Search

Background and Purpose: There is evidence and international consensus on the advantages and potential of a polypill for established cardiovascular disease patients to improve adherence in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to estimate the numbers of stroke patients who would be eligible for the polypill strategy in China, and the suitable composition of a polypill, based on data of the China National Stroke Prevention Project., Methods: A total of 717 620 residents aged ≥40 years from 6 Chinese representative provinces were screened for prevalent stroke from 2011 to 2012 with an 84.4% response rate. Participants with a history of stroke received further investigation of risk factors and treatments. The potential need for treatment was classified according to the guidelines. Rates were standardized using the population composition of the Sixth National Population Census of China., Results: The standardized prevalence rate of stroke was 1.9%. Up to 93.1% of stroke patients were eligible for a polypill containing at least 2 types of medications, with 75.3% eligible for a statin and antiplatelet agent and 70.6% for antihypertensive and antiplatelet medications. Considering 3 therapies, 54% were eligible for antihypertensive, statin, and antiplatelet medications. The current treatment rate with all required combinations of separate pills was only 6.9%., Conclusions: A huge number of stroke patients in China require preventive therapy and would be eligible for a polypill. This study indicates that it would be reasonable to consider and assess the value of a polypill strategy to improve secondary prevention of stroke in China., (© 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Abstract Background Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) are common medical complications after stroke. The previous study suggested a strong association between SAP and GIB after stroke. However, little is known about the time sequence of SAP and GIB. In the present study, we aimed to verify the association and clarify the temporal sequence of SAP and GIB after ischemic stroke. Methods Patients with ischemic stroke from in-hospital Medical Complication after Acute Stroke study were analyzed. Data on occurrences of SAP and GIB during hospitalization and the intervals from stroke onset to diagnosis of SAP and GIB were collected. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between SAP and GIB. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the time intervals from stroke onset to diagnosis of SAP and GIB. Results A total of 1129 patients with ischemic stroke were included. The median length of hospitalization was 14 days. Overall, 86 patients (7.6%; 95% CI, 6.1-9.2%) developed SAP and 47 patients (4.3%; 95% CI, 3.0-5.3%) developed GIB during hospitalization. After adjusting potential confounders, SAP was significantly associated with the development of GIB after ischemic stroke (OR = 5.13; 95% CI, 2.02-13.00; P

Background and Purpose Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), which represents the total cholesterol content of all pro-atherogenic lipoproteins, has recently been included as a new target for lipid-lowering therapy in high-risk atherosclerotic patients in multiple guidelines. Herein, we aimed to explore the relationship between non-HDL-C level and the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor-aspirin versus clopidogrel-aspirin in preventing stroke recurrence. Methods This study comprised a post hoc analysis of the CHANCE-2 (Ticagrelor or Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events II) trial, from which 5,901 patients with complete data on non-HDL-C were included and categorized by median non-HDL-C levels, using a cutoff of 3.5 mmol/L. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were recurrent stroke and severe or moderate bleeding within 90 days. Results Ticagrelor-aspirin significantly reduced the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with low non-HDL-C (71 [4.8%] vs. 119 [7.7%]; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40–0.74), but not in those with high non-HDL-C (107 [7.3%] vs. 108 [7.6%]; adjusted HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.67–1.16), compared with clopidogrel-aspirin (P for interaction=0.010). When analyzed as a continuous variable, the benefit of ticagrelor-aspirin for recurrent stroke decreased as non-HDL-C levels increased. No significant differences in the treatment assignments across the non-HDL-C groups were observed in terms of the rate of severe or moderate bleeding (5 [0.3%] vs. 8 [0.5%] in the low non-HDL-C group; 4 [0.3%] vs. 2 [0.1%] in the high non-HDL-C group; P for interaction=0.425). Conclusion CHANCE-2 participants with low non-HDL-C levels received more clinical benefit from ticagrelor-aspirin versus clopidogrel-aspirin compared to those with high non-HDL-C, following minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Summary: Background: Guidelines recommend low-dose colchicine for secondary prevention in cardiovascular disease, but uncertainty remains concerning its efficacy for stroke, efficacy in key subgroups and about uncommon but serious safety outcomes. Methods: In this trial-level meta-analysis, we searched bibliographic databases and trial registries form inception to May 16, 2024. We included randomised trials of colchicine for secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: ischaemic stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, or cardiovascular death). Secondary outcomes were serious safety outcomes and mortality. A fixed-effect inverse-variance model was used to generate a pooled estimate of relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42024540320. Findings: Six trials involving 14,934 patients with prior stroke or coronary disease were included. In all patients, colchicine compared with placebo or no colchicine reduced the risk for ischaemic stroke by 27% (132 [1.8%] events versus 186 [2.5%] events, RR 0.73 [95% CI 0.58–0.90]) and MACE by 27% (505 [6.8%] events versus 693 [9.4%] events, with RR 0.73 [0.65–0.81]). Efficacy was consistent in key subgroups (females versus males, age below versus above 70, with versus without diabetes, statin versus non-statin users). Colchicine was not associated with an increase in serious safety outcomes: hospitalisation for pneumonia (109 [1.5%] versus 106 [1.5%], RR 0.99 [0.76–1.30]), cancer (247 [3.5%] versus 255 [3.6%], RR 0.97 [0.82–1.15]), and gastro-intestinal events (153 [2.1%] versus 135 [1.9%]), RR 1.15 [0.91–1.44]. There was no difference in all-cause death (201 [2.7%] versus 181 [2.4%], RR 1.09 [0.89–1.33]), cardiovascular death (70 [0.9%] versus 80 [1.1%], RR 0.89 [0.65–1.23]), or non-cardiovascular death (131 [1.8%] versus 101 [1.4%], RR 1.26 [0.98–1.64]). Interpretation: In patients with prior stroke or coronary disease, colchicine reduced ischaemic stroke and MACE, with consistent treatment effect in key subgroups, and did not increase serious safety events or death. Funding: There was no funding source for this study.

