The CBV-ASPECT Score as a predictor of fatal stroke in a hyperacute state.
BACKGROUND
Many parameters of multimodal computed tomography (CT) have been assessed to predict clinical outcome and recanalization after thrombolysis. However, an early predictor of fatal stroke has not been clearly identified. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify early predictors related to fatal stroke.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed subjects with acute ischemic stroke within 6 h of onset between March 2007 and January 2009. Early fatal stroke was defined as death or coma within 1 week of the initial ischemic stroke. Multimodal CT images were scored according to previous studies, such as the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), collateral score (CS) and clot burden score (CBS).


RESULTS
A total of 68 patients were analyzed in this study. Twenty-two patients (32.4%) fell into a coma or died within 1 week of the initial stroke. Patients with fatal stroke had a lower CS, CBS and ASPECTS in the cerebral blood volume (CBV) and time-to-peak maps than those with nonfatal stroke. The initial NIHSS score, CBV-ASPECTS, age and diabetes mellitus were associated with fatal infarct in multivariate logistic regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrated that initially low CBV-ASPECTS on perfusion CT could predict early fatal stroke and that a CBV-ASPECTS threshold of <4 with a modest sensitivity and specificity could be considered as an early predictor of fatal stroke.
Kim
Joon-Tae
JT
Department of Neurology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
Park
Man-Seok
MS
Choi
Kang-Ho
KH
Nam
Tai-Seung
TS
Choi
Seong-Min
SM
Lee
Seung-Han
SH
Kim
Byeong-Chae
BC
Kim
Myeong-Kyu
MK
Cho
Ki-Hyun
KH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001810:Blood Volume; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome