By Dr. Vojtech Novotny, Bergen Stroke Research Group, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
@vojtech_no
The pandemic is mostly over, and we, the stroke enthusiasts, may finally meet up again in person to share our yearly research. The second day of the conference brought us plenty of interesting results and the poster section was not an exception. I got an opportunity to share with you some of the posters that caught my eye.
The logistics in the acute stroke management is vital. Authors from Munich in their poster TIME METRICS OF AIR VS. GROUND INTERHOSPITAL TRANSFER FOR ENDOVASCULAR THERAPY IN RURAL AREAS compared interhospital transfer for endovascular treatment by air vs. by ground. The results show that transfer by air was not superior compared to that one by ground within the local telestroke network and was independent of interhospital distance (up to 123 km). Flying Intervention Team may be an alternative and is currently investigated by the research group.
EVT is very effective in acute treatment of LVO and further research on this field is vital. Colleagues from Heidelberg conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis on safety and outcome of EVT compared to best medical treatment for isolated PCA occlusion presented in their poster ENDOVASCULAR VS MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF POSTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY OCCLUSION STROKE: A META-ANALYSIS. The authors report no significant differences in safety of EVT compared to best medical treatment. They confirm that EVT is safe for these patients. The clinical benefit is however, a still a question of future trials, as no significant difference was reported.
Colleagues from Miami went through their large Stroke registry and assessed clinical outcomes after EVT in patients over 80 years old. With increasingly aging population worldwide, such studies are immensely important. The presented poster has title AGE OVER 80 IS ASSOCIATED WITH POOR DISCHARGE OUTCOMES AFTER ENDOVASCULAR THROMBECTOMY: FLORIDA STROKE REGISTRY. In the age group over 80 years, the patients are less likely to be discharged home or to rehabilitate after EVT, however no difference in the rate of death or life threatening complications were reported. No evidence of an upper age limit for EVT in regards to safety was found.
Major cerebrovascular events may have a certain impact on patients’ emotional state. French group in their poster LONG-TERM ANXIETY IN SPONTANEOUS INTRACEREBRAL HAEMORRHAGE SURVIVORS looked closely on patients who went through ICH and investigated their long-term anxiety levels. The authors report that lobar ICH was associated with anxiety however, long-term cognitive and functional impairment seem not to influence or be influenced by/anxiety.
The COVID pandemic is over and our Italian colleagues in their poster FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAVES AND THEIR DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON STROKE CARE: EVIDENCES FROM THE TUSCANY STROKE NETWORK evaluated the consequences of the three big pandemic waves on the local stroke care. The results show a decline of hospitalizations with stroke in general. The decline was however, decreasing with each wave. It seems that the pattern has been changing positively in favor of patients with each wave.
These are just few picks out of a vast amount of high-quality research presented at ESOC 2022. I hope that you have enjoyed the conference either as me virtually or in Lyon physically!
I wish with all my heart that the next ESOC in Munich will take place in times that are more peaceful and that we will meet many of our Ukrainian colleagues and help them restore the stroke care in their country. We all should believe in what one of democracy’s most principled voices Vaclav Havel said ‘Truth and love will overcome lies and hatred.’
