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Background: Ischemic stroke is a significant global health problem associated with mortality and disability. Intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) is a leading cause of stroke and contributes to recurrent stroke, especially in the Asian population. ICAS should be distinguished from extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ECAS) due to differences in pathophysiology. Understanding the mechanisms of ICAS is crucial for stroke prevention in the Asian population. Traditional vascular risk factors and the degree of the stenosis play an important role in predicting stroke occurrence. Summary: In East Asia, non-atherosclerotic vasculopathies are also often observed in ischemic stroke patients caused by large artery disease, highlighting the importance of identifying the specific etiologies of intracranial artery stenosis. Advances in diagnostic neuroimaging, such as high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI), can be helpful in distinguishing between them. For stroke prevention in patients with both asymptomatic and symptomatic ICAS, intensive management, including strict control of modifiable risk factors and appropriate antiplatelet therapies, is essential. There are no clear guidelines regarding the duration and combination of antiplatelet therapies. However, current recommendations suggest short-term dual antiplatelet therapies for 90 days to reduce the recurrence of stroke in symptomatic severe ICAS (70–99%). Cilostazol is also proposed as a good second-line treatment option, following clopidogrel, which remains the most widely used. In addition, endovascular or surgical interventions could be considered alternatives for a limited subset of symptomatic severe ICAS cases that are hemodynamically unstable. Key Messages: The key messages are as follows: (1) ICAS is a major cause of ischemic stroke, especially in Asian populations. Its distinct pathophysiology, compared to ECAS, requires different treatment strategies for secondary prevention; (2) differentiation of intracranial artery stenosis etiology is essential, and HR-MRI would be a valuable diagnostic tool; (3) stroke prevention includes strict vascular risk factor control and the use of antiplatelet therapies, with short-term DAPT recommended for symptomatic severe ICAS; (4) cilostazol may serve as an effective second-line option for preventing ischemic stroke, while endovascular or surgical interventions may be limited to hemodynamically unstable cases.

Malaysia is located in the heart of South East Asia with two land masses, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia which are separated by the South China Sea. Stroke or cerebrovascular disease is Malaysia’s third leading cause of death. There were 47, 911 incident cases, 19,928 deaths, 443,995 prevalent cases, and 512,726 DALYs lost due to stroke in 2019. Successive national health and morbidity surveys from 2006 demonstrated a continuous rise in the prevalence of risk factors such as diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and obesity. These risk factors are implicated in an increase in stroke incidence in those under 65 years of age, the largest increase of 53.3% and 50.4% in men and women, respectively, from the age strata of 35–39 years. The neurologist-to-patient ratio is 1:323,000 with the majority of neurologists working in urban centres. The healthcare system is provided predominantly by the public and private sectors. Concurrent use of traditional and complementary medicine is common and widely accepted. Challenges include delivering adequate care to rural communities, the low overall ischaemic stroke thrombolysis rates, and the high cost of thrombectomy devices for use in large vessel occlusions which have to be borne out-of-pocket by patients and their families. Effort is required to continue improving stroke care services in parallel with primary and secondary prevention strategies in the future, given the ageing population and the rising number of strokes in young adults nationally. Strategies include careful planning, inter-hospital cooperation, and increased allocation of resources from the government.

Increasing incidence of stroke and lack of infrastructure in both urban and rural areas needs immediate attention in Pakistan. There is a high proportion of young stroke with poor stroke outcomes. Acute stroke care is scarce in Pakistan due to the small number of neurologists (1 neurologist per 1 million population), few stroke units, and limited availability of alteplase (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) in the country.

Background: Compared to ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has higher mortality and more severe disability. Asian such as Chinese and Japanese and Mexican Americans, Latin Americans, African Americans, Native Americans has higher incidences than do white Americans. So, ICH is an important cerebrovascular disease in Asia. Summary: ICH accounts for approximately 10–20% of all strokes. The incidence of ICH is higher in low- and middle-income than high-income countries and is estimated 8–15% in western countries like USA, UK, and Australia, and 18–24% in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. The ICH incidence increases exponentially with age, and old age especially over 80 years is a major predictor of mortality independent of ICH severity. Females are older at the onset of ICH and have higher clinical severity than males. Modifiable risk factors include blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption, lipid profiles, use of anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents, and sympathomimetic drugs. Non-modifiable risk factors constitute old age, male gender, Asian ethnicity, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebral microbleed, and chronic kidney disease. Blood pressure is the most important risk factor of ICH. Imaging markers may help predict ICH outcome, which include black hole sign, blend sign, iodine sign, island sign, leakage sign, satellite sign, spot sign, spot-tail sign, swirl sign, and hypodensities. ICH prognostic scoring system such as ICH scoring system and ICH grading scale scoring system in Chinese and Osaka prognostic score and Naples prognostic score has been used to predict ICH outcome. Early minimally invasive removal of ICH can be recommended for lobar ICH of 30–80 mL within 24 h after onset. Decompressive craniectomy without clot evacuation might benefit ICH patients aged 18–75 years with 30–100 mL at basal ganglia or thalamus. However, clinical studies are needed to investigate the effect of surgery on patients with smaller or larger ICH, ICH in non-lobar locations, and for older patients or patients with preexisting disability. Surgical treatment is usually associated with neurological sequels if survived. For medical treatment, blood pressure lowering should be careful titrated to secure continuous smooth and sustained control and avoid peaks and large variability in systolic blood pressure. Stroke and cancer are the most common causes of death in Asian ICH patients, compared to stroke and cardiac disease in non-Asian patients. Key Messages: The incidence and outcome are different between Asian and non-Asian patients, and more clinical studies are needed to investigate the best management for Asian ICH patients.

