BACKGROUND: Transient ischemic attack has been redefined as a tissue-based diagnosis and MRI recommended as the preferred imaging modality. We aimed to investigate whether an increased use of MRI leads to a decrease in the proportion of TIA as compared to cerebral infarction. We also sought to see whether DWI-positive patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h differ from DWI-negative TIA patients in terms of performed diagnostic investigations and clinical characteristics. METHODS: Patients admitted with cerebral infarction or TIA in the period 2006-2011 were prospectively registered. The use of MRI in patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h and proportion of TIA were annually recorded. DWI-positive and DWI-negative patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h were compared in univariate analyses regarding baseline data, diagnostic investigations, and etiology. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of DWI lesions. RESULTS: The use of MRI increased from 65.0% in 2006-2008 to 89.0% in 2009-2011 (P < 0.001). The proportion of TIA as compared to cerebral infarction decreased from 12.2% in 2006-2008 to 8.3% in 2009-2011 (P = 0.002). DWI-positive patients were more often examined with 24-h Holter monitoring (P < 0.001) and echocardiography (P < 0.001). Lower age (P < 0.001) and prior myocardial infarction (P < 0.029) were independently associated with DWI lesions in patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h. CONCLUSIONS: An increased use of MRI and a tissue-based TIA definition resulted in a decrease in the proportion of TIA at discharge as compared to cerebral infarction. DWI-positive patients had a more extensive cardiac work-up and were associated with lower age and prior myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND: Transient ischemic attack has been redefined as a tissue-based diagnosis and MRI recommended as the preferred imaging modality. We aimed to investigate whether an increased use of MRI leads to a decrease in the proportion of TIA as compared to cerebral infarction. We also sought to see whether DWI-positive patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h differ from DWI-negative TIA patients in terms of performed diagnostic investigations and clinical characteristics. METHODS:Patients admitted with cerebral infarction or TIA in the period 2006-2011 were prospectively registered. The use of MRI in patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h and proportion of TIA were annually recorded. DWI-positive and DWI-negative patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h were compared in univariate analyses regarding baseline data, diagnostic investigations, and etiology. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of DWI lesions. RESULTS: The use of MRI increased from 65.0% in 2006-2008 to 89.0% in 2009-2011 (P < 0.001). The proportion of TIA as compared to cerebral infarction decreased from 12.2% in 2006-2008 to 8.3% in 2009-2011 (P = 0.002). DWI-positive patients were more often examined with 24-h Holter monitoring (P < 0.001) and echocardiography (P < 0.001). Lower age (P < 0.001) and prior myocardial infarction (P < 0.029) were independently associated with DWI lesions in patients with transient ischemic symptoms <24 h. CONCLUSIONS: An increased use of MRI and a tissue-based TIA definition resulted in a decrease in the proportion of TIA at discharge as compared to cerebral infarction. DWI-positive patients had a more extensive cardiac work-up and were associated with lower age and prior myocardial infarction.
Authors: Jennifer J Majersik; John W Cole; Jonathan Golledge; Natalia S Rost; Yu-Feng Yvonne Chan; M Edip Gurol; Arne G Lindgren; Daniel Woo; Israel Fernandez-Cadenas; Donna T Chen; Vincent Thijs; Bradford B Worrall; Ayeesha Kamal; Paul Bentley; Joanna M Wardlaw; Ynte M Ruigrok; Thomas W K Battey; Reinhold Schmidt; Joan Montaner; Anne-Katrin Giese; Jaume Roquer; Jordi Jiménez-Conde; Chaeyoung Lee; Hakan Ay; Juan Jose Martin; Jonathan Rosand; Jane Maguire Journal: Stroke Date: 2014-12-09 Impact factor: 7.914