Michael A. Pizzi

Ambulance-based assessment of NIH Stroke Scale with telemedicine: A feasibility pilot study

Background Ischemic stroke is a time-sensitive disease, with improved outcomes associated with decreased time from onset to treatment. It was hypothesised that ambulance-based assessment of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) using a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)–compliant mobile platform immediately prior to arrival is feasible. Methods This is a proof-of-concept feasibility pilot study in two phases. The first phase consisted of an ambulance-equipped HIPAA-compliant video platform for remote NIHSS assessment of a simulated stroke patient. The second phase consisted of remote NIHSS assessment by a hospital-based neurologist of acute stroke patients en route to our facility. Five ambulances were equipped with a 4G/LTE-enabled tablet preloaded with a secure HIPAA-compliant telemedicine application. Secondary outcomes assessed satisfaction of staff with the remote platform. Results Phase one was successful in the assessment of three out of three simulated patients. Phase two was successful in the assessment of 10 out of 11 (91%) cases. One video attempt was unsuccessful because local LTE was turned off on the device. The video signal was dropped transiently due to weather, which delayed NIHSS assessment in one case. Average NIHSS assessment time was 7.6 minutes (range 3–9.8 minutes). Neurologists rated 83% of encounters as ‘satisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’, and the emergency medical service (EMS) rated 90% of encounters as ‘satisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’. The one failed video attempt was associated with ‘poor’ EMS satisfaction. Conclusion This proof-of-concept pilot demonstrates that remote ambulance-based NIHSS assessment is feasible. This model could reduce door-to-needle times by conducting prehospital data collection.

Precision medicine of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia

ABSTRACT Introduction: Precision medicine provides individualized treatment of diseases through leveraging patient-to-patient variation. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage carries tremendous morbidity and mortality with cerebral vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia proving devastating and unpredictable. Lack of treatment measures for these conditions could be improved through precision medicine. Areas covered: Discussed are the pathophysiology of CV and DCI, treatment guidelines, and evidence for precision medicine used for prediction and prevention of poor outcomes following aSAH. A PubMed search was performed using keywords cerebral vasospasm or delayed cerebral ischemia and either biomarkers, precision medicine, metabolomics, proteomics, or genomics. Over 200 peer-reviewed articles were evaluated. The studies presented cover biomarkers identified as predictive markers or therapeutic targets following aSAH. Expert commentary: The biomarkers reviewed here correlate with CV, DCI, and neurologic outcomes after aSAH. Though practical use in clinical management of aSAH is not well established, using these biomarkers as predictive tools or therapeutic targets demonstrates the potential of precision medicine.

Update on Neurocritical Care of Stroke

Purpose of ReviewThis review will highlight the recent advancements in acute ischemic stroke diagnosis and treatment, with special attention to new features and recommendations of stroke care in the neurocritical care unit.Recent FindingsNew studies suggest that pre-hospital treatment of stroke with mobile stroke units and telestroke technology may lead to earlier stroke therapy with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and recent studies show tPA can be given in previously contraindicated situations. More rapid automated CT perfusion and angiography may demonstrate a vascular penumbra for neuroendovascular intervention. Further, the greatest advance in acute stroke treatment since 2014 is the demonstration that neuroendovascular catheter-based thrombectomy with stent retrievers recanalizing intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO) improves both recanalization and long-term outcomes in several trials. Hemorrhagic transformation and severe large infarct cerebral edema remain serious post-stroke challenges, with new guidelines describing who and when patients should get medical or surgical intervention.SummaryThe adage “time is brain” directs the most evidence-based approach for rapid stroke diagnosis for tPA eligible and LVO recanalization using an orchestrated team approach. The neurocritical care unit is the appropriate location to optimize stroke outcomes for the most severely affected stroke patients.

