Inequities in access to inpatient rehabilitation after stroke: an international scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch, Elizabeth A; Cadilhac, Dominique A; Luker, Julie A; Hillier, Susan L

2017-12-01

Background Inequities in accessing inpatient rehabilitation after stroke have been reported in many countries and impact on patient outcomes. Objective To explore variation in international recommendations regarding which patients should receive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke and to describe reported access to rehabilitation. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify clinical guidelines with recommendations regarding which patients should access inpatient rehabilitation after stroke, and data regarding the proportion of patients accessing stroke rehabilitation. Four bibliographic databases and grey literature were searched. Results Twenty-eight documents were included. Selection criteria for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation were identified for 14 countries or regions and summary data on the proportion of patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation were identified for 14 countries. In Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, it is recommended that all patients with stroke symptoms should access rehabilitation, whereas guidelines from the United States, Canada, and Europe did not consistently recommend rehabilitation for people with severe stroke. Access to inpatient rehabilitation ranged from 13% in Sweden to 57% in Israel. Differences in availability of early supported discharge/home rehabilitation programs and variations in reporting methods may influence the ability to reliably compare access to rehabilitation between regions. Conclusion Recommendations regarding which patients with moderate and severe strokes should access ongoing rehabilitation are inconsistent. Clinical practice guidelines from different countries regarding post-stroke rehabilitation do not always reflect the evidence regarding the likely benefits to people with stroke. Inequity in access to rehabilitation after stroke is an international issue.

Second Annual Meeting of the International Society of Pediatric Wound Care.

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Keswani, Sundeep G

2015-10-01

The overarching goals of the International Society of Pediatric Wound Care (ISPeW) are to (1) set global standards for the assessment and treatment of pediatric wounds of varying etiologies; (2) provide a forum for international interprofessional collaboration among healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, and industry leaders dedicated to the care of pediatric wounds; (3) promote and support clinical research focused on the prevention, assessment, and treatment of pediatric wounds; (4) collaborate with wound care organizations worldwide on pediatric wound care issues; and (5) provide evidence-based pediatric wound care education to healthcare professionals, parents, and lay caregivers. This edition of Advances in Wound Care includes some of the work that was presented at the 2014 ISPeW meeting in Rome. The first article by Dr. Romanelli, is an in-depth description of the progression of skin physiology throughout its maturational stages and clinical implication. A cutting edge article by Dr. Timothy King then follows, with regard to scar prevention in postnatal tissues. This is followed by a comprehensive look at debridement techniques in pediatric trauma by Dr. Ankush Gosain. Next, is a cautionary article by Dr. Luca Spazzapan that examines the prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers in children and the potential for an epidemic. The last article in this series is from the keynote speaker, Dr. Amit Geffen, who eloquently examines the use of biomaterials to offload and prevent pediatric pressure ulcers.

Child Passenger Safety Training for Pediatric Interns: Does it Work?

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Morrissey, Dina; Riese, Alison; Violano, Pina; Lapidus, Garry; Baird, Janette; Mello, Michael J

2016-03-01

Evaluate the efficacy of a child passenger safety (CPS) educational intervention on the CPS-related knowledge, attitude and anticipatory guidance behaviors of pediatric interns. All subjects were surveyed at baseline and 6 months. Intervention interns attended a CPS training module which included viewing an educational video, observing a car seat inspection appointment, hands-on practice and completion of a post-intervention survey. All 16 intervention interns completed the initial survey, the intervention and the immediate-post questionnaire. Thirteen (81%) completed the 6-month follow-up. The baseline survey was completed by 27/40 (67%) of control interns, 28/40 (70%) submitted a follow-up. The proportion of intervention interns who self-reported giving CPS guidance at all well-child visits increased by 31.3% (95% CI 6.1,56.5%); the control group had no change. Similar results were seen with self-reported knowledge and attitude. A CPS training module increases pediatric interns' knowledge, improves attitudes, and self-reported behaviors regarding CPS-related anticipatory guidance.

Parvovirus B19 Infection in Children With Arterial Ischemic Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Fullerton, Heather J; Luna, Jorge M; Wintermark, Max; Hills, Nancy K; Tokarz, Rafal; Li, Ying; Glaser, Carol; DeVeber, Gabrielle A; Lipkin, W Ian; Elkind, Mitchell S V

2017-10-01

Case-control studies suggest that acute infection transiently increases the risk of childhood arterial ischemic stroke. We hypothesized that an unbiased pathogen discovery approach utilizing MassTag-polymerase chain reaction would identify pathogens in the blood of childhood arterial ischemic stroke cases. The multicenter international VIPS study (Vascular Effects of Infection in Pediatric Stroke) enrolled arterial ischemic stroke cases, and stroke-free controls, aged 29 days through 18 years. Parental interview included questions on recent infections. In this pilot study, we used MassTag-polymerase chain reaction to test the plasma of the first 161 cases and 34 controls enrolled for a panel of 28 common bacterial and viral pathogens. Pathogen DNA was detected in no controls and 14 cases (8.7%): parvovirus B19 (n=10), herpesvirus 6 (n=2), adenovirus (n=1), and rhinovirus 6C (n=1). Parvovirus B19 infection was confirmed by serologies in all 10; infection was subclinical in 8. Four cases with parvovirus B19 had underlying congenital heart disease, whereas another 5 had a distinct arteriopathy involving a long-segment stenosis of the distal internal carotid and proximal middle cerebral arteries. Using MassTag-polymerase chain reaction, we detected parvovirus B19-a virus known to infect erythrocytes and endothelial cells-in some cases of childhood arterial ischemic stroke. This approach can generate new, testable hypotheses about childhood stroke pathogenesis. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Evaluation of medical record quality and communication skills among pediatric interns after standardized parent training history-taking in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Mu Xue; Jiang, Xiao Yun; Li, Yi Juan; Shen, Zhen Yu; Zhuang, Si Qi; Gu, Yu Fen

2018-02-01

The effect of using standardized parent training history-taking on the quality of medical records and communication skills among pediatric interns was determined. Fifth-year interns who were undertaking a pediatric clinical practice rotation were randomized to intervention and control groups. All of the pediatric interns received history-taking training by lecture and bedside teaching. The pediatric interns in the intervention group also received standardized parent history-taking training. The following two outcome measures were used: the scores of medical records, which were written by the pediatric interns after history-taking from real parents of pediatric patients; and the communication assessment tool (CAT) assessed by real parents. The general information, history of present illness (HPI), past medical history, personal history, family history, diagnosis, diagnostic analysis, and differential diagnosis scores in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group (p history-taking is effective in improving the quality of medical records by pediatric interns. Standardized parent training history-taking is a superior teaching tool for clinical reasoning ability, as well as communication skills in clinical pediatric practice.

Radiation, Atherosclerotic Risk Factors, and Stroke Risk in Survivors of Pediatric Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

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Mueller, Sabine, E-mail: muellers@neuropeds.ucsf.edu [Department of Neurology, Pediatrics and Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Fullerton, Heather J. [Department of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Stratton, Kayla; Leisenring, Wendy [Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington (United States); Weathers, Rita E.; Stovall, Marilyn [Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Armstrong, Gregory T. [St. Jude Children' s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee (United States); Goldsby, Robert E. [Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Packer, Roger J. [Children' s National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia (United States); Sklar, Charles A. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Bowers, Daniel C. [University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas (United States); Robison, Leslie L.; Krull, Kevin R. [St. Jude Children' s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee (United States)

2013-07-15

Purpose: To test the hypotheses that (1) the increased risk of stroke conferred by childhood cranial radiation therapy (CRT) persists into adulthood; and (2) atherosclerotic risk factors further increase the stroke risk in cancer survivors. Methods and Materials: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study is a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of 14,358 5-year survivors of childhood cancer and 4023 randomly selected sibling controls with longitudinal follow-up. Age-adjusted incidence rates of self-reported late-occurring (≥5 years after diagnosis) first stroke were calculated. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify independent stroke predictors. Results: During a mean follow-up of 23.3 years, 292 survivors reported a late-occurring stroke. The age-adjusted stroke rate per 100,000 person-years was 77 (95% confidence interval [CI] 62-96), compared with 9.3 (95% CI 4-23) for siblings. Treatment with CRT increased stroke risk in a dose-dependent manner: hazard ratio 5.9 (95% CI 3.5-9.9) for 30-49 Gy CRT and 11.0 (7.4-17.0) for 50+ Gy CRT. The cumulative stroke incidence in survivors treated with 50+ Gy CRT was 1.1% (95% CI 0.4-1.8%) at 10 years after diagnosis and 12% (95% CI 8.9-15.0%) at 30 years. Hypertension increased stroke hazard by 4-fold (95% CI 2.8-5.5) and in black survivors by 16-fold (95% CI 6.9-36.6). Conclusion: Young adult pediatric cancer survivors have an increased stroke risk that is associated with CRT in a dose-dependent manner. Atherosclerotic risk factors enhanced this risk and should be treated aggressively.

Radiation, Atherosclerotic Risk Factors, and Stroke Risk in Survivors of Pediatric Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Sabine; Fullerton, Heather J.; Stratton, Kayla; Leisenring, Wendy; Weathers, Rita E.; Stovall, Marilyn; Armstrong, Gregory T.; Goldsby, Robert E.; Packer, Roger J.; Sklar, Charles A.; Bowers, Daniel C.; Robison, Leslie L.; Krull, Kevin R.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To test the hypotheses that (1) the increased risk of stroke conferred by childhood cranial radiation therapy (CRT) persists into adulthood; and (2) atherosclerotic risk factors further increase the stroke risk in cancer survivors. Methods and Materials: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study is a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of 14,358 5-year survivors of childhood cancer and 4023 randomly selected sibling controls with longitudinal follow-up. Age-adjusted incidence rates of self-reported late-occurring (≥5 years after diagnosis) first stroke were calculated. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify independent stroke predictors. Results: During a mean follow-up of 23.3 years, 292 survivors reported a late-occurring stroke. The age-adjusted stroke rate per 100,000 person-years was 77 (95% confidence interval [CI] 62-96), compared with 9.3 (95% CI 4-23) for siblings. Treatment with CRT increased stroke risk in a dose-dependent manner: hazard ratio 5.9 (95% CI 3.5-9.9) for 30-49 Gy CRT and 11.0 (7.4-17.0) for 50+ Gy CRT. The cumulative stroke incidence in survivors treated with 50+ Gy CRT was 1.1% (95% CI 0.4-1.8%) at 10 years after diagnosis and 12% (95% CI 8.9-15.0%) at 30 years. Hypertension increased stroke hazard by 4-fold (95% CI 2.8-5.5) and in black survivors by 16-fold (95% CI 6.9-36.6). Conclusion: Young adult pediatric cancer survivors have an increased stroke risk that is associated with CRT in a dose-dependent manner. Atherosclerotic risk factors enhanced this risk and should be treated aggressively

Pediatric neurocritical care.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Sarah

2012-01-01

Pediatric neurocritical care is an emerging multidisciplinary field of medicine and a new frontier in pediatric critical care and pediatric neurology. Central to pediatric neurocritical care is the goal of improving outcomes in critically ill pediatric patients with neurological illness or injury and limiting secondary brain injury through optimal critical care delivery and the support of brain function. There is a pressing need for evidence based guidelines in pediatric neurocritical care, notably in pediatric traumatic brain injury and pediatric stroke. These diseases have distinct clinical and pathophysiological features that distinguish them from their adult counterparts and prevent the direct translation of the adult experience to pediatric patients. Increased attention is also being paid to the broader application of neuromonitoring and neuroprotective strategies in the pediatric intensive care unit, in both primary neurological and primary non-neurological disease states. Although much can be learned from the adult experience, there are important differences in the critically ill pediatric population and in the circumstances that surround the emergence of neurocritical care in pediatrics.

