Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke

MONDAY, March 10, 2025 -- Self-perceived stress is associated with cryptogenic ischemic stroke (CIS), according to a study published online March 5 in Neurology . Shakar Kutal, from the Helsinki University Hospital, and colleagues explored the association between self-perceived stress and CIS in a study involving young patients aged 18 to 49 years with a first-ever CIS and sex- and age-matched stroke-free controls from 19 European centers (426 patients and 426 controls). A modified version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess self-perceived stress. The researchers found that compared with controls, patients were more often at least moderately stressed (46.2 versus 33.3 percent). Higher self-perceived stress as a discrete measure was independently associated with CIS in the entire study population. There was an independent association seen between moderate stress and CIS in a categorical PSS score analysis; no independent association was seen with high stress. In women, but not in men, higher stress as a discrete measure was associated with CIS. Moderate stress was also associated with CIS in women, but not in men. Higher stress as a discrete measure was associated with CIS only in those aged 18 to 39 years when the patients were stratified by age. "Given the potential importance of CIS in the context of early-onset strokes, understanding the role of self-perceived stress in this population may be crucial for developing more effective prevention strategies," the authors write. One author disclosed financial ties to Janssen. Abstract/Full Text Editorial (subscription or payment may be required) Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2025 -- Smoking and high-intensity smoking are associated with cryptogenic ischemic stroke (CIS) among adults aged 18 to 45 years, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in Neurology Open Access . Phillip Ferdinand, M.B.Ch.B., from University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust in the United Kingdom, and colleagues prospectively recruited patients aged 18 to 49 years with CIS within two weeks of symptom onset from 19 European stroke centers to determine the association between smoking and young CIS. The analysis included 546 young patients with CIS and matched controls. The researchers found a significant difference between patients and controls in low education status, hypertension, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and heavy alcohol use. In the whole cohort, there was an association between smoking and young CIS after adjustment (odds ratio, 2.39), with stronger associations seen in men (odds ratio, 3.34). The association was seen in all age groups and was highest in the 45- to 49-year-old age group (odds ratio, 3.77). The strongest association was seen for those with >20 pack-years (odds ratio, 4.30), especially in men and in the 45- to 49-year-old age group. "We found a clear association between smoking and CIS in the young even after adjustment for low education status and well-known vascular risk factors," the authors write. "This association was strong in men but was not significant in women." Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

THURSDAY, Feb. 20, 2025 -- Smoking more than doubles the risk of unexplained strokes among younger adults, a new study warns. And heavy smoking is even worse, with stroke risk more than quadrupled among adults who smoke more than a pack of cigarettes every day for 20 years compared to people who don’t smoke, researchers found. “Our findings suggest that continued public health efforts around preventing smoking, especially heavy smoking, may be an important way to help reduce the number of strokes happening to young people,” lead researcher Phillip Ferdinand with Keele University in the U.K said in a news release. For the study, researchers focused on a type of stroke called cryptogenic stroke. These strokes are caused by a blockage of blood flow, but it’s not clear what caused the clog. “While smoking has long been linked to ischemic stroke, little is known about how smoking affects people under 50, especially in those with unexplained stroke,” Ferdinand said. His team compared the medical records of 546 people aged 18 to 49 who suffered an unexplained stroke, to 546 people of matched age and sex who hadn’t had a stroke. About 33% of smokers had suffered an unexplained stroke, compared to 15% of non-smokers, researchers found. Gender, age and smoking intensity all played a role in stroke risk among younger adults, results show. Male smokers had more than three times the stroke risk of non-smokers, and 45- to 49-year-olds nearly five times the risk. And smoking intensity only caused their risk to skyrocket. Men who smoked more than a pack a day for 20 years had nearly seven times the risk, and people 45 to 49 nearly five times the risk. Overall, people who smoked 11 to 20 cigarettes per day had a 64% increased risk of stroke, compared to a 5.2 times risk with more than 40 smokes a day, results show. "Recent research has shown an increase in younger people having these unexplained strokes, so it is important to evaluate any potential links. Our study found that smoking may be a key factor,” Ferdinand said. There are many ways tobacco smoke can increase stroke risk, according to the World Stroke Organization. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals that can affect the circulatory system, the organization said. It also contains carbon monoxide, which lowers blood oxygen levels, and nicotine, which raises blood pressure. Smoking also is known to influence cholesterol levels and increase the risk of hardened arteries, the organization added. The new study appears in the journal Neurology . Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.