Yusuf İnanç

Predictors of a Good Outcome after Endovascular Stroke Treatment with Stent Retrievers

Background and Purpose. Successful recanalization after endovascular stroke therapy (EVT) did not translate into a good clinical outcome in randomized trials. The goal of the study was to identify the predictors of a good outcome after mechanical thrombectomy with stent retrievers. Methods. A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database included consecutive patients treated with stent retrievers. We evaluated the influence of risk factors for stroke, baseline NIHSS score, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT (ASPECT) score, recanalization rate, onset-to-recanalization and onset-to-groin puncture time, and glucose levels at admission on good outcomes. The number of stent passes during procedure and symptomatic hemorrhage rate were also recorded. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–2 at 90 days was considered as a good outcome. Results. From January 2011 to 2014, 70 consecutive patients with an acute ischemic stroke underwent EVT with stent retrievers. The absence of a medical history of diabetes was associated with good outcomes. Apart from diabetes, the baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were similar between subjects with poor outcome versus those with good outcomes. Median time from onset to recanalization was significantly shorter in patients with good outcomes 245 (IQR: 216–313 min) compared with poor outcome patients (315 (IQR: 240–360 min); P = 0.023). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was observed in eight (21.6%) of 37 patients with poor outcomes and no symptomatic hemorrhage was seen in patients with good outcomes (P = 0.006). In multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, a favorable ASPECT score (ASPECT > 7) and successful recanalization after EVT were predictors of good outcomes. Every 10-year increase was associated with a 3.60-fold decrease in the probability of a good outcome at 3 months. The probability of a good outcome decreases by 1.43-fold for each 20 mg/dL increase in the blood glucose at admission. Conclusion. To achieve a good outcome after EVT with stent retrievers, quick and complete recanalization and better strategies for patient selection are warranted. We need randomized trials to identify the significance of tight blood glucose control in clinical outcome during or after EVT.

Does stroke etiology play a role in predicting outcome of acute stroke patients who underwent endovascular treatment with stent retrievers

AIMS The goal of the study was to identify whether the stroke etiology play a role in the recanalization and outcome of patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy with stent retrievers. METHODS AND RESULTS A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database included consecutive patients treated with stent retrievers. We included patients with cardioembolic stroke and large vessel atherosclerotic disease and compared risk factors for stroke, baseline NIHSS and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT scores (ASPECTS), stroke outcome, recanalization rate, onset-to-recanalization, onset-to-groin puncture time and the procedural time between two groups. Male sex was statistically more common in patients with large vessel atherosclerotic disease. Mean time from symptom onset- to the achievement of recanalization in patients with LVAD was 242±72.4 compared with cardioembolic stroke patients (301±70.7; p=0.014). Time for groin puncture to recanalization was longer in patients with cardioembolic stroke compared to LVAD group (97.5±44.3 vs 58.2±21.8; p=0.002). Time for microcatheter to successful recanalization or procedural termination was longer in patients with cardioembolic stroke compared to LVAD group (63.6±30.2 vs 34.2±19.4; p<0.001) with cardioembolic stroke had significantly worse long-term outcome (mRS 3-6) compared to those with LVAD (60.6% vs 26.3%; p=0.036). CONCLUSION Stroke etiology may play a role in the outcome of acute stroke patients who underwent endovascular stroke therapy. Cardioembolic strokes may be more resistant to endovascular acute stroke treatment.

Supra-aortic Stenting Experiences in Over Eighty Year Old Patients

INTRODUCTION: Stroke is a common disease at any age but it is mostly seen in older population. Increasing aging of the population all over the world boostes importance of primary and secondary prevention measures for stroke. Carotid artery stenosis is observed in 10% of people over 80 years of age. Our aim is to share the clinical results and outcomes of patients over 80 years of age who underwent supraaortic stenting. MATERIAL and METHODS: In this study we examined retrospectively 25 patients which are over 80 years of age and underwent supra-aortic stenting between January 2014January 2017 in Gaziantep University Neurology Clinic. Patients were examined for vascular risk factors. Patient with symptomatic carotid artery (>50%) and vertebral artery stenosis (>60%) underwent stenting. Vascular complications and clinical results are recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were included in study. 15 (60%) of these patients were male and 10 (40%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 81.33 ± 1.63. 40% of patients had previous stroke history or transient ischemic attack (TIA), 36% of them had hypertension (HT), 20% of them had coronary artery disease (CAD), 8% of them had hyperlipidemia (HL) and 8% of them had diabetes mellitus (DM). 25 patients applied 31 stenting. 1 (4%) patient had periprocedural asystole and 4(16%) patients had periprocedural bradycardia. There was an infarction of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) ipsilateral to the stent in 1 (4%) patient. Reperfusion bleeding did not occur in any patient. 2 (8%) patients had post-procedural encephalopathy and agitation lasting shorter than 24 hours. Hypotension was observed in 8 patients (32%). Twelve (48%) patients had post-procedural headache lasting shorter than 24 hours. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yazışma Adresi: Yrd. Doç. Dr. Yusuf İnanç Gaziantep Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Nöroloji Anabilim Dalı, Gaziantep. E-mail: yusufinanc77@hotmail.com Telefon: 0342 360 60 60 Geliş Tarihi: 09.05. 2018 Kabul Tarihi: 08.06.2018 Received: 09.05.2018 Accepted: 08.06.2018 Bu makale şu şekilde atıf edilmelidir: İnanç Y, Yıldırım S, Giray S, Karaçay E. Seksen yaş üstü hastalarda supraaortik stentleme tecrübelerimiz. Türk Beyin Damar Hastalıkları Dergisi 2018; 24 (2): 52-57. doi: 10.5505/tbdhd.2018.97658