Burnout syndrome during residency in internal medicine and pediatrics in a country without working time directive.

Science.gov (United States)

Aksoy, Duygu Yazgan; Durusu Tanriover, Mine; Unal, Sule; Dizdar, Omer; Kalyoncu, Umut; Karakaya, Jale; Unal, Serhat; Kale, Gulsev

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate burnout syndrome among internal medicine and pediatrics residents in a country that does not have the working time directive (WTD) and also to determine the risk factors and consequent impact on efficient functioning in clinical areas. A 57-item questionnaire was given to internal medicine and pediatrics residents. Responses from 22 pediatrics and 33 internal medicine residents were evaluated. Demographic findings, burnout scores, having hobbies, social activities and reading books unrelated to medicine were similar between the two groups. Six pediatrics residents (27.3 per cent) and 11 (33.3 per cent) internal medicine residents met the criteria for clinically significant burnout. Personal accomplishment scores and reading books unrelated to medicine were found to be related to burnout. Burnout is a syndrome characterized by depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and a low sense of personal accomplishment. It is important to document burnout in countries where WTDs are not implemented. Further studies might demonstrate burnout's effect on patient safety, service quality and physician's performance.

Pediatric Critical Care Nursing Research Priorities-Initiating International Dialogue.

Science.gov (United States)

Tume, Lyvonne N; Coetzee, Minette; Dryden-Palmer, Karen; Hickey, Patricia A; Kinney, Sharon; Latour, Jos M; Pedreira, Mavilde L G; Sefton, Gerri R; Sorce, Lauren; Curley, Martha A Q

2015-07-01

To identify and prioritize research questions of concern to the practice of pediatric critical care nursing practice. One-day consensus conference. By using a conceptual framework by Benner et al describing domains of practice in critical care nursing, nine international nurse researchers presented state-of-the-art lectures. Each identified knowledge gaps in their assigned practice domain and then poised three research questions to fill that gap. Then, meeting participants prioritized the proposed research questions using an interactive multivoting process. Seventh World Congress on Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care in Istanbul, Turkey. Pediatric critical care nurses and nurse scientists attending the open consensus meeting. Systematic review, gap analysis, and interactive multivoting. The participants prioritized 27 nursing research questions in nine content domains. The top four research questions were 1) identifying nursing interventions that directly impact the child and family's experience during the withdrawal of life support, 2) evaluating the long-term psychosocial impact of a child's critical illness on family outcomes, 3) articulating core nursing competencies that prevent unstable situations from deteriorating into crises, and 4) describing the level of nursing education and experience in pediatric critical care that has a protective effect on the mortality and morbidity of critically ill children. The consensus meeting was effective in organizing pediatric critical care nursing knowledge, identifying knowledge gaps and in prioritizing nursing research initiatives that could be used to advance nursing science across world regions.

Dental Management of a Pediatric Patient with Moyamoya Syndrome: A Rare Clinical Entity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Brittany L; Unkel, John H

2018-01-01

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disorder involving progressive constriction of the internal carotid artery and its branches. The disease has a particularly aggressive course in very young patients, and early surgical intervention is often necessary to prevent permanent neurological damage. MMD patients have an increased risk of stroke development, which may be provoked by pain or anxiety. Currently, no reports of pediatric patients with MMD exist in the dental literature. The purpose of this paper was to discuss the dental management of a two-year-old with moyamoya disease who presented with early childhood caries and dental fear, offering recommendations for dental providers with emphasis on stroke prevention, collaboration with the medical team, anesthesia considerations for patients with increased stroke risk, and the challenges to maintain the oral health of a patient undergoing complex medical treatment.

Challenges and opportunities for international cooperative studies in pediatric hematopoeitic cell transplantation: priorities of the Westhafen Intercontinental Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, Rudolph Kirk R; Baker, Kevin Scott; Boelens, Jaap J; Bollard, Catherine M; Egeler, R Maarten; Cowan, Mort; Ladenstein, Ruth; Lankester, Arjan; Locatelli, Franco; Lawitschka, Anita; Levine, John E; Loh, Mignon; Nemecek, Eneida; Niemeyer, Charlotte; Prasad, Vinod K; Rocha, Vanderson; Shenoy, Shalini; Strahm, Brigitte; Veys, Paul; Wall, Donna; Bader, Peter; Grupp, Stephan A; Pulsipher, Michael A; Peters, Christina

2013-09-01

More than 20% of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantations (HCTs) are performed in children and adolescents at a large number of relatively small centers. Unlike adults, at least one-third of HCTs in children are performed for rare, nonmalignant indications. Clinical trials to improve HCT outcomes in children have been limited by small numbers and these pediatric-specific features. The need for a larger number of pediatric HCT centers to participate in trials has led to the involvement of international collaborative groups. Representatives of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium, European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation's Pediatric Working Group, International Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (iBFm) Stem Cell Transplantation Committee, and Children's Oncology Group's Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Discipline Committee met on October 3, 2012, in Frankfurt, Germany to develop a consensus on the highest priorities in pediatric HCT. In addition, it explored the creation of an international consortium to develop studies focused on HCT in children and adolescents. This meeting led to the creation of an international HCT network, dubbed the Westhafen Intercontinental Group, to develop worldwide priorities and strategies to address pediatric HCT issues. This review outlines the priorities of need as identified by this consensus group. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. All rights reserved.

Internal derangements of the temporomandibular joint: findings in the pediatric age group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katzberg, R.W.; Tallents, R.H.; Hayakawa, K.; Miller, T.L.; Goske, M.J.; Wood, B.P.

1985-01-01

Findings in 31 pediatric patients with pain and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are reported. The average age was 14 years and the average duration of symptoms was 21.4 months. Internal derangements were found in 29 patients (94%) and degenerative arthritis in 13 (42%). In 12 patients (39%), the problem could be traced to an injury to the jaw. Secondary condylar hypoplasia was associated with the meniscal abnormality in 3 patients (10%). Further awareness of internal derangements of the TMJ in the pediatric population should permit greater recognition of their etiology. It is important that threatment be initiated as soon as possible, not only to minimize the development of osseous disease in young adults but also to prevent facial growth deformities

IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTION, DISABILITY AND HEALTH IN FIELD OF PEDIATRICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragoslav KOPACHEV

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The author, as an active participant at the Seminar IMPLEMENTATION OF ICF IN THE FIELD OF PEDIATRICS, held on 14-15 July 2004 at the hotel Panorama – Skopje, states his insight about the organization, work and aims of the seminar. He makes a review on attitudes and fields ICF in pediatric field commits. The commitments of ICF (International Classification of Function, Disability and Health in the Field of Pediatrics have been put on the child with developmental disabilities to be attention-centered; on bio-developmental model in interaction with the environment, on greater possibilities, safety and satisfaction of needs, as well as on greater freedom in participation in the community to realize the legal rights. It is pointed out that ICF in the field of pediatrics supports the idea ‘One for all’.

Cerebral imaging in pediatrics

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Gordon, I [London, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (United Kingdom)

1998-06-01

Radioisotope brain imaging has focused mainly on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). However the use of ligand which go to specific receptor sites is being introduced in pediatrics, mainly psychiatry. rCBF is potentially available in many institutions, especially with the availability of multi-headed gamma cameras. The use of this technique in pediatrics requires special attention to detail in the manner of data acquisition and handling the child. The interpretation of the rCBF study in a child requires knowledge of normal brain maturation. The major clinical use in pediatrics is epilepsy because of the advances in surgery and the frequency of complex partial seizures. Other indications in pediatric neurology include brain death, acute neurological loss including stroke, language disorders, cerebral palsy, hypertension due to renovascular disease, traumatic brain injury and migraine. There are pediatric physiological conditions in which rCBF has been undertaken, these include anorexia nervosa, autism, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) and attention deficit disorder-hyperactivity (ADHD). Research using different ligands to specific receptor sites will also be reviewed in pediatrics.

Cerebral imaging in pediatrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, I.

