Cortical Thinning in High-Grade Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis / 대한뇌졸중학회지

Background@#and Purpose High-grade carotid artery stenosis may alter hemodynamics in the ipsilateral hemisphere, but consequences of this effect are poorly understood. Cortical thinning is associated with cognitive impairment in dementia, head trauma, demyelination, and stroke. We hypothesized that hemodynamic impairment, as represented by a relative time-to-peak (TTP) delay on MRI in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the stenosis, would be associated with relative cortical thinning in that hemisphere. @*Methods@#We used baseline MRI data from the NINDS-funded Carotid Revascularization and Medical Management for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis–Hemodynamics (CREST-H) study. Dynamic contrast susceptibility MR perfusion-weighted images were post-processed with quantitative perfusion maps using deconvolution of tissue and arterial signals. The protocol derived a hemispheric TTP delay, calculated by subtraction of voxel values in the hemisphere ipsilateral minus those contralateral to the stenosis. @*Results@#Among 110 consecutive patients enrolled in CREST-H to date, 45 (41%) had TTP delay of at least 0.5 seconds and 9 (8.3%) subjects had TTP delay of at least 2.0 seconds, the maximum delay measured. For every 0.25-second increase in TTP delay above 0.5 seconds, there was a 0.006-mm (6 micron) increase in cortical thickness asymmetry. Across the range of hemodynamic impairment, TTP delay independently predicted relative cortical thinning on the side of stenosis, adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, hemisphere, smoking history, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and preexisting infarction (P=0.032). @*Conclusions@#Our findings suggest that hemodynamic impairment from high-grade asymptomatic carotid stenosis may structurally alter the cortex supplied by the stenotic carotid artery.

Diabetic ketoacidosis - a study of 67 episodes in known type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients

Review and describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis [DKA] in type land type 2 Diabetic patients. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with a diagnosis of DKA in known diabetics and followed their clinical course and outcome. We classified patients as "type 1" and "type 2" diabetes mellitus based on their treatment history. DKA with recent onset of diabetes excluded because of uncertainty of type of diabetes. We compared the groups for precipitating factors, clinical characteristics and outcomes. Sixty-seven patients fulfilled criteria for inclusion in the study. Of 67 patients 44 [65.7%] were male. Twenty [30%] patients had type 2 diabetes. Mean age of type 1 diabetics was 21.6 +/- 6.lyears while type 2 Diabetics were older and had 48.7 +/- 9 years mean age. Body Mass Index [BMI] and duration of diabetes were greater in type 2 Diabetes. A history of prior DKA was noted in 28 patients and all of them were type 1 Diabetics. Infections were the most common precipitating factor in total [41.8%] but in type 2 Diabetes noncompliance was the main precipitating factor. There were 8 deaths in total and mortality rate was apparently higher in type 2 Diabetes. DKA could frequently complicate type 2 Diabetes contrary to belief and carries relatively high mortality

[Comparative assessment of diagnostic value of electrodiagnostic methods and radiologic evaluations in patients with clinical signs of cervical radiculopathy]

Cervical radiculopathy is one of the most common diseases that must be diagnosed early and properly to prevent its serious side effects. For this purpose different paraclinical methods such as MRI, X-ray, EMG, NCV and SSEP are used. Each of these methods has its limitations and some of them are expensive or invassive. The aim of this study was to compare the electrodiagnostic and radiologic methods in diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy. In this study 36 patients [22 Female, l4 Male] with complaint of cervical pain radiated to upper limbs were evaluated. The evaluation included EMG, NCV, MRI, X-ray and SSEP. Exclusion criteria were fracture dislocation and infection of bone joints or soft tissues .MRI and X-ray were performed in MRI centers of Isfahan, Sepahan and Alzahra hospital in Isfahan city. MRI was graded on severity of 1 to 3. EMG, NCV and SSEP were performed in electrodiagnostic center of Alzahra hospital by one professional technician. Results were compared with text books and analyzed by SPSS software. Sensitivity of SSEP was 28.6% and specifity was 100%. Partial agreement between SSEP and MRI existed in moderate and severe cervical involvements [P = 0.005]. Frequencies of abnormalities were: EMG 50%, NCV 5.6%, X-ray 33.3% and MRI 77.8%. This study shows that SSEP has lower value than EMG in diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy. Also in a patient with cervical radiculopathy, cervical MRI and EMG of upper limbs are necessary. SSEP abnormalities in the presence of moderate and severe MRI changes such as myelopathy, are more valuable. Therefore, SSEP in cervical radiculopathy is recommended before surgery