Pil-Wook Chung

Ischemic Stroke in Cancer Patients With and Without Conventional Mechanisms. A Multicenter Study in Korea

Background and Methods— To assess the precise mechanisms of stroke in cancer patients, we analyzed the data for cancer patients with acute ischemic stroke registered from 6 centers in South Korea. Clinical features, risk factors, diffusion-weighted imaging lesion patterns, and laboratory findings including d-dimer levels were compared between patients with conventional stroke mechanisms (CSMs) and cryptogenic group. Results— A total of 161 patients were included in this study: 97 (60.2%) patients in the CSM group and 64 (39.8%) in the cryptogenic group. Patients in the CSM group were older and vascular risk factors were more prevalent than in the cryptogenic group. Diffusion-weighted imaging patterns of multiple lesions involving multiple arterial territories were observed more frequently in the cryptogenic group than in the CSM group. In addition, levels of the d-dimer were higher in the cryptogenic group than in the CSM group (11.5±14.6 versus 3.6±10.3 &mgr;g/dL). In multivariate analysis, the diffusion-weighted imaging lesion pattern of multiple vascular territories (odds ratio, 11.2; 95% CI, 3.74 to 33.3), and d-dimer levels of >1.11 &mgr;g/dL (odds ratio, 10.6; 95% CI, 3.29 to 33.8) were associated independently with the cryptogenic group. Conclusions— Stroke outside of CSM occurred in a large number in cancer patients. In stroke patients with cancer, d-dimer levels and diffusion-weighted imaging lesion patterns may be helpful in early identification of non-CSMs (especially coagulopathy associated with cancer) and possibly in guiding preventive strategies for stroke.

Cardiac troponin T elevation after stroke: relationships between elevated serum troponin T, stroke location, and prognosis.

Background and Purpose Elevation of serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is regarded as a specific marker of acute coronary syndrome. Serum cTnT can be increased in patients with acute ischemic stroke, but its clinical implications remain unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the relationships between elevated cTnT and stroke severity, location, and prognosis. Methods From January 2005 to December 2006, this study recruited 455 consecutive patients who were admitted to Kangbuk Samsung Hospital due to acute ischemic stroke within 3 days of onset, which was confirmed by diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 416 patients was finally included and divided into 2 groups: an elevated cTnT group (n=45) and a normal cTnT group (n=371). The short-term prognosis was assessed by 30-day modified Rankin Scale responder analysis was compared between the two groups. Results Serum cTnT was elevated in 10.8% of cases, with elevated cTnT associated with greater stroke severity, as assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, Insular-lobe involvement was more common in patients with elevated cTnT than in the normal cTnT group. Short-term prognosis was more unfavorable in the elevated cTnT group than in the normal cTnT group. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that elevated cTnT was independently related to insular involvement, cardioembolism, and unfavorable outcome. Conclusions Elevated cTnT in acute ischemic stroke was associated with severe neurological deficits at stroke onset and damages to the insular lobe. The outcome of acute ischemic stroke was worse for patients with elevated cTnT than for those with normal cTnT. The pathomechanism underlying acute ischemic stroke and subclinical myocardial damage warrants further study.

Intracranial Internal Carotid Artery Calcification: A Representative for Cerebral Artery Calcification and Association with White Matter Hyperintensities

Background: Our aim was to investigate the distribution pattern of cerebral artery calcification and its association with white matter hyperintensities (WMH). Methods: We identified 159 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke. Calcifications of cerebral arteries and WMH were graded. Results: Cerebral artery calcification was found in 137 patients (86.2%). The intracranial internal carotid artery (I-ICA) was the most frequently affected artery with calcification (76.7%) and moderate-to-severe calcification (38.1%). Spearman’s rank test revealed that the grade of I-ICA calcification was correlated with those of periventricular WMH (r = 0.417, p < 0.001) and deep WMH (r = 0.388, p < 0.001). The adjusted ORs of I-ICA were 2.62 (p <0.05) for periventricular WMH and 3.25 (p <0.05) for deep WMH. Conclusions: Cerebral artery calcification is common in patients with ischemic stroke. I-ICA is the most frequently and most severely affected cerebral artery and its calcification is associated with WMH.

