Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Stroke

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 6641

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
UOC Neurology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: stroke; thrombolysis; thrombectomy; delirium; sleep; obstructive sleep apnea; polysomnography; insomnia

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Guest Editor
UOC Neurology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: stroke; thrombolysis; thrombectomy; delirium; neural plasticity; transcranial magnetic stimulation; evoked potentials; neurophysiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the management of stroke has deeply changed as result of recent evidence coming from the scientific community. The results of ongoing trials are likely to further change stroke management in the near future. New therapeutic options are now available to treat patients with acute stroke, and innovative diagnostic tools are currently being developed to select patients that can benefit the most from available treatments. Although great strides have been made in the management of stroke, to date, stroke still represents one of the commonest causes of death and disability.

We are well aware of your involvement in the field and believe that you could make a brilliant contribution in this Special Issue. Therefore, we would be pleased if you  submit a review or research article to this issue to enrich the current knowledge on management and diagnosis of stroke.

Dr. Valerio Brunetti
Dr. Riccardo Di Iorio
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • stroke
  • thrombolysis
  • thrombectomy
  • delirium
  • neuroprotection
  • telemedicine
  • sleep
  • stroke rehabilitation
  • neural plasticity
  • neurophysiology
  • transcranial magnetic stimulation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1006 KiB  
Article
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Translocator Protein (TSPO) as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Acute Ischemic Stroke
by Mayuri N. Tuwar, Wei-Hung Chen, Arthur M. Chiwaya, Hsu-Ling Yeh, Minh H. Nguyen and Chyi-Huey Bai
Diagnostics 2023, 13(13), 2298; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13132298 - 6 Jul 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2275
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) interacts with tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) to promote neuronal growth, survival, differentiation, neurotransmitter release, and synaptic plasticity. The translocator protein (TSPO) is known to be found in arterial plaques, which are a symptom of atherosclerosis and a contributory cause [...] Read more.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) interacts with tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) to promote neuronal growth, survival, differentiation, neurotransmitter release, and synaptic plasticity. The translocator protein (TSPO) is known to be found in arterial plaques, which are a symptom of atherosclerosis and a contributory cause of ischemic stroke. This study aims to determine the diagnostic accuracy of plasma BDNF and TSPO levels in discriminating new-onset acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients from individuals without acute ischemic stroke. A total of 90 AIS patients (61% male, with a mean age of 67.7 ± 12.88) were recruited consecutively in a stroke unit, and each patient was paired with two age- and gender-matched controls. The sensitivity, specificity, and area of the curve between high plasma BDNF and TSPO and having AIS was determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Furthermore, compared to the controls, AIS patients exhibited significantly higher levels of BDNF and TSPO, blood pressure, HbA1c, and white blood cells, as well as higher creatinine levels. The plasma levels of BDNF and TSPO can significantly discriminate AIS patients from healthy individuals (AUC 0.76 and 0.89, respectively). However, combining the two biomarkers provided little improvement in AUC (0.90). It may be possible to use elevated levels of TSPO as a diagnostic biomarker in patients with acute ischemic stroke upon admission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Stroke)
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13 pages, 4249 KiB  
Article
Endovascular Treatment of Cerebral Vein Thrombosis: Safety and Effectiveness in the Thrombectomy Era
by Mariangela Piano, Andrea Romi, Amedeo Cervo, Antonella Gatti, Antonio Macera, Guglielmo Pero, Cristina Motto, Elio Clemente Agostoni and Emilio Lozupone
Diagnostics 2023, 13(13), 2248; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13132248 - 3 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2128
Abstract
Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare cause of stroke that tends to affect young people. Endovascular treatment (EVT) has not yet shown to be beneficial in CVT and is therefore actually only indicated as rescue therapy in severe and refractory cases for [...] Read more.
Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare cause of stroke that tends to affect young people. Endovascular treatment (EVT) has not yet shown to be beneficial in CVT and is therefore actually only indicated as rescue therapy in severe and refractory cases for medical treatment. Clinical, neuroimaging, procedural and follow-up data were evaluated in order to define the safety and efficacy of EVT in the management of CVT between January 2016 and December 2022. Safety was assessed on the basis of recording adverse events. Functional outcomes (NIHSS, mRS) and neuroimaging were recorded at onset, at discharge and at a 6-month follow-up. Efficacy was assessed evaluating the recanalization rate at the end of the procedure. Twenty-one patients (17 female, 4 male, range 16–84 years) with CVT underwent EVT. Overall morbidity and mortality were both at 4.7%. Median NIHSS at the onset and at the discharge were, respectively, 10 and 2. Successful recanalization was achieved in 21/23 procedures (91.3%). Imaging follow-up (FUP) showed stable recanalization in all but one patient with successful recanalization. In 18/21 patients, a good clinical independence (mRS 0–2) was recorded at 6 months. Our study adds evidence on the safety and efficacy of endovascular techniques in the treatment of CVT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Stroke)
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15 pages, 2489 KiB  
Article
Validity and Reliability of Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Detecting Moderate- or High-Grade Carotid Atherosclerosis in an Outpatient Department
by Wan-Ling Chang, Pei-Ya Chen, Po-Jen Hsu and Shinn-Kuang Lin
Diagnostics 2023, 13(11), 1952; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13111952 - 2 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1653
Abstract
The prevalence of carotid stenosis is considerably higher in asymptomatic individuals with multiple risk factors than in the general population. We investigated the validity and reliability of carotid point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for rapid carotid atherosclerosis screening. We prospectively enrolled asymptomatic individuals with carotid [...] Read more.
The prevalence of carotid stenosis is considerably higher in asymptomatic individuals with multiple risk factors than in the general population. We investigated the validity and reliability of carotid point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for rapid carotid atherosclerosis screening. We prospectively enrolled asymptomatic individuals with carotid risk scores of ≥7 who underwent outpatient carotid POCUS and laboratory carotid sonography. Their simplified carotid plaque scores (sCPSs) and Handa’s carotid plaque scores (hCPSs) were compared. Of 60 patients (median age, 81.9 years), 50% were diagnosed as having moderate- or high-grade carotid atherosclerosis. The overestimation and underestimation of outpatient sCPSs were more likely in patients with low and high laboratory-derived sCPSs, respectively. Bland–Altman plots indicated that the mean differences between the participants’ outpatients and laboratory sCPSs were within two standard deviations of their laboratory sCPSs. A Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient revealed a strong positive linear correlation between outpatient and laboratory sCPSs (r = 0.956, p < 0.001). An intraclass correlation coefficient analysis indicated excellent reliability between the two methods (0.954). Both carotid risk score and sCPS were positively and linearly correlated with laboratory hCPS. Our findings indicate that POCUS has satisfactory agreement, strong correlation, and excellent reliability with laboratory carotid sonography, making it suitable for rapid screening of carotid atherosclerosis in high-risk patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Stroke)
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