Abstract Background and Aim Glycated albumin (GA) is a biomarker monitoring glycemia 2–4 weeks before stroke onset. This study was designed to explore the association between GA levels with poststroke outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Method Participants with ischemic stroke or TIA who had a baseline GA measurement were included in the Third China National Stroke Registry study. The effect of GA on stroke recurrence, poor functional outcomes, and combined vascular events was examined during the 1‐year follow‐up period. Multivariate Cox and logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the association. Discrimination tests were used to examine the incremental predictive value of GA when incorporating it into the conventional model. Results A total of 3861 participants were enrolled. At the 3‐month follow‐up, the elevated GA level was associated with an increased risk of poor functional outcomes (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–2.09). A similar increase was observed for stroke recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.56; 95% CI, 1.09–2.24), poor functional outcomes (adjusted OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.07–2.45), and combined vascular events (adjusted HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.09–2.20) at the 1‐year follow‐up. In nondiabetic patients, the association between GA and poor functional outcomes was more pronounced (adjusted OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.05–2.50). Adding GA into the conventional model resulted in slight improvements in predicting poor functional outcomes (net reclassification improvement [NRI]: 12.30% at 1 year). Conclusion This study demonstrated that elevated GA levels in serum were associated with stroke adverse outcomes, including stroke recurrence, poor functional outcomes, and combined vascular events, in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA.

Background Risk of recurrence after minor ischemic stroke is usually reported with transient ischemic attack. No previous meta‐analysis has focused on minor ischemic stroke alone. The objective was to evaluate the pooled proportion of 90‐day stroke recurrence for minor ischemic stroke, defined as a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale severity score of ≤5. Methods and Results Published papers found on PubMed from 2000 to January 12, 2021, reference lists of relevant articles, and experts in the field were involved in identifying relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies describing minor stroke cohort with reported 90‐day stroke recurrence were selected by 2 independent reviewers. Altogether 14 of 432 (3.2%) studies met inclusion criteria. Multilevel random‐effects meta‐analysis was performed. A total of 6 randomized controlled trials and 8 observational studies totaling 45 462 patients were included. The pooled 90‐day stroke recurrence was 8.6% (95% CI, 6.5–10.7), reducing by 0.60% (95% CI, 0.09–1.1; P=0.02) with each subsequent year of publication. Recurrence was lowest in dual antiplatelet trial arms (6.3%, 95% CI, 4.5–8.0) when compared with non‐dual antiplatelet trial arms (7.2%, 95% CI, 4.7–9.6) and observational studies 10.6% (95% CI, 7.0–14.2). Age, hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, or known atrial fibrillation had no significant association with outcome. Defining minor stroke with a lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale threshold made no difference – score ≤3: 8.6% (95% CI, 6.0–11.1), score ≤4: 8.4% (95% CI, 6.1–10.6), as did excluding studies with n

Inflammation is closely related to stroke prognosis, and high inflammation status leads to poor functional outcome in stroke. DNA methylation is involved in the pathogenesis and prognosis of stroke. However, the effect of DNA methylation on stroke at high levels of inflammation is unclear. In this study, we constructed a hyperinflammatory cerebral ischemia mouse model and investigated the effect of hypomethylation and hypermethylation on the functional outcome. We constructed a mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and treated the mice with lipopolysaccharide to induce a hyperinflammatory state. To investigate the effect of DNA methylation on stroke, we used small molecule inhibitors to restrain the function of key DNA methylation and demethylation enzymes. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, neurological function scores, neurobehavioral tests, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative reverse transcription PCR and western blot assay were used to evaluate the effects after stroke in mice. We assessed changes in the global methylation status by measuring DNA 5-mc and DNA 5-hmc levels in peripheral blood after the use of the inhibitor. In the group treated with the DNA methylation inhibitor, brain tissue 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining showed an increase in infarct volume, which was accompanied by a decrease in neurological scores and worsening of neurobehavioral performance. The levels of inflammatory factors interleukin 6 and interleukin-1 beta in ischemic brain tissue and plasma were elevated, indicating increased inflammation. Related inflammatory pathway exploration showed significant overactivation of nuclear factor kappa B. These results suggested that inhibiting DNA methylation led to poor functional outcome in mice with high inflammation following stroke. Further, the effects were reversed by inhibition of DNA demethylation. Our findings suggest that DNA methylation regulates the inflammatory response in stroke and has an important role in the functional outcome of hyperinflammatory stroke.

Abstract Background Insulin resistance is linked to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and stroke, whereas less is known about adipose tissue specific insulin resistance and outcomes after ischemic stroke. This study aimed to estimate the association between adipose tissue specific insulin resistance and prognosis of nondiabetic patients with ischemic stroke. Methods Patients with ischemic stroke without a history of diabetes mellitus in the Third China National Stroke Registry were included. Adipose tissue specific insulin resistance index (Adipo-IR) was calculated by fasting serum insulin and free fatty acids and categorized into 5 groups according to the quintiles. Outcomes included stroke recurrence (ischemic or hemorrhagic), combined vascular events, all-cause death, and poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale, 3–6) at 12 months after stroke onset. We assessed the association between Adipo-IR and risk of prognosis by multivariable Cox/logistic regression models adjusted for potential covariates. Results Among 2,222 patients, 69.0% were men with a mean age of 62.5 years. At 12 months, 185 (8.3%) patients had recurrent stroke, 193 (8.7%) had combined vascular events, 58 (2.6%) died, and 250 (11.5%) had a poor outcome. Compared with patients with the lowest quintile, patients with the second, third, fourth, fifth quintiles of the Adipo-IR were associated with an increased risk of stroke recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.77; 95% CI, 1.04–3.03; P = 0.04; HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.30–3.68; P = 0.003; HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.06–3.21; P = 0.03; HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.20–3.71; P = 0.01, respectively) and marginally associated with an increased risk of combined vascular events ( HR, 1.60; 95%CI, 0.97–2.64; P = 0.07; HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.17–3.13; P = 0.01; HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.96–2.75; P = 0.07; HR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.05–3.09; P = 0.03, respectively) at 12 months after adjustment for potential covariates. Adipo-IR was not associated with mortality and poor outcome at 12 months. Conclusions These findings suggest that adipose tissue specific insulin resistance is independently associated with recurrent stroke and combined vascular events after acute ischemic stroke in nondiabetic patients.

