STUDY OF SIGNIFICANCE OF PHASE MASK IMAGE IN ACUTE STROKE PATIENTS

Background: Phase images contains information regarding local susceptibility changes between the tissues, which can help measure the iron and other content which changes the local field. Typically, this information is ignored before looking at console. Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) is a magnetic resonance (MR) technique detects an early hemorrhagic transformation within the infarct to provide insight into cerebral hemodynamics following the stroke. Objective: Significance of “phase mask imaging in differentiation of hemorrhage and calcifications” in acute stroke patients. Methods: An observational non-interventional study carried out on 100 patients with stroke and headache symptoms. MRI Brain Stroke Profile with FLAIR, DWI, ADC, SWAN, and Phase mask sequences, done on 3T GE MRI scanner. Results: All patients underwent MRI study with SWI sequence. Of 183 cases, 33%(n=60) patients had microbleeds, 5%(n=10) patients had granulomas, 32%(n=58) patients had arterial thrombus with infarct, 11%(n=20) patients had falx calcifications, 11%(n=20) patients had intraparenchymal haemorrhage, and 8%(n=15) patients had infarcts with haemorrhagic transformation. The sensitivity of phase imaging in the detection of calcification was 90%. Conclusion: Phase mask imaging plays an important role to detect intracranial calcifications and chronic microbleeds. Phase mask imaging acts as a supplement tool in acute stroke patients, which guides further management.

Incidence and characteristics of arterial thromboemboli in patients with COVID-19

Background Studies have reported COVID-19 as an independent risk factor for arterial thromboemboli. Methods From a cross-sectional sample, we determined the incidence and location of arterial thromboemboli (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery), stratified by COVID-19 status, in the RECOVER database, which included data on patients at 45 United States medical centers in 22 states. Epidemiological factors, clinical characteristics and outcomes were collected through a combination of individual chart review and automatic electronic query and recorded in REDCap®. We investigated the association of baseline comorbidities on the development of arterial thromboemboli and analyzed results based on the presence or absence of concomitant COVID-19 infection, testing this association with Chi-squared. We also described use of anticoagulants and statins. Results Data were collected on 26,974 patients, of which 13,803 (51.17%) tested positive for COVID-19. Incidence of arterial thromboemboli during hospitalization was 0.13% in patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and 0.19% in patients who tested negative. Arterial thromboemboli tended to be more common in extremities than in core organs (heart, kidney, lung, liver) in patients with COVID-19, odds ratio 2.04 (95% CI 0.707 – 5.85). Patients with COVID-19 were less likely to develop an arterial thrombus when on baseline statin medication (p=0.014). Presence of metabolic syndrome predicted presence of core arterial thrombus (p=0.001) and extremity arterial thrombus (p=0.010) in those with COVID-19. Arterial thromboemboli were less common in patients with COVID-19 than in those who tested negative for COVID-19. Conclusions Presence of a composite metabolic syndrome profile may be associated with arterial clot formation in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Value of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in assessment of intra-arterial thrombus in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Background Ischemic stroke is a major cause of death and disability. Thrombolytic therapy is a standard treatment stroke nowadays for ischemic strokes up to 4.5 h from start of symptoms. Although arterial occlusion can be detected by digital subtraction angiography (DSA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and computed tomography angiography (CTA), the question about thrombus composition and formation times still might not be replied. The use of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) for detecting thrombus in acute ischemic stroke is getting to be a strongly investigated field. SWI can show the thrombus as a hypointense susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) in the affected area. Results Ninety-seven of our patients showed thrombus in MRA study. M1 segment was the most affected MCA segment representing about 57.6%. SWI detected intra-arterial thrombus in 122 patients compared to 97 patients detected by MRA (P = 0.0002). All patients had positive susceptibility sign. 88.8% of patients with positive thrombus in SWI had solitary thrombus, and 11.2% has multiple thrombi; on the other hand, MRA fails to detect any distant thrombi. 81% of patients with abnormally prominent vessel sign (APVS) showed parenchymal changes in these areas. On the other hand, deep structures, namely caudate nucleus, internal capsule and lentiform nucleus, are the least affected areas. All patients with abnormally prominent vessel sign showed arterial occlusion, and only 9 patients with no APVS showed arterial occlusion (P = 0.0001). Conclusion SWI plays an important role in the detection of peripheral thrombi in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Both SWI and MRA might complement each other for visual detection of occluded vessel. We recommend implementation of SWI into routine acute stroke MRI protocols.

