Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly prevalent in the elderly, but such patients tend to be under-represented in clinical trials. Increasing age confers a higher risk of stroke and bleeding when antithrombotic therapy is used. We examined risk factors for stroke and bleeding among elderly (age, >75 years) patients within a real world hospitalized cohort from the Loire Valley AF project. ⋯ Elderly patients with AF have a higher risk of stroke and bleeding, but the benefits of VKA therapy for stroke/thromboembolism or mortality were present regardless of increasing age.
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In infants with moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy, whole-body cooling at 33°C to 34°C for 72 hours is standard care with a number needed to treat to prevent a adverse outcome of 6 to 7. The precise brain temperature providing optimal neuroprotection is unknown. ⋯ Cooling to 35°C (an absolute drop of 3.5°C as in therapeutic hypothermia protocols) or to 33.5°C provided protection in most brain regions after a cerebral hypoxic-ischemic insult in the newborn piglet. Although the relatively wide therapeutic range of a 3.5°C to 5°C drop in temperature reassured, overcooling (an 8.5°C drop) was clearly detrimental in some brain regions.
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Influence of arterial occlusion on outcome after intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke.
We aimed to assess the interaction between intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and arterial occlusion on acute cervicocerebral computed tomographic angiography on the outcome of patients with acute ischemic stroke. ⋯ In this retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke, there was a trend for more favorable outcomes with IVT in the setting of initial arterial occlusion than in the setting of no/minimal obstruction. Before confirmation in randomized controlled studies, this information should not influence thrombolysis decisions, however.
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Multicenter Study
Computed tomography identifies patients at high risk for stroke after transient ischemic attack/nondisabling stroke: prospective, multicenter cohort study.
Ischemia on computed tomography (CT) is associated with subsequent stroke after transient ischemic attack. This study assessed CT findings of acute ischemia, chronic ischemia, or microangiopathy for predicting subsequent stroke after transient ischemic attack. ⋯ In patients with transient ischemic attack/nondisabling stroke, CT evidence of acute ischemia alone or acute ischemia with chronic ischemia or microangiopathy was associated with increased subsequent stroke risk within 90 days.
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A susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) on 1.5-tesla (T)-T2*-weighted images may predict cardioembolism. It has also been detected in patients with large artery atherosclerosis. In patients with major vessel occlusion, the SVS was comprised 2 layers on 3T-T2*-weighted images. We assessed the efficacy of 2-layered SVS on 3T-T2*-weighted imaging scans for predicting cardioembolism. ⋯ The specificity of 2-layered SVS for cardioembolism was high. It may be useful for predicting cardioembolism and for the management of patients with acute ischemic stroke.