Abstract Background Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is a phenomenon that characterizes individuals with somatic mutations that are related to hematologic malignancy but without hematologic abnormalities. Presence of CHIP is associated with the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through the activation of the interleukin 6 (IL-6) pathway; however, its role on unfavorable functional outcomes in different etiologies of ischemic stroke remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between CHIP-related gene mutations and unfavorable functional outcomes of ischemic stroke with different etiologies. Methods We prospectively studied a cohort of 3396 stroke patients with identified etiologies, and identified CHIP and the presence of the IL6R variant (IL6R p.Asp358Ala) by whole-genome sequencing. The IL6R p.Asp358Ala coding mutation was used as a genetic inhibition for IL-6 signaling. The primary outcome was unfavorable functional outcome [(Modified Rankin Scale), mRS 2–6] at 3 months. Results Of the 3396 patients, 110 (3.2%) were CHIP carriers and the median age was 62 years (IQR, 54.0–69.0). The CHIP increased the risk of unfavorable functional outcome among patients with hyper-inflammation status of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) > median levels in patients with large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.00–5.98, p = 0.049, p interaction = 0.01). Presence of IL6R variant (IL6R p.Asp358Ala) could attenuate the risk of unfavorable functional outcome only in patients with CHIP (OR 0.30, 95%CI 0.12–0.76, p = 0.01, p interaction = 0.02), and especially in LAA patients with CHIP (OR 0.1, 95%CI 0.02–0.42, p = 0.002; p interaction = 0.001). Conclusion CHIP is associated with unfavorable functional outcomes in patients with LAA stroke and hyper-inflammation. Genetic IL-6 signaling inhibition might attenuate the risk of unfavorable functional outcomes in CHIP carriers, especially in LAA stroke patients.

Abstract Background and purpose Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is a risk factor for stroke. This study was undertaken to determine the influence of NVAF on the mortality and recurrent stroke after a minor stroke event. Methods Data were derived from the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) which enrolled 15,166 subjects during August 2015 through March 2018 in China. Patients with minor stroke (NIHSS ≤ 5) within 24 h after onset were included. Clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, recurrent ischemic stroke, and recurrent hemorrhagic stroke were collected. The Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between NVAF and clinical outcomes. Results A total of 4,753 patients were included in our study. Of them, 222 patients had NVAF (4.7%) (mean age, 71.1 years) and 4,531 patients were without AF (95.3%) (mean age, 61.4 years). NVAF was associated with 12-month cardiovascular mortality in both univariate (hazards ratio [HR], 4.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.84 to 9.31; P

BackgroundThere is evidence of an association between the gut microbiota and progression of stroke. However, the relationship between gut microbial metabolites, specifically bile acids (BAs), and post-ischemic stroke disability and poor functional outcomes remains unexplored.MethodsPatients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the Third China National Stroke Registry were grouped according to total bile acid (TBA) quartile on admission. Association of TBA with disability and poor functional outcomes were evaluated using logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines.ResultsData for 9,536 patients were included. After adjusting for confounders, the risks of disability and poor functional outcomes were significantly lower in the highest TBA quartile than in the lowest TBA quartile at the 3-month follow-up, with respective odds ratios (ORs) of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–0.78; p

Objective: To investigate the association between acute-phase gait speed and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 3 and 12 months post-stroke. Design: Prospective cohort study. Subjects/Patients: 1,475 patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke. Methods: The patients were divided into 3 groups according to tertiles of gait speed, namely ≤0.8, 0.8–1.1, ≥1.1 m/s. Gait speed was assessed by the 10-m walking test within 2 weeks of hospitalization for acute stroke and before the rehabilitation programme. HRQoL measurements include the 3-level EuroQol five dimensions (EQ-5D-3L) index and EuroQoL visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) scores. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations between gait speed and HRQoL. Results: Adjusted for all covariates, the highest gait speed tertile group were associated with higher EQ-5D-3L index (B = 0.0303 and B = 0.0228, respectively, p

BackgroundData on the association between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) are inconsistent and limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between ALP and prognosis in patients with IS.MethodsPatients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) from the Third China National Stroke Registry were divided into four groups according to the quartiles of serum ALP levels on admission. Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the correlation between ALP and the risk of all-cause mortality, disability (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 3–5), and poor functional outcomes (mRS score 3–6).ResultsA total of 11,405 patients were included in the study. Higher levels of ALP were associated with all-cause mortality at 3 months (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per standard deviation [SD]: 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.27; p = 0.001) and 1 year (adjusted HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03–1.20; p = 0.010). At the 3-month follow-up, each SD increase of ALP was associated with a 12 and 14% higher risk of disability (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.12; 95% CI: 1.06–1.18; p

Abstract Introduction A high residual risk of subsequent stroke suggested that the predictive ability of Stroke Prognosis Instrument‐II (SPI‐II) and Essen Stroke Risk Score (ESRS) may have changed over the years. Aim To explore the predictive values of the SPI‐II and ESRS for 1‐year subsequent stroke risk in a pooled analysis of three consecutive national cohorts in China over 13 years. Results In the China National Stroke Registries (CNSRs), 10.7% (5297/50,374) of the patients had a subsequent stroke within 1 year; area under the curve (AUC) of SPI‐II and ESRS was .60 (95% confidence interval [CI]: .59–.61) and .58 (95% CI: .57–.59), respectively. For SPI‐II, the AUC was .60 (95% CI: .59–.62) in CNSR‐I, .60 (95% CI: .59–.62) in CNSR‐II, and .58 (95% CI: .56–.59) in CNSR‐III over the past 13 years. The declining trend was also found in ESRS scale (CNSR‐I: .60 [95% CI: .59–.61]; CNSR‐II: .60 [95% CI: .59–.62]; and CNSR‐III: .56 [95% CI: .55–.58]). Conclusions The predictive power of the traditional risk scores SPI‐II and ESRS was limited and gradually decreased over the past 13 years, thus the scales may not be useful for current clinical practice. Further derivation of risk scales with additional imaging features and biomarkers may be warranted.

