TY - JOUR

T1 - After stroke, apraxia of eyelid opening is associated with high mortality and right hemispheric infarction

AU - Nersesjan, Vardan

AU - Martens, Pernille

AU - Truelsen, Thomas

AU - Kondziella, Daniel

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Introduction: Apraxia of eyelid opening (AEO) refers to impaired voluntary eyelid elevation of supranuclear origin. AEO is well-described in neurodegenerative disorders, but its frequency in stroke is unknown. Methods: To investigate the frequency of AEO after stroke, we enrolled patients with an anterior circulation occlusion admitted for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Exclusion criteria were posterior circulation stroke, impaired consciousness and ophthalmological disorders. Forty-eight hours after EVT, patients were screened for AEO, conjugated gaze palsies and cortical ptosis. Neurological deficits were classified using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). A blinded neuroradiologist analyzed CT brain 24 h after EVT using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score. Results: Ninety-eight EVT patients were included in 9 months. Six patients had AEO (6%), 37 conjugated gaze palsy (38%) and 16% cortical ptosis (16%). AEO was associated with higher median NIHSS compared to no eye symptoms (18.5 vs. 3; p < 0.001) and gaze palsy or cortical ptosis (18.5 vs. 7; p = 0.003). The median modified Rankin Scale (mRS) after 3 months was 2 in patients without AEO, but 6 in patients with AEO (mRS in AEO patients nr. 1–6: 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, and 6; p = 0.015; no longer significant after adjustment for stroke severity), including 4 deaths (66%) in AEO patients. All patients with AEO had right hemisphere stroke (6/6 vs. 43/98 in total, p = 0.006). Conclusion: AEO was observed in 6% of EVT patients who showed poor survival and outcome. AEO occurred exclusively in right hemispheric infarctions, suggesting that supranuclear eyelid control is under the influence of the right cerebral hemisphere.

AB - Introduction: Apraxia of eyelid opening (AEO) refers to impaired voluntary eyelid elevation of supranuclear origin. AEO is well-described in neurodegenerative disorders, but its frequency in stroke is unknown. Methods: To investigate the frequency of AEO after stroke, we enrolled patients with an anterior circulation occlusion admitted for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Exclusion criteria were posterior circulation stroke, impaired consciousness and ophthalmological disorders. Forty-eight hours after EVT, patients were screened for AEO, conjugated gaze palsies and cortical ptosis. Neurological deficits were classified using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). A blinded neuroradiologist analyzed CT brain 24 h after EVT using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score. Results: Ninety-eight EVT patients were included in 9 months. Six patients had AEO (6%), 37 conjugated gaze palsy (38%) and 16% cortical ptosis (16%). AEO was associated with higher median NIHSS compared to no eye symptoms (18.5 vs. 3; p < 0.001) and gaze palsy or cortical ptosis (18.5 vs. 7; p = 0.003). The median modified Rankin Scale (mRS) after 3 months was 2 in patients without AEO, but 6 in patients with AEO (mRS in AEO patients nr. 1–6: 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, and 6; p = 0.015; no longer significant after adjustment for stroke severity), including 4 deaths (66%) in AEO patients. All patients with AEO had right hemisphere stroke (6/6 vs. 43/98 in total, p = 0.006). Conclusion: AEO was observed in 6% of EVT patients who showed poor survival and outcome. AEO occurred exclusively in right hemispheric infarctions, suggesting that supranuclear eyelid control is under the influence of the right cerebral hemisphere.

KW - Endovascular thrombectomy

KW - Eye opening apraxia

KW - Gaze palsy

KW - Infarction

KW - Large vessel stroke

KW - Outcome

KW - Prognosis

KW - Stroke

U2 - 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117145

DO - 10.1016/j.jns.2020.117145

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33007692

AN - SCOPUS:85091798103

VL - 418

JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences

JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences

SN - 0022-510X

M1 - 117145

ER -