The aim of the study was to analyze the long-term recurrence rate in patients with a first-ever ischemic stroke secondary to intracranial large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) in a Brazilian population. Methods: All stroke patients admitted to the hospital between October 2012 and September 2015 were evaluated. The stroke mechanism subtypes were classified as cardioembolism, LAA, small-vessel occlusion, other determined etiologies, and stroke of undetermined etiology. Results: The 359 first-ever ischemic stroke patients were followed up for a mean time of 21.6 ± 15.1 months. The LAA intracranial (38.9%) and extracranial (24.6%) stroke patients presented with a higher stroke recurrence. Intracranial LAA [HR, 10.2 (3.6–29.1); p < 0.001] and extracranial LAA [HR, 5.05 (1.79–14.2); p = 0.002] were the only conditions to show positive correlation with the recurrence rate, after adjusting for risk factors, thrombolysis, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at admission. Conclusion: Intracranial LAA presents a higher incidence of recurrence of ischemic stroke when compared with other etiologies in a Southern Brazilian population.

The use of oral anticoagulation treatment (OAT) in patients with an international normalized ratio (INR) higher than 1.7 is a contraindication to thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke. The aim of the present study is to compare the use of point-of-care (POC) coagulometers to the standard coagulation analysis (SCA) procedure of the INR as a decision-making test for use with patients taking OAT. Method: Eighty patients on chronic OAT underwent a POC and an SCA during a regular outpatient evaluation. Results: When comparing the abilities of the POC test and the SCA test to identify adequate levels for thrombolysis (#1.7), the POC had a sensitivity of 96.6% (95%CI 88.4-99.1) and a specificity of 60.0% (95%CI 38.6-78). POC overestimated INR levels by 0.51 points compared to the SCA test. Conclusion: POC has a high sensitivity compared to the SCA test for the identification of patients within the cut-off point for thrombolysis.Keywords: ischemic stroke, thrombolytic therapy, warfarin, contraindications, anticoagulation. RESUMOValores acima de 1.7 no RNI de pacientes em uso de terapia anticoagulante (ACO) é uma contraindicação para a trombólise no AVC isquêmico. O Objetivo do presente estudo é comparar o teste capilar rápido (TCR) com o exame tradicional de RNI como método de decisão para indicação de terapia trombolítica em pacientes em uso de ACO. Método: Oitenta pacientes em uso crônico de ACO foram submetidos ao TCR e ao exame tradicional durante consulta ambulatorial. Resultados: Ao serem comparados os resultados do TCR com o exame tradicional com o ponto de corte de 1,7 de RNI, o teste rápido teve sensibilidade de 96,6% (IC95% 88,4-99,1) e especificidade de 60,0% (IC95% 38,. O TCR superestimou os níveis de RNI em 0,51 pontos comparado ao exame tradicional. Conclusão: O TCR apresentou elevada sensibilidade, comparado ao exame tradicional para a identificação de pacientes em uso de ACO com indicação de trombólise.Palavras-chave: acidente vascular cerebral, terapia trombolítica, testes de coagulação sanguínea, varfarina, antagonistas da vitamina K, anticoagulação oral.