Faculty Bibliography

RATIONALE: Stroke and vascular risk factors disproportionately affect minority populations, with Blacks and Hispanics experiencing a 2.5- and 2.0-fold greater risk compared with whites, respectively. Patients with transient ischemic attacks and mild, nondisabling strokes tend to have short hospital stays, rapid discharges, and inaccurate perceptions of vascular risk. AIM: The primary aim of the Discharge Educational Strategies for Reduction of Vascular Events (DESERVE) trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel community health worker-based multilevel discharge intervention vs. standard discharge care on vascular risk reduction among racially/ethnically diverse transient ischemic attack/mild stroke patients at one-year postdischarge. We hypothesize that those randomized to the discharge intervention will have reduced modifiable vascular risk factors as determined by systolic blood pressure compared with those receiving usual care. SAMPLE SIZE ESTIMATES: Given 300 subjects per group and alpha of 0.05, the power to detect a 6 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure is 89%. DESIGN: DESERVE trial is a prospective, randomized, multicenter clinical trial of a novel discharge behavioral intervention. Patients with transient ischemic attack/mild stroke are randomized during hospitalization or emergency room visit to intervention or usual care. Intervention begins prior to discharge and continues postdischarge. STUDY OUTCOMES: The primary outcome is difference in systolic blood pressure reduction between groups at 12 months. Secondary outcomes include between-group differences in change in glycated hemoglobin, smoking rates, medication adherence, and recurrent stroke/transient ischemic attack at 12 months. DISCUSSION: DESERVE will evaluate whether a novel discharge education strategy leads to improved risk factor control in a racially diverse population.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation is frequently performed in patients with ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In this study, we used statewide administrative claims data to examine the rates of use, associated conditions, and in-hospital mortality rates for mechanically ventilated stroke patients. METHODS: We used statewide administrative claims data from three states and ICD-9-CM codes to identify patients admitted with stroke and those who received mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy. Descriptive statistics and exact 95 % confidence intervals were used to report rates of mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, and in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify conditions associated with mechanical ventilation based on previously described risk factors. RESULTS: 798,255 hospital admissions for stroke were identified. 12.5 % of these patients underwent mechanical ventilation. This rate varied by stroke type: 7.9 % for IS, 29.9 % for ICH, and 38.5 % for SAH. Increased age was associated with a decreased risk of receiving mechanical ventilation (RR per decade, 0.91). Of stroke patients who underwent mechanical ventilation, 16.3 % received a tracheostomy. Mechanical ventilation was more likely to occur in association with status epilepticus (RR, 5.1), pneumonia (RR, 4.9), sepsis (RR, 3.6), and hydrocephalus (RR, 3.3). In-hospital mortality rate for mechanically ventilated stroke patients was 52.7 % (46.8 % for IS, 61.0 % for ICH, and 54.6 % for SAH). CONCLUSIONS: In this large population-based sample, over half of mechanically ventilated stroke patients died in the hospital despite the fact that younger patients were more likely to receive mechanical ventilation. Future studies are indicated to elucidate mechanical ventilation strategies to optimize long-term outcomes after severe stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neurological deterioration (ND) is a devastating complication after intracerebral hemorrhage but little is known about time course and predictors. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of placebo patients in intracerebral hemorrhage trials. We performed computed tomographic scans within 3 hours of symptoms and at 24 and 72 hours; and clinical evaluations at baseline, 1-hour, and days 1, 2, 3, and 15. Timing of ND was predefined as follows: hyperacute (within 1 hour), acute (1-24 hours), subacute (1-3 days), and delayed (3-15 days). RESULTS: We enrolled 376 patients and 176 (47%) had ND within 15 days. In multivariate analyses of ND by category, hyperacute ND was associated with hematoma expansion (odds ratio [OR], 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-7.6) and baseline intracerebral hemorrhage volume (OR, 1.04 per mL; 95% CI 1.02-1.06); acute ND with hematoma expansion (OR, 7.59; 95% CI, 3.91-14.74), baseline intracerebral hemorrhage volume (OR, 1.02 per mL; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04), admission Glasgow Coma Scale (OR, 0.77 per point; 95% CI, 0.65-0.91), and interventricular hemorrhage (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.05-4.35); subacute ND with 72-hour edema (OR, 1.03 per mL; 95% CI, 1.02-1.05) and fever (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.01-6.14); and delayed ND with age (OR, 1.11 per year; 95% CI, 1.04-1.18), troponin (OR, 4.30 per point; 95% CI, 1.71-10.77), and infections (OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.11-12.23). Patients with ND had worse 90-day modified Rankin scores (5 versus 3; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ND occurs frequently and predicts poor outcomes. Our results implicate hematoma expansion and interventricular hemorrhage in early ND, and cerebral edema, fever, and medical complications in later ND.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Risk factors for infections after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and their association with outcomes are unknown. We hypothesized there are predictors of poststroke infection and infections drive worse outcomes. METHODS: We determined prevalence of infections in a multicenter, triethnic study of ICH. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to determine the association of infection with admission characteristics and hospital complications. We performed logistic regression on association of infection with outcomes after controlling for known determinants of prognosis after ICH (volume, age, infratentorial location, intraventricular hemorrhage, and Glasgow Coma Scale). RESULTS: Among 800 patients, infections occurred in 245 (31%). Admission characteristics associated with infection in multivariable models were ICH volume (odds ratio [OR], 1.02/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.03), lower Glasgow Coma Scale (OR, 0.91 per point; 95% CI, 0.87-0.95), deep location (reference lobar: OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.28-2.88), and black race (reference white: OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.32). In a logistic regression of admission and hospital factors, infections were associated with intubation (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 2.1-4.5), dysphagia (with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: OR, 3.19; 95% CI, 2.03-5.05 and without percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.04-4.23), pulmonary edema (OR, 3.71; 95% CI, 1.29-12.33), and deep vein thrombosis (OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.86-21.02), but not ICH volume or Glasgow Coma Scale. Infected patients had higher discharge mortality (16% versus 8%; P=0.001) and worse 3-month outcomes (modified Rankin Scale >/=3; 80% versus 51%; P<0.001). Infection was an independent predictor of poor 3-month outcome (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.8-3.9). CONCLUSIONS: There are identifiable risk factors for infection after ICH, and infections predict poor outcomes.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether therapeutic temperature modulation (TTM) to treat fever after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with improved hospital complications and discharge outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective case-control study of patients admitted with spontaneous ICH having two consecutive fevers >/=38.3 degrees C despite acetaminophen administration. Cases were enrolled from a prospective database of patients receiving TTM from 2006 to 2010. All cases received TTM for fever control with goal temperature of 37 degrees C with a shiver-control protocol. Controls were matched in severity by ICH score and retrospectively obtained from 2001 to 2004, before routine use of TTM for ICH. Primary outcome was discharge-modified Rankin score. RESULTS: Forty patients were enrolled in each group. Median admission ICH Score, ICH volume, and GCS were similar. TTM was initiated with a median of 3 days after ICH onset and for a median duration of 7 days. Mean daily T max was significantly higher in the control group over the first 12 days (38.1 vs. 38.7 degrees C, p