98%
921
2 minutes
20
Importance: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a leading cause of stroke, and oral anticoagulants (OAC) reduce this risk. However, there are limited data on the residual risk of recurrent stroke in patients with AF.
Objective: To determine the recurrent stroke risk in patients with AF by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Data Sources: Eligible studies were identified by searching Ovid MEDLINE and Embase from inception (Ovid: January 1946; Embase: January 1970) until January 2025.
Study Selection: Eligible studies enrolled patients with prior ischemic stroke and AF, reported information on incidence of recurrent stroke, and had follow-up data for 1 or more years. Three reviewers independently screened abstracts and performed full-text reviews.
Data Extraction And Synthesis: Data extraction was performed by 2 reviewers and independently verified by a third. Incidence rates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Analysis was repeated in patients whose qualifying event occurred despite OAC. Study quality was assessed using the Quality In Prognosis Studies tool.
Main Outcomes And Measures: The primary outcome was recurrent ischemic stroke. The secondary outcomes were any recurrent stroke (ischemic stroke or intra-cerebral hemorrhage [ICH]) and ICH during follow-up.
Results: A total of 23 studies were identified, which included 78 733 patients and 140 307 years of follow-up. The median proportion of OAC use across studies was 92%. The pooled incidence of recurrent ischemic stroke was 3.75% per year (95% CI, 3.17%-4.33%). The risk was higher in noninterventional observational cohorts (4.20% per year; 95% CI, 3.41%-4.99%) compared with randomized clinical trials (2.26% per year; 95% CI, 1.96%-2.57%) (P value for interaction <.001). The risk of any recurrent stroke was 4.88% per year (95% CI, 3.87%-5.90%), and the risk of ICH was 0.58% per year (95% CI, 0.43%-0.73%). In patients with stroke despite OAC, the risk was 7.20% per year (95% CI, 5.05%-9.34%) for ischemic stroke, 8.96% per year (95% CI, 8.25%-9.67%) for any stroke, and 1.40% per year (95% CI, 0.40%-2.40%) for ICH.
Conclusions And Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, even with modern prevention therapy, the residual recurrence risk after AF-related stroke is high, with an estimated 1 in 6 patients experiencing a recurrent ischemic stroke at 5 years. These data demonstrate an urgent need to improve our understanding of the biological processes responsible for recurrence, improve risk stratification, and develop new secondary prevention strategies after AF-related stroke.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12096328 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2025.1337 | DOI Listing |
Stroke
September 2025
Department of Neurology, China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University.
Background: Risk stratification in posterior circulation ischemic stroke (PCIS) is challenging. Although the Posterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke Outcome Score (PCISOS) was developed to address this, its utility in minor PCIS and in identifying homogeneous populations for clinical trials or treatment-responsive subgroups remains uncertain.
Methods: CHANCE-2 (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients With Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events-II) was a multicenter, randomized trial that enrolled patients with minor stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack who carried CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles.
Eur J Case Rep Intern Med
August 2025
Department of Internal Medicine, Dubai Hospital, Dubai Health, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Introduction: Primary central nervous system vasculitis (primary CNS vasculitis) is a rare inflammatory disorder that affects small-to-medium-sized cerebral vessels, often leading to recurrent strokes. Diagnosis is vague due to non-specific neurological symptoms. Imaging findings, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and exclusion of systemic vasculitis are essential for diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRev Cardiovasc Med
August 2025
Center for Coronary Heart Disease, Department of Cardiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases of China, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100037 Beijing, China.
Background: Globally, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is among the primary causes of mortality. The ideal approach for blood pressure (BP) management for patients experiencing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a topic of ongoing debate. Current guidelines on BP management lack specific recommendations for STEMI patients undergoing PCI, resulting in substantial individual variability and uncertainties in clinical treatment strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCatheter Cardiovasc Interv
September 2025
Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been identified as a potential risk factor for cryptogenic stroke (CS). Although transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is considered the gold standard for PFO detection, false-negative results remain a clinical concern, particularly in CS patients with high suspicion of PFO-related etiology.
Aims: To evaluate the clinical utility of transcatheter PFO exploration (TPFOE) in CS patients with negative TEE findings but high suspicion of PFO-related etiology.
JAMA Netw Open
September 2025
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
Importance: Patients with kidney failure (KF) receiving long-term dialysis have increased incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients with KF and AF have increased risk of stroke, death, and bleeding compared with age-matched cohorts. In KF, the use of oral anticoagulants (OACs) increases hemorrhage risk, offsetting potential benefits and making left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) a potentially promising solution for risk reduction in AF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF