The Relationship of Hematoma Growth to Red Blood Cell Distribution Width in Patients with Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

AIM: Hypertension is a primary risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and is thought to be responsible for about 55% of all ICH cases. Thus, the primary goal of the study was to examine whether the status of vascular rheological factors upon admission to the hospital was associated with hypertensive ICH growth and early outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Over a 2-year period, the present study evaluated 60 ICH patients who were admitted within the first 12 hours of symptom onset. Brain computed tomography scans were performed at admission and then 24 hours later as a control. Hematoma growth was classified as an volume increase more than 6.5 ml or > 33%, and good outcome was defined using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score (? 2 at 3 months). RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 65.07 ± 11.659 years, with 34 men and 26 women. The leading vascular risk factor was hypertension (86.7%). There were significant associations between the initial red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and hematoma growth (p=0.038). Therefore, hematoma growth in the first 24 hours after symptom onset was significantly related to a poor clinical outcome at 3 months (p = 0.050). CONCLUSION: The study identified significant relationships between the initial RDW and poor outcome as well as the initial RDW and hypertensive hematoma growth. Additionally, this study demonstrated that these parameters are easily obtainable and could be used to effectively evaluate outcomes in ICH patients.

The evaluation of vitamin D levels in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). 25(OH)D levels were checked in 108 consecutive patients with CTS symptoms and 52 healthy controls. All patients underwent nerve conduction studies and completed Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BQ) symptom severity and functional status scales to quantify symptom severity, pain status and functional status. There were 57 patients with electrophysiological confirmed CTS (EP+ group) and 51 electrophysiological negative symptomatic patients (EP- group). 25(OH) D deficiency (25(OH)D < 20 ng/ml) was found in 96.1 % of EP- group, in 94.7 % of EP+ group and in 73.8 % of control group. 25(0H) D level was found significantly lower both in EP+ and EP- groups compared to control group (p = 0.006, p < 0.001, respectively). Although mean vitamin D level in EP- group was lower than EP+ group, statistically difference was not significant between EP+ and EP- groups (p = 0.182). BQ symptom severity and functional status scores and BQ pain sum score were not significantly different between EP+ and EP- groups. We found no correlation with 25(OH) D level for BQ symptom severity, functional status and pain sum scores. 25(OH) D deficiency is a common problem in patients with CTS symptoms. As evidenced by the present study, assessment of serum 25(OH)D is recommended in CTS patients even with electrophysiological negative results.

Carotid Endarterectomy in a Patient with Posterior Cerebral Artery Infarction: Influence of Fetal Type PCA on Atypical Clinical Course.

Fetal type PCA may positively affect clinical outcome in patients with ischemic stroke such as protection of a reserve blood flow capacity as well as negative effect on clinical outcome such as certain atypical pathological manifestations. We presented a patient with a posterior cerebral artery territory infarction due to an unexpected etiology as stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA) with existence of fetal type PCA.

Splinting is effective for night-only symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

[Purpose] Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve. Splinting is one of the most used conservative treatment methods for carpal tunnel syndrome. The aim of this study was to show the effectiveness of splinting in carpal tunnel syndrome patients who were divided into two groups according to their level of symptoms. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 40 carpal tunnel syndrome patients were divided into 2 groups based on having symptoms only at night or during the day were included in this study. These two groups were compared at the end of a 3-months splinting therapy in terms of improvement of severity of symptoms, functional capacity, pain level, and electrophysiological findings. [Results] Pain levels of both groups were similar at baseline. After splinting, pain levels of night-only symptomatic patients were lower than those of sustained symptomatic ones. No differences were found in symptom severity, functional capacity, and the electrophysiological findings in either group after the splinting. [Conclusion] The results of this study show that splinting alone may be sufficient to decrease the pain for night-only symptomatic patients. Combined therapy methods may be needed for sustained symptomatic patients.

Recurrent Ischemic Stroke Characteristics and Assessment of Sufficiency of Secondary Stroke Prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Disabilities due to stroke lead to a serious individual and socioeconomic burden. In this presented hospital-based study, we aimed to evaluate recurrent ischemic stroke (RIS) characteristics and the sufficiency of secondary prevention regarding the most common modifiable risk factors. METHODS: The records of patients with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke between November 2009 and November 2011 in our unit were retrospectively investigated. RESULTS: Ninety-one (18%) out of 500 patients with ischemic stroke had RIS. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and smoking were found in 88%, 43%, 36%, 30%, 11%, and 14% of the patients, respectively. Thirty-eight percent of the patients had more than two risk factors. While 14% of the hypertensive patients did not use antihypertensive medications, antihypertensive treatment was insufficient in 39% of those who already used antihypertensive medications. Twenty-three percent of the patients received no prophylactic agents. Sixty percent of the patients with a history of atrial fibrillation were on oral anticoagulant therapy (warfarin), and the international normalized ratio was <2.0 in 73% of them. Of the diabetic patients, 87% had an HgbA1C level above 6%. The LDL level was higher than 100 mg/dL in 72% of the patients. CONCLUSION: The incidence of RIS and risk factors in our retrospective study was compatible with the results of those in literature. Secondary prophylactic treatment and modification of risk factors in the stroke patients were not satisfactory. The improvement of the patients' adherence to treatment is also very important in addition to the optimal treatment and follow-up strategy for decreasing the incidence of RIS. A multidisciplinary outpatient model of stroke care may be beneficial for decreasing the incidence of RIS.

Assessment of platelet indices in patients with neurodegenerative diseases: mean platelet volume was increased in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Platelets induce chronic inflammation which is a key step in atherosclerosis and may be involved in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDD). We aimed to measure the mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet count (PLC) in NDD patients. The present study was designed to investigate the platelet function by measuring MPV and PLC in NDD. A total of 182 outpatients with Alzheimer's (AD) or Parkinson's diseases (PD) were included. The control group consisted of 104 healthy subjects. Platelet count was similar between groups. MPV values of PD patients were higher than those of AD patients and controls (P < 0.001). MPV correlated negatively with Heohn and Yahr scale (HYS) score (P < 0.001). Increased MPV in patients with PD may point to a platelet dysfunction. High-grade inflammation presents with low levels of MPV as seen in PD patients with high HYS scores.