Lipid profile in migraine

Lipid profile in the form of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL] and triglycerides was estimated in the serum of 50 patients complaining from migraine in addition to twenty completely healthy individuals matched for age and sex. The study showed a significant increase in the serum total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in migrainous patients. On the other hand, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides were significantly high in the patients above 20 years denoting that these components were much more related to the aging process rather than the etiogenesis of the migraine itself. No relation was detected between the lipid profile changes and the type or frequency of the migraine

Post-stroke depression

This study was done on 45 stroke patients [25 males and 20 females with ages ranged from 40 to 65 years] within the first three months following stroke. Every patient was subjected to full history, thorough general and neurological examinations, routine laboratory investigations, computed tomography [CT] of the brain, mini mental state examination [MMSE] and Barthel ADL scale. Depression was diagnosed according to DSMIV criteria. Fifteen patients were depressed. Post-stroke depression was found to be more common in patients above 50 years, with positive family and past histories of depression and with left anterior hemispheric lesions being cortical more than subcortical ones. Scores of Barthel ADL scale showed no significant difference between post-stroke depressed and non depressed patients. It was advisable to manage early the post-stroke depression in order to improve the outcome of stroke