Abstract Background Acute kidney disease (AKD) evolves a spectrum of acute and subacute kidney disease requiring a global strategy to address. The present study aimed to explore the impact of AKD on the prognosis of ischemic stroke. Methods The Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) was a nationwide registry of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack between August 2015 and March 2018. As a subgroup of CNSR-III, the patients who had serum creatinine (sCr) and serum cystatin C (sCysC) centrally tested on admission and at 3-month, and with 1-year follow-up data were enrolled. Modified AKD criteria were applied to identify patients with AKD during the first 3 months post stroke according to the guidelines developed by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes in 2012. The primary clinical outcome was 1-year all-cause death, and secondary outcomes were stroke recurrence and post stroke disability. Results Five thousand sixty-five patients were recruited in the study. AKD was identified in 3.9%, 6.7%, 9.9% and 6.2% of the patients by using sCr, sCr-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRsCr), sCysC-based eGFR (eGFRsCysC), and combined sCr and sCysC-based eGFR (eGFRsCr+sCysC) criteria, respectively. AKD defined as sCr or eGFRsCr criteria significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.27–5.61; adjusted HR 2.19, 95% CI: 1.17–4.10) and post stroke disability (adjusted OR 1.60, 95% CI: 1.04–2.44; adjusted OR 1.51, 95% CI: 1.08–2.11). AKD diagnosed by eGFRsCysC or eGFRsCr+sCysC criteria had no significant impact on the risk of all-cause death and post stroke disability. AKD, defined by whichever criteria, was not associated with the risk of stroke recurrence in the adjusted model. Conclusions AKD, diagnosed by sCr or eGFRsCr criteria, were independently associated with 1-year all-cause death and post stroke disability in Chinese ischemic stroke patients.

Abstract Cognitive function following acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is critical to prognosis and quality of life. Hypertension is a risk factor for stroke and is associated with post stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). However, the optimal blood pressure parameters after AIS is unknown. This is a sub‐study of the Impairment of CognitiON and Sleep after acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in Chinese patients (ICONS) study conducted between August 2015 and March 2018. Cognition was assessed at two‐week (2w), three‐month (3 m), and twelve‐month (12 m) by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A total of 682 participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The primary outcome was cognitive changes after 3 and 12 months post stroke. Among 682 participants, the mean age was 59.35 ± 10.40 years and 72.29% were men. PSCI patients with high systolic blood pressure (SBP ≥140 mm Hg) at 3 m not only had worse cognition as evidenced by MoCA scores at 3 m but also predicted worse scores at 12 m. When participants were stratified into cognitively stable/improved (MoCA score ≥0, 2w vs. 12 m) and cognitively impaired (MoCA score ≤‐2, 2w vs. 12 m), those with high SBP were more likely to be cognitively impaired (OR 2.17, 95%CI 1.12–4.21, p

In this study, we explored the relationship between the platelet endothelial aggregation receptor 1 (PEAR1) polymorphisms, platelet reactivity, and clinical outcomes in patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Randomized controlled trial subgroups were assessed, wherein patients received dual antiplatelet therapy for at least 21 days. Platelet reactivity was measured at different time intervals. Genotypes were categorized as wild-type, mutant heterozygous, and mutant homozygous. Clinical outcomes were evaluated after 90 days. The rs12041331 polymorphism predominantly influenced adenosine diphosphate channel platelet activity, with the AA genotype displaying significantly lower residual platelet activity to the P2Y12 response unit (p < 0.01). This effect was more evident after 7 days of dual antiplatelet treatment (p = 0.016). Mutant A allele carriers had decreased rates of recurrent stroke and complex endpoint events but were more prone to bleeding (p = 0.015). The rs2768759 polymorphism majorly impacted arachidonic acid (AA) channel platelet activity, which was particularly noticeable in the C allele carriers. Our regression analysis demonstrated that rs12041331 AA + GA and rs2768759 CA predicted 90-day post-stroke bleeding. In conclusion, the PEAR1 polymorphisms rs12041331 and rs2768759 interfere with platelet aggregation and the performance of antiplatelet drugs. These genetic variations may contribute to bleeding events associated with minor stroke and TIA.

Abstract Background One of the most cost-effective treatments for secondary prevention of stroke and other non-communicable diseases is a long-term medication regimen. However, the complexities of medication adherence extend far beyond individual behavior change, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to examine stakeholder perspectives on barriers to medication adherence for stroke patients in Beijing, China, identifying opportunities to improve care and policy in resource-constrained settings. Methods We conducted a qualitative, phenomenological analysis of data obtained from 36 individuals. Participants were patients; caregivers; healthcare providers; and representatives from industry and government, purposively selected to synthesize multiple perspectives on medication management and adherence for stroke secondary prevention in Beijing, China. Data was analyzed by thematic analysis across iterative coding cycles. Results Four major themes characterized barriers on medication adherence, across stakeholders and geographies: limitations driven by individual patient knowledge / attitudes; lack of patient-provider interaction time; lack of coordination across the stratified health system; and lack of affordability driven by high overall costs and limited insurance policies. Conclusions These barriers to medication management and adherence suggest opportunities for policy reform and local practice changes, particularly for multi-tiered health systems. Findings from this study in Beijing, China could be explored for applicability in other low- and middle-income countries with urban centers serving large geographic regions.

Background Oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and hs‐CRP (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein) plays an important role in cardiovascular diseases though inflammation and oxidative stress, etc. However, evidence on their combined effects on stroke prognosis is still limited. We aimed to explore the joint association of oxLDL and hs‐CRP with outcomes of minor stroke or transient ischemic attack. Methods and Results A subgroup of 3019 patients from the CHANCE trial (Clopidogrel in High‐Risk Patients With Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events) were analyzed. Baseline oxLDL and hs‐CRP levels were measured. The primary outcome was any stroke within 90 days. The secondary outcomes included any stroke within 1 year, and ischemic stroke, combined vascular events, and poor functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale 2–6 or 3–6) at 90 days and 1 year. Vascular events outcomes were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards and poor functional outcomes with logistic models. Elevated oxLDL (>28.81 μg/dL) and hs‐CRP (>4.20 mg/L) was observed in 624 (20.67%) of the 3019 patients. Patients with oxLDL >28.81 μg/dL and hs‐CRP >4.20 mg/L had a higher risk of recurrent stroke within 90 days (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.17–1.97), compared with those with oxLDL ≤28.81 μg/dL and hs‐CRP ≤4.20 mg/L, after adjusting relevant confounding factors (P=0.002). Similar results were observed for secondary outcomes (P

