Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired With Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Chronic Stroke.
Background and Purpose- We assessed safety, feasibility, and potential effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitation for improving arm function after chronic stroke. Methods- We performed a randomized, multisite, double-blinded, sham-controlled pilot study. All participants were implanted with a VNS device and received 6-week in-clinic rehabilitation followed by a home exercise program. ⋯ A pivotal study of this therapy is justified. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02243020.
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Background and Purpose- Plasma levels of galectin-3-a matricellular protein-are increased after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but the functional significance remains undetermined. This study was conducted to evaluate whether modified citrus pectin (MCP; galectin-3 inhibitor) prevents post-SAH early brain injury, focusing on blood-brain barrier disruption. Methods- C57BL/6 male adult mice (n=251) underwent sham or filament perforation SAH modeling, followed by a random intracerebroventricular injection of vehicle or drug at 30 minutes post-modeling. ⋯ R-galectin-3 blocked the neuroprotective effects of MCP. Conclusions- MCP prevents post-SAH blood-brain barrier disruption possibly by inhibiting galectin-3, of which the mechanisms may include binding to TLR4 and activating ERK1/2, STAT-3, and MMP-9. This study suggests galectin-3 to be a novel therapeutic target against post-SAH early brain injury.
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Background and Purpose- Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has been evaluated in numerous clinical trials. Although meta-analyses for this strategy have been performed in the past, recent trials add important information to results of the comparison and permit strategy-specific analyses, including evaluation of endoscopic evacuation and stereotactic thrombolysis. Methods- Major scientific databases including but not limited to Pubmed, the CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, the ICTRP (International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Internet Stroke Center, and the CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched in October of 2017 for randomized controlled trials of MIS treatment of supratentorial spontaneous ICH. ⋯ We also conducted subgroup analyses focusing on time to evacuation for MIS versus conventional treatment and found 0.36 (0.22-0.59) and 0.59 (0.34-1.00) for evacuations performed within 24 hours and 0.49 (0.38-0.63) and 0.57 (0.43-0.76) for evacuations performed within 72 hours. Conclusions- This meta-analysis demonstrates that select patients with supratentorial ICH benefit from MIS over other treatments. This beneficial effect remains true when analyzing specific techniques and evacuation timing subgroups.
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Background and Purpose- Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is widely used in the ischemic stroke setting. In this study, we aim to investigate the yield of TTE in patients with ischemic stroke and known subtype and whether the admission troponin level improves the yield of TTE. Methods- Data were abstracted from a single-center prospective ischemic stroke database for 18 months and included all patients with ischemic stroke whose etiologic subtype could be obtained without the need of TTE. ⋯ In multivariable models, there was an association between TTE changing management and positive serum troponin level (adjusted odds ratio, 4.26; 95% CI, 2.17-8.34; P<0.001). Conclusions- In patients with ischemic stroke, TTE might lead to a change in clinical management in ≈1 of 10 patients with known stroke subtype before TTE but changed acute treatment decisions in <1 percent of patients. Serum troponin levels improved the yield of TTE in these patients.
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Background and Purpose- Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) level is thought to be associated with recurrent stroke. We aimed to investigate the association between oxLDL to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio and recurrent stroke in patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack. Methods- The study included 3019 patients with minor ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack from the CHANCE trial (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients With Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events). ⋯ OxLDL/HDL may act as a powerful indicator of recurrent stroke in patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00979589.