Background: The impact of gender on acute ischemic stroke, in terms of presentation, severity, etiology, and outcome, is increasingly getting recognized. Here, we analyzed the gender-related differences in etiology and outcome of ischemic stroke in South India. Methods: Patients with first ever ischemic stroke within 1 week of onset presenting to the Comprehensive Stroke Care Centre, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, India, were included in our study. Clinical and risk factor profile was documented. The stroke severity was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at onset, and stroke subtype classification was done using Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Ischemic Stroke criteria. The 3-month functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) with excellent outcome defined as an mRS ≤2. Results: Of the 742 patients, 250 (33.7%) were females. The age, clinical profile, and rate of reperfusion therapies did not differ between the genders. Women suffered more severe strokes (mean NIHSS 9.5 vs. 8.4, p = 0.03). While large artery atherosclerosis was more common in men (21.3% vs. 14.8%, p = 0.03), cardioembolic strokes secondary to rheumatic heart disease were more common in women (27.2% vs. 19.7%, p = 0.02). Men had a better 3-month functional outcome compared to women (68.6% vs. 61.2%, p = 0.04), but was not statistically significant after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: Our data, from a single comprehensive stroke unit from South India, suggest that stroke in women are different, yet similar in many ways to men. Guideline-based treatment can result in comparable short-term outcomes, irrespective of admission stroke severity.

Egypt, a low-middle-income country, is the most populated nation in the Middle East with a high overall crude prevalence rate of stroke (963/100,000 inhabitants), accounting for 6.4% of all deaths. In this article, we discuss how, through a corrective plan, we could change the landscape of stroke services in Egypt, in a relatively short time, raising thrombolysis rate from <1% to 12.3%, with shortening of door-to-needle time. We could build a database that now exceeds 5,000 patients, our centers received international accreditation and several awards, and we developed tele-stroke service.

Abstract Introduction: The selection of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke in the elderly remains challenging due to the underrepresentation of these patients in landmark randomized trials. The aim of this study was to assess the association between age and the pre-stroke modified Rankin scale score with functional outcomes after EVT in elderly patients aged ≥80 years. Methods: We prospectively collected data from consecutive elderly patients who underwent EVT of the anterior or posterior circulation at our institution between 2007 and 2022. Clinical and radiological parameters were analyzed using a fair outcome (mRS ≤3 or retained pre-stroke mRS score of 4) as the primary outcome. Results: In total, 307 elderly patients were included in the analysis. Fair functional outcomes were achieved in 162 (53%) patients. Eighty-four (27.4%) patients were deceased at 3-month follow-up and the mortality rate increased to 37.1% (114 deceased) at 1-year follow-up. The likelihood of achieving a fair functional outcome decreased by 8% for every 1-year age increase (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.73–0.90). Lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.85–0.93, p < 0.001) and pre-stroke mRS (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53–0.84, p < 0.001) were associated with fair outcomes. Conclusions: EVT in elderly patients with stroke is beneficial in selected cases. Increasing age was associated with an increased risk of an mRS change to 4 or worse and death within 1 year. The pre-stroke mRS may aid clinicians in the selection of elderly patients for EVT.

