A review of the relationship between stroke and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been a novel biomarker in the literature over decades to assess systemic inflammation. This easily available and cost-effective marker has shown clinical significance in various disease conditions such as infections, sepsis, malignancies, cardiovascular events and even in SARS-COVID-19 pneumonia. NLR has a major association in ischemic stroke patients. Inflammation is a crucial step in the development of ischemic stroke, with neutrophils and lymphocytes comprising the first line defence mechanism. It has a role in stroke initiation, progression of injury, and recovery. This article showed significant correlation between NLR and stroke patients in terms of days of hospital stay, severity and prognosis. High NLR values were found to be associated with higher risk of stroke, prolonged hospital stay and a worse 3 month mortality rate. NLR can thus be integrated into any clinical practice, having an impact on early diagnosis in many clinical scenarios.

Association of Serum Bilirubin with Acute Ischemic Stroke – An Observational Study

@#Introduction: Stroke is a common cause of mortality and morbidity and has an increasing prevalence across the world.1 Bilirubin is now being considered an antioxidant which increases in response to diseases associated with increased oxidative stress. Hence the present observational study was undertaken to assess the bilirubin levels with the outcome of acute ischemic stroke. Methods: This observational study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2018 on 64 ischemic stroke patients admitted at KLE’S Dr. Prabhakar kore hospital at Belagavi, Karnataka. All adult patients above 18 years of age presenting with cerebrovascular accident and proved as ischemic stroke on CT scan or MRI scan were included. The patients were empirically divided into different Groups based on the bilirubin level. They were then analysed with their NIHSS scores for assessing stroke severity. Results: A total of 64 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean total bilirubin level in the patients was 0.68±0.34 mg/dl ( mean±SD). 34.3% (22) of ischemic stroke patients in the study had serum total bilirubin levels 0.7 mg/dl or more. Mean NIHSS Score for Group 1(Low) total bilirubin group was 9.37 and for Group 2(High) bilirubin group was 10.9, which was statistically not significant. This indicates that there was no significant correlation between total bilirubin and severity of symptoms at the time of admission.There was no statistically significant correlation between NIHSS and direct bilirubin levels Conclusion: The current study has documented no association between the bilirubin levels and stroke severity and prognosis.

Craniectomía decompresiva en el ACV isquémico: Reporte de 8 casos / Decompressive craniectomy in ischemic ACV: Report of 8 cases

RESUMEN Introducción: El accidente cerebrovascular es la patología más costosa que existe, siendo la segunda causa de muerte y la primera causa de discapacidad. El aumento de la expectativa de vida en la población en general, ha determinado un incremento en la prevalencia de factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de esta enfermedad. En el año 2012, murieron 2.542 uruguayos por esta patología, o sea, 7 personas por día. Métodos: Se realizo un análisis retrospectivo, en el Hospital de Clínicas, de todos los pacientes que ingresaron con el planteo de accidente cerebrovascular isquémico, desde agosto del 2014, hasta el mismo mes del 2015 (un año de periodo). De un total de 139 pacientes a los cuales se les diagnostico accidente cerebrovascular isquémico, 8 casos (5,8%) requirieron craniectomía decompresiva, que son los que se analizan en el presente trabajo. Resultados: Se trata de 6 hombres y 2 mujeres. La edad promedio fue de 54,8 años (rango 36-71 años). El motivo de consulta fue variado, y un 75 % presento más de 16 puntos en la escala del National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale al momento del ingreso. Al 50% de los pacientes incluidos se les realizo factor activador del plasminógeno recombinante (rTPA) intravenoso. Ningún paciente se completo con estudio vascular de manera precoz. Solo 5 pacientes ingresaron a la unidad de accidente cerebrovascular. En el 75% de los casos se realizo la craniectomía decompresiva a menos de 48 horas de instalado el ictus. El 37,5% de los pacientes fallecieron antes de los 15 días del episodio, y el 62,5% sobrevivieron con una escala de Rankin modificada (mRS) igual o mayor a 3. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con accidente cerebrovascular isquémico deben ser atendidos por un equipo multidisciplinario, con todas las herramientas necesarias y demostradas como nivel de evidencia clase 1A (unidad de accidente cerebrovascular; factor activador del plasminógeno recombinante intravenoso, y tratamiento endovascular) para brindarle al paciente el tratamiento más eficaz que permita una adecuada y precoz rehabilitación. La craniectomía decompresiva tiene indicación (nivel de evidencia clase 1B) en aquellos pacientes menores de 60 años, con accidente cerebrovascular maligno que no respondieron al tratamiento anteriormente mencionado.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The stroke is the most expensive disease that exist, being the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability. Increased life expectancy has determinated an increase of risk factors for this disease. 2542 uruguayans or seven people per day died from stroke in 2012. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed with all patients admitted at Hospital de Clinicas with diagnosis of ischemic stroke, from August 2014 to the same month of 2015. 139 patients had diagnosis of stroke, 8 (5,8%) of them needed decompressive craniectomy. Results: Six men and 2 women. 54,8 was the average age (36 - 71). 75% present with NHISS of 16 or more. 50% of patients were treated with rTPA iv. None patient had an early vascular study. Only 5 patients were admitted at stroke units. In 75% of cases, a decompressive craniectomy was performed in the first 48 hours. 37,5% of patients died in the first 15 days from the onset of symptoms. 62,5% of patients were alive with a mRS of 3 or more. Conclusion: Patients with ischemic stroke should be treated by a multidisciplinary team with all the necessary tools (stroke unit; rTPA iv, and endovascular treatment) to give the patient the best chance of a diagnosis, effective treatment and early rehabilitation. Patients under 60 years, with a malignant stroke and a negative evolution in spite of the treatment previously mentioned, benefit from a decompressive craniectomy.

