ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Uric acid has gained considerable attention as a potential neuroprotective agent in stroke during the last decades, however, its role in the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke remains poorly understood. A serial evaluation of uric acid levels during the acute phase of stroke and its association with infarct size on magnetic resonance imaging is lacking. METHODS: We present a cohort study of 31 patients with ischemic stroke who were not candidates for thrombolysis according to current criteria at the time. We performed daily measurements of serum uric acid and total antioxidant capacity of plasma during the first week after symptoms onset and 30 days after. Infarct size was determined in the acute phase by a DWI sequence and the final infarct size with a control MRI (FLAIR) at day 30. RESULTS: Uric acid significantly decreases between days 2 to 6 compared to day 1, after adjustment by sex, age and DWI at diagnosis, with a nadir value at 72h. A mixed model analysis showed a negative association between DWI at diagnosis and uric acid evolution during the first week after stroke. Moreover, multivariable linear regression of uric acid values during follow up on DWI volumes demonstrated that DWI volume at diagnosis is negatively associated with uric acid levels at day 3 and 4. There were no significant associations between total antioxidant capacity of plasma and DWI at diagnosis, or FLAIR at any point. DISCUSSION: Patients with larger infarcts exhibited a significant decrease in serum uric acid levels, accounting for a more prominent reactive oxygen species scavenging activity with subsequent consumption and decay of this antioxidant. The different kinetics of total antioxidant capacity of plasma and serum uric acid levels suggests a specific role of uric acid in the antioxidant response in ischemic stroke.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants/metabolism , Stroke/blood , Uric Acid/blood , Female , Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching , Humans , Linear Models , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Stroke/diagnostic imaging , Stroke/physiopathologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recently, five randomized controlled trials confirmed the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment with or without intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke with large-vessel occlusion. AIM: To report patients with ischemic stroke treated with endovascular methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 104 patients aged 61 ± 15 years (54% males) with ischemic stroke who received endovascular treatment at a single medical center between 2009 and 2017. RESULTS: Sixty one percent were treated with intravenous thrombolysis plus endovascular procedures and 39% with endovascular procedures alone. The median door-to needle time was 61 minutes and door-to femoral puncture was 135 minutes. The median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission, 24 hours later and at discharge were 12,4 and 1 points, respectively. Middle cerebral artery was occluded in 60% of cases. Other frequent localizations where distal carotid artery in 17% and vertebro-basilar artery in 14%. Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) scale flow score after the procedure was 3 or 2b in 58% of cases and significantly correlated with NIHSS scores at 24 hours and discharge. Fifty percent of patients had a mRankin score < = 1 and ten patients died (9.6%). Eight percent had a symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical improvement of these patients 24 hours after the procedure and at discharge demonstrate the effectiveness of endovascular treatment in ischemic stroke. The presence neurologists able to interpret multimodal images at the emergency room, the use of local guidelines, the availability of an experienced neuro-interventional team engaged with the workflow and the use of stent retrievers are strongly associated with good outcomes.
Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia/therapy , Endovascular Procedures/methods , Stroke/therapy , Thrombolytic Therapy/methods , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Analysis of Variance , Brain Ischemia/diagnostic imaging , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index , Statistics, Nonparametric , Stroke/diagnostic imaging , Time Factors , Time-to-Treatment , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Background: Recently, five randomized controlled trials confirmed the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment with or without intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke with large-vessel occlusion. Aim: To report patients with ischemic stroke treated with endovascular methods. Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 104 patients aged 61 ± 15 years (54% males) with ischemic stroke who received endovascular treatment at a single medical center between 2009 and 2017. Results: Sixty one percent were treated with intravenous thrombolysis plus endovascular procedures and 39% with endovascular procedures alone. The median door-to needle time was 61 minutes and door-to femoral puncture was 135 minutes. The median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on admission, 24 hours later and at discharge were 12,4 and 1 points, respectively. Middle cerebral artery was occluded in 60% of cases. Other frequent localizations where distal carotid artery in 17% and vertebro-basilar artery in 14%. Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) scale flow score after the procedure was 3 or 2b in 58% of cases and significantly correlated with NIHSS scores at 24 hours and discharge. Fifty percent of patients had a mRankin score < = 1 and ten patients died (9.6%). Eight percent had a symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Conclusions: The clinical improvement of these patients 24 hours after the procedure and at discharge demonstrate the effectiveness of endovascular treatment in ischemic stroke. The presence neurologists able to interpret multimodal images at the emergency room, the use of local guidelines, the availability of an experienced neuro-interventional team engaged with the workflow and the use of stent retrievers are strongly associated with good outcomes.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Young Adult , Thrombolytic Therapy/methods , Brain Ischemia/therapy , Stroke/therapy , Endovascular Procedures/methods , Time Factors , Severity of Illness Index , Brain Ischemia/diagnostic imaging , Retrospective Studies , Analysis of Variance , Treatment Outcome , Statistics, Nonparametric , Stroke/diagnostic imaging , Time-to-TreatmentABSTRACT
Objective: To analyse the Chilean trends in mortality from brain malignancies between 1985 and 1999. Methods: We calculated mortality rates from malignant brain tumors using data obtained from death certificates available at the National Statistics Office. The following International Classification of Diseases categories were selected: 191.0 to 191.9 (ICD-9), and C71.0 to C71.9 (ICD-10). The rates were adjusted using direct standardization. Prais-Winsten methodology was used for time correlation analysis. Results: Sex-specific rates varied from 0.9 to 1.75 per 100.000 in men and from 0.7 to 1.22 in women. The trend was toward a statistically significant increase in mortality from malignant brain tumors in both groups. The analysis by age group showed no statistically significant variation in those below 35 years old, and a statistically significant increase in those between 35 and 39 years old, and in those above 45 years old. Conclusions: The trend in mortality from malignant brain tumors, in Chile, shows a statistically significant increase in those between 35 and 39 years old, and in those above 45 years old.