1998-01-01

Radioisotope brain imaging has focused mainly on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). However the use of ligand which go to specific receptor sites is being introduced in pediatrics, mainly psychiatry. rCBF is potentially available in many institutions, especially with the availability of multi-headed gamma cameras. The use of this technique in pediatrics requires special attention to detail in the manner of data acquisition and handling the child. The interpretation of the rCBF study in a child requires knowledge of normal brain maturation. The major clinical use in pediatrics is epilepsy because of the advances in surgery and the frequency of complex partial seizures. Other indications in pediatric neurology include brain death, acute neurological loss including stroke, language disorders, cerebral palsy, hypertension due to renovascular disease, traumatic brain injury and migraine. There are pediatric physiological conditions in which rCBF has been undertaken, these include anorexia nervosa, autism, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) and attention deficit disorder-hyperactivity (ADHD). Research using different ligands to specific receptor sites will also be reviewed in pediatrics

Right ventricular stroke work correlates with outcomes in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Weiguang; Marsden, Alison L; Ogawa, Michelle T; Sakarovitch, Charlotte; Hall, Keeley K; Rabinovitch, Marlene; Feinstein, Jeffrey A

2018-01-01

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressures (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Optimizing treatment strategies and timing for transplant remains challenging. Thus, a quantitative measure to predict disease progression would be greatly beneficial in treatment planning. We devised a novel method to assess right ventricular (RV) stroke work (RVSW) as a potential biomarker of the failing heart that correlates with clinical worsening. Pediatric patients with idiopathic PAH or PAH secondary to congenital heart disease who had serial, temporally matched cardiac catheterization and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were included. RV and PA hemodynamics were numerically determined by using a lumped parameter (circuit analogy) model to create pressure-volume (P-V) loops. The model was tuned using optimization techniques to match MRI and catheterization derived RV volumes and pressures for each time point. RVSW was calculated from the corresponding P-V loop and indexed by ejection fraction and body surface area (RVSW EF ) to compare across patients. Seventeen patients (8 boys; median age = 9.4 years; age range = 4.4-16.3 years) were enrolled. Nine were clinically stable; the others had clinical worsening between the time of their initial matched studies and their most recent follow-up (mean time = 3.9 years; range = 1.1-8.0 years). RVSW EF and the ratio of pulmonary to systemic resistance (Rp:Rs) values were found to have more significant associations with clinical worsening within one, two, and five years following the measurements, when compared with PVR index (PVRI). A receiver operating characteristic analysis showed RVSW EF outperforms PVRI, Rp:Rs and ejection fraction for predicting clinical worsening. RVSW EF correlates with clinical worsening in pediatric PAH, shows promising results towards predicting adverse outcomes, and may serve as an indicator of future clinical worsening.

Report of a Pediatric Case of Hemorrhagic Stroke

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N Tabkhi

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Stroke, though rare in children is among the top 10 causes of death in childhood. Incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke is the same in children .We report a case of hemorrhagic stroke in a two year old girl who presented with a limp, inability to stand on the left leg and left hemiparesia. Her complaint began 10 days ago after a bout of left clonic seizure. She had been admitted to the hospital for a week due to delayed hemorrhage of the umbilical stump at the age of 18 days. Brain CT scan showed a round, hyper dense area with mass effect in the right supraparietal region. Craniotomy revealed a hemorrhage and report of pathology was hematoma. Considering the delayed umbilical cord bleeding and normality of usual tests for hemostasis and partial deficiency of factor XIII in both parents, the problem was diagnosed as homozygote severe deficiency of factor XIII.

Constant speed control of four-stroke micro internal combustion swing engine

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Dedong; Lei, Yong; Zhu, Honghai; Ni, Jun

2015-09-01

The increasing demands on safety, emission and fuel consumption require more accurate control models of micro internal combustion swing engine (MICSE). The objective of this paper is to investigate the constant speed control models of four-stroke MICSE. The operation principle of the four-stroke MICSE is presented based on the description of MICSE prototype. A two-level Petri net based hybrid model is proposed to model the four-stroke MICSE engine cycle. The Petri net subsystem at the upper level controls and synchronizes the four Petri net subsystems at the lower level. The continuous sub-models, including breathing dynamics of intake manifold, thermodynamics of the chamber and dynamics of the torque generation, are investigated and integrated with the discrete model in MATLAB Simulink. Through the comparison of experimental data and simulated DC voltage output, it is demonstrated that the hybrid model is valid for the four-stroke MICSE system. A nonlinear model is obtained from the cycle average data via the regression method, and it is linearized around a given nominal equilibrium point for the controller design. The feedback controller of the spark timing and valve duration timing is designed with a sequential loop closing design approach. The simulation of the sequential loop closure control design applied to the hybrid model is implemented in MATLAB. The simulation results show that the system is able to reach its desired operating point within 0.2 s, and the designed controller shows good MICSE engine performance with a constant speed. This paper presents the constant speed control models of four-stroke MICSE and carries out the simulation tests, the models and the simulation results can be used for further study on the precision control of four-stroke MICSE.

Side branch absorber for exhaust manifold of two-stroke internal combustion engine

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Ralph E [San Antonio, TX; Broerman, III, Eugene L.; Bourn, Gary D [Laramie, WY

2011-01-11

A method of improving scavenging operation of a two-stroke internal combustion engine. The exhaust pressure of the engine is analyzed to determine if there is a pulsation frequency. Acoustic modeling is used to design an absorber. An appropriately designed side branch absorber may be attached to the exhaust manifold.

State of Global Pediatric Neurosurgery Outreach: Survey by the International Education Subcommittee

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Matthew C.; Rocque, Brandon G.; Singhal, Ash; Ridder, Tom; Pattisapu, Jogi V.; Johnston, James M.

2017-01-01

Object Neurosurgical services are increasingly recognized as essential components of surgical care worldwide. Degree of interest among neurosurgeons regarding international work, and barriers to involvement in global neurosurgical outreach, are largely unexplored. We distributed a survey to members of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery to assess the state of global outreach among its members and identify barriers to involvement. Methods An internet-based questionnaire was developed by the International Education Subcommittee of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery, and distributed to pediatric neurosurgeons via the AANS/CNS Joint Section email contact list. Participants were surveyed on involvement in global neurosurgical outreach, geographic location, nature of participation, and barriers to further involvement. Results A 35.3% response rate was obtained, with 116 respondents completed the survey. 61% performed or taught neurosurgery in a developing country, 49% traveling at least annually. Africa was the most common region (54%), followed by South America (30%), through 29 separate organizing entities. Hydrocephalus was the most commonly treated condition (88%), followed by spinal dysraphism (74%) and tumor (68%). Most respondents obtained follow-up through communication from local surgeons (77%). 71% believed the international experience improved their practice, and 74% were very or extremely interested in working elsewhere. Interference with current practice (61%), cost (44%), and difficulty identifying international partners (43%) were the most commonly cited barriers to participation. Conclusion Any coordinated effort to expand global neurosurgical capacity begins with appreciation for the current state of outreach efforts. Increasing participation in global outreach will require addressing both real and perceived barriers to involvement. Creation and curation of a centralized online database of ongoing projects to facilitate

Cerebrovascular disease in pediatric patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rotta Newra Tellechea

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Although rare in childhood, stroke may have a serious impact when it happens in this stage of life. Also, it may be the first sign of a systemic disease. We report 12 cases of patients with stroke treated in the Neuropediatrics Unit of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA from March 1997 to March 2000. All patients, from term infants to 12-year-old children hospitalized in the Pediatrics Unit of HCPA, had clinical suspicion of stroke, which was later confirmed by radiological studies. Patient follow up ranged from 1 to 6 years (mean = 3.4 years. Presenting symptoms were hemiparesis in 9 patients, seizures in 7, deviation of labial commissure in 3, and loss of consciousness in 1. The increase in the number of cases of childhood stroke identified and later confirmed by noninvasive methods had helped in the determination of different ethiologies of stroke: the most frequent being hematologic, cardiac and genetic diseases. However, our study included 6 newborns with stroke whose ethiology was not identified. Seven children with seizures received phenobarbital. Six term infants had neonatal seizures secondary to stroke and restricted to the first 72 hours of life.

Radiological strategy in acute stroke in children

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paonessa, Amalia [Dept. of Neuroradiology, University Hospital ' S. Salvatore' , L' Aquila (Italy)], E-mail: apaonessa7@hotmail.com; Limbucci, Nicola [Dept. of Neuroradiology, University Hospital ' S. Salvatore' , L' Aquila (Italy); Tozzi, Elisabetta [Dept. of Pediatrics, University Hospital ' S. Salvatore' , L' Aquila (Italy); Splendiani, Alessandra; Gallucci, Massimo [Dept. of Neuroradiology, University Hospital ' S. Salvatore' , L' Aquila (Italy)

2010-04-15

The aim of the study was to estimate the preponderance of patterns of pediatric stroke, ischemic or hemorrhagic, their etiologies and the correct diagnostic protocol for acute management. Forty-one consecutive pediatric patients (age range 5-16 years) with an acute stroke observed in acute phase during a 10-year period, were retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-three patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 3 cases were studied by computed tomography (CT) without MRI, and 15 underwent both CT and MRI studies. In 9 cases, intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IADSA) was performed after non-invasive preliminary assessment. Seventeen hemorrhagic (41%) and 24 ischemic (59%) strokes were found. Among hemorrhagic forms, 5 cases were due to arteriovenous malformation (AVM), 7 to cavernoma, and 2 to aneurysm. Among ischemic forms, 2 were due to sickle-cell disease, 1 to hyperomocysteinemia, 1 to moyamoya syndrome, 1 to pseudoxantoma elasticum, 3 to prothrombotic state, 1 to Fabry's disease, 1 concomitant with CO intoxication, 5 to venous sinus thrombosis, and 4 to cardio-embolic state. Etiology remains unknown in 8 cases (20.5%). This study shows a moderate prevalence of ischemic over hemorrhagic strokes. Moreover, personal experience suggests that MRI is always more informative than CT and in selected cases should be the first-choice examination in the acute phase.

Benchmarks for Support and Outcomes for Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Programs: A 5-Year Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronica, Michael; Williams, Ronald; Dennar, Princess E; Hopkins, Robert H

2015-12-01

Combined internal medicine and pediatrics (medicine-pediatrics) residencies were Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited separately from their corresponding categorical residencies in June 2006. We investigated how ACGME accreditation of medicine-pediatrics programs has affected the levels of support (both financial and personnel), the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) match rate, performance on the board examination, and other graduate outcomes. From 2009 through 2013 we sent an annual SurveyMonkey online survey to members of the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association. Questions pertained to program characteristics, program director support, recruitment, ambulatory training, and graduate data. More than 79% of responders completed the entire survey for each year (sample size was 60 program directors). Compared to the time prior to accreditation of the specialty, there was an increase in program directors who are dually trained (89% versus 93%), an increase in program director salary ($134,000 before accreditation versus $185,000 in 2013, P Pediatrics examination was comparable to that for pediatrics residents. Since accreditation, a larger number of residents are choosing careers in hospital medicine. Our data show widespread improved support for medicine-pediatrics programs since the 2006 start of ACGME accreditation.