An assessment of vertigo patients presenting to the otorhinolaryngology and neurology outpatient clinics

Objective: Vertigo is a general term used for disorientation and is a frequent cause of admission to emergency services, otorhinolaryngology and neurology outpatient clinics. This study aims to evaluate the clinical findings, diagnostic laboratory tests, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and Doppler ultrasonography results of patients with complaints of vertigo. Methods: Patients aged >18 years who admitted to the Otorhinolaryngology and Neurology Outpatient clinics of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University Training and Research Hospital with the main complaint of vertigo between January 2017 and August 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were evaluated in respect of anamnesis, examination findings, and diagnostic tests (pure tone audiometry, video nystagmography, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and carotid and vertebral artery Doppler ultrasonography). Results: The study included a total of 101 patients with a mean age of 46.36 ± 16.1 years who presented with the complaint of vertigo. Of the patients, 16 had an ischemic gliotic region, 4 had a lacunar infarct, 2 had an arachnoid cyst, 2 had a cerebellar infarct, 1 had a meningioma, and 1 had a pineal gland cyst on the brain magnetic resonance imaging. Of the patients evaluated in the Otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic, 87 (86.13%) were diagnosed with peripheral vertigo and 14 (13.6%) with central vertigo. A diagnosis of central vertigo was made in 23 (22.77%) patients evaluated in the Neurology outpatient clinic. Conclusions: For patients presenting with the complaint of vertigo to the otorhinolaryngology and neurology outpatient clinics, a detailed anamnesis and a physical examination precede specific vestibular tests in the diagnosis. A coordinated communication of both clinics is important for a rapid diagnosis and prevention of unnecessary examinations.

Evaluation of BPPV with vertebral artery values

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the association between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and vertebral artery (VA) flow rates and diameters by using Doppler ultrasonography in patients with BPPV. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the abnormalities of VA values obtained by extracranial color-coded duplex sonography in BPPV, which could be accepted as a precursor lesion for posterior cerebral ischemic stroke. Materials and methods Between September 2017 to February 2018, 50 patients diagnosed with BPPV were enrolled in this study. Otorhinolaryngology medical examination and medical history assessment were performed at the otorhinolaryngology clinic. Afterward, neurologic examination and ultrasonography of VAs was undertaken in the neurology clinic of University of Gaziantep Medical Faculty. Results The types of BPPV found were as follows: right posterior in 27 (54%), right lateral in 4 (8%), left posterior in 16 (32%), and left lateral in 3 (6%), respectively. The most common variables found in the BPPV were smoking (26%), hypertension (26%), and hyperlipidemia (22%). Conclusion VA flow rates and diameters were found to be affected at the site of BPPV. These findings might suggest that BPPV could be related to an atherosclerotic milieu and may be a precursor clinical condition for future intracranial atherosclerotic diseases.

The effects of Maras powder use on patients with migraine

Background It is accepted that smoking often triggers migraine. However, studies evaluating the relationship between the use of smokeless tobacco and migraine are limited, and there is no clear consensus on the subject. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the relationship between migraine and Maras powder, which is the most common smokeless tobacco in Turkey. Subjects and methods The study included a total of 600 subjects, consisting of 300 patients (aged >18 years) diagnosed with a migraine according to the International Headache Society (IHS-ICHD-3 Beta) criteria after presenting at Sütçü Imam University Medical Faculty Neurology Policlinic with the complaint of headache between July 2016 and December 2016 and a control group of 300 individuals with similar features of age, gender, and educational level. A questionnaire was administered to each patient to record the status of smoking or using Maras powder. Results In the migraine patient group, 16.4% smoked and 9.7% used Maras powder. In the control group, the rate of smoking was 8.5% and the rate of Maras powder use was 11.86%. In males diagnosed with a migraine, the use of Maras powder was found to be at a higher rate than smoking (p<0.001). The Visual Pain Score and the headache frequency values were higher in those who smoked or used Maras powder than in non-users (p<0.001). The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence Smokeless Tobacco results of the patients diagnosed with migraine and who used Maras powder were found to be higher than of those who smoked (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; p<0.001). When patients were evaluated according to the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, the majority of migraine patients were seen to be at stages 1 and 2, and one in every three patients who used Maras powder cigarette and one in every two patients who smoked had headaches of a severity which affected their daily activities (p<0.001). Conclusion Smoking or the use of Maras powder increases the frequency and severity of migraines in a similar way. Therefore, Maras powder must be included in the scope of the fight against tobacco and people should be warned about this issue.

