Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Oct 2013
Seasonal variation and trends in stroke hospitalizations and mortality in a South American community hospital.
Numerous studies have reported the presence of temporal variations in biological processes. Seasonal variation (SV) in stroke has been widely studied, but little data have been published on this phenomenon in the Southern Hemisphere, and there have been no studies reported from Argentina. The goals of the present study were to describe the SV of admissions and deaths for stroke and examine trends in stroke morbidity and mortality over a 3-year period in a community hospital in Argentina. ⋯ Stroke admissions followed a seasonal pattern, with a winter-spring predominance (P = .008). Our data indicate a clear SV in stroke deaths and admissions in this region of Argentina. The existence of SV in stroke raises a different hypothesis about the rationale of HF admissions and provides information for the organization of care and resource allocation.
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The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with short-term mortality in acute stroke. ⋯ The NLR at the time of hospital admission may be a predictor of short-term mortality in acute stroke patients. Because of the routine use and inexpensive nature of hemogram analysis, the NLR should be investigated in future prospective, randomized controlled trials investigating acute stroke.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Aug 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyThe iScore predicts efficacy and risk of bleeding in the National Institute of Neurological disorders and Stroke Tissue Plasminogen Activator Stroke Trial.
The iScore is a validated tool to estimate outcomes after an acute ischemic stroke. A previous study showed the iScore can predict clinical response and risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). We applied the iScore (www.sorcan.ca/iscore) to participants in the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke tPA stroke trials to evaluate its ability to estimate clinical response and risk of ICH after thrombolysis. ⋯ Despite the higher favorable composite outcome of tPA therapy in patients with an iScore <200 (58.7% v 41.9%; P < .001), this therapy had no benefit in patients with an iScore ≥ 200 (15.4% v 13.4%; P = .77). In patients receiving tPA in the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke trial, the iScore estimated the clinical response and risk of hemorrhagic complications. Further prospective studies are needed before a change in practice can be recommended.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Aug 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyClinical features and racial/ethnic differences among the 3020 participants in the Secondary Prevention of Small Subcortical Strokes (SPS3) trial.
This study examined the baseline characteristics, racial/ethnic differences, and geographic differences among participants in the Secondary Prevention of Small Subcortical Strokes (SPS3) study. The SPS3 trial enrolled patients who experienced a symptomatic small subcortical stroke (lacunar stroke) within the previous 6 months and an eligible lesion on detected on magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were randomized, in a factorial design, to antiplatelet therapy (aspirin 325 mg daily plus clopidogrel 75 mg daily vs aspirin 325 mg daily plus placebo) and to one of two levels of systolic blood pressure targets ("intensive" [<130 mmHg] or "usual" [130-149 mmHg]). ⋯ Mean systolic blood pressure at study entry was 4 mmHg lower in the Spanish subjects compared with the North American subjects (P <.01). The SPS3 cohort is the largest magnetic resonance imaging-defined series of patients with S3. Among the racially/ethnically diverse SPS3 participants, important differences in patient features and vascular risk factors could influence prognosis for recurrent stroke and response to interventions.
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Aug 2013
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyDisparities in stroke type and vascular risk factors between 2 Hispanic populations in Miami and Mexico city.
The heterogeneous nature and determinants of stroke among different Hispanic groups was examined by comparing hospitalized Hispanic stroke patients in Miami, where the Hispanic population is largely of Caribbean origin, to a Mestizo population in Mexico City. ⋯ We found significant differences in the frequency of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and atrial fibrillation in Miami Hispanics and Mexican stroke patients, highlighting the heterogeneity of the Hispanic ethnic group. Future studies are needed to clarify the relative contribution of genetic and environmental disparities amongst Mexican and Caribbean Hispanic stroke patients.