Policy challenges for the pediatric rheumatology workforce: Part III. the international situation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrickson Michael

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Survival dominates current pediatric global health priorities. Diseases of poverty largely contribute to overall mortality in children under 5 years of age. Infectious diseases and injuries account for 75% of cause-specific mortality among children ages 5-14 years. Twenty percent of the world's population lives in extreme poverty (income below US $1.25/day. Within this population, essential services and basic needs are not met, including clean water, sanitation, adequate nutrition, shelter, access to health care, medicines and education. In this context, musculoskeletal disease comprises 0.1% of all-cause mortality in children ages 5-14 years. Worldwide morbidity from musculoskeletal disease remains generally unknown in the pediatric age group. This epidemiologic data is not routinely surveyed by international agencies, including the World Health Organization. The prevalence of pediatric rheumatic diseases based on data from developed nations is in the range of 2,500 - 3,000 cases per million children. Developing countries' needs for musculoskeletal morbidity are undergoing an epidemiologic shift to chronic conditions, as leading causes of pediatric mortality are slowly quelled. A global crisis of health care providers and human resources stems from insufficient workforce production, inability to retain workers in areas of greatest need, distribution disparity and poor management of both health care systems and health workforce. Internationally, the pediatric rheumatology workforce will also be in very short supply for the foreseeable future relative to projected demand. Physician extenders are an essential resource to meet this demand in underserved regions. They can be trained in common aspects of musculoskeletal medicine and rheumatic conditions. Innovative strategies have been introduced in the United Kingdom to address musculoskeletal medicine educational deficiencies. Telemedicine offers an important capacity to improve access to

Acute ischemic stroke in a 6 year old boy, treated with mechanical thrombectomy: A case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Gi Hong; Lee, Mu Sook; Yang, Tae Ki [Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

Pediatric acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a relatively rare disease with an annual estimated incidence of 2.4-13 per 100000 children. However, pediatric AIS can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Stroke in children differs from that in adults with respect to etiology, clinical presentation, or management. Therapeutic options for adult AIS are intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, intra-arterial pharmacological thrombolysis, and mechanical thrombectomy. However, management strategies for pediatric AIS, extrapolated largely from those of adult AIS, remain controversial. In this article, we present our experience in a boy with AIS, who was successfully treated with mechanical thrombectomy, by utilizing the Solitaire FR revascularization device.

A diagnostic test for apraxia in stroke patients: internal consistency and diagnostic value.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heugten, C.M. van; Dekker, J.; Deelman, B.G.; Stehmann-Saris, F.C.; Kinebanian, A.

1999-01-01

The internal consistency and the diagnostic value of a test for apraxia in patients having had a stroke are presented. Results indicate that the items of the test form a strong and consistent scale: Cronbach's alpha as well as the results of a Mokken scale analysis present good reliability and good

Acculturation Needs of Pediatric International Medical Graduates: A Qualitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Osta, Amanda D; Barnes, Michelle M; Pessagno, Regina; Schwartz, Alan; Hirshfield, Laura E

2017-01-01

Phenomenon: International medical graduates (IMGs) play a key role in host countries' health systems but face unique challenges, which makes effective, tailored support for IMGs essential. Prior literature describing the acculturation needs of IMGs focused primarily on communication content and style. We conducted a qualitative study to explore acculturation that might be specific to IMG residents who care for children. In a study conducted from November 2011 to April 2012, we performed four 90-minute semistructured focus groups with 26 pediatric IMG residents from 12 countries. The focus group transcripts were analyzed using open and focused coding methodology. The focus groups and subsequent analysis demonstrated that pediatric IMG residents' socialization to their home culture impacts their transition to practice in the United States; they must adjust not only to a U.S. culture, different from their own, but also to the culture of medicine in the United States. We identified the following new acculturation themes: understanding the education system and family structure, social determinants of health, communication with African American parents, contraception, physician handoffs, physicians' role in prevention, adolescent health, and physicians' role in child advocacy. We further highlight the acculturation challenges faced by pediatric IMG residents and offer brief recommendations for the creation of a deliberate acculturation curriculum for pediatric IMG residents. Insight: Residency training is a unique period in physicians' personal and professional development and can be particularly challenging for IMGs. There is a significant gap in the identified acculturation needs and the current curricula available to IMG residents who care for children.

Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: findings from Tuscan FADOI Stroke Registry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Masotti

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Despite vitamin K antagonists (VKAs are considered the first choice treatment for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF, literature shows their underuse in this context. Since data about VKAs use prior and after acute stroke lack, the aim of this study was to focus on management of anticoagulation with VKAs in this context. Data were retrieved from Tuscan FADOI Stroke Registry, an online data bank aimed to report on characteristics of stroke patients consecutively admitted in Internal Medicine wards in 2010 and 2011. In this period 819 patients with mean age 76.5±12.3 years were enrolled. Data on etiology were available for 715 of them (88.1%, 87% being ischemic and 13% hemorrhagic strokes. AF was present in 238 patients (33%, 165 (69.3% having a known AF before hospitalization, whereas 73 patients (31.7% received a new diagnosis of AF. A percentage of 89% of strokes in patients with known AF were ischemic and 11% hemorrhagic. A percentage of 86.7% of patients with known AF had a CHADS2 ≥2, but only 28.3% were on VKAs before hospitalization. A percentage of 78.8% of patients treated with VKAs before stroke had an international normalized ratio (INR ≤2.0; 68.7% of patients with VKAs-related hemorrhagic strokes had INR ≤3.0. Combined endpoint mortality or severe disability in patients with ischemic stroke associated with AF was present in 47%, while it was present in 19.30% and 19.20% of atherothrombotic and lacunar strokes, respectively. At hospital discharge, VKAs were prescribed in 25.9% of AF related ischemic stroke patients. AF related strokes are burdened by severe outcome but VKAs are dramatically underused in patients with AF, even in higher risk patients. Efforts to improve anticoagulation in this stroke subtype are warranted.

Assessment of disabilities in stroke patients with apraxia : Internal consistency and inter-observer reliability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Heugten, CM; Dekker, J; Deelman, BG; Stehmann-Saris, JC; Kinebanian, A

1999-01-01

In this paper the internal consistency and inter-observer reliability of the assessment of disabilities in stroke patients with apraxia is presented. Disabilities were assessed by means of observation of activities of daily living (ADL). The study was conducted at occupational therapy departments in

Assessment of disabilities in stroke patients with apraxia: internal consistency and inter-observer reliability.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heugten, C.M. van; Dekker, J.; Deelman, B.G.; Stehmann-Saris, J.C.; Kinebanian, A.

1999-01-01

In this paper the internal consistency and inter-observer reliability of the assessment of disabilities in stroke patients with apraxia is presented. Disabilities were assessed by means of observation of activities of daily living (ADL). The study was conducted at occupational therapy departments in

Stay Focused! The Effects of Internal and External Focus of Attention on Movement Automaticity in Patients with Stroke

Science.gov (United States)

Kal, E. C.; van der Kamp, J.; Houdijk, H.; Groet, E.; van Bennekom, C. A. M.; Scherder, E. J. A.

2015-01-01

Dual-task performance is often impaired after stroke. This may be resolved by enhancing patients’ automaticity of movement. This study sets out to test the constrained action hypothesis, which holds that automaticity of movement is enhanced by triggering an external focus (on movement effects), rather than an internal focus (on movement execution). Thirty-nine individuals with chronic, unilateral stroke performed a one-leg-stepping task with both legs in single- and dual-task conditions. Attentional focus was manipulated with instructions. Motor performance (movement speed), movement automaticity (fluency of movement), and dual-task performance (dual-task costs) were assessed. The effects of focus on movement speed, single- and dual-task movement fluency, and dual-task costs were analysed with generalized estimating equations. Results showed that, overall, single-task performance was unaffected by focus (p = .341). Regarding movement fluency, no main effects of focus were found in single- or dual-task conditions (p’s ≥ .13). However, focus by leg interactions suggested that an external focus reduced movement fluency of the paretic leg compared to an internal focus (single-task conditions: p = .068; dual-task conditions: p = .084). An external focus also tended to result in inferior dual-task performance (β = -2.38, p = .065). Finally, a near-significant interaction (β = 2.36, p = .055) suggested that dual-task performance was more constrained by patients’ attentional capacity in external focus conditions. We conclude that, compared to an internal focus, an external focus did not result in more automated movements in chronic stroke patients. Contrary to expectations, trends were found for enhanced automaticity with an internal focus. These findings might be due to patients’ strong preference to use an internal focus in daily life. Future work needs to establish the more permanent effects of learning with different attentional foci on re-automating motor

Stay Focused! The Effects of Internal and External Focus of Attention on Movement Automaticity in Patients with Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Kal, E C; van der Kamp, J; Houdijk, H; Groet, E; van Bennekom, C A M; Scherder, E J A

2015-01-01

Dual-task performance is often impaired after stroke. This may be resolved by enhancing patients' automaticity of movement. This study sets out to test the constrained action hypothesis, which holds that automaticity of movement is enhanced by triggering an external focus (on movement effects), rather than an internal focus (on movement execution). Thirty-nine individuals with chronic, unilateral stroke performed a one-leg-stepping task with both legs in single- and dual-task conditions. Attentional focus was manipulated with instructions. Motor performance (movement speed), movement automaticity (fluency of movement), and dual-task performance (dual-task costs) were assessed. The effects of focus on movement speed, single- and dual-task movement fluency, and dual-task costs were analysed with generalized estimating equations. Results showed that, overall, single-task performance was unaffected by focus (p = .341). Regarding movement fluency, no main effects of focus were found in single- or dual-task conditions (p's ≥ .13). However, focus by leg interactions suggested that an external focus reduced movement fluency of the paretic leg compared to an internal focus (single-task conditions: p = .068; dual-task conditions: p = .084). An external focus also tended to result in inferior dual-task performance (β = -2.38, p = .065). Finally, a near-significant interaction (β = 2.36, p = .055) suggested that dual-task performance was more constrained by patients' attentional capacity in external focus conditions. We conclude that, compared to an internal focus, an external focus did not result in more automated movements in chronic stroke patients. Contrary to expectations, trends were found for enhanced automaticity with an internal focus. These findings might be due to patients' strong preference to use an internal focus in daily life. Future work needs to establish the more permanent effects of learning with different attentional foci on re-automating motor control

Benchmarks for Support and Outcomes for Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Programs: A 5-Year Review

Science.gov (United States)

Aronica, Michael; Williams, Ronald; Dennar, Princess E.; Hopkins, Robert H.