Plasma NT-pro-BNP is an independent predictor of acute phase mortality after acute ischemic stroke / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Objective To investigate the serum level of NT-pro-BNP in patients with acute ischemic stroke and to determine whether NT-pro-BNP levels were associated with the death within 15 days of stroke onset. Methods Two hundard twenty-six consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke within 48 hours of onset were enrolled in this study. We measured plasma NT-pro-BNP within 72 h and recorded the NIHSS score on admission. Patients were divided into two groups: the deceased group, who died within 15 days, and the survival group. The factors associated with the death within 15 d of stroke onset were investigated by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Twenty-four (10.6%) patients died with 15 days of stroke onset. The incidence of atrial fibrillation, cardioembolism and large infarc?tion, the mean ± SD of NIHSS score, age, glucose level and creatinine were significantly higher in the deceased group than in the survival group (P<0.001). On the other hand, the mean ± SD of LVEF, albumin, LDL-C, and total-cholester?ol were significantly lower in the deceased group than in the survival group(P<0.05 ). The median of the plasma NT-pro-BNP level was significantly higher in the deceased group than in the survival group (2598.5 vs. 190.4 pg/mL, P<0.001). The optimal cut-off level, sensitivity, specificity and ROC area of NT-pro-BNP levels to distinguish the de?ceased group from the survival group were 955.2 pg/mL, 83.3%and 82.2%, 0.906, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that NIHSS score of ≥13 (OR=56.18, 95% CI=9.06 to 348.40, P =0.000) , plasma Lg NT-Pro-BNP level (OR=38.79, 95%CI=6.52 to 230.95, P=0.000) , and the size of infarction (OR=8.73, 95%CI=1.11~68.88, P=0.040) were independent factors associated with the death within acute phase of stroke. Conclusions The plas?ma NT-pro-BNP level can predict the death of stroke patients within 15 days of stroke onset.

Is post-stroke hyperglycemia a marker of stroke severity and prognosis: A pilot study

Various physiological parameters like blood pressure, temperature, blood sugar after onset of stroke have been proposed as possible marker of stroke prognosis to study the glycaemic status after acute stroke and assess the role of glycaemic status along with other clinical parameters in influencing stroke outcome. Forty-two confirmed stroke patients attending hospital within 6 hours of onset of stroke onset were included in the study. The time lag for hospitalization, blood pressure, blood sugar, HbA1c, stroke severity according to Toronto Scale, demographic factors, stroke onset type, type of stroke, past history of stroke, diabetes, and hypertension were recorded. The outcome was whether patient survived at the end of forth week. Twenty-one percent of patients who were not known diabetic found to be hyperglycemic though their HBA1C level was normal. Eighty-nine percent of such patients died. This rate was significantly higher than patients known to be diabetic with raised sugar and HBA1c level (26% patients, 12% mortality). There was strong and significant association between stroke severity and poor outcome. Strong and significant association was also found between stroke severity and blood sugar level. Modeling of stroke outcome using decision tree analysis (QUEST) found stroke severity as most important and significant predictor especially for severe stroke cases. In mild and moderately severe stroke, high sugar level was found to be a predictor, though not statistically significant.This study suggests that stroke severity is the most important predictor of stroke outcome, with high sugar level as a marker of stroke severity.

Standardized Swallowing Assessment of Acute Stroke Patients: an Analysis of 115 Cases / 中国康复理论与实践

@#ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence and risk factors of dysphagia in acute stroke patients, and its influence on prognosis.Methods115 patients with acute stroke received Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) within the first 24 hours after admission to find out whether they had dysphagia. During period being in hospital, the patients received CT scans or MRI examinations to diagnose the sites of lesions in brain. The risk factors related to dysphagia and prognosis were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression with modified Rankin scale (MRS) scores at 3 months and 6 months as prognosis criterion.ResultsThe incidence of post-stroke dysphagia was 62.6%, and there was no significant difference among different brain lesion sites (P=0.212). The NIHSS score was the independent risk factor of post-stroke dysphagia (OR=5.841,95% CI:1.562～21.837), and post-stroke dysphagia was the independent risk factor of poor outcome at 3 months (OR=5.570,95% CI:1.052～29.496) in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. But dysphagia was not correlated significantly with poor outcome at 6 months in multivariate logistic regression analysis.ConclusionDysphagia is a common problem in acute stroke patients and an independent predictor for prognosis at 3 months. NIHSS score is an independent risk factor of post-stroke dysphagia.