Sexual dysfunction and distress in premenopausal women with migraine: association with depression, anxiety and migraine-related disability

Migraine is a chronic disorder associated with impaired quality of life as well as sexual function. However, data about the sexual distress in women with migraine were lacked.This study aimed to determine the incidence and associated risk factors of both sexual function and distress in premenopausal women with migraine. Sixty-nine women diagnosed with migraine were included. Sexual function and distress were assessed by Female sexual function index (FSFI) and Female sexual distress scale-revised (FSDS-R), respectively. Depression and anxiety were investigated by Hospital depression and anxiety scale (HADS). Migraine related disability was evaluated by Migraine disability assessment scale (MIDAS) and average severity of pain was determied by Visual analog scale (VAS). Fifty-five women reported to have sexual dysfunction. Any headache-related feature including MIDAS and VAS scores, depression or anxiety was found to be related with sexual dysfunction. Sexual distress was noted in 37 cases, and depression, VAS and MIDAS scores were significantly higher in women with sexual distress. This study showed that women with migraine should be screened both for sexual dysfunction and distress to help clinicians dealing with sexual medicine to improve the standart of patient care in their regular practice. Special attention should be given to the ones whose MIDAS and VAS scores were high and who had depression.

The effect of demographic features on aortic arch anatomy and its role in the etiology of cerebrovascular disease

Purpose The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the distribution of aortic arches, the relationship with demographic characteristics, and the results of carotid and vertebral artery stenting procedures in patients diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease through the intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) technique. Methods A retrospective examination was performed on 288 patients diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease, who underwent DSA in the Department of Neurology of Gaziantep University Medical Faculty and Kahramanmaraş¸ Sütçü Imam University Medical Faculty. The patients were examined in respect of demographic features and aortic arch anatomic structure characteristics. All demographic characteristics, DSA, carotid, and vertebral artery stent results were recorded. Results The patients comprised 60.1% males and 39.9% females with a mean age of 58.25 years. Type 2 aortic arch was found in 175 (60.7%) patients, Type 2 aortic arch in 99 (34.3%) patients, and Type 3 aortic arch in 14 (4.8%) patients. The right carotid artery stenosis rate was found to be higher in patients with Type 2 aortic arch (P=0.013). When the patients were evaluated according to the presence of a bovine arch, there was no significant difference in terms of age, carotid, and vertebral artery lesions (P>0.05). Conclusion The aortic arch and its branching properties were not found to have a direct effect on increased risk of cerebrovascular disease or stenting rates. This study can be considered to raise awareness for new studies to demonstrate the effect of aortic arch anatomic differences on cerebrovascular diseases.

Lack of association between urotensin-II (UTS2) gene polymorphisms (Thr21Met and Ser89Asn) and migraine

Migraine is a common neurovascular brain disorder with heterogeneous clinical presentation, including recurrent headache attacks. The pathophysiology of migraine is complex, and a number of genomic regions have been associated with the development of migraine. In this study, we analyzed the allele and genotype frequencies of the urotensin-II gene (UTS2) polymorphisms, Thr21Met and Ser89Asn, among Turkish patients with migraine. A total of 146 patients with migraine (14 with aura [MA group] and 132 without aura [MO group]) were genotyped for Thr21Met and Ser89Asn polymorphisms and compared with 154 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The UTS2 gene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). No significant differences were observed in allele and genotype frequencies for Thr21Met and Ser89Asn polymorphisms between the patients with migraine and control group. Similarly, we did not observe significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies between MA and MO and control group. Moreover, the haplotype analysis showed no association between UTS2 gene haplotypes (MN, MS, TN, and TS) and migraine. In summary, Thr21Met and Ser89Asn polymorphisms of the UTS2 gene are not risk factors for migraine in our sample of Turkish migraine patients.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease presented with dizziness, weakness and neuropsychiatric symptoms: 2 Case Reports -

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is among very rare, progressive, untreatable, neurodegenerative prion diseases. While the incidence is reported as 1/1000000 years in European countries, sporadic cases are rarely presented in Turkey. Clinical findings are in the form of rapid progressive dementia, myoclonus, cerebellar, pyramidal and extra pyramidal symptoms. Definitive diagnosis is established by histopathological examination. Our case is a 64-year-old male and 70-year-old female patients admitted with dizziness emerged as sub-acute weakness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, imbalance and additional neuropsychiatric complaints. Focal activity slowness and common periodic sharp wave activities were observed in EEG. CJD was considered because bilateral symmetrical diffusion limitation was observed at both sides in the basal ganglia level in cranial diffusion MRI’s and 14-3-3 protein was resulted as positive in CSF examinations. CJD, which is a very rare disease in patients presenting with progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms and seizure, is one of the diagnosis to be considered and we wanted to emphasize that there is no treatment for it and preventive measures should be taken.