2015-01-01

Background Combined internal medicine and pediatrics (medicine-pediatrics) residencies were Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited separately from their corresponding categorical residencies in June 2006. Objective We investigated how ACGME accreditation of medicine-pediatrics programs has affected the levels of support (both financial and personnel), the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) match rate, performance on the board examination, and other graduate outcomes. Methods From 2009 through 2013 we sent an annual SurveyMonkey online survey to members of the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association. Questions pertained to program characteristics, program director support, recruitment, ambulatory training, and graduate data. More than 79% of responders completed the entire survey for each year (sample size was 60 program directors). Results Compared to the time prior to accreditation of the specialty, there was an increase in program directors who are dually trained (89% versus 93%), an increase in program director salary ($134,000 before accreditation versus $185,000 in 2013, P medicine. Conclusions Our data show widespread improved support for medicine-pediatrics programs since the 2006 start of ACGME accreditation. PMID:26692969

Can the FAST and ROSIER adult stroke recognition tools be applied to confirmed childhood arterial ischemic stroke?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babl Franz E

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stroke recognition tools have been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy in adults. Development of a similar tool in children is needed to reduce lag time to diagnosis. A critical first step is to determine whether adult stoke scales can be applied in childhood stroke. Our objective was to assess the applicability of adult stroke scales in childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS Methods Children aged 1 month to Results 47 children with AIS were identified. 34 had anterior, 12 had posterior and 1 child had anterior and posterior circulation infarcts. Median age was 9 years and 51% were male. Median time from symptom onset to ED presentation was 21 hours but one third of children presented within 6 hours. The most common presenting stroke symptoms were arm (63%, face (62%, leg weakness (57%, speech disturbance (46% and headache (46%. The most common signs were arm (61%, face (70% or leg weakness (57% and dysarthria (34%. 36 (78% of children had at least one positive variable on FAST and 38 (81% had a positive score of ≥1 on the ROSIER scale. Positive scores were less likely in children with posterior circulation stroke. Conclusion The presenting features of pediatric stroke appear similar to adult strokes. Two adult stroke recognition tools have fair to good sensitivity in radiologically confirmed childhood AIS but require further development and modification. Specificity of the tools also needs to be determined in a prospective cohort of children with stroke and non-stroke brain attacks.

Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Cognitive Impairment in Children with Perinatal Stroke

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Nigul Ilves

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Perinatal stroke is a leading cause of congenital hemiparesis and neurocognitive deficits in children. Dysfunctions in the large-scale resting-state functional networks may underlie cognitive and behavioral disability in these children. We studied resting-state functional connectivity in patients with perinatal stroke collected from the Estonian Pediatric Stroke Database. Neurodevelopment of children was assessed by the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measurement and the Kaufman Assessment Battery. The study included 36 children (age range 7.6–17.9 years: 10 with periventricular venous infarction (PVI, 7 with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS, and 19 controls. There were no differences in severity of hemiparesis between the PVI and AIS groups. A significant increase in default mode network connectivity (FDR 0.1 and lower cognitive functions (p<0.05 were found in children with AIS compared to the controls and the PVI group. The children with PVI had no significant differences in the resting-state networks compared to the controls and their cognitive functions were normal. Our findings demonstrate impairment in cognitive functions and neural network profile in hemiparetic children with AIS compared to children with PVI and controls. Changes in the resting-state networks found in children with AIS could possibly serve as the underlying derangements of cognitive brain functions in these children.

Dynamic and Thermodynamic Examination of a Two-Stroke Internal Combustion Engine

OpenAIRE

İPCİ, Duygu; KARABULUT, Halit

2016-01-01

In this study the combined dynamic and thermodynamic analysis of a two-stroke internal combustion engine was carried out. The variation of the heat, given to the working fluid during the heating process of the thermodynamic cycle, was modeled with the Gaussian function. The dynamic model of the piston driving mechanism was established by means of nine equations, five of them are motion equations and four of them are kinematic relations. Equations are solved by using a numerical method based o...

Observer reliability of CT angiography in the assessment of acute ischaemic stroke: data from the Third International Stroke Trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mair, Grant; Farrall, Andrew J.; Sellar, Robin J.; Mollison, Daisy; Sakka, Eleni; Palmer, Jeb; Wardlaw, Joanna M.; Kummer, Ruediger von; Adami, Alessandro; White, Philip M.; Adams, Matthew E.; Yan, Bernard; Demchuk, Andrew M.; Ramaswamy, Rajesh; Rodrigues, Mark A.; Samji, Karim; Baird, Andrew J.; Boyd, Elena V.; Cohen, Geoff; Perry, David; Sandercock, Peter A.G.; Lindley, Richard

2015-01-01

CT angiography (CTA) is often used for assessing patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Only limited observer reliability data exist. We tested inter- and intra-observer reliability for the assessment of CTA in acute ischaemic stroke. We selected 15 cases from the Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3, ISRCTN25765518) with various degrees of arterial obstruction in different intracranial locations on CTA. To assess inter-observer reliability, seven members of the IST-3 expert image reading panel (>5 years experience reading CTA) and seven radiology trainees (<2 years experience) rated all 15 scans independently and blind to clinical data for: presence (versus absence) of any intracranial arterial abnormality (stenosis or occlusion), severity of arterial abnormality using relevant scales (IST-3 angiography score, Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) score, Clot Burden Score), collateral supply and visibility of a perfusion defect on CTA source images (CTA-SI). Intra-observer reliability was assessed using independently repeated expert panel scan ratings. We assessed observer agreement with Krippendorff's-alpha (K-alpha). Among experienced observers, inter-observer agreement was substantial for the identification of any angiographic abnormality (K-alpha = 0.70) and with an angiography assessment scale (K-alpha = 0.60-0.66). There was less agreement for grades of collateral supply (K-alpha = 0.56) or for identification of a perfusion defect on CTA-SI (K-alpha = 0.32). Radiology trainees performed as well as expert readers when additional training was undertaken (neuroradiology specialist trainees). Intra-observer agreement among experts provided similar results (K-alpha = 0.33-0.72). For most imaging characteristics assessed, CTA has moderate to substantial observer agreement in acute ischaemic stroke. Experienced readers and those with specialist training perform best. (orig.)

Image gently, step lightly: increasing radiation dose awareness in pediatric interventions through an international social marketing campaign.

Science.gov (United States)

Sidhu, Manrita K; Goske, Marilyn J; Coley, Brian J; Connolly, Bairbre; Racadio, John; Yoshizumi, Terry T; Utley, Tara; Strauss, Keith J

2009-09-01

In the past several decades, advances in imaging and interventional techniques have been accompanied by an increase in medical radiation dose to the public. Radiation exposure is even more important in children, who are more sensitive to radiation and have a longer lifespan during which effects may manifest. To address radiation safety in pediatric computed tomography, in 2008 the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging launched an international social marketing campaign entitled Image Gently. This article describes the next phase of the Image Gently campaign, entitled Step Lightly, which focuses on radiation safety in pediatric interventional radiology.

Factors influencing successful physician recruitment in pediatrics and internal medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Kelvin; Camfield, Peter; Breau, Lynn

2005-01-01

The objective of the study was to survey recently hired physicians to Canadian Academic Departments of Pediatric and Internal Medicine to understand the factors that underlay successful recruitment. Recruits and Chairs agreed on the 10 most important values. Chairs overvalued the 10 least important Recruit values. Statistical analysis revealed five core themes - in order of importance they are: family lifestyle and opportunities, compensation methodology, children/community (housing, schools, recreational), professional working conditions (technology, staffing, facilities), and academic opportunities. Core themes varied by demographics and academic profile.

Observer reliability of CT angiography in the assessment of acute ischaemic stroke: data from the Third International Stroke Trial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mair, Grant; Farrall, Andrew J.; Sellar, Robin J.; Mollison, Daisy; Sakka, Eleni; Palmer, Jeb; Wardlaw, Joanna M. [University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Kummer, Ruediger von [Dresden University Stroke Centre, University Hospital, Department of Neuroradiology, Dresden (Germany); Adami, Alessandro [Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria Hospital, Stroke Center, Department of Neurology, Negrar (Italy); White, Philip M. [Stroke Research Group, Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom); Adams, Matthew E. [National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroradiology, London (United Kingdom); Yan, Bernard [Royal Melbourne Hospital, Neurovascular Research Group, Parkville (Australia); Demchuk, Andrew M. [Calgary Stroke Program, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Calgary (Canada); Ramaswamy, Rajesh; Rodrigues, Mark A.; Samji, Karim; Baird, Andrew J. [Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Department of Radiology, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Boyd, Elena V. [Northwick Park Hospital, Department of Radiology, Harrow (United Kingdom); Cohen, Geoff; Perry, David; Sandercock, Peter A.G. [University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Lindley, Richard [University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital Clinical School and The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney (Australia); Collaboration: The IST-3 Collaborative Group

2014-10-07

CT angiography (CTA) is often used for assessing patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Only limited observer reliability data exist. We tested inter- and intra-observer reliability for the assessment of CTA in acute ischaemic stroke. We selected 15 cases from the Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3, ISRCTN25765518) with various degrees of arterial obstruction in different intracranial locations on CTA. To assess inter-observer reliability, seven members of the IST-3 expert image reading panel (>5 years experience reading CTA) and seven radiology trainees (<2 years experience) rated all 15 scans independently and blind to clinical data for: presence (versus absence) of any intracranial arterial abnormality (stenosis or occlusion), severity of arterial abnormality using relevant scales (IST-3 angiography score, Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) score, Clot Burden Score), collateral supply and visibility of a perfusion defect on CTA source images (CTA-SI). Intra-observer reliability was assessed using independently repeated expert panel scan ratings. We assessed observer agreement with Krippendorff's-alpha (K-alpha). Among experienced observers, inter-observer agreement was substantial for the identification of any angiographic abnormality (K-alpha = 0.70) and with an angiography assessment scale (K-alpha = 0.60-0.66). There was less agreement for grades of collateral supply (K-alpha = 0.56) or for identification of a perfusion defect on CTA-SI (K-alpha = 0.32). Radiology trainees performed as well as expert readers when additional training was undertaken (neuroradiology specialist trainees). Intra-observer agreement among experts provided similar results (K-alpha = 0.33-0.72). For most imaging characteristics assessed, CTA has moderate to substantial observer agreement in acute ischaemic stroke. Experienced readers and those with specialist training perform best. (orig.)

