Neurocritical care
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This study aimed to assess the accuracy and utility of high-resolution continuous glucose recording in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to establish whether a relationship exists between the cumulative amplitude and duration of hyperglycemia and outcome after TBI. ⋯ Continuous collection of glucose recordings is more reliable and accurate than routine discontinuous recordings. Assessing both the duration and the amplitude of the episodes using continuous collection of glucose data helps in better predicting outcomes than the total duration of episodes.
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Reducing cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) below the lower limit of autoregulation (LLA) causes cerebral blood flow (CBF) to become pressure passive. Further reductions in CPP can cause cessation of CBF during diastole. We hypothesized that zero diastolic flow velocity (FV) occurs when diastolic blood pressure becomes less than the critical closing pressure (CrCP). ⋯ The disappearance of diastolic CBF below LLA can be explained by DCM reaching zero or negative values. Below this point the decrease in CBF accelerates with further decrements of CPP.
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There is a growing interest in measuring cerebral autoregulation in patients with acute brain injury. Non-invasive finger photo-plethysmography (Finapres) is the method of choice to relate arterial blood pressure to changes in cerebral blood flow. Among acutely ill patients, however, peripheral vasoconstriction often limits the use of Finapres requiring direct intravascular blood pressure measurement. We evaluated how these two different forms of blood pressure monitoring affect the parameters of dynamic cerebral autoregulation (DCA). ⋯ Overall, both methods yield similar results and can be used for the assessment of DCA. However, there was a small but significant difference for both mean Mx and phase shift, which would need to be adjusted for during monitoring of patients when using both methods. When available, invasive arterial blood pressure monitoring may improve accuracy and thus should be the preferred method for DCA assessment in the ICU.
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Comparative Study
Prediction of Poor Outcome in Cerebellar Infarction by Diffusion MRI.
Identification of patients with posterior fossa infarction at risk for neurological deterioration remains a challenge. MRI-based assessments of MCA infarction can predict poor outcome. Similar quantitative imaging measures after cerebellar stroke have not been studied. We tested the hypothesis that MRI-based volumetric assessment of cerebellar infarcts can provide reliable information for the prediction of poor outcome. ⋯ Quantitative volumetric measurement predicts poor outcome of cerebellar stroke patients, even when controlling for age and NIHSS. Quantitative analysis of diffusion MRI may assist in identification of patients with cerebellar stroke at highest risk of neurological deterioration. Prospective validation is warranted.