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality among Koreans: effects of obesity and metabolic health

INTRODUCTION The effect of obesity on mortality in people with metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors, but without pre-existing diabetes; hypertension; or cardiovascular disease (CVD), is uncertain. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of obesity and MetS risk factors on CVD and all-cause mortality in an Asian cohort. METHODS This retrospective study included 275,867 Koreans (56.6% men) who participated in an occupational health program between 2002 and 2009. At baseline, four groups were defined, according to the absence/presence of obesity (defined by BMI < or ≥25, respectively) and zero or one or more MetS features, respectively: metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO; reference group); metabolically healthy obese (MHO); metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO); and metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for CVD and all-cause mortality at follow-up were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS During follow-up, 1,060 deaths (187 from CVD) occurred. After adjusting for age, sex, alcohol intake, exercise, and educational status, CVD mortality risk was not increased in the MHO group (HR=0.50, 95% CI=0.15, 1.66), whereas risk was increased in the MUO and MUNO groups (HR=1.81, 95% CI=1.12, 2.91; HR=1.84, 95% CI=1.15, 2.92, respectively). HRs for all-cause mortality in both obese groups were not different from the reference group. When subjects with prior diabetes, CVD, and hypertension were excluded, CVD mortality was not significantly different in the MUO and MUNO groups from the reference group. CONCLUSIONS Comorbid diabetes, hypertension, or CVD explain much of the increased risk of CVD mortality in obese individuals.

Serum Vitamin D Status as a Predictor of Prognosis in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations have been shown to predict risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Although the prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency is high in patients with acute stroke, the prognostic value of 25(OH)D in stroke has not been clearly established. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the baseline serum 25(OH)D level was associated with the functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: From June 2011 to January 2014, consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days of symptom onset were enrolled in this study from a prospectively maintained stroke registry. Serum 25(OH)D level was measured at admission. Clinical and laboratory data including stroke severity using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score were collected during admission, and the functional outcome at 3 months was assessed by modified Rankin scale (mRS). The association between the baseline 25(OH)D level and a good functional outcome (mRS 0-2) at 3 months was analyzed by multiple logistic regression models. Results: A total of 818 patients were enrolled in this study. Mean age was 66.2 (±12.9) years, and 40.5% were female. The mean 25(OH)D level was 47.2 ± 31.7 nmol/l, and the majority of patients met vitamin D deficient status (<50 nmol/l; 68.8%), while an optimal vitamin D level (≥75 nmol/l) was present in only 13.6% of the patients, and 436 (53.3%) patients showed good functional outcome at 3 months. Serum 25(OH)D levels in patients with good outcomes were significantly higher than those with poor outcome (50.2 ± 32.7 vs. 43.9 ± 30.0 nmol/l, p = 0.007). The 3-month functional outcome was significantly associated with month-specific 25(OH)D quartiles in multivariable logistic regression analysis. After adjustment for age and sex, the highest 25(OH)D quartile group had higher tendency for good functional outcome at 3 months (odds ratio (OR) = 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-2.51). After fully adjusting for other potential confounders, such as stroke severity and vascular risk factors, the association was further strengthened with an OR (95% CI) of 1.90 (1.14-3.16). Other factors associated with good functional outcome in multivariable analysis were younger age, lower initial NIHSS score and absence of diabetes. Conclusions: This study suggests that serum 25(OH)D level is an independent predictor of functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Further studies are required to determine whether vitamin D supplementation could improve functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke.