Relevance of the international spinal cord injury basic data sets to youth: an Inter-Professional review with recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, A; Vogel, L C; Zebracki, K; Noonan, V K; Biering-Sørensen, F; Mulcahey, M J

2017-09-01

Mixed methods, using the Modified Delphi Technique and Expert Panel Review. To evaluate the utility and relevance of the International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Core and Basic Data Sets for children and youth with SCI. International. Via 20 electronic surveys, an interprofessional sample of healthcare professionals with pediatric SCI experience participated in an iterative critical review of the International SCI Data Sets, and submitted suggestions for modifications for use with four pediatric age groups. A panel of 5 experts scrutinized the utility of all data sets, correlated any modifications with the developing National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) pediatric SCI Common Data Elements (CDE) and distributed final recommendations for modifications required to the adult data sets to the International SCI Data Set Committee and the associated Working Groups. Two International SCI Data Sets were considered relevant and appropriate for use with children without any changes. Three were considered not appropriate or applicable for use with children, regardless of age. Recommendations were made for five data sets to enhance their relevance and applicability to children across the age groups, and recommendations for seven data sets were specific to infants and younger children. The results of this critical review are significant in that substantive recommendations to align the International SCI Core and Basic Data Sets to pediatric practice were made. This project was funded by the Rick Hansen Institute Grant# 2015-27.

Breaststroke swimmers moderate internal work increases toward the highest stroke frequencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauer, Jessy; Olstad, Bjørn Harald; Minetti, Alberto Enrico; Kjendlie, Per-Ludvik; Rouard, Annie Hélène

2015-09-18

A model to predict the mechanical internal work of breaststroke swimming was designed. It allowed us to explore the frequency-internal work relationship in aquatic locomotion. Its accuracy was checked against internal work values calculated from kinematic sequences of eight participants swimming at three different self-chosen paces. Model predictions closely matched experimental data (0.58 ± 0.07 vs 0.59 ± 0.05 J kg(-1)m(-1); t(23)=-0.30, P=0.77), which was reflected in a slope of the major axis regression between measured and predicted total internal work whose 95% confidence intervals included the value of 1 (β=0.84, [0.61, 1.07], N=24). The model shed light on swimmers ability to moderate the increase in internal work at high stroke frequencies. This strategy of energy minimization has never been observed before in humans, but is present in quadrupedal and octopedal animal locomotion. This was achieved through a reduced angular excursion of the heaviest segments (7.2 ± 2.9° and 3.6 ± 1.5° for the thighs and trunk, respectively, Paquatic movements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical and imaging features associated with intracranial internal carotid artery calcifications in patients with ischemic stroke

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yilmaz, Arda [Mersin University, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin (Turkey); Akpinar, Erhan [Hacettepe University, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara (Turkey); Topcuoglu, Mehmet Akif; Arsava, Ethem Murat [Hacettepe University, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara (Turkey)

2015-05-01

Intracranial internal carotid artery calcifications (ICAC), a frequent finding on imaging studies, are predictive of future stroke risk in population-based studies. The clinical significance of this observation among ischemic stroke patients is however less clear. In this study, we analyzed ICAC burden in relation to vascular risk factor profile, stroke etiology, and extent of craniocervical vascular calcifications in a consecutive series of ischemic stroke patients. The burden of ICAC was determined both on non-contrast CT and CT-angiography source images by semiquantitative scoring algorithms. The distribution of vascular risk factors, etiologic stroke subtype, and calcification burden in other craniocervical arteries was assessed among patients with no ICAC, mild-moderate ICAC, and severe ICAC. Of 319 patients included into the study, 28 % had no ICAC, 35 % had mild-moderate ICAC, and 37 % had severe ICAC on CT angiography. Independent factors associated with ICAC burden in multivariate analysis included age (p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.006), and coronary artery disease (p < 0.001). Furthermore, a stroke etiology of large artery atherosclerosis or cardioaortic embolism was significantly related to higher ICAC burden (p = 0.006). Patients with severe ICAC were more likely to harbor calcifications in other vascular beds (p < 0.001). All of these findings persisted when analyses were repeated with CT-based ICAC burden assessments. ICAC burden reflects a continuum of atherosclerotic disease involving carotid arteries together with other craniocervical vascular beds. ICAC is significantly associated with stroke of large vessel or cardioembolic origin. This information might help the clinician in prioritizing etiologic work-up in the acute period. (orig.)

Contemporary Management of Achalasia by Pediatric Surgeons: A Survey of the International Pediatric Endosurgical Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Joanna L; Rentea, Rebecca M; St Peter, Shawn D

2016-07-01

Achalasia is a rare neurodegenerative disorder of the esophagus. Surgical repair consists of esophagomyotomy, often in conjunction with an antireflux procedure. We sought to determine practice patterns in surgical treatment of pediatric achalasia. Data regarding preferences were collected as part of a comprehensive online-based survey sent to members of the International Pediatric Endosurgery Group (IPEG) completed by 191 surgeons of which 141 performed esophagomyotomies for achalasia. Procedures performed per surgeon were 1-2 (n = 21, 15%); 3-5 (n = 49, 34%); 6-10 (n = 39, 28%); 11-20 (n = 21, 15%); >20 (n = 11, 8%). Most approached the operation laparoscopically (n = 127, 90%). Workup before esophageal myotomy consisted of a diagnostic esophagram (n = 133, 94%) or manometry (n = 102, 73%). Only 60% of surgeons (n = 84) required an EGD. No preference observed in division location of the phrenoesophageal ligament for mobilization of the esophagus. There was a predominant preference for hook cautery (n = 82, 58%) over harmonic shears (n = 30, 21%), heated sealing device LigaSure™ (n = 18, 13%), and other devices (n = 11, 8%) for muscle division. Intraoperatively, 57% (n = 80) had endoscopy and 50% (n = 71) had postoperative esophagram before initiation of enteral feeding. For antireflux procedure, Thal/Dor approach was performed most frequently (n = 111, 79%) followed by the Toupet (n = 18, 13%) and Nissen (n = 4, 3%) and none (n = 7, 5%). Diet restrictions were provided in 76% (n = 107) of postoperative patients. Given the infrequency of achalasia in children, there are a range of treatment plans among pediatric surgeons. We have identified current practices as a first step in developing more standard treatment pathways.

Citalopram Treatment of Pediatric Recurrent Abdominal Pain and Comorbid Internalizing Disorders: An Exploratory Study

Science.gov (United States)

Campo, John V.; Perel, James; Lucas, Amanda; Bridge, Jeff; Ehmann, Mary; Kalas, Catherine; Monk, Kelly; Axelson, David; Birmaher, Boris; Ryan, Neal; Di Lorenzo, Carlo; Brent, David A.

2004-01-01

Objective: To assess the potential efficacy, tolerability, and safety of citalopram in the treatment of functional pediatric recurrent abdominal pain and comorbid internalizing disorders. Method: Twenty-five clinically referred children and adolescents with recurrent abdominal pain aged 7 to 18 years, inclusive, participated in a 12-week,…

Stroke in Saudi children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A.; Kentab, Anal Y.; Al-Nasser, Mohammad N.; Bahakim, Hassan M.; Kurban, Khadija M.; Zahraa, Jihad N.; Nasir, Ali A.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.; Kabiraj, Mohammad M.; Khoja, Waleed A.

2006-01-01

To describe the epidemiology and clinical features of stroke in a prospective and retrospective cohort of Saudi children and ascertain the causes, pathogenesis, and risk factors. The Retrospective Study Group (RSG) included children with stroke who were evaluated at the Division of Pediatric Neurology, or admitted to King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period July 1992 to February 2001. The Prospective Study Group (PSG) included those seen between February 2001 and March 2003. During the combined study periods of 10 years and 7 months, 117 children (61 males and 56 females, aged one month-12 years) were evaluated; the majority (89%) of these were Saudis. The calculated annual hospital frequency rate of stroke was 27.1/100,000 of the pediatric (1month-12 years) population The mean age at onset of the initial stroke in the 104 Saudi children was 27.1 months (SD=39.3 months) median and median was 6 months. Ischemic strokes accounted for the majority of cases (76%). Large-vessel infarcts (LVI, 51.9%) were more common than small-vessel lacunar lesions (SVLL, 19.2%). Five patients (4.8%) had combined LVI and SVLL. Intracranial hemorrhage was less common (18.2%), whereas sinovenous thrombosis was diagnosed in 6 (5.8%) patients. A major risk factor was identified in 94 of 104 (89.4%) Saudi children. Significantly more hematologic disorders and coagulopathies were identified in the PSG compared to the RSG (p=0.001), reflecting a better yield following introduction of more comprehensive hematologic and cogulation laboratory tests during the prospective study period. Hematologic disorders were the most common risk factor (46.2%); presumed perinatal ischemic cerebral injury was risk factor in 23 children (22.1) and infectious and inflammatory disorders of the circulatory system in 18 (17.3%). Congenital and genetic cerebrovascular anomalies were the underlying cause in 7 patients (6.7%) and

[Formula: see text]Working memory outcomes following unilateral arterial ischemic stroke in childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuentes, Amanda; Westmacott, Robyn; Deotto, Angela; deVeber, Gabrielle; Desrocher, Mary

2017-10-01

There is a dearth of research examining working memory (WM) following pediatric arterial ischemic stroke (AIS). This study assesses the WM patterns of 32 children, aged 6 to 14 years, with a history of unilateral AIS and 32 controls using a paradigm based on Baddeley and Hitch's multi-component WM model. The results indicate compromised WM in children with AIS relative to controls and parent reports confirm higher rates of dysfunction. Supplementary analyses of impairment confirm higher rates in children with AIS, ranging from 31.25% to 38.70% on performance-based measures and 50.00% on parent reports, compared to 0.00% to 21.88% on performance-based measures in controls and 15.63% on parent reports. Continual follow-up is recommended given that a subset of children with stroke appear to be at risk for WM impairment. Moreover, the subtle nature of WM challenges experienced by many children who have experienced a stroke increases the likelihood that WM impairment could go undetected. The long-term trajectories of WM in the pediatric stroke population remains unknown and future studies are needed to track changes in WM functioning over time.

