ABSTRACT
AIM: To study the prevalence, pathomorphological characteristics and risk factors of asymptomatic cerebral infarction (CI) based on the results of post-mortem studies and clinical charts of patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The autopsies of 735 patients died due to different diseases were analyzed using continuous sampling method. CI lesions were found in 86 patients (47 women, 39 men, mean age 76.3±10.5 years). Morphological parameters of CI and cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were mean 2.7±1.5 CI lesions per patient in the main group: 47 (54.6%) patients had ≥3 lesions, 9 (10.5%) - 2 lesions and 30 (34.9%) - 1 lesion. The significantly higher frequency of cardiovascular risk factors was found in CI patients (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, tobacco smoking) while the adherence to prevention strategies was lower compared to patients without CI.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Infarction/pathology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Atrial Fibrillation/epidemiology , Cerebral Infarction/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Hypertension/epidemiology , Male , Prevalence , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
AIM: Тo investigate the possible association between clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS), quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Th17, dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the serum in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comprehensive neurological and immunological examination of 43 patients with relapsing-remitting-MS (RR-MS) was performed. All patients were subjected to a standard neurological examination with assessment of the EDSS score. Dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Percentage of Th17-cells was determined by flow cytometry. The functional activity of Th17- and Th1-cells was assessed by the production of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), respectively, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with microbeads coated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28-antibodies. RESULTS: The percent Th17-cells and cytokine production was significantly higher in MS patients with the exacerbation of disease than in the control group or remission, while the dopamine level was lower. Norepinephrine levels in MS patients in the acute stage and remission were comparable, but nevertheless, reliably lower than in the control group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the inhibitory effect of catecholamines on Th17 cells.
Subject(s)
Catecholamines/analysis , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/immunology , Th17 Cells , Dopamine , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , Interferon-gamma/analysis , Interleukin-17 , Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/drug therapy , Th1 CellsABSTRACT
Objectives. To study the risk factors of asymptomatic cerebral infarctions (AI) and their effect on cognitive functions. Material and methods. We examined 114 patients, aged from 53 to 88 years, including 58 patients with AI (group 1), 32 women and 26 men (mean age 66.5±7.3 yeas), and 56 patients with chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) without a history of stroke and transitory ischemic attacks, (group 2), 36 women and 20 men (mean age 64.2±6.6 yeas). Results. Cardiovascular risk factors (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation) were more frequent in group 1. The results of neuropsychological testing revealed worse cognitive performance in patients with AI. Conclusions. The results confirmed the negative effect of AI on cognitive functioning and higher risk of CCI progression.
