousness (OR: 17.3; 95% CI: 2.0-149.5; p=0.01) and ANRS (OR: 6.4; 95% CI: 1.4-29.6; p=0.017) were found to be independently associated with END. CONCLUSION: ANRS is common in acute ischemic strokepatients and is predictive of END. The clinical significance of these findings requires further evaluation in larger longitudinal studies.