Abstract Background Previous studies has shown a significant relationship between baseline triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the effect of longitudinal changes in TyG index on the risk of CVD remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association between change in TyG index and the risk of CVD in the general population. Methods The current study included 62,443 Chinese population who were free of CVD. The TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglyceride (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2], and change in TyG index was defined as the difference between the TyG index in 2010 and that in 2006. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to examine the association between change in TyG index and the risk of CVD. Results During a median follow-up of 7.01 years, 2530 (4.05%) incident CVD occurred, including 2018 (3.23%) incident stroke and 545 (0.87%) incident myocardial infarction (MI). The risk of developing CVD increased with the quartile of change in TyG index, after adjustment for multiple potential confounders, the hazard ratios for the Q4 group versus the Q1 group were 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.54) for the overall CVD, 1.38 (95% CI, 1.19–1.60) for stroke, and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.05–1.76) for MI. Restricted cubic spline analysis also showed a cumulative increase in the risk of CVD with increases in the magnitude of change in TyG index. The addition of change in TyG index to a baseline risk model for CVD improved the C-statistics (P = 0.0097), integrated discrimination improvement value (P

Abstract Background Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was recently suggested to be a reliable surrogate marker of insulin resistance. We aim to investigate the associations between baseline and long-term TyG index with subsequent stroke and its subtypes in a community-based cohort. Methods A total of 97,653 participants free of history of stroke in the Kailuan Study were included. TyG index was calculated as ln (fasting triglyceride [mg/dL] × fasting glucose [mg/dL]/2). Baseline TyG index was measured during 2006–2007. Updated cumulative average TyG index used all available TyG index from baseline to the outcome events of interest or the end of follow up. The outcome was the first occurrence of stroke, including ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The associations of TyG index with outcomes were explored with Cox regression. Results During a median of 11.02 years of follow-up, 5122 participants developed stroke of whom 4277 were ischemic stroke, 880 intracerebral hemorrhage, and 144 subarachnoid hemorrhage. After adjusting for confounding variables, compared with participants in the lowest quartile of baseline TyG index, those in the third and fourth quartile were associated with an increased risk of stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12–1.33, and adjusted HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.21–1.44, respectively, P for trend

In acute ischemic stroke patients with large vessel occlusion, the characteristics of the occluding thrombus on neuroimaging may be associated with recanalization after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT); however, the relationship between magnetic susceptibility of thrombus and clinical outcome remains unclear. We utilized quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) MRI to assess the magnetic susceptibility of thrombus in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing EVT, and to evaluate its relationship with recanalization and functional outcomes. Patients with documented intracranial artery occlusion were consecutively recruited from one research center of the RESCUE-RE study (a registration study for Critical Care of Acute Ischemic Stroke After Recanalization). All the recruited patients underwent a 3D multi-echo MRI scan on a 3.0 T scanner for both susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and QSM quantification of the thrombus. Among 61 patients included in the analyses, 51 (75.0 %) patients achieved thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) 2b/3 and 22 (36.1 %) patients had favorable functional outcomes. Successful recanalization was significantly associated with a higher thrombus magnetic susceptibility mean value (0.27 ± 0.09 vs 0.20 ± 0.09 ppm, p = 0.020) and lower coefficient of variation (0.42 ± 0.12 vs 0.52 ± 0.19, p = 0.024). ROC curve analysis showed the optimal cutoff value for thrombus susceptibility for predicting good clinical outcomes was 0.25 ppm (sensitivity 86.4 %, specificity 69.2 %). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, increased thrombus magnetic susceptibility was independently and significantly associated with good functional outcomes (adjusted odds ratio 15.11 [95 % confidence interval 2.64–86.46], p = 0.002). This study demonstrated that the increased thrombus magnetic susceptibility is associated with successful recanalization and favorable functional outcomes for intracranial artery occluded stroke patients.

Background Anemia or low hemoglobin can increase the risk of stroke. However, the association between hemoglobin and outcomes after stroke is uncertain. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between hemoglobin and clinical outcomes, including mortality, poor functional outcome, stroke recurrence, and composite vascular events at 1 year. Methods and Results We included the patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack from the Third China National Stroke Registry. We used the Cox model for mortality, stroke recurrence, and composite vascular events and the logistic model for the poor functional outcome to examine the relationship between hemoglobin and clinical outcomes. In addition, we used the restricted cubic spline to evaluate the nonlinear relationship. This study included 14 159 patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. After adjusted for potential cofounders, both anemia and high hemoglobin were associated with the higher risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.39–2.15; HR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.95–3.76) and poor functional outcome (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.18–1.57; OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07–1.87). High hemoglobin, but not anemia, increased the risk of stroke recurrence (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.05–1.79) and composite vascular events (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.08–1.83). There was a U‐shaped relationship between hemoglobin and mortality and poor functional outcome. Conclusions Abnormal hemoglobin was associated with a higher risk of all‐cause mortality, poor functional outcome, stroke recurrence, and composite vascular events. More well‐designed clinical studies are needed to confirm the relationship between hemoglobin and clinical outcomes after stroke.

Background and purpose: This study aimed to examine the association of polyvascular disease and clinical outcomes in patients with lacunar stroke.Methods: Data of patients with recent lacunar stroke were collected from The Third China National Stroke Registry. Polyvascular disease is defined as the existence of atherosclerosis across two or more vascular beds. For the present study, polyvascular disease patients were grouped as follows: coronary heart disease (CHD) and lacunar stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and lacunar stroke, and CHD/PAD and lacunar stroke. The major clinical outcome was recurrence, and the secondary clinical outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). A Cox proportional multivariable hazards regression model was applied to estimate the association between polyvascular disease and outcomes.Results: Among 3,165 patients with recent lacunar stroke, CHD was present in 375 (11.8%) and peripheral arterial disease in 168 (5.3%). The hazard ratio (HR) for stroke recurrence was 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65–1.46; p = 0.91) for patients with CHD and lacunar stroke, 1.07 (95% CI, 0.61–1.87; p = 0.82) for patients with PAD and lacunar stroke, and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.66–1.35; p = 0.75) for patients with CHD/PAD and lacunar stroke compared with patients with isolated lacunar stroke. The HR for MACEs was 1.01 (95% CI, 0.69–1.49; p = 0.94) for patients with CHD and lacunar stroke, 1.11 (95% CI, 0.65–1.90; p = 0.71) for patients with PAD and lacunar stroke, and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.70–1.40; p = 0.95) for patients with CHD/PAD and lacunar stroke.Conclusion: Polyvascular disease is not associated with recurrence of stroke and MACEs in patients with recent lacunar stroke at 1 year.