2018 International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

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Ardern, Clare L.; Ekås, Guri; Grindem, Hege; Moksnes, Håvard; Anderson, Allen F.; Chotel, Franck; Cohen, Moises; Forssblad, Magnus; Ganley, Theodore J.; Feller, Julian A.; Karlsson, Jón; Kocher, Mininder S.; LaPrade, Robert F.; McNamee, Mike; Mandelbaum, Bert; Micheli, Lyle; Mohtadi, Nicholas G.H.; Reider, Bruce; Roe, Justin P.; Seil, Romain; Siebold, Rainer; Silvers-Granelli, Holly J.; Soligard, Torbjørn; Witvrouw, Erik; Engebretsen, Lars

2018-01-01

In October 2017, the International Olympic Committee hosted an international expert group of physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in treating and researching pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a comprehensive, evidence-informed summary to support the clinician and help children with ACL injury and their parents/guardians make the best possible decisions. Representatives from the following societies attended: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine; European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society; European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, and Arthroscopy; International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine; Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America; and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla, y Deporte. Physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeons with clinical and research experience in the field and an ethics expert with substantial experience in the area of sports injuries also participated. This consensus statement addresses 6 fundamental clinical questions regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and management of pediatric ACL injuries. Injury management is challenging in the current landscape of clinical uncertainty and limited scientific knowledge. Injury management decisions also occur against the backdrop of the complexity of shared decision making with children and the potential long-term ramifications of the injury. PMID:29594177

Burden of stroke in Bangladesh.

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Islam, Md Nazmul; Moniruzzaman, Mohammed; Khalil, Md Ibrahim; Basri, Rehana; Alam, Mohammad Khursheed; Loo, Keat Wei; Gan, Siew Hua

2013-04-01

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Bangladesh. The World Health Organization ranks Bangladesh's mortality rate due to stroke as number 84 in the world. The reported prevalence of stroke in Bangladesh is 0.3%, although no data on stroke incidence have been recorded. Hospital-based studies conducted in past decades have indicated that hypertension is the main cause of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke in Bangladesh. The high number of disability-adjusted life-years lost due to stroke (485 per 10,000 people) show that stroke severely impacts Bangladesh's economy. Although two non-governmental organizations, BRAC and the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, are actively involved in primary stroke prevention strategies, the Bangladeshi government needs to emphasize healthcare development to cope with the increasing population density and to reduce stroke occurrence. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Cardiac diseases as a risk factor for stroke in Saudi children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Al-Jarallah; Ahmed, A.; Kentab, Amal Y.; A-Jarallah, Abdullah S.; Al-Saadi, Muslim M.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.

2006-01-01

Objective was to ascertain the role of cardiac diseases as a risk factor for stroke in a cohort of Saudi children who were evaluated in a retrospective and prospective study. Children with cardiac diseases were identified from within a cohort of 104 Saudi children who presented with stroke. They were seen as inpatients in the Pediatric Wards or evaluated at the Outpatient Clinics of the Division of Pediatric Neurology (DPN), and the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the periods July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). A comprehensive form for clinical, neuroimaging, neurophysiological and laboratory data retrieval was designed and completed for each patient. Cardiac evaluation included 12-lead ECG and serial echocardiograms. Cardiac catheterization and 24-hour ambulatory ECG (Holter) were conducted on clinical discretion. Cardiac diseases were the underlying risk factor for stroke in 6 (5.8%) of the 104 children (aged one month to 12 years). The patients (4males and 2 females) were evaluated at the DPN at a mean age of 5.3 years (range=1-8 years; median 6.5 years). Onset of stroke was at a mean age of 34 months (range= 4 months - 8 years; median = 30 months). Five patients had stroke in association with congenital heart disease (CHD), whereas the sixth had restrictive cardiomyopathy. The identified CHD consisted of membranous ventricular septal defect in a 5-year-old boy who had moyamoya syndrome and sickle cell b-thalassemia, asymptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in a 17-months-old girl, atrioventricular canal defect and PDA in an 8-year-old boy who also had Down syndrome, partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage in a one-year-old boy. The latter patient developed hemiparesis secondary to a septic embolus, which evolved into brain abscess involving the right fronto-preital region. This was successfully managed surgically

Assessment of test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Wisconsin Gait Scale in hemiparetic post-stroke patients

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Guzik Agnieszka

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: A proper assessment of gait pattern is a significant aspect in planning the process of teaching gait in hemiparetic post-stroke patients. The Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS is an observational tool for assessing post-stroke patients’ gait. The aim of the study was to assess test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the WGS and examine correlations between gait assessment made with the WGS and gait speed, Brunnström scale, Ashworth’s scale and the Barthel Index.

Stroke in tuberculous meningitis.

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Misra, Usha Kant; Kalita, Jayantee; Maurya, Pradeep Kumar

2011-04-15

Stroke in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) occurs in 15-57% of patients especially in advance stage and severe illness. The majority of strokes may be asymptomatic because of being in a silent area, deep coma or associated pathology such as spinal arachnoiditis or tuberculoma. Methods of evaluation also influence the frequency of stroke. MRI is more sensitive in detecting acute (DWI) and chronic (T2, FLAIR) stroke. Most of the strokes in TBM are multiple, bilateral and located in the basal ganglia especially the 'tubercular zone' which comprises of the caudate, anterior thalamus, anterior limb and genu of the internal capsule. These are attributed to the involvement of medial striate, thalamotuberal and thalamostriate arteries which are embedded in exudates and likely to be stretched by a coexistent hydrocephalus. Cortical stroke can also occur due to the involvement of proximal portion of the middle, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries as well as the supraclinoid portion of the internal carotid and basilar arteries which are documented in MRI, angiography and autopsy studies. Arteritis is more common than infarction in autopsy study. The role of cytokines especially tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metaloproteineases (MMPs) in damaging the blood brain barrier, attracting leucocytes and release of vasoactive autocoids have been suggested. The prothrombotic state may also contribute to stroke in TBM. Corticosteroids with antitubercular therapy were thought to reduce mortality and morbidity but their role in reducing strokes has not been proven. Aspirin also reduces mortality and its role in reducing stroke in TBM needs further studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Four-Stroke, Internal Combustion Engine Performance Modeling

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Wagner, Richard C.

In this thesis, two models of four-stroke, internal combustion engines are created and compared. The first model predicts the intake and exhaust processes using isentropic flow equations augmented by discharge coefficients. The second model predicts the intake and exhaust processes using a compressible, time-accurate, Quasi-One-Dimensional (Q1D) approach. Both models employ the same heat release and reduced-order modeling of the cylinder charge. Both include friction and cylinder loss models so that the predicted performance values can be compared to measurements. The results indicate that the isentropic-based model neglects important fluid mechanics and returns inaccurate results. The Q1D flow model, combined with the reduced-order model of the cylinder charge, is able to capture the dominant intake and exhaust fluid mechanics and produces results that compare well with measurement. Fluid friction, convective heat transfer, piston ring and skirt friction and temperature-varying specific heats in the working fluids are all shown to be significant factors in engine performance predictions. Charge blowby is shown to play a lesser role.

Pre-Travel Health Preparation of Pediatric International Travelers: Analysis From the Global TravEpiNet Consortium.

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Hagmann, Stefan; LaRocque, Regina C; Rao, Sowmya R; Jentes, Emily S; Sotir, Mark J; Brunette, Gary; Ryan, Edward T

2013-12-01

Children frequently travel internationally. Health-related data on such children are limited. We sought to investigate the demographics, health characteristics, and preventive interventions of outbound US international pediatric travelers. We analyzed data from 32 099 travelers presenting for pre-travel healthcare at the Global TravEpiNet (GTEN), a national consortium of 19 travel clinics, from January 1, 2009 to June 6, 2012. A total of 3332 (10%) of all GTEN travelers were children (traveled mostly for leisure (36%) or to visit friends or relatives (VFR) (36%). Most popular destination regions were Africa (41%), Southeast Asia (16%), Central America (16%), and the Caribbean (16%). Compared with children traveling for leisure, VFR children were more likely to present travel consultation (44% vs 28%), intended to travel for 28 days or longer (70% vs 22%), and to travel to Africa (62% vs 32%). Nearly half of the pediatric travelers (46%) received at least 1 routine vaccine, and most (83%) received at least 1 travel-related vaccine. Parents or guardians of one third of the children (30%) refused at least 1 recommended travel-related vaccine. Most pediatric travelers visiting a malaria-endemic country (72%) received a prescription for malaria chemoprophylaxis. Ten percent of travelers seeking pre-travel healthcare at GTEN sites are children. VFR-travel, pre-travel consultation close to time of departure, and refusal of recommended vaccines may place children at risk for travel-associated illness. Strategies to engage pediatric travelers in timely, pre-travel care and improve acceptance of pre-travel healthcare interventions are needed. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Update on the third international stroke trial (IST-3 of thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke and baseline features of the 3035 patients recruited

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Sandercock Peter

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA is approved in Europe for use in patients with acute ischaemic stroke who meet strictly defined criteria. IST-3 sought to improve the external validity and precision of the estimates of the overall treatment effects (efficacy and safety of rtPA in acute ischaemic stroke, and to determine whether a wider range of patients might benefit. Design International, multi-centre, prospective, randomized, open, blinded endpoint (PROBE trial of intravenous rtPA in acute ischaemic stroke. Suitable patients had to be assessed and able to start treatment within 6 hours of developing symptoms, and brain imaging must have excluded intracranial haemorrhage and stroke mimics. Results The initial pilot phase was double blind and then, on 01/08/2003, changed to an open design. Recruitment began on 05/05/2000 and closed on 31/07/2011, by which time 3035 patients had been included, only 61 (2% of whom met the criteria for the 2003 European approval for thrombolysis. 1617 patients were aged over 80 years at trial entry. The analysis plan will be finalised, without reference to the unblinded data, and published before the trial data are unblinded in early 2012. The main trial results will be presented at the European Stroke Conference in Lisbon in May 2012 with the aim to publish simultaneously in a peer-reviewed journal. The trial result will be presented in the context of an updated Cochrane systematic review. We also intend to include the trial data in an individual patient data meta-analysis of all the relevant randomised trials. Conclusion The data from the trial will: improve the external validity and precision of the estimates of the overall treatment effects (efficacy and safety of iv rtPA in acute ischaemic stroke; provide: new evidence on the balance of risk and benefit of intravenous rtPA among types of patients who do not clearly meet the terms of the current EU approval; and

Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome in Pediatrics: A Case Series and Review.

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Coffino, Samantha W; Fryer, Robert H

2017-06-01

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome is a transient vasculopathy associated with severe headaches and stroke. In most cases of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, there is a precipitating event or trigger, such as pregnancy, serotonin agonist treatment or illicit drug use. The authors present 2 pediatric cases of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and review the previous 11 pediatric cases in the literature. In many instances, the clinical and radiographic features are similar in both pediatric and adult cases. In the pediatric group, reported potential triggers include trauma (1/13), exercise (2/13), water to the face (3/13), hypertension (3/13), and medication or substance use (4/13). One surprising difference is that 11 out of 13 pediatric patients with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome are male while most cases in adults are female. Many of the pediatric patients with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome were treated with a calcium channel blocker and the overall outcome of pediatric reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome was good, with most patients experiencing a full recovery.

