Plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen in ischaemic stroke.

This study investigated how fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels change in response to neural damage occurring after ischaemia, and the relationship between the distribution of the arterial lesion, the disease prognosis and the levels of these substances. Fibrinogen and CRP levels were measured in blood samples obtained from 83 patients admitted to hospital within 72 h of a first ischaemic stroke. The patients were evaluated clinically with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), and results were compared with 43 age-matched controls. The fibrinogen and CRP levels in unconscious patients with hemiparesis or hemiplegia were higher than those in conscious hemiplegic patients. Also, the difference in GOS values between the unconscious patients with hemiparesis or hemiplegia and conscious patients with hemiparesis or hemiplegia was statistically significant. Patients with large infarcts in the median cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery had higher fibrinogen and CRP concentrations than the control group. In conclusion, fibrinogen and CRP may be important measures for determining the prognosis and outcome in patients following ischaemic stroke.

Chronic subdural hematomas (clinical analysis).

In this study 43 diagnosed and operated chronic subdural hematomas events analysed clinically in the Neurosurgical Department of Atatürk University Erzurum, Turkey. 60.4% of the patients were found to be under 60 years of age. The most frequent findings were pathological reflexes, and hemiparesis at the rates of 58.1% and 50.4% respectively. All of operations were performed using the burr-hole craniostomy and closed system drainage technique.