A case of symptomatic hypnic headache syndrome

The hypnic headache syndrome is a rare, benign, nocturnal, non-familial headache disorder that occurs only while asleep. Since the first description by Raskin (1) in 1998, the syndrome has been characterized by a diffuse headache that awakens patients at a consistent time of the night, sometimes during a dream, and lasts for 30–180 min. This disorder mainly affects elderly subjects and both sexes equally (2). The pathophysiological mechanism of hypnic headache is not known, but its circadian periodicity and responsiveness to lithium carbonate suggest that perturbation of chronobiological rhythms causes this headache (1). We describe a patient with hypnic headache, which had developed after pontine infarction. To our knowledge, this is the first report of symptomatic hypnic headache that developed after stroke and that suggests direct evidence of a potential pathophysiological mechanism and relationship of hypnic headache to the sleep cycle.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D Status Is Associated With Chronic Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Background and Purpose— The aim of this study was to determine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and neuroimaging correlates of cerebral small vessel disease. Methods— We identified 759 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Lacunes, white matter hyperintensity, and cerebral microbleed (CMB) were assessed using MR images. Deep CMB was defined as the presence of CMB in basal ganglia, thalamus, or brain stem. The association between 25(OH)D and small vessel disease was tested using linear and logistic regression analyses. Results— Mean age was 68 (±13) years. Mean level of 25(OH)D was 34.1±17.8 nmol/L. On bivariate analysis, a 25-nmol/L decrease in 25(OH)D was associated with lacunes (regression coefficient, 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02–0.45), severe white matter hyperintensity (odds ratio, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.41–3.08), and deep CMB (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01–1.63). Also, 25(OH)D deficiency (⩽25 nmol/L) was associated with lacunes (regression coefficient, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.04–0.95), severe white matter hyperintensity (odds ratio, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.31–6.45), and deep CMB (odds ratio, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.03–2.78). The association remained significant even after multivariable adjustment and in the subgroup of previously healthy patients. Conclusions— 25(OH)D is inversely associated with lacunes, white matter hyperintensity, and deep CMB. Our findings suggest that 25(OH)D is linked to small vessel disease, and in future trials it should be tested whether 25(OH)D supplementation can prevent small vessel disease.

Leukoaraiosis predicts poor outcome after spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background and Aims: Leukoaraiosis (LA) is associated with aging and vascular risk factors, and is a risk factor of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after treatment with warfarin or thrombolytic treatment for ischemic stroke. In this study, we sought to examine whether LA is a predictor of outcome after spontaneous ICH. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 238 consecutive patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH identified by a database search. Patients were divided into two groups according to neurological outcome at 90 days: patients with good outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale ≧4) and patients with poor outcomes. Demographic features, ICH characteristics, and LA severity as assessed by van Swieten score on brain CT were compared between the two groups. Results: Overall, 105 (44.1%) of the patients analyzed had poor outcomes. In univariate analysis, LA severity, ICH volume on initial brain CT, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), old age, surgical treatment, and higher admission serum glucose level were associated with poor outcome. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that severity of LA, initial GCS score, hematoma volume, presence of IVH, and surgical treatment were independent predictors of poor outcome. Conclusion: LA is an independent predictor of poor neurological outcome in patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH.

Association between Cerebral Arterial Calcification and Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background/Aims: Vascular calcification is known to be associated with cardiovascular mortality, and arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity is associated with major cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the correlation between arterial stiffness and cerebral arterial calcification. Methods: Arterial stiffness, as measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and cerebral arterial calcification, as measured by CT angiography using a 40-multidetector scanner, were examined in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Sixty-seven subjects who were free of renal disease or peripheral arterial disease were included in the analysis. Results: Univariate analysis revealed that baPWV was significantly correlated with cerebral arterial calcification (r = 0.524, p < 0.001) and age (r = 0.452, p < 0.001), and multiple linear regression analysis indicated that age and cerebral arterial calcification were independent determinants of baPWV. Conclusion: We report that increased baPWV is closely associated with the degree of cerebral arterial calcification in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Our results suggest that the severity of cerebral arterial calcification is representative of the degree of systemic arterial stiffness.

Increased cardiovascular mortality in subjects with metabolic syndrome is largely attributable to diabetes and hypertension in 159,971 Korean adults

CONTEXT Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the association of MetS with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in apparently healthy young Korean subjects. DESIGN A retrospective study of 155,971 participants (mean age, 41.8 y) in a health screening program, followed up for 3.7 years (597,628.2 person-years). The risk for all-cause mortality and CVD mortality were analyzed according to the presence or absence of MetS. MAIN OUTCOMES A total of 542 subjects died during followup. Women with MetS showed a significantly increased age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality compared with women without MetS, even after adjustment for confounding factors (HR, 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-2.88). Subjects with MetS showed a significantly increased risk for CVD mortality compared with those without MetS, even after adjustment for confounding factors (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.02-2.20), of which significance disappeared when subjects with diabetes or hypertension at baseline were excluded from the analysis (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.29-3.12). CONCLUSIONS The presence of MetS increased the risk for all-cause mortality in women and the risk for CVD mortality in total population. These increased HR attributed to the pre-existing diabetes or hypertension in this population.