Pilar Meler

Publications (4)18.11 Total impact

• Article: Difficult catheter access to the occluded vessel during endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke is associated with worse clinical outcome.

  Marc Ribo, Alan Flores, Marta Rubiera, Jorge Pagola, Nuno Mendonca, David Rodriguez-Luna, Soco Piñeiro, Pilar Meler, Jose Alvarez-Sabin, Carlos A Molina
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND AIM: During endovascular procedures for acute ischemic stroke, catheter access to the occluded vessel may be technically difficult or impossible. The aim of this study was to access the impact of difficult catheter access to target the carotid artery on clinical outcome. METHODS: Anterior circulation stroke patients undergoing transfemoral endovascular procedures where studied. Patients were divided into four groups according to time from groin puncture to target carotid catheterization quartiles. Patients in quartile 4 (Q4) were considered difficult carotid access. We defined several outcome measures: recanalisation (final Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score ≥2a), time from groin puncture to recanalisation and favorable long term outcome (modified Rankin Scale score <3 at 3 months). RESULTS: Of 130 patients studied, carotid catheterization was impossible in seven patients (5.1%). These patients had significantly lower rates of recanalization (14.3% vs 80.5%; p<0.01) and favorable outcome (0% vs 36%; p=0.038). Among patients with an accessible carotid artery(n=123), median time from groin puncture to carotid catheterization was 20 min (IQR 10). A negative correlation between time to carotid access and recanalization was observed (r=-0.31; p<0.01). Patients in Q4 (>30 min) had lower rates of recanalization (60.7% vs 82.4%; p=0.02) and a lower favorable outcome (13.6% vs 41.3%; p=0.04). A logistic regression adjusted by age showed that baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (OR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.72 to 0.92 p<0.01) and having difficult access (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.3 to 20.1 p=0.018) independently predicted worse long term outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Difficult catheter access to target the carotid is common during acute endovascular treatment of stroke patients and is associated with a worse clinical outcome. If transfemoral access appears difficult, alternative access such as direct carotid puncture could be explored.
  Journal of neurointerventional surgery 10/2012; · 0.92 Impact Factor
• Article: Predictors of tissue-type plasminogen activator nonresponders according to location of vessel occlusion.

  Nuno Mendonça, David Rodriguez-Luna, Marta Rubiera, Sandra Boned-Riera, Marc Ribo, Jorge Pagola, Socorro Piñeiro, Pilar Meler, Jose Alvarez-Sabin, Joan Montaner, Carlos A Molina
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  ABSTRACT: Information on the clinical and hemodynamic profile of intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator nonresponders, at different locations of arterial occlusion, may improve the selection of candidates for rescue reperfusion therapies. Therefore, we aim to investigate predictors of failing intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator therapy according to occluded vessel and location of the clot. We prospectively evaluated consecutive patients with an acute ischemic stroke admitted within the first 6 hours of onset. Five hundred forty-eight patients with documented intracranial occlusion were included. Patients were categorized according to site of vessel occlusion into 4 distinct groups: proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion (n=251), distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (n=194), internal carotid artery bifurcation occlusion (n=61), and basilar artery occlusion (n=42). Recanalization was assessed on transcranial Doppler at 1 hour of tissue-type plasminogen activator bolus. Among patients with proximal middle cerebral artery occlusion, the presence of severe extracranial internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.15-4.84; P=0.02) and age >74 years (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.02-3.31; P=0.04) independently predicted no recanalization. No independent predictors of no recanalization were identified in patients with distal middle cerebral artery occlusion. In patients with internal carotid artery bifurcation occlusion, a previous diagnosis of hypertension (OR, 12.77; 95% CI, 2.12-76.88; P=0.05), and absence of atrial fibrillation (OR, 8.15; 95% CI, 1.40-47.44; P=0.02) emerged as independent predictors of no recanalization. Similarly, among patients with basilar artery occlusion, absence of atrial fibrillation was as an independent predictor of no recanalization (OR, 7.50; 95% CI, 1.40-40.35; P=0.02). The use of relevant predictors of no recanalization and a rapid neurovascular evaluation may improve the selection of patients for more aggressive rescue strategies.
  Stroke 12/2011; 43(2):417-21. · 5.73 Impact Factor
• Article: Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level predicts hematoma growth and clinical outcome after acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

