Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · May 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of the effects of high- and low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on upper limb hemiparesis in the early phase of stroke.
Recently, high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) and low-frequency rTMS (LF-rTMS) are reported to improve motor function significantly in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. However, few studies have investigated the safety and efficacy of these rTMS modalities introduced during the early phase of stroke. The purpose of this study was to clarify the rTMS modality that is more beneficial for upper limb hemiparesis in the early phase of stroke using a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ HF-rTMS applied to the lesional hemisphere in the early phase of stroke was more beneficial for motor improvement of the affected upper limb than LF-rTMS.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · May 2013
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyAre racial disparities in stroke care still prevalent in certified stroke centers?
Racial differences in stroke risk and risk factor prevalence are well established. The present study explored racial differences in the delivery of care to patients with acute stroke between Joint Commission (JC)-certified hospitals and noncertified hospitals. A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients sustaining ischemic stroke admitted to 5 JC-certified centers and 5 noncertified hospitals. ⋯ Important racial disparities exist in the delivery of several acute stroke care variables. Efforts must be focused on eliminating disparities in prehospital delays. Guideline-based care tendered at JC-certified centers might help narrow disparities in acute stroke care delivery.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · May 2013
Comparative StudyImpact of telemedicine implementation in thrombolytic use for acute ischemic stroke: the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center telestroke network experience.
Intravenous thrombolysis is the only therapy for acute ischemic stroke that is approved by the US Food and Drug Association. The use of telemedicine in stroke makes it possible to bring the expertise of academic stroke centers to underserved areas, potentially increasing the quality of stroke care. ⋯ Telestroke implementation was associated with an increased rate of thrombolytic use in remote hospitals within the telemedicine network.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · May 2013
Comparative Study"Code stroke": hospitalized versus emergency department patients.
Stroke rapid-response ("code stroke") teams facilitate the evaluation and treatment of patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Little is known about the usefulness of code stroke systems for patients hospitalized primarily for other conditions. We hypothesized that the yield of code stroke evaluations would be lower in hospitalized than in ED patients, and sought to identify potential targets for quality improvement efforts. ⋯ There was no association between a final diagnosis of a stroke mimic and patient age, sex or race-ethnicity or nursing shift. The proportions of patients with acute ischemic stroke and patients treated with thrombolytics after activation of in-hospital code stroke were small, and were lower than those of patients with ED code stroke in the same hospital over the same time period. Developing a standardized assessment protocol for hospitalized patients with altered mental status may improve the efficacy of care.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · May 2013
The diagnostic value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in differentiating cardioembolic ischemic stroke.
There has been debate regarding whether natriuretic peptides can be used as a marker to distinguish cardioembolic (CE) origin of ischemic stroke from other subtypes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to study the value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in differentiating CE from other subtypes of stroke in patients with acute ischemic stroke. ⋯ NT-proBNP has an acceptable diagnostic value in distinguishing CE ischemic stroke from other subtypes. It can be used to differentiate the stroke subtype and facilitate the treatment process in these patients.