fbpx
TeleCare
Careers
Pay My Bill
Learning Center
Stroke Survivors

Back to Previous

A Neurologist’s Perspective: Exciting Research at the World Stroke Congress

By: | Tags: , , , , , , , | November 2nd, 2023

By Dr. Theresa Sevilis

Insights from the 15th World Stroke Congress

The 15th World Stroke Congress was packed with insightful presentations and excellent stroke research. I am grateful for the opportunity to have shared two of our studies at this conference, Validation of Artificial Intelligence to Limit Delays in Acute Stroke Treatment and Endovascular Therapy (VALIDATE) and Artificial Intelligence Software Improving Times to Thrombectomy. Both studies highlight the benefits of AI platforms in shortening times to contact neurointerventionalists, which can improve door-to-needle times. Both studies showed that facilities using AI platforms had greater than 30 minutes faster times from patient arrival to contact with the neurointerventionalist. Time is brain, and every minute counts.patient charts

Impactful Studies For Acute Stroke Care

While there were so many great studies presented at WSC, there were a few that stood out as very impactful for acute stroke care that I would like to highlight.

Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: Navigating Treatment Choices

Alteplase (tPA) has been the standard of care for acute stroke treatment, but for many reasons, most related to ease of use, there has been a recent switch to tenecteplase despite limited data to support its use in the < 4.5-hour window. ATTEST-2 was presented at WSC, a randomized trial comparing alteplase and tenecteplase, with the primary outcome being the mRS at 90 days. There were 832 tenecteplase patients and 831 alteplase patients who completed the 90-day follow-up. The 90-day outcomes showed that tenecteplase was not inferior to alteplase, but it failed to show superiority. There was no statistically significant difference in angioedema or hemorrhages, although there were higher percentages of hemorrhages in the tenecteplase group. These findings support decisions to switch to tenecteplase for logistical reasons, including faster treatment times.

TENSION Trial: Reshaping Stroke Intervention

The second study I would like to highlight is the TENSION trial, which evaluated the benefit of thrombectomy in large vessel occlusions in patients with large infarcts, including patients with the majority having ASPECT of 3-5. The outcomes were very impressive, showing not only a reduction in mortality but also disability for these patients who were previously thought to have unsalvageable brains. Thrombectomy was associated with an 11% reduction in mortality and an 18% increase in a patient’s ability to walk unassisted. This study is consistent with multiple other recent studies and is strong evidence that the size of the stroke already present should not be a limiting factor in who is taken for intervention.

Connect with TeleSpecialists

It is an exciting time for acute stroke care as we continue to expand our armament of treatments and discover new innovations. Each one of these breakthroughs expands the opportunities to help our patients overcome strokes and go on to live full lives.

To learn more about TeleSpecialists attendance at future events, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Nattasha Acevedo, MD

Dr. Acevedo received her medical degree from the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and did her neurology residency at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. She went on to do a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Emory School of Medicine in Atla nta, Georgia and then joined private practice in Fort Myers, Florida. She currently resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She likes running, paddle boarding and spending time with family.
dr-nattasha-acevedo-teleneurology
close-link

Bernadette Borte, MD

Dr. Borte received her medical degree from St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine in Grand Cayman. She completed her neurology residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. Her areas of interest include inpatient neurology and acute stroke. When not working, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. Dr. Borte joined the TeleSpecialist family in March of 2019.
dr-bernadette-borte-teleneurology
close-link

Mazen Almidani, MD

Dr. Almidani is board certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics and board certified in epilepsy, as well as neurology with special  qualification in child neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  Dr. Almidani is happily married with 4 children. His oldest son has autism and his daughter has complicated seizures; both were a drive for him to become a neurologist. Dr. Almidani enjoys soccer, running and spending time with his family. He is very involved with his sons’ therapy and helping with daily challenges. He is double board certified in Pediatric and Adult Neurology and Epilepsy. He sees children and adults. He also participates in charities for children in Syria who may be underprivileged and/or affected by the war. Dr. Almidani joined TeleSpecialists in August 2020.
close-link

Amanda Cheshire, MD

Dr. Cheshire received her medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky. She completed her neurology residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. She did a fellowship in neurophysiology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Cheshire is double board certified in neurology and clinical neurophysiology. She enjoys traveling, reading and music. She currently resides in Viera, Florida.  Dr. Cheshire joined TeleSpecialists in June 2019.
dr-amanda-cheshire-teleneurology
close-link

Jessica Floyd, MD

Dr. Floyd completed her neurology residency at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida followed by fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology with focus in EEG and epilepsy at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. She has particular interest in hospital neurology and patient education as well as the blossoming specialty of lifestyle medicine. She strives to take advantage of every encounter with patients and medical staff to empower them to do their own research into how daily thoughts, choices, and habits can add up to create greater and longer-lasting brain and neurologic health for ourselves and our loved ones. She lives in Florence, South Carolina with her awesome husband of 13 plus years and three beautiful children. She is an avid yogi, astrologer, and lover of food and all things neurology! Dr. Floyd joined the TeleSpecialist family in July 2017.
dr-jessica-floyd-teleneurology
close-link

Nancy Futrell, MD

Dr. Futrell received her medical degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also did her neurology residency at the University of Utah as well as a research fellowship in cerebral vascular disease at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. She currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has authored 2 books and 50 peer reviewed papers. 
dr-nancy-futrell-teleneurology
close-link

Rebecca Jimenez-Sanders, MD

Dr. Jimenez Sanders received her undergraduate degree from Emory University, and her medical degree from the San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. She completed her neurology residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, where she also did a specialized headache medicine and facial pain fellowship. She currently resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband and her two daughters. She is also fluent in Spanish and Italian languages, and enjoys photography, baking, boating, and biking.
dr-rebecca-jiminez-sanders-teleneurology
close-link

Cory Lamar, MD

Dr. Lamar received his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. He completed his internship and residency at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Following residency, he completed a clinical fellowship in neurophysiology, with a concentration in epilepsy. He currently resides in Florida and enjoys outdoor activities.
close-link

Clifford Meyers, MD

Dr. Meyers received his medical degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and his MBA from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. He completed his neurology residency at the University of Rochester, where he also did a neurophysiology fellowship. Dr. Meyers resides in Webster, New York with his wife and daughter. When not doing teleneurology, he enjoys playing sports with his wife and daughter.
dr-clifford-meyers-teleneurology
close-link

Tao Tong, MD

Dr. Tong received her medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. She completed her neurology residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, where she also did a neuromuscular/EMG fellowship.  She currently resides in College Station, Texas. Dr. Tong is married with two boys. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and reading.
dr-tao-tong-teleneurology
close-link

Shubhangi Chumble, MD

Dr. Chumble attended BJ Medical School. She is a board certified neurologist with a subspeciality interest in sleep medicine. Dr. Chumble did her residency at Howard University in Washington DC and has practiced neurology since 2001 in private and corporate settings. She lives in Melbourne, Florida and loves the sunshine state. Her hobbies include yoga, meditation, cooking , traveling and meeting new people. She also loves to do stained glass, pottery and painting. She joined TeleSpecialists in June 2019.
close-link