Abstract Introduction: In emergency rooms (ERs), 5% of patients experiencing an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receive an alternative diagnosis; these cases are known as stroke chameleons (SC). The percentage of SC treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and the characteristics have not been well described. We aimed at investigating the variables associated with the probability receiving IVT. Methods: In this prospective study, we included consecutive patients with SC admitted at the ER of Clínica Alemana between September 2014 and October 2023. Results: Among 1,193 stroke patients; sixty-three (5.2%) corresponded to SC. Ten of these cases (15.8%, 95% CI: 8.8–26.8) were treated with IVT, mean door-to-needle (DTN) time of 85.7 (SD 35) min, median of 73.5 (IQR 62–113) min. SCs who underwent IVT were younger (p = 0.01), with higher NIHSS (p = 0.05). They presented more frequently with altered level of consciousness in the NIHSS (p = 0.01), language abnormities (p = 0.001), and dysarthria (p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, none of the variables were significantly associated with IVT. A secondary analysis showed that only time to brain imaging was significantly associated with IVT (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Almost 1 out of every 7 SC could be treated with IVT but with a prolonged DTN time; the chance of being treated is associated with time to brain imaging. Introduction: In emergency rooms (ERs), 5% of patients experiencing an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receive an alternative diagnosis; these cases are known as stroke chameleons (SC). The percentage of SC treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and the characteristics have not been well described. We aimed at investigating the variables associated with the probability receiving IVT. Methods: In this prospective study, we included consecutive patients with SC admitted at the ER of Clínica Alemana between September 2014 and October 2023. Results: Among 1,193 stroke patients; sixty-three (5.2%) corresponded to SC. Ten of these cases (15.8%, 95% CI: 8.8–26.8) were treated with IVT, mean door-to-needle (DTN) time of 85.7 (SD 35) min, median of 73.5 (IQR 62–113) min. SCs who underwent IVT were younger (p = 0.01), with higher NIHSS (p = 0.05). They presented more frequently with altered level of consciousness in the NIHSS (p = 0.01), language abnormities (p = 0.001), and dysarthria (p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, none of the variables were significantly associated with IVT. A secondary analysis showed that only time to brain imaging was significantly associated with IVT (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Almost 1 out of every 7 SC could be treated with IVT but with a prolonged DTN time; the chance of being treated is associated with time to brain imaging. Introduction: In emergency rooms (ERs), 5% of patients experiencing an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receive an alternative diagnosis; these cases are known as stroke chameleons (SC). The percentage of SC treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and the characteristics have not been well described. We aimed at investigating the variables associated with the probability receiving IVT. Methods: In this prospective study, we included consecutive patients with SC admitted at the ER of Clínica Alemana between September 2014 and October 2023. Results: Among 1,193 stroke patients; sixty-three (5.2%) corresponded to SC. Ten of these cases (15.8%, 95% CI: 8.8–26.8) were treated with IVT, mean door-to-needle (DTN) time of 85.7 (SD 35) min, median of 73.5 (IQR 62–113) min. SCs who underwent IVT were younger (p = 0.01), with higher NIHSS (p = 0.05). They presented more frequently with altered level of consciousness in the NIHSS (p = 0.01), language abnormities (p = 0.001), and dysarthria (p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, none of the variables were significantly associated with IVT. A secondary analysis showed that only time to brain imaging was significantly associated with IVT (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Almost 1 out of every 7 SC could be treated with IVT but with a prolonged DTN time; the chance of being treated is associated with time to brain imaging. Introduction: In emergency rooms (ERs), 5% of patients experiencing an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receive an alternative diagnosis; these cases are known as stroke chameleons (SC). The percentage of SC treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and the characteristics have not been well described. We aimed at investigating the variables associated with the probability receiving IVT. Methods: In this prospective study, we included consecutive patients with SC admitted at the ER of Clínica Alemana between September 2014 and October 2023. Results: Among 1,193 stroke patients; sixty-three (5.2%) corresponded to SC. Ten of these cases (15.8%, 95% CI: 8.8–26.8) were treated with IVT, mean door-to-needle (DTN) time of 85.7 (SD 35) min, median of 73.5 (IQR 62–113) min. SCs who underwent IVT were younger (p = 0.01), with higher NIHSS (p = 0.05). They presented more frequently with altered level of consciousness in the NIHSS (p = 0.01), language abnormities (p = 0.001), and dysarthria (p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, none of the variables were significantly associated with IVT. A secondary analysis showed that only time to brain imaging was significantly associated with IVT (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Almost 1 out of every 7 SC could be treated with IVT but with a prolonged DTN time; the chance of being treated is associated with time to brain imaging.

Developing nations face the double burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Bhutan is a developing country and has achieved significant milestones in its health indicators. Increasing burden of stroke and the lack of evidence-based stroke care system in the country’s hospitals are proving to be a challenge to provide quality stroke care. Despite the logistical challenge of referring stroke patients on time, lack of trained health care professionals and resources, Bhutan has recently started various initiatives to improve stroke care with the help of WHO-SEARO, WHO-Geneva, and Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India.

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in Indonesia. Stroke requires high-quality, fast, and precise management to prevent and avoid disability and death. Stroke can be prevented by adequately controlling the risk factors and encouraging healthy lifestyles. Efforts are needed to organize health promotion programs at the community level. More and a better distribution of neurologists and neurointerventionalists is needed. All hospitals should have a CT scan machine and stroke units. Telemedicine for stroke patients is a very promising endeavor for an integrated acute stroke management system.