Lin Tao1, Xiao-Qiu Li1, Xiao-Wen Hou1, Ben-Qiang Yang2, Cheng Xia1, George Ntaios3, Hui-Sheng Chen4. 1. Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shen Yang, China. 2. Department of Radiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shen Yang, China. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece. 4. Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shen Yang, China. Electronic address: chszh@aliyun.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies investigated the potential mechanism of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) from extracranial artery plaque, but there has been no study other than a case report on high-risk intracranial plaque in ESUS. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the issue by evaluating the morphology and composition of intracranial plaque in patients with ESUS and small-vessel disease (SVD) using 3.0-T high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Two hundred forty-three consecutive patients with ESUS and 160 patients with SVD-associated stroke between January 2015 and December 2019 were retrospectively enrolled. Multidimensional parameters involving the presence of plaque on both sides, including remodeling index (RI), plaque burden, presence of discontinuity of plaque surface, thick fibrous cap, intraplaque hemorrhage, and complicated American Heart Association type VI plaque at the maximal luminal narrowing site, were evaluated using intracranial high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Among 243 patients with ESUS, the prevalence of intracranial plaque was much higher in the ipsilateral than the contralateral side (63.8% vs. 42.8%; odds ratio [OR]: 5.25; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.83 to 9.73), a finding that was not evident in patients with SVD (35.6% vs. 30.6%; OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 0.87 to 5.26; p = 0.134). Logistic analysis showed that RI was independently associated with ESUS in model 1 (OR: 2.329; 95% CI: 1.686 to 3.217; p < 0.001) and model 2 (OR: 2.295; 95% CI: 1.661 to 3.172; p < 0.001). RI alone with an optimal cutoff of 1.162, corresponding to an area under the curve of 0.740, had good diagnostic efficiency for ESUS. CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports an etiologic role of high-risk nonstenotic intracranial plaque in ESUS.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies investigated the potential mechanism of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) from extracranial artery plaque, but there has been no study other than a case report on high-risk intracranial plaque in ESUS. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the issue by evaluating the morphology and composition of intracranial plaque in patients with ESUS and small-vessel disease (SVD) using 3.0-T high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Two hundred forty-three consecutive patients with ESUS and 160 patients with SVD-associated stroke between January 2015 and December 2019 were retrospectively enrolled. Multidimensional parameters involving the presence of plaque on both sides, including remodeling index (RI), plaque burden, presence of discontinuity of plaque surface, thick fibrous cap, intraplaque hemorrhage, and complicated American Heart Association type VI plaque at the maximal luminal narrowing site, were evaluated using intracranial high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Among 243 patients with ESUS, the prevalence of intracranial plaque was much higher in the ipsilateral than the contralateral side (63.8% vs. 42.8%; odds ratio [OR]: 5.25; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.83 to 9.73), a finding that was not evident in patients with SVD (35.6% vs. 30.6%; OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 0.87 to 5.26; p = 0.134). Logistic analysis showed that RI was independently associated with ESUS in model 1 (OR: 2.329; 95% CI: 1.686 to 3.217; p < 0.001) and model 2 (OR: 2.295; 95% CI: 1.661 to 3.172; p < 0.001). RI alone with an optimal cutoff of 1.162, corresponding to an area under the curve of 0.740, had good diagnostic efficiency for ESUS. CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports an etiologic role of high-risk nonstenotic intracranial plaque in ESUS.
Authors: Hans-Christoph Diener; J Donald Easton; Robert G Hart; Scott Kasner; Hooman Kamel; George Ntaios Journal: Nat Rev Neurol Date: 2022-05-10 Impact factor: 44.711
Authors: Yu Sakai; Vance T Lehman; Laura B Eisenmenger; Emmanuel C Obusez; G Abbas Kharal; Jiayu Xiao; Grace J Wang; Zhaoyang Fan; Brett L Cucchiara; Jae W Song Journal: Front Neurol Date: 2022-07-28 Impact factor: 4.086