Long-Term Disability Outcomes for Patients With Ischemic Stroke Presenting With Visual Deficits

Background: Ischemic strokes in both the anterior and posterior circulation can lead to visual deficits, which can affect functional ability. Thrombolytic therapies are often withheld to patients with visual deficits because of either being missed on initial evaluation or because of the misconception that their deficits are not as severe or as disabling. Alternatively, delays in patient arrival for emergent evaluation lead to missed opportunities for acute stroke treatment. This retrospective study aims to explore the differences in perceived long-term disability for patients with stroke who present with visual deficits vs those who do not as a manifestation of their acute stroke syndrome. In addition, we explore the differences in treatment effect with thrombolytics and further analyze if the region of ischemia causing the deficit leads to differences in disability outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with visual deficits as evidenced by an abnormal score on NIHSS categories related to vision (gaze palsy, visual fields, or extinction/inattention). Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke were reviewed from the Houston Methodist Hospital Outcomes-based Prospective Endpoints in Stroke (HOPES) Registry from 2016–2021 for visual deficits. In total, 155 patient charts with visual deficits and 155 patient charts without a documented visual deficit were reviewed for ischemic stroke location (anterior vs posterior circulation), NIHSS scores, a...
Source: Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology - Category: Opthalmology Tags: Original Contribution Source Type: research