  David Rodriguez-Luna, Marta Rubiera, Marc Ribo, Pilar Coscojuela, Jorge Pagola, Socorro Piñeiro, Bernardo Ibarra, Pilar Meler, Olga Maisterra, Francisco Romero, Jose Alvarez-Sabin, Carlos A Molina
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  ABSTRACT: Lower serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels have been associated with increased risk of death after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Nevertheless, their link with hematoma growth (HG) is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between LDL-C levels, HG, and clinical outcome in patients with acute ICH. We prospectively studied 108 consecutive patients with primary supratentorial ICH presenting within 6 hours from symptoms onset. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and ICH volume on computed tomography scan were recorded at baseline and at 24 hours. Lipid profile was obtained during the first 24 hours. Significant HG was defined as hematoma enlargement >33% or >6 mL at 24 hours. Early neurological deterioration as well as mortality and poor long-term outcome (modified Rankin Scale score >2) at 3 months were recorded. Although LDL-C levels were not correlated with ICH volume (r=-0.18; P=0.078) or National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (r=-0.17; P=0.091) at baseline, lower LDL-C levels were associated with HG (98.1±33.7 mg/dL versus 117.3±25.8 mg/dL; P=0.003), early neurological deterioration (89.2±31.8 mg/dL versus 112.4±29.8 mg/dL; P=0.012), and 3-month mortality (94.9±37.4 mg/dL versus 112.5±28.5 mg/dL; P=0.029), but not with poor long-term outcome (109.5±31.3 mg/dL versus 108.3±30.5 mg/dL; P=0.875). Moreover, LDL-C levels were inversely related to the amount of hematoma enlargement at 24 hours (r=-0.31; P=0.004). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, LDL-C level <95 mg/dL emerged as an independent predictor of HG (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.26-14.24; P=0.020), early neurological deterioration (OR, 8.27; 95% CI, 1.66-41.16; P=0.010), and 3-month mortality (OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 1.29-31.3; P=0.023). Lower serum LDL-C level independently predicts HG, early neurological deterioration, and 3-month mortality after acute ICH.
  Stroke 07/2011; 42(9):2447-52. · 5.73 Impact Factor
• Article: Bridging intravenous-intra-arterial rescue strategy increases recanalization and the likelihood of a good outcome in nonresponder intravenous tissue plasminogen activator-treated patients: a case-control study.

  Marta Rubiera, Marc Ribo, Jorge Pagola, Pilar Coscojuela, David Rodriguez-Luna, Olga Maisterra, Bernardo Ibarra, Socorro Piñeiro, Pilar Meler, Francisco J Romero, Jose Alvarez-Sabin, Carlos A Molina
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  ABSTRACT: Safety and efficacy of the "bridging therapy" (intra-arterial [IA] reperfusion rescue for nonresponder intravenous [IV] tissue plasminogen activator [tPA]-treated patients) is a matter of debate. Our aim was to compare IV and IV-IA thrombolysis using a case-control approach. Consecutive patients with proximal intracranial occlusion who received IA reperfusion procedures after unsuccessful IV tPA (lack of clinical improvement and arterial recanalization 1 hour after tPA bolus) were studied (IV-IA group). They were compared with occluded vessel, clot location, stroke severity, and time to treatment-matched 1 to 2 historical patients from our prospective IV tPA database with persistent occlusion 1 hour after IV tPA (IV-NR group). Arterial occlusion and recanalization were assessed with transcranial Doppler. Clinical evaluation was assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at baseline, 24 hours, and at discharge. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was defined according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke trial. Functional evaluation was determined by modified Rankin Scale, being functional independency defined by modified Rankin Scale score ≤2. Forty-two IV-IA patients were compared with 84 matched IV-NR. Mean age was 71.5±2.9 years, 58 (46%) were women, and baseline median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 20 (interquartile range, 5). Mean time from symptoms to IV tPA was 176.9±113 minutes. On transcranial Doppler, complete recanalization was significantly higher in IV-IA than control subjects (12 hours: 45.2% versus 18.1%, P=0.002; 24 hours: 46.3% versus 25.3%, P=0.016) with nonsignificant better clinical evolution at 24 hours (40.5% versus 30.1%, P=0.169) and discharge (52.5% versus 39.5%, P=0.123). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was similar (IV-IA 11.9% versus IV-NR 6%, P=0.205). Mortality at 3 months was 50% in the IV-IA group and 35.8% in the IV-NR (P=0.154). Forty percent of IV-IA patients were functionally independent at 3 months and only 14.9% IV-NR (P=0.012). Bridging IV-IA treatment may improve recanalization and clinical outcome in nonresponder IV tPA-treated patients.
  Stroke 03/2011; 42(4):993-7. · 5.73 Impact Factor