Peripheral Non-cerebrovascular Arterial Stent Retriever Applications

Several treatment options exist for acute intra-abdominal arterial thromboembolic events, including systemic thrombolytics, endovascular therapy, and less commonly surgery. A novel alternative treatment intervention for acute intra-abdominal arterial thrombus is the use of stent retriever (SR) devices, tools traditionally applied for treatment of acute vascular thrombosis in stroke patients. This brief report presents two cases of acute intra-abdominal arterial thrombosis successfully managed by deployment of SRs. Furthermore, it details the history, device mechanism, and design of SRs and describes cases in literature involving effective extracranial SR application.

Extract of Seaweed Codium fragile Inhibits Integrin αIIbβ3-Induced Outside-in Signaling and Arterial Thrombosis

Seaweeds are thought to be promising candidates for functional foods and to help prevent thrombotic and related cardiovascular diseases. Codium fragile (Suringer) Hariot has been traditionally used as a culinary ingredient, and it possesses a range of biological activities, including the inhibition of platelet function. However, the mechanism of this inhibition is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the inhibitory effect of C. fragile in platelet function. The antiplatelet activity of C. fragile on agonist-activated platelet aggregation, granule secretion, calcium mobilization, platelet spreading, and clot retraction was assessed. The phosphorylation of c-Src, Syk, PLCγ2, and several proteins involving in the αIIbβ3 integrin outside-in signaling pathway were also studied in thrombin and CRP-stimulated platelets. The antithrombotic effect was investigated in mice using ferric chloride-induced arterial thrombus formation in vivo. Transection tail bleeding time was used to evaluate whether C. fragile inhibited primary hemostasis. The main components and contents of C. fragile ethanol extract were confirmed by GC-MS analysis. C. fragile significantly impaired agonist-induced platelet aggregation granule secretion, calcium mobilization, platelet spreading, and clot retraction. Biochemical analysis revealed that C. fragile inhibited the agonist-induced activation of c-Src, Syk, and PLCγ2, as well as the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The inhibitory effect of C. fragile resulted from an inhibition of platelet αIIbβ3 integrin outside-in signal transduction during cell activation. Oral administration of C. fragile efficiently blocked FeCl3-induced arterial thrombus formation in vivo without prolonging bleeding time. GC-MS analysis revealed that phytol was the main constituent and the total content of isomers was 160.8 mg/kg. Our results demonstrated that C. fragile suppresses not only the inside-out signaling of αIIbβ3 integrin but also outside-in signal transmission. Therefore, C. fragile could be an effective antiplatelet therapeutic candidate.

A rare case of COVID-19 related stomach gangrene after an abortion: a case report

A 25 year old female had presented with complaints of severe epigastric pain with abdominal distension and vomiting for 4 days. She had undergone medical termination of pregnancy for a missed abortion of 5 weeks of gestation 5 days prior. The patient's COVID-19 RT PCR was found to be positive. Her CECT showed covid related changes in bilateral lungs and pneumoperitoneum. Stomach was distended. Other small bowels appeared normal. Patient underwent emergency laparotomy. Two third of stomach appeared gangrenous with a perforation in the posterior wall of stomach so she underwent a subtotal gastrectomy. She had features of covid associated coagulopathy (CAC) with high D-dimer (520 ng/ml), thrombocytosis (up to 705,000/mcl), high activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) (up to 55.6 sec) and high prothrombin time (PT) (up to 27.9 sec and INR 2.11) for which low molecular heparin was given. Stomach is a highly vascular organ. Gangrene of the stomach has been very rarely reported. CAC is known to lead to both arterial thrombus and venous thromboembolism. COVID-19 related abortions have also been reported though the exact mechanism not certain but CAC could be one of them.