ABSTRACT
AIM: To explore the predictive value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in early poor neurologic improvement after intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: A total of 102 patients with acute ischemic stroke who received intravenous thromblysis with alteplase within 4.5 hours of onset were analyzed retrospectively. RDW level was measured before thrombolysis. According to the percentage change in NIHSS at 24 hours, the patients were divided into two groups: good neurological improvement (≥ 30%) group (n=53) and poor neurological improvement (<30%) group (n=49). The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to investigate whether RDW level is an independent factor affecting patients' neurological improvement. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the cut-off value of RDW to predict poor early neurological improvement after thrombolysis. RESULTS: Compared with the good neurological improvement group, higher proportion of atrial fibrillation (24.5% vs. 9.4%, P= 0.042), diabetes mellitus (57.1% vs. 30.2%, P= 0.006), hemorrhagic transformation (10.2% vs. 0%, P=0.023) in the poor neurological improvement group. The level of RDW in poor neurological improvement group was significantly higher than that in good neurological improved group(14.09±0.77) vs. (13.31±0.63), P=0.000. Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated RDW (OR=4.614, 95%CI: 2.263-9.408, P=0.000) and history of diabetes mellitus (OR=2.606, 95%CI: 1.034-6.573, P=0.042) were independently associated with early poor neurological improvement. The ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value of RDW to predict poor early neurological improvement after thrombolysis was 13.56% (AUC=0.782, 95%CI: 0.690-0.874; sensitivity 76%; specificity 74%). CONCLUSION: Elevated RDW is of a certain value in predicting the poor early neurological improvement of AIS patients after thrombolysis.
ABSTRACT
Forty one patients with unstable thoracolumbar lesions were treated using anterior internal fixation device. There were 39 cases with unstable thoracolumbar fracture, 1 case with post-traumatic kyphosis, and 1 case with aspergillosis spondylitis. The procedures consisted of anterior decompression through vertebrectomy and discectomy, interbody fusion using autogenous iliac bone or rib, realignment and stabilization with Kaneda device(7 cases), or Z-plate ATL device(34 cases). Most patients with incomplete neurologic deficit were improved one or two grades according to Frankel's classification. No patient showed neurological deterioration after surgery. We concluded that the anteroloteral approach with instrumentation in various unstable thoracolumbar lesions would provide satisfactory neurologic improvement as well as immediate firm stability with early ambulation and high fusion rate involving only a minimum number of motion segments.
Subject(s)
Humans , Aspergillosis , Classification , Decompression , Diskectomy , Early Ambulation , Internal Fixators , Kyphosis , Neurologic Manifestations , Ribs , SpondylitisABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To analyze the complications and improvement of neurologic injury after operative treatment in the fracture-dislocations of thoracic and lumbar spine in long-term follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 39 patients, who were operated on for fracture-dislocations in thoracic and lumbar spine from May 1982 to May 1995 was conducted. We evaluated the result with Denis classification for type of fracture-dislocations and with Frankel classification for the neurologic injury. Average levels of fusion were 4.56 segments, ranging from 2 to 7 segments. RESULTS: According to the Frankel classification, the most common neurologic status at initial presentation was grade A in 28 cases (71.8%) and cases with complete paraplegia showed no improvement in long-term follow-up at all. Six other cases with incomplete paraplegia showed average neurologic improvement of 1.5 grade. Ischial sore was most common (13 cases) complication. CONCLUSIONS: Fracture-dislocations showed a higher incidence of neurologic injury than other spine fractures. Complete paraplegia was most common with no neurologic improvement in longterm follow-up. Incomplete paraplegia showed neurologic improvement. The cases of complete paraplegia had more complications than cases of incomplete paraplegia. The authors think that the postoperative care of complete paraplegia is important.