Background and Purpose Previous studies suggested increased visit-to-visit variability of total cholesterol (TC) is associated with stroke. This study aimed to investigate the associations of various lipids measurements variability and the risk of stroke and stroke type (ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke). Methods Fifty-one thousand six hundred twenty participants in the Kailuan Study without history of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cancer who underwent three health examinations during 2006 to 2010 were followed for incident stroke. Variability in TC, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) measurements were measured using the coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation (SD), variability independent of the mean (VIM), and average real variability (ARV). Results During a median of 6.04 years of follow-up, 1,189 incident stroke (1,036 ischemic and 160 hemorrhagic stroke) occurred. In the multivariable-adjusted model, the hazard ratio (HR) comparing participants in the highest versus lowest quartile of CV of HDL-C were 1.21 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.45; P for trend=0.013) for ischemic stroke. The highest quartile of CV of LDL-C was associated with 2.17-fold risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.25 to 3.75; P for trend=0.002) compared with the lowest quartile. We did not observe any significant association between TC and triglycerides variability with any of stroke. Consistent results were obtained when calculating variability index using SD, VIM, or ARV. Conclusions These findings suggest the high visit-to-visit HDL-C and LDL-C variability were associated with an increased incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, respectively.

Background: Low heart rate variability (HRV) is known to be associated with increased all-cause, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular mortality but its association with clinical outcomes in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke is unclear.Methods: We selected TIA and minor stroke patients from a prospective registration study. From each continuous electrocardiograph (ECG) record, each QRS complex was detected and normal-to-normal (N-N) intervals were determined. The standard deviation of all N-N intervals (SDNN) and the square root of the mean squared differences of successive N-N intervals (RMSSD) were calculated. Logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the outcomes of patients at 90 days, and the odds and risk ratios (OR/HR) of each index quartile were compared.Results: Compared with SDNN patients in the lowest quartile, neurological disability was significantly reduced in other quartile groups at 90 days, with significant differences [OR of group Q2 was 0.659; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.482–0.900; p = 0.0088; OR of group Q3 was 0.662; 95% CI, 0.478–0.916; p = 0.0127; OR of group Q4 was 0.441; 95% CI, 0.305–0.639; p

Background: The inverse association between obesity and outcome in stroke patients (known as the obesity paradox) has been widely reported, yet mechanistic details explaining the paradox are limited. The triglyceride glucose (TYG) index has been proposed as a marker of insulin resistance. We sought to explore possible associations of the TYG index, body mass index (BMI), and stroke outcome.Methods: We identified 12,964 ischemic stroke patients without a history of diabetes mellitus from the China National Stroke Registry and classified patients as either low/normal weight, defined as a BMI

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a pivotal protein in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol metabolism, has been validated to be an established target for cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction. Nevertheless, prospective studies concerning the associations between circulating PCSK9 and the risk of CV events and mortality have yielded, so far, inconsistent results. Herein, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the association systemically.Methods: Pertinent studies were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library database through July 2020. Longitudinal studies investigating the value of circulating PCSK9 for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) or stroke or all-cause mortally with risk estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were included in the analyses. Dose-response meta-analysis was also applied to evaluate circulating PCSK9 and risk of MACEs in this study.Results: A total of 22 eligible cohorts comprising 28,319 participants from 20 eligible articles were finally included in the study. The pooled relative risk (RR) of MACEs for one standard deviation increase in baseline PCSK9 was 1.120 (95% CI, 1.056–1.189). When categorizing subjects into tertiles, the pooled RR for the highest tertile of baseline PCSK9 was 1.252 (95% CI, 1.104–1.420) compared with the lowest category. This positive association between PCSK9 level and risk of MACEs persisted in sensitivity and most of the subgroup analyses. Twelve studies were included in dose-response meta-analysis, and a linear association between PCSK9 concentration and risk of MACEs was observed (x2 test for non-linearity = 0.31, P non-linearity = 0.575). No significant correlation was found either on stroke or all-cause mortality.Conclusion: This meta-analysis added further evidence that high circulating PCSK9 concentration significantly associated with increased risk of MACEs, and a linear dose-response association was observed. However, available data did not suggest significant association either on stroke or all-cause mortality. Additional well-designed studies are warranted to further investigate the correlations between PCSK9 concentration and stroke and mortality.

Background D‐dimer is involved in poor outcomes of stroke as a coagulation biomarker. We aimed to investigate the associations of the level and increase in D‐dimer between baseline and 90 days with all‐cause death or poor functional outcome in patients after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Methods and Results We collected data from the CNSRIII (Third China National Stroke Registry) study. The present substudy included 10 518 patients within 7 days (baseline) of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack and 6268 patients at 90 days. Poor functional outcome at 1 year was assessed on the basis of the modified Rankin Scale (≥3). Multivariable Cox regression or logistic regression was used to assess the association of D‐dimer levels with all‐cause death or poor functional outcome. D‐dimer levels at 90 days were lower than those at baseline (1.4 µg/mL versus 1.7 µg/mL; P

Background and Purpose: Early age exposure to the Chinese Great Leap Forward famine (1959–1961) is associated with the incidence of risk factors for ischemic stroke. This study aims to examine the relationship between early age famine exposure and 12-month stroke recurrence. We sought to explore the interaction between famine exposure status and metabolic phenotypes on stroke recurrence and how the adherence of crucial evidence-based key performance indicators (KPI) would modify this interaction.Methods: We analyzed data of patients who were born between 1953 and 1964 in the China National Stroke Registry II (CNSR-II). The study population was further divided into five subgroups for comparing 12-month stroke recurrence. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used in analyzing the impact of the concurrence of metabolic phenotypes—type 2 diabetes (T2D) or metabolic syndrome (MetS)—and early-age famine exposure on recurrent risk. The influence of the adherence to predefined KPI and concurrency of metabolic phenotype was also evaluated.Results: Concurrent T2D and early age famine exposure was associated with an increased recurrence risk of ischemic stroke with 12 months [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–2.07]. Optimal adherence to KPI was not associated with significantly reduced risk of 12-month stroke recurrence (adjusted HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.51–1.26).Conclusions: Concurrency of early-age famine exposure and diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of stroke recurrence within 12 months, and adherence to evidence-based KPI did not reduce the risk significantly.

