Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Clinical Trial
Diffusion- and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain before and after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a frequently performed surgical procedure that can be associated with neurological complications. Some studies have demonstrated that new focal brain lesions, detected by MRI, can develop after CABG. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the presence of such new lesions is associated with a decline in neurocognitive test scores. Advanced MRI techniques, including diffusion- (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), offer important diagnostic advantages over conventional imaging in the assessment of patients undergoing CABG. We sought to determine whether focal PWI and DWI abnormalities could occur after CABG, particularly in patients without any measurable neurological deterioration. ⋯ Postoperative DWI abnormalities can occur after CABG, even in patients without overt neurological defects. The PWI scans remained unchanged. Larger prospective studies are required to determine whether the new lesions are clearly associated with neurocognitive decline or with specific perioperative stroke risk factors.
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Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity is decreased after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Simvastatin increases eNOS activity. We hypothesized that simvastatin would increase eNOS protein and ameliorate SAH-induced cerebral vasospasm. ⋯ Simvastatin treatment before or after SAH attenuated cerebral vasospasm and neurological deficits in mice. The mechanism may be attributable in part to eNOS upregulation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
AMPA antagonist ZK200775 in patients with acute ischemic stroke: possible glial cell toxicity detected by monitoring of S-100B serum levels.
S-100B and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) serum concentrations can be used as peripheral markers of glial cell and neuronal damage, respectively. We investigated these markers in a clinical trial with the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) antagonist ZK200775 in acute ischemic stroke patients. ⋯ The AMPA antagonist ZK200775 transiently worsened the neurological condition in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Our results suggest that in addition to neuronal dysfunction, glial cell toxicity may have occurred. It may be useful to introduce monitoring of serum markers of brain damage in phase 2 trials with glutamate receptor antagonists.
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Meta Analysis
Oral citicoline in acute ischemic stroke: an individual patient data pooling analysis of clinical trials.
No single neuroprotective agent has been shown to influence outcome after acute stroke. Citicoline has been studied worldwide in many clinical trials with positive findings, but only 1 trial has obtained significant results in the primary efficacy variables. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of oral citicoline in patients with acute ischemic stroke by a data pooling analysis of clinical trials. The primary efficacy end point chosen was the common evaluation of recovery, combining National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale /=95 at 3 months using the generalized estimating equations analysis. ⋯ Treatment with oral citicoline within the first 24 hours after onset in patients with moderate to severe stroke increases the probability of complete recovery at 3 months.
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Although the short-term risks of stroke and types of stroke associated with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and borderline isolated systolic hypertension (BISH) have been described, the long-term effects of these hypertensive conditions, particularly in younger individuals, are unclear. We performed this study to evaluate the long-term risks of stroke, type of stroke, and predictors of stroke associated with ISH and BISH and how this risk compares with that for persons with diastolic hypertension and normotension. ⋯ Increased risks for stroke, ischemic stroke, and intracerebral hemorrhage were observed in patients with BISH, similar to those associated with ISH and diastolic hypertension. Future clinical trials are required to evaluate the effect of antihypertensive treatment in younger patients with BISH and ISH.