Stroke; a journal of cerebral circulation
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Temperature is a well-known modulator of experimental cerebral injury. We hypothesized that hyperthermia would be associated with a worsened cognitive outcome after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). ⋯ This is the first report relating postoperative hyperthermia to cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery. Whether the hyperthermia caused the worsened outcome or whether processes that resulted in the worsened cognitive outcome also produced hyperthermia requires further investigation. In addition, interventions to avoid postoperative hyperthermia may be warranted to improve cerebral outcome after cardiac surgery.
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We have recently reported the safety of intraventricular sodium nitroprusside for the treatment of cerebral ischemia from vasospasm. Treatments have been accompanied previously by cerebral angiography to gauge treatment effect on established vasospasm. We presently report the safe coadministration of intraventricular sodium nitroprusside and thiosulfate in 10 patients with secured ruptured cerebral aneurysms in the intensive care unit, without the use of cerebral angiography for vasospasm treatment. ⋯ Intraventricular sodium nitroprusside with thiosulfate may be safely administered in the intensive care unit setting without the requirement of cerebral angiography to guide the effects of therapy.
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The objective of this study was to assess the health-related quality of life and symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients who are aware of the presence of a patent aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation. ⋯ Our study shows that knowledge of harboring an unoccluded untreated intracranial aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation reduces quality of life, most prominently on the psychosocial domains, without leading to substantially raised levels of anxiety and depression.