We investigated the association between poststroke cognitive impairment and a specific effective network connectivity in the prefrontal–basal ganglia circuit. The resting-state effective connectivity of this circuit was modeled by employing spectral dynamic causal modeling in 11 poststroke patients with cognitive impairment (PSCI), 8 poststroke patients without cognitive impairment (non-PSCI) at baseline and 3-month follow-up, and 28 healthy controls. Our results showed that different neuronal models of effective connectivity in the prefrontal–basal ganglia circuit were observed among healthy controls, non-PSCI, and PSCI patients. Additional connected paths (extra paths) appeared in the neuronal models of stroke patients compared with healthy controls. Moreover, changes were detected in the extra paths of non-PSCI between baseline and 3-month follow-up poststroke, indicating reorganization in the ipsilesional hemisphere and suggesting potential compensatory changes in the contralesional hemisphere. Furthermore, the connectivity strengths of the extra paths from the contralesional ventral anterior nucleus of thalamus to caudate correlated significantly with cognitive scores in non-PSCI and PSCI patients. These suggest that the neuronal model of effective connectivity of the prefrontal–basal ganglia circuit may be sensitive to stroke-induced cognitive decline, and it could be a biomarker for poststroke cognitive impairment 3 months poststroke. Importantly, contralesional brain regions may play an important role in functional compensation of cognitive decline.

Objective: To determine the relationship between stress hyperglycemia and prognosis of acute ischemic stroke people with and without diabetes.Methods: A subgroup of 8,622 acute ischemic stroke people with baseline levels of fasting blood glucose and HbA1c from the China National Stroke Registry II were analyzed. Stress hyperglycemia was measured by glucose/glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ratio, calculated by fasting blood glucose divided by HbA1c. Diabetes was diagnosed according to medical history or a HbA1c level of ≥6.5%. The outcomes included severe neurological deficit defined as modified Rankin Scale score of 3 to 5 and all-cause death at 1 year. The associations between glucose/HbA1c ratio and neurological deficit and all-cause death were analyzed via logistic regression model and Cox proportional-hazards model, respectively. Subgroup analyses of participants with or without diabetes were performed separately.Results: Totally 1,189 (13.7%) participants had severe neurological deficit, and 678 (7.9%) died within 1 year. Compared with the lowest quartile, the highest quartiles of glucose/HbA1c ratio were associated with elevated risk of worse neurological deficit (20.1% vs. 13.0%; adjusted OR, 1.83; 95%CI, 1.31–2.54, p = 0.001), and mortality (12.1% vs. 6.6%; adjusted HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.47–2.83, p < 0.0001) after adjusted for potential covariates. The association of glucose/HbA1c ratio with neurological deficit remained in the participants with and without diabetes, while it was only significant in the participants without diabetes as for the outcome of mortality.Conclusions: Stress hyperglycemia, measured by glucose/HbA1c ratio, was associated with increased risk of severe neurological deficit and mortality within 1 year in the acute ischemic stroke people.

Background Proteinuria often changes and is known as a “time‐dependent exposure.” The effect of time‐dependent proteinuria on the risk of future stroke remains unclear. Proteinuria is often detected in patients with diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to evaluate the association between time‐dependent proteinuria and the risk of stroke in a patient cohort with different glucose tolerance status. Methods and Results A total of 82 938 participants, who were free of myocardial infarction or stroke and underwent fasting blood glucose and urinary protein measurements at baseline in the Kailuan study, were enrolled. Proteinuria was determined using urine dipstick tests at baseline and subsequent follow‐ups. Time‐dependent proteinuria was defined as the status of urine protein updated through the follow‐up examinations, separately. Time‐dependent Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between time‐dependent proteinuria and the risk of stroke. During a median follow‐up of 8.37 years, 2538 participants developed stroke. After adjusting for confounding factors, the hazard ratio (95% CI) for stroke in time‐dependent proteinuria among all participants, and the normoglycemia, prediabetes, and diabetes mellitus populations were 1.68 (1.49–1.89), 1.73 (1.47–2.05), 2.15 (1.70–2.72), and 1.30 (1.03–1.65), respectively. There were interaction effects in patients with normoglycemia and prediabetes compared with those with diabetes mellitus. Findings were similar for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes and were confirmed in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Time‐dependent proteinuria is an independent risk factor of stroke, especially in the normoglycemia and prediabetes populations.

Background: The combination of clopidogrel and aspirin is recommended for the treatment of patients with acute minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). However, with varied clopidogrel resistance (often due to CYP2C19 loss-of-function (LOF) alleles), alternatives like ticagrelor have been suggested. Previous studies showed that ticagrelor had a lower platelet reactivity assessed by VerifyNow P2Y12 assay than clopidogrel. We aimed to compare the effect of ticagrelor vs. clopidogrel on platelet reactivity assessed by a different method (Aggrestar platelet function analyzer) and analyze whether CYP2C19 genotypes were involved.Methods: A pre-specified subgroup analysis of a randomized controlled trial- Platelet Reactivity in Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (PRINCE) was conducted. Patients with minor stroke or TIA were randomized for treatment with ticagrelor plus aspirin or clopidogrel plus aspirin. Platelet reactivity was assessed by Aggrestar (PL) platelet function analyzer and high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HOPR) on ticagrelor or clopidogrel was compared. Clinical outcomes included any stroke, composite vascular events and bleeding events within 90 days. Patients were categorized into carriers and non-carriers according to the carrier status of CYP2C19 LOF alleles.Results: Among 675 patients enrolled in the PRINCE trial, 387 patients were included in this subgroup: 197 were randomized to ticagrelor plus aspirin and 190 to clopidogrel plus aspirin. At 90 ± 7 days, compared with clopidogrel/aspirin group, the proportion of HOPR in ticagrelor/aspirin group was significantly lower (19.6 vs. 40.8%, P < 0.001). No significant treatment-by-genotype interactions were found (P for interaction = 0.12). Within 90 days, a trend toward a lower risk of new stroke in ticagrelor/aspirin compared to clopidogrel/aspirin was observed (4.6 vs. 9.5%, HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.21-1.05, P = 0.06).Conclusions: Ticagrelor is superior to clopidogrel in inhibiting platelet reactivity measured by the PL platelet function analyzer among patients with acute minor stroke or TIA. Our study confirmed the finding of the main analysis of PRINCE trial in a different assay. Large randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate our findings.Clinical Trial Registration:Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02506140.