Pediatric Endocrinology Nurses Society

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... Join Now International Welcome to PENS The Pediatric Endocrinology Nursing Society (PENS) is committed to the development ... nurses in the art and science of pediatric endocrinology nursing. Learn More Text1 2018 PENS Call for ...

Late night activity regarding stroke codes: LuNAR strokes.

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Tafreshi, Gilda; Raman, Rema; Ernstrom, Karin; Rapp, Karen; Meyer, Brett C

2012-08-01

similarity was further supported in similar rates of tissue plasminogen activator administration. Late night strokes may warrant a more rapid stroke specialist evaluation due to the longer time elapsed from symptom onset and the longer time to computed tomography scan. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2011 World Stroke Organization.

Quality of stroke care at an Irish Regional General Hospital and Stroke Rehabilitation Unit.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Walsh, T

2012-01-31

BACKGROUND: Robust international data support the effectiveness of stroke unit (SU) care. Despite this, most stroke care in Ireland are provided outside of this setting. Limited data currently exist on the quality of care provided. AIM: The aim of this study is to examine the quality of care for patients with stroke in two care settings-Regional General Hospital (RGH) and Stroke Rehabilitation Unit (SRU). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the stroke records of consecutive patients admitted to the SRU between May-November 2002 and April-November 2004 was performed applying the UK National Sentinel Audit of Stroke (NSAS) tool. RESULTS: The results of the study reveal that while SRU processes of care was 74% compliant with standards; compliance with stroke service organisational standards was only 15 and 43% in the RGH and SRU, respectively. CONCLUSION: The quality of stroke care in our area is deficient. Comprehensive reorganisation of stroke services is imperative.

Measuring Scaling Effects in Small Two-Stroke Internal Combustion Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-20

was used [9]. Compression ignition (CI) engines rely on auto - ignition to initiate combustion during an engine cycle. During intake, only air flows...9 Figure 2: Four-stroke IC engine cycle. (a) Intake stroke (b) Compression stroke (c) Ignition (d) Power...CAD crank angle degrees CI compression ignition COTS commercial off the shelf CoV coefficient of variance DAQ data acquisition system DI

Interest in international surgical volunteerism: results of a survey of members of the American Pediatric Surgical Association.

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Butler, Marilyn W; Krishnaswami, Sanjay; Rothstein, David H; Cusick, Robert A

2011-12-01

This study assesses interest in international volunteer work by members of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) and attempts to identify demographics, motivations, obstacles, and institutional issues of the respondents. An online survey service was used to send a 25-question survey to all APSA members with email addresses in November 2009. An answer to all questions was not required. Written comments were encouraged. The survey was sent to 807 members of whom 316 responded, for a response rate of 39%. International work had been done previously by 48% of respondents, whereas 95% stated that they were interested or perhaps interested in doing so. Most (83%) were interested in operating with local surgeons to teach them how to perform procedures. Altruism was the chief motivation in 75% of respondents. Primary obstacles to doing international work were family obligations and lack of time, although 37% stated that a lack of information about volunteer opportunities was an issue. A significant number of respondents (48%) stated that their institution had no established international collaborations. This study suggests that there is interest in international volunteerism among many members of APSA. Understanding the issues surrounding surgical volunteerism may facilitate humanitarian involvement among pediatric surgeons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vertebral Artery Dissection Causing Stroke After Trampoline Use.

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Casserly, Courtney S; Lim, Rodrick K; Prasad, Asuri Narayan

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to report a case of a 4-year-old boy who had been playing on the trampoline and presented to the emergency department (ED) with vomiting and ataxia, and had a vertebral artery dissection with subsequent posterior circulation infarcts. This study is a chart review. The patient presented to the emergency department with a 4-day history of vomiting and gait unsteadiness. A computed tomography scan of his head revealed multiple left cerebellar infarcts. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiogram of his head and neck demonstrated multiple infarcts involving the left cerebellum, bilateral thalami, and left occipital lobe. A computed tomography angiogram confirmed the presence of a left vertebral artery dissection. Vertebral artery dissection is a relatively common cause of stroke in the pediatric age group. Trampoline use has been associated with significant risk of injury to the head and neck. Patients who are small and/or young are most at risk. In this case, minor trauma secondary to trampoline use could be a possible mechanism for vertebral artery dissection and subsequent strokes. The association in this case warrants careful consideration because trampoline use could pose a significant risk to pediatric users.

Suboptimal lipid management before and after ischaemic stroke and TIA-the North Dublin Population Stroke Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ní Chróinín, Danielle; Ní Chróinín, Chantelle; Akijian, Layan; Callaly, Elizabeth L; Hannon, Niamh; Kelly, Lisa; Marnane, Michael; Merwick, Áine; Sheehan, Órla; Horgan, Gillian; Duggan, Joseph; Kyne, Lorraine; Dolan, Eamon; Murphy, Seán; Williams, David; Kelly, Peter J

2018-01-24

Few population-based studies have assessed lipid adherence to international guidelines for primary and secondary prevention in stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) patients. This study aims to evaluate adherence to lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) guidelines amongst patients with ischaemic stroke/TIA. Using hot and cold pursuit methods from multiple hospital/community sources, all stroke and TIA cases in North Dublin City were prospectively ascertained over a 1-year period. Adherence to National Cholesterol Education Programme (NCEP) III guidelines, before and after index ischaemic stroke/TIA, was assessed. Amongst 616 patients (428 ischaemic stroke, 188 TIA), total cholesterol was measured following the qualifying event in 76.5% (471/616) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in 60.1% (370/616). At initial stroke/TIA presentation, 54.1% (200/370) met NCEP III LDL goals. Compliance was associated with prior stroke (odds ratio [OR] 2.19, p = 0.02), diabetes (OR 1.91, p = 0.04), hypertension (OR 1.57, p = 0.03), atrial fibrillation (OR 1.78, p = 0.01), pre-event LLT (OR 2.85, p TIA onset, 32.7% (195/596) was on LLT. Nonetheless, LDL exceeded individual NCEP goal in 29.2% (56/192); 21.6% (53/245) warranting LLT was not on treatment prior to stroke/TIA onset. After index stroke/TIA, 75.9% (422/556) was on LLT; 15.3% (30/196) meeting NCEP III criteria was not prescribed a statin as recommended. By 2 years, actuarial survival was 72.8% and 11.9% (59/497) experienced stroke recurrence. No association was observed between initial post-event target adherence and 2-year outcomes. In this population-based study, LLT recommended by international guidelines was under-used, before and after index stroke/TIA. Strategies to improve adherence are needed.

Burden of stroke in Cambodia.

Science.gov (United States)

Loo, Keat Wei; Gan, Siew Hua

2013-08-01

In Cambodia, stroke is not ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death, but infectious disease are among the top three leading causes of death. This finding could be attributed to a lack of awareness among Cambodians of the signs and symptoms of stroke or to poor reporting, incomplete data, lack of neurologists and neurosurgeons, or low accessibility to the hospitals. The only study of stroke in Cambodia is the Prevalence of Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors in Cambodia survey, which identified several stroke-related risk factors in the population. Tobacco chewing or smoking is the main risk factor for stroke in Cambodia. Traditional therapies, such as oyt pleung (moxibustion) and jup (cupping), are widely practiced for stroke rehabilitation. In Cambodia, there are few neurologists and few important equipment, such as magnetic resonance imaging machines and computed tomography scanners. The Cambodian government should cooperate with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund to attract foreign expertise and technologies to treat stroke patients. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Reliability and validity of the Korean standard pattern identification for stroke (K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire

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Kang Byoung-Kab

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The present study was conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the ‘Korean Standard Pattern Identification for Stroke (K-SPI-Stroke’, which was developed and evaluated within the context of traditional Korean medicine (TKM. Methods Between September 2006 and December 2010, 2,905 patients from 11 Korean medical hospitals were asked to complete the K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire as a part of project ' Fundamental study for the standardization and objectification of pattern identification in traditional Korean medicine for stroke (SOPI-Stroke. Each patient was independently diagnosed by two TKM physicians from the same site according to one of four patterns, as suggested by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine: 1 a Qi deficiency pattern, 2 a Dampness-phlegm pattern, 3 a Yin deficiency pattern, or 4 a Fire-heat pattern. We estimated the internal consistency using Cronbach’s α coefficient, the discriminant validity using the means score of patterns, and the predictive validity using the classification accuracy of the K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire. Results The K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire had satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.700 and validity, with significant differences in the mean of scores among the four patterns. The overall classification accuracy of this questionnaire was 65.2 %. Conclusion These results suggest that the K-SPI-Stroke questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for estimating the severity of the four patterns.

Introduction to the 2015 Supplement to Cardiology in the Young: Proceedings of the 2015 International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute.

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Jacobs, Jeffrey P

2015-08-01

In the United States of America alone, ~14,000 children are hospitalised annually with acute heart failure. The science and art of caring for these patients continues to evolve. The International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute was held on 4 and 5 February, 2015. The 2015 International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute was funded through the Andrews/Daicoff Cardiovascular Program Endowment, a philanthropic collaboration between All Children's Hospital and the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF). Sponsored by All Children's Hospital Andrews/Daicoff Cardiovascular Program, the Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit assembled leaders in clinical and scientific disciplines related to paediatric heart failure and created a multi-disciplinary "think-tank". Information about George R. Daicoff, MD, and Ed and Sarainne Andrews is provided in this introductory manuscript to the 2015 Supplement to Cardiology in the Young entitled: "Proceedings of the 2015 International Pediatric Heart Failure Summit of Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute". Dr Daicoff founded the All Children's Hospital Pediatric Heart Surgery programme and directed this programme for over two decades. Sarainne Andrews made her generous bequest to All Children's Hospital in honour of her husband Ed and his friendship with Dr Daicoff in order to support cardiovascular surgery research efforts.

Management of Pediatric Delirium in Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Patients: An International Survey of Current Practices.

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Staveski, Sandra L; Pickler, Rita H; Lin, Li; Shaw, Richard J; Meinzen-Derr, Jareen; Redington, Andrew; Curley, Martha A Q

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe how pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians assess and manage delirium in patients following cardiac surgery. Descriptive self-report survey. A web-based survey of pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians who are members of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society. Pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians (physicians and nurses). None. One-hundred seventy-three clinicians practