Relationship between white blood cell count and mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Stroke is the most frequent and highly fatal neurologic disease. Many clinical symptoms and paraclinical methods have been suggested have a prognostic value in stroke, including the shift in white blood cell [WBC] count which has attracted much attention at the moment. The objective of this study is to assess the prognostic value of admission-time WBC count of patients with acute ischemic stroke on their hospital mortality in Rafsanjan. This is a descriptive-cross sectional study on 200 patients with acute ischemic stroke, that the diagnosis was confirmed with neuroimaging. WBC count during the first 12 hours of admission was assessed. Subsequently, the patients were divided in 2 groups of normal WBC count and high WBC count and followed until discharge or death. The data were analyzed statistically using Fisher Exact test. In our study, 54% of our patients were men and the others were women. 17.5% of patients had abnormal WBC count. 27 patients [13.5%] were expired, consisting of 5 patients with increased WBC count and 22 with normal WBC count. No significant relationship was observed between the WBC count and hospital mortality. Also, no significant relationship was observed between the WBC count and hospital mortality in terms of age and gender. The findings of our study show that WBC count doesn't have any predictive value on hospital mortality in patients with ischemic stroke

Post stroke depression among Iranian patients

To assess the incidence of depression and its contributing factors after an episode of stroke. This prospective study was performed on 200 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to Aliebne-Abitaleb Hospital in Rafsanjan, Iran, from September 2006 to September 2007. The diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke was made by a neurologist and confirmed by MRI. Frequency of depression, according to DSM-IV criteria, as well as demographic data and some contributing factors were registered and analyzed by chi squared test and the logistic regression method. The mean age of patients was 61.15 +/- 8.66 years. Thirty-two percent of patients suffered depression. The frequency of depression was significantly higher in women [40.9%] than men [21.1%] [p=0.004]. There was no significant relation between depression and age, location of lesion, and risk factors for stroke. Hypertension [34%], diabetes [15%], smoking [14%], and hyperlipidemia [14%] were the most common risk factors. Generally, our results show that post stroke depression is prevalent in our society, and this is more prominent among women. Early diagnosis and treatment can help to improve quality of life of these patients

Serum prolactin level in multiple sclerosis patients

Multiple Sclerosis [MS] is the most common demyelinating disease. An autoimmune basis has been confirmed for pathogenesis of MS. Prolactin [PRL] has roles in these mechanisms. Its serum levels change in MS according to some reports. The purpose of this study was to survey these changes in MS patients. Sixty MS patients were included in this cross-sectional study. The same number of controls matched for sex and age were studied. Pregnant, lactating women, consumers of specific medications and patients with underlying diseases were excluded from our study. RIA was used for determination of serum levels of PRL. In this study, PRL level in male patients was 14.23 +/- 11.47 ng/ml compared to controls with mean level of 7.21 +/- 4.12 ng/ml [P value <0.001]. Mean PRL level in female patients was 20.18 +/- 11.04 ng/ml whereas controls had a mean level of 14.45 +/- 6.93 ng/ml [one-tailed P value <0.05]. So there were significant differences in serum PRL level between case and control groups in both men and women. PRL has a positive relation with MS in both sexes. Further studies for determination of causality relation and drug effect in endocrine system on MS pathogenesis are suggested