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence has shown that cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for ischemic stroke. However, it is not clear about the potential mechanisms through which cigarette smoking affects stroke risk. In the study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between cigarette smoking and the occurrence of extracranial (ECAS) and intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Methods We analyzed patients enrolled in the Chinese intracranial atherosclerosis (CICAS), which was a prospective, multicenter, hospital-based cohort study. Smoking status was classified into never, former and current smoking. For those patients with current smoking, data on time duration (year) and extent (the number of cigarette smoked per day) was recorded and pack year of smoking was calculated. ICAS was evaluated with 3-dimentional time-of-flight MRA and ECAS was evaluated with cervical ultrasonography or contrast-enhanced MRA. Multivariable Logistic regression was performed to identify the association between smoking status and the occurrence of ECAS and ICAS. Results A total of 2656 patients (92.7%) of acute ischemic stroke and 208 (7.3%) of transient ischemic attack were analyzed. The mean age was 61.9 ± 11.2 and 67.8% were male. There were 141 (4.9%) patients had only ECAS, 1074 (37.5%) had only ICAS, and 261 (9.1%) had both ECAS and ICAS. Current smoking was significantly associated with the occurrence of ECAS (adjusted OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.09–1.99, P

Background Adherence to evidence‐based guidelines is an important quality indicator; yet, there is lack of assessment of adherence to performance measures in acute ischemic stroke for most world regions. Methods and Results We analyzed 19 604 patients with acute ischemic stroke in the China National Stroke Registry and 194 876 patients in the Get With The Guidelines––Stroke registry in the United States from June 2012 to January 2013. Compared with their US counterparts, Chinese patients were younger, had a lower prevalence of comorbidities, and had similar median, lower mean, and less variability in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (median 4 [25th percentile–75th percentile, 2–7], mean 5.4±5.6 versus median 4 [1–10], mean 6.8±7.7). Chinese patients were more likely to experience delays from last known well to hospital arrival (median 1318 [330–3209] versus 644 [142–2055] minutes), less likely to receive thrombolytic therapy (2.5% versus 8.1%), and more likely to experience treatment delays (door‐to‐needle time median 95 [72–112] versus 62 [49–85] minutes). Adherence to early and discharge antithrombotics, smoking cessation counseling, and dysphagia screening were relatively high (eg >80%) in both countries. Large gaps existed between China and the United States with regard to the administration of thrombolytics within 3 hours (18.3% versus 83.6%), door‐to‐needle time ≤60 minutes (14.6% versus 48.0%), deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis (65.0% versus 97.8%), anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation (21.0% versus 94.4%), lipid treatment (66.3% versus 95.8%), and rehabilitation assessment (58.8% versus 97.4%). Conclusions We found significant differences in clinical characteristics and gaps in adherence for certain performance measures between China and the United States. Additional efforts are needed for continued improvements in acute stroke care and secondary prevention in both nations, especially China.

Background and Purpose: A large body of literature reported the association of particulate matter (PM) with stroke in high-income countries. Few studies have examined the association between PM and stroke in middle- and low-income countries and considered the types of stroke. In this study, we examined the short-term effects of particulate matter

BackgroundWe aimed to determine the risk conferred by metabolic syndrome (METS) and diabetes mellitus (DM) to recurrent stroke in patients with minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack from the CHANCE (Clopidogrel in High‐risk patients with Acute Non‐disabling Cerebrovascular Events) trial. Methods and ResultsIn total, 3044 patients were included. Patients were stratified into 4 groups: neither, METS only, DM only, or both. METS was defined using the Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) and International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) definitions. The primary outcome was new stroke (including ischemic and hemorrhagic) at 90 days. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to assess the relationship of METS and DM status to the risk of recurrent stroke adjusted for potential covariates. Using the CDS criteria of METS, 53.2%, 17.2%, 19.8%, and 9.8% of patients were diagnosed as neither, METS only, DM only, and both, respectively. After 90 days of follow‐up, there were 299 new strokes (293 ischemic, 6 hemorrhagic). Patients with DM only (16.1% versus 6.8%; adjusted hazard ratio 2.50, 95% CI 1.89–3.39) and both (17.1% versus 6.8%; adjusted hazard ratio 2.76, 95% CI 1.98–3.86) had significantly increased rates of recurrent stroke. No interaction effect of antiplatelet therapy by different METS or DM status for the risk of recurrent stroke (P=0.82 for interaction in the fully adjusted model of CDS) was observed. Using the METS (IDF) criteria demonstrated similar results. ConclusionsConcurrent METS and DM was associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke in patients with minor stroke and transient ischemic attack.

BackgroundInsulin resistance is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in the general population. This study aimed to estimate the association between post–glucose load measures of insulin resistance and prognosis of nondiabetic patients with ischemic stroke. Methods and ResultsData were derived from the ACROSS‐China (Abnormal Glucose Regulation in Patients with Acute Stroke across China) registry. Patients with ischemic stroke without a history of diabetes mellitus were included. Two post–glucose load measures of insulin sensitivity, the insulin sensitivity indices ISI(composite) and the ISI0,120, were calculated. Outcomes included stroke recurrence, all‐cause death, and poor functional outcome at 12 months. Among 1203 patients, 63.3% were male with an average age of 62.1 years. At 12 months, 168 (14.4%) patients had recurrent stroke, 111 (9.2%) had died, and 288 (24.4%) had poor outcome. After adjustment for potential covariates, the first quartile of the ISI(composite) was associated with increased 12‐month stroke recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.28–3.18, P=0.003), death (adjusted hazard ratio 2.78, 95% CI 1.59–4.86, P