ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the correlation between fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) vascular hyperintensities (FVHs) and outcomes after endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EMT) in patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke.Methods:Using " Nanjing First Hospital Stroke Database" , consecutive patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke received EMT treatment from June 2015 to December 2018 were enrolled retrospectively. Before EMT treatment, the distal FVH grade and the American Society of Intervention and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Society of Interventional Radiology (ASITN/SIR) collateral circulation grade were evaluated. The modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the functional outcome of patients at 3 months after onset, and 0-2 was defined as a good outcome. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the distal FVH grade and the ASITN/SIR collateral circulation grade. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of the outcomes. Results:A total of 117 patients with acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke were enrolled, aged 70.74±12.50 years, 72 (61.5%) were male. The baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 13.73±4.91. Seventy-four patients (63.2%) had a good outcome and 43 (36.8%) had a poor outcome. The distal FVH grade was grade 0 in 8 cases (6.84%), grade 1 in 34 cases (29.06%), and grade 2 in 75 cases (64.10%). Compared with the distal FVH low-grade group (grade 0-1), the high-grade group (grade 2) had a higher ASITN/SIR collateral circulation grade ( P<0.001) and lower baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ( P=0.026). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the distal FVH grade was significantly positively correlated with the ASITN/SIR collateral circulation grade ( r=0.620, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the high distal FVH grade (odds ratio [ OR] 0.336, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 0.128-0.879; P=0.026) was independently associated with the good outcomes, while the higher baseline NIHSS score ( OR 1.036, 95% CI 0.988-1.229; P=0.048) and symptomatic cerebral hemorrhage ( OR 5.597, 95% CI 1.052-29.761; P=0.043) were independently associated with the poor outcomes. Conclusion:The distal FVHs can reflect the state of collateral circulation. The high grade of distal FVHs is associated with the good outcomes after EMT in patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusive stroke.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the risk factors of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients with acute isch?emic stroke of large-artery atherosclerosis. Methods One hundred twelve patients with acute ischemic stroke of large-ar?tery atherosclerosis admitted from July 2013 to January 2014 in Nanjing First Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical Uni?versity were enrolled. According to the results of MRI magnetic sensitive weighted imaging, the patients were divided into CMBs group or non-CMBs group. The history, general clinical data, serum biochemical results and MRI in both groups were enrolled. All the data were analyzed by the univariate and multivariate analysis. Results The results of univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in age (61.620±11.479 vs. 70.620±11.185), serum uric acid (UA) level (278.920±69.512 vs. 353.460±111.206), serum creatinine (Cr) level (71.360±19.797 vs. 90.450±44.989), serum ho?mocysteine (Hcy) level (12.587±2.664 vs. 21.715±10.437) between the two groups (P<0.05). There were significant differ?ences in constituent ratio of Fazekas' s grade of periventricular hyperintensities and deep white matter hyperintensities between the two groups (P<0.05). The results of multivariate analysis showed that age (OR=0.963, 95%CI:0.905~1.025, P<0.05) and serum Hcy level (OR=1.487, 95%CI:1.219~1.813, P<0.05) were the independent risk factors for CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke of large-artery atherosclerosis. Conclusions Age and serum Hcy level are the inde?pendent risk factors for CMBs in patients with acute ischemic stroke of large-artery atherosclerosis.
ABSTRACT
Twenty four patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with severe respiratory failure were divided into two groups randomly: sequential ventilation group and control ventilation group (n = 12 in each group). Patients in sequential group received invasive ventilation at beginning, once the pulmonary infection control window (PICW) reached the trachea cannula was extubated immediately replaced by Bi-level positive airway pressure( BiPAP) noninvasive ventilation with oral-nasal mask; while in control ventilation group the invasive ventilation was continued using pressure support ventilation (PSV) until stopping mechanical ventilation. The total ventilation time, the invasive ventilated time,the length of stay in hospital,monitoring time and the incidence rate of ventilation associated pneumonia (VAP) were evaluated in two groups. The total ventilation time [(7. 8 ±2. 5 ) d, (12 ±2. 2) d], the invasive ventilated time [(4. 9 ±2. 2)d, and (12 ± 2. 2) d] the length of hospital stay [(8. 5 ± 2. 5 ) d, (13 ± 2. 6) d] in the sequential ventilation group were significantly shorter than those in the control ventilation group (P ＜ 0.05); the incidence rate of VAP was lower than that in the control group. The results indicates that sequential ventilation with the guidance of PICW can shorten the total ventilation time, the critical monitoring time and the length of hospital stay, it can also reduce the incidence of VAP and improve the prognosis of patients.
ABSTRACT
Physical examination of the nervous system is a very practical clinical skill.Based on our experience,we have found that conventional teaching approaches are not satisfactory in fully enabling medical trainees to master these skills and use them efficiently in clinical settings.Therefore we have developed a novel approach which involves prioritizing and standardizing examination procedures,imposing goal-oriented practices,improving teaching methodology and intensifying repeatitive exercises.This systemic approach has yielded considerable success that is not achievable through conventional teachings.