Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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We sought to investigate factors determining growth rate of unruptured intracranial aneurysms as well as formation of new (de novo) aneurysms in patients from a time period when unruptured aneurysms were not treated surgically. ⋯ Women and cigarette smokers are at increased risk for intracranial aneurysm formation and growth. Cigarette smoking in particular hastens aneurysm growth. Cessation of smoking is important for patients with unruptured aneurysms and possibly also for those with a prior subarachnoid hemorrhage.
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Several studies have claimed that temperature on admission is of prognostic significance in acute stroke. Experimental studies showing that hyperthermia increases infarct size have lent credibility to this assumption. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that initial body temperature is of importance for stroke outcome. ⋯ In major stroke, a significant rise in temperature occurred hours after stroke onset. Severe infarcts and intracerebral hemorrhages caused temperature to rise, whereas initially increased temperature had no influence on stroke severity. Elevated body temperature on admission within 6 hours of stroke onset had no prognostic influence on stroke outcome at 3 months.
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We examined the neuroprotective efficacy of moderate-dose human albumin therapy in acute focal ischemic stroke and defined the therapeutic window after stroke onset, within which this therapy would confer neurobehavioral and histopathological neuroprotection. ⋯ Moderate-dose albumin therapy markedly improves neurological function and reduces infarction volume and brain swelling, even when treatment is delayed up to 4 hours after onset of ischemia.
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Extracellular ATP might induce cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage through P(2) receptor. To investigate the roles of P(2) receptor subtypes in vasospasm, we examined the changes in mRNA expression of P(2) receptor subtypes in basilar arteries from double cisternal blood injection rat models. ⋯ The differential expression of the P(2) receptors indicates that P(2X1) subtype might not play an important role in vasospasm. The upregulation of P(2Y1) and P(2Y2) receptors might enable ATP to produce contraction at low levels of concentration.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Improved recovery in activities of daily living associated with remission of poststroke depression.
Poststroke depression is associated with impaired recovery of activities of daily living (ADL) function compared with similar nondepressed patients. We examined the differences on recovery of ADL functions among poststroke depressed patients with remission of their depression compared with poststroke depressed patients without mood recovery over the first 3 to 6 months after stroke. ⋯ Our findings suggest that remission of poststroke depression over the first few months after stroke is associated with greater recovery in ADL function than continued depression. Early effective treatment of depression may have a positive effect on the rehabilitation outcome of stroke patients.