Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Data supporting the efficacy of stroke center characteristics are limited. ⋯ Academic medical centers with a vascular neurologist and those with written guidelines limiting tPA administration to neurologists had lower rates of in-hospital mortality for ischemic stroke patients.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Feasibility and safety of moderate hypothermia after massive hemispheric infarction.
Moderate hypothermia decreases ischemic damage in experimental stroke models. This multicenter study was performed to evaluate (1) the safety and feasibility of moderate hypothermia and (2) its potential to reduce intracranial hypertension in acute stroke patients. ⋯ Moderate hypothermia is feasible in patients with acute stroke, although it is associated with several side effects. Most deaths occur during rewarming as a result of excessive ICP rise. Our preliminary observation that a longer duration of the rewarming period limits the ICP increase remains to be confirmed in future studies.