Existe controversia en el aumento de la incidencia en las tasas de tumores primarios malignos de cerebro. Este incremento podría explicarse por el crecimiento exponencial en el número de Tomografías computarizadas. Objetivo: Evaluar la tendencia de la mortalidad por tumores cerebrales primarios malignos en Chile (TCM). Metodología: Estudio de tasas de mortalidad de datos obtenidos en índices demográficos (años 1985 a 1999). Se utilizó la población de Chile de los años estudiados y se ajustó a la población estimada de 1999. Se usó las categorías 191,0 a 191,9 y C 71-0 a C 71-9 de la Clasificación Internacional, correspondiendo al grupo de tumores malignos del SNC. Se estudiaron tasas específicas por edad y sexo. Se calculó la tendencia utilizando las tasas ajustada por edad y sexo. Se utilizó una prueba de regresión lineal (Prais-Winsten) para mediciones correlacionales en el tiempo (Stata 7). Resultados: Se obtuvo 2.304 TCM. Las tasas específicas por sexo varían entre 0,90 a 1,75 x 100.000 en hombres y de 0,7 a 1,22 en mujeres. La tendencia global de la mortalidad por tumores tiende al ascenso en ambos grupos y es significativamente más alta en hombres (0,47 95 % IC 0,18 a 0,42 p = < 0,005) El estudio por grupos etarios no muestra un aumento significativo en menores de 14 años, ni entre 15 y 34 años. En los grupos de 45 años y más es estadísticamente significativa. Conclusión: La tendencia a la mortalidad por TCM aparece en ascenso en los grupos etarios 35 a 39 años y 45 años y más.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Brain Neoplasms , Mortality , Chile , Epidemiology, DescriptiveABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the concordance between superficial cultures (SC) and quantitative cultures (QC) in the diagnosis of wound infection in burn patients. SAMPLE: All SC and QC taken from the same patient, site and during the same surgery were analysed. VARIABLES: On the SC, the microorganism (MO) and its amount defined subjectively by the microbiologist was recorded (negative, very low, low, regular and abundant). On the QC, the MO and its amount were expressed as colony forming units per gram of tissue (CFUs/g). STATISTICS: Kappa index of agreement beyond chance; Wilcoxon and Kruskall-Wallis for continuous variables and chi(2) for categorical variables were used with a p<0.05 indicating statistical significance. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred and forty three pairs of cultures were analyzed. The concordance between SC and QC (Kappa index) was 52%. On the SC, only when the microbiologist subjectively informed "abundant" MOs there was a significant difference (p<0.0001). There were 6.1% of QCs with more than 10(5) CFUs/g and the most frequent MOs isolated were: S. aureus (27.9%), E. coli (11.6%), P. aeruginosa (11.6%), E. faecalis (11.6%) and S. epidermidis (7.0%). CONCLUSIONS: SC has a moderate concordance with the QC showing a low reliability between the two methods. The subjective information given by the microbiology technician in the SC is not precise. A study in which the two methods be compared blindly against the reference standard, in a prospective cohort of patients, it is needed to discriminate which of two methods it is the most accurate one determining sensitivity and specificity.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Infections/diagnosis , Burns/microbiology , Wound Infection/diagnosis , Biopsy, Needle/methods , Cells, Cultured/microbiology , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Wound Infection/microbiologyABSTRACT
Existe controversia acerca del incremento en la incidencia de tumores cerebrales. Este podría explicarse por el crecimiento exponencial en el número de tomografías computarizadas. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar la tendencia de la mortalidad por tumores cerebrales primarios malignos (TCMP) en la población chilena entre los años 1985 a 1999. Se usaron las categorías 191,0 a 191,9 y C71-0 a C71-9 de la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades, correspondientes al grupo de tumores malignos del sistema nervioso central. Se estudiaron tasas específicas por edad y sexo. Se calculó la tendencia utilizando tasas ajustadas, usando el análisis de regresión lineal de Prais-Winsten para mediciones correlacionadas en el tiempo. Se obtuvieron 2.304 TCPM. Las tasas por sexo varían entre 0,90 a 1,75 x 100.000 en hombres y de 0,7 a 1,22 en mujeres. La tendencia global de mortalidad por tumores tiende al ascenso en ambos grupos, siendo significativamente mayor en hombres (0,47 IC 95 por ciento 0,18 a 0,42 pd ≤ 0,005). Por grupos etáreos, en menores 34 años, no aumenta en forma significativa. Entre 35 y 39 años y sobre los 45 años el aumento es estadísticamente significativo. Se puede concluir que la tendencia de la mortalidad por TCPM asciende en la población total y en ambos sexos. También en grupos etáreos entre 35 y 39 años, y sobre 45 años.
