ABSTRACT
Background: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] can objectively quantify the severity of stroke. However no information is available about psychometric properties and it's applicability in the Iranian population
Objectives: The present study purposed by utilization of this instrument for neurological deficits measurement due to stroke, to determine the internal consistency reliability and concurrent validity of NIHSS to separate two groups of men and women patients
Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 206 ischemic stroke patients were selected and the internal consistency reliability and concurrent validity of NIHSS were assessed. For this purpose, Barthel index that measures the functional disability was used. Data also were analyzed by Independent t-test, Chi-square, Pearson correlation, Fisher's z tests and bivariate regression analysis
Results: Internal consistency for men [alpha=0.881], women [alpha=0.913] and total patients [alpha=0.893] was excellent. Negative correlation was found between NIHSS and Barthel index in both men [r=-0.43, p<0.0001] and women [r=-0.63, p<0.0001] and this relationship estimated to be more significant among women rather than men [p<0.05]. In addition, NIHSS scores could significantly predict the Barthel score in both groups [p<0.0001] but the results revealed the more ability of NIHSS in predicting functional disability for women [R[2]=0.40] rather than men [R[2]=0.18]
Conclusion: Persian version of NIHSS was reliable and valid instrument that can be applicable in both men and women with ischemic stroke; however, it was found that the degree of concurrent validity is better among women than men
ABSTRACT
Background: Temporal variation of stroke onset is suggested in some studies contained somewhat varieties. It is proposed that some predisposing changes occur in some ascertained times consequently resulted in stroke occurrence in some special times
Objective: To determine the circadian and circaseptan variation of stroke onset
Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted from March 2012 to February 2013 in an academic hospital in the North of Iran. All patients with acute onset of neurological symptoms were enrolled in the study after being diagnosed as a stroke patient. The diagnosis was made by a neurologist using brain imaging. Age, gender, history of diabetes and hypertension, time and date of stroke onset were recorded for all patients. The data were analysed using Chi-square test in SPSS software version 19
Results: A total of eight hundred sixty-nine patients with mean age of 67.5il2.4 years [55.6% women 44.4% men] were admitted during one year study. Eighty-five percent of stroke cases were ischemic in nature and the others were hemorrhagic type. Distribution of cases during a day was not uniform [p < 0.0001]
The peak of stroke onset occurred in the mornings [7-9 a.m.] followed by a second peak in the evenings [7-9 p.m.]
In addition, the distribution of cases during the week was also not uniform [p < 0.016]
Conclusion: Stroke occurrence has a diurnal variation probably resulted from circadian physiologic changes. Although there is a circaseptan variation in the times of stroke record, it seemingly isn't related to physiologic changes
ABSTRACT
Background: Intracerebral Hemorrhage [ICH] is a stroke type which resulted in disability. Memantine have been supposed to have the effect on the functional status in patients with ICH
Objectives: Comparing the effect of memantine with placebo on the clinical outcome of ICH
Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was conducted in an academic hospital in northern Iran on patients with ICH allocated in memantine and placebo group through the random block method
The patients' neurological status was assessed on admission, the seventh day, upon discharg and ultimately three months after the ICH onset, according to the Nationa Institute of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS], modified Rankin Scale [mRS] Barthel Index [BI] and Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS]
The data analysis was done by using independent t-test, Chi-square and repeated measure tests SPSS software version 21
Results: A total of 64 patients have been allocated into two equal size group! with no significant differences in terms of age or gender [p>0.05]
The meal increase in the BI and the decrease in the mRS were significantly greater in tW memantine group compared with the placebo group as measured fron admission time until three months following the ICH onset [p=0.001 anc p=0.049, respectively]
No significant differences were observed between the two groups in mortality rate [p=QA92] and the means and changes of the GCS [p=0.331] and the NfflSS score [p=0.211]
Conclusion: Early administration of memantine to ICH patients can result ii significant improvement of long-term motor function and functional independence