Investigational drugs for vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage

ABSTRACT Introduction: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) represents 3% of all strokes in the US. When the patient survives it can lead to permanent incapacity especially if the patient develops vasospasm. The vasospasm is a multifactorial disorder and can lead to delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Most of the drugs tested to treat vasospasm failed to improve outcome and the only exception is nimodipine. Areas covered: In this review, the authors describe the multifactorial process of vasospasm leading DCI after aSAH, discussing the treatments available based on the past and latest researches. Expert opinion: Nimodipine is the only FDA-approved medication with neuroprotective effect and able to improve outcomes after aSAH. Understanding nimodipine trials is mandatory to understand and criticize all the drug trials published until now. The mechanism to vasospasm is multifactorial and not completely understood and all the other attempts to find a better medication could not prove superior results. Newton and PEGylated Carboxyhemoglobin Bovine can be potentially effective to prevent vasospasm but we still need more data and large studies. Future research should investigate newer drugs, as well as the combination of multiple drugs therapy and the association with blood evacuation techniques.

Adult Presentation of Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency: 2 Illustrative Cases of Phenotypic Variability and Literature Review:

Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency is an X-linked recessive disorder that usually presents in the neonatal period. Late-onset presentation of OTC can cause mild to severe symptoms. We describe laboratory and clinical findings of late-onset presentations of OTC deficiency. We conducted a literature search using search terms “ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency,” “late onset presentation,” and “hyperammonemia” from January 1, 1987, to December 31, 2016, was performed. Only papers published in English were included. We searched on PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. We also present 2 OTC deficiency cases. A total of 30 adult cases had late-onset presentation of OTC deficiency reported. The majority were women (57%) with a median age of 37 years. The median level of ammonia was 308 mmol/L and the mortality rate was 30%. Our case 1 was a 40-year-old woman who succumbed to neurologic complications after a hyperammonemia crisis following an increased protein intake. Our case 2 was a 43-year-old woman with seizures associated with increased ammonia levels. Our 2 case reports show the wide phenotypic variability and severity in late-onset presentation of OTC ranging from seizures to cerebral herniation. Our literature review is the first to detail published laboratory and neurologic sequelae of late-onset OTC deficiency.

A Preliminary Observational Study of Anovulatory Uterine Bleeding After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

ABSTRACT Introduction: It was observed that women with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) tended to have earlier menses than a typical 21- to 28-day cycle. The goal was to determine whether there is an association between aSAH and early onset of menses. Methods: All cases of aSAH in women aged 18 to 55 years who were admitted to our facility’s neuroscience intensive care unit from June 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, were reviewed. The electronic healthcare record for each of these patients was examined for documentation of menses onset, computed tomography of the head, brain aneurysm characteristics, modified Fisher score and Glasgow Coma Scale on admission, presence/absence of vasospasm, medical/surgical history, and use of medications that affect the menstrual cycle. The mean onset of menses in this study population was compared with the mean of 21 to 28 days with the 1-sample t test. Results: During the study period, 103 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage were admitted. Sixty-one were women, and 15 were aged 18 to 55 years. Nine of the 15 (60%) had documentation of menses occurring during their initial week of hospitalization; 1 patient had documentation of menses on hospital day 12. There is a significant difference when the mean onset of menses in our patient population is compared with the approximate normal menstrual cycle of 21 to 28 days (P < .01). Conclusion: Early onset of menses or abnormal uterine bleeding after SAH may occur in women with aSAH and typically within the first 7 to 10 days after intracranial aneurysm rupture. The physiologic cause of early onset of menses after aSAH, whether primary or secondary, remains unknown.

1829: AORTIC CANNULATION AND CEREBRAL HYPERPERFUSION SYNDROME

Crit Care Med 2016 • Volume 44 • Number 12 (Suppl.) intensivist to update him on findings. At the same time, the intensivist monitored seizures by reviewing spectrography and aEEG. No deep knowledge of the generation of these graphic representations of changes in rhythmicity and amplitude were needed to clearly distinguish between seizures and seizure-free intervals. The intensivist was able to make changes to medications on a real-time basis, later verified by an epileptologist. All AEDs tried failed and a ketogenic diet was initiated leading to sustained control of seizures. The patient had mild brain atrophy and significant dystonic symptoms that gradually improved over weeks with intensive rehabilitation therapy. Results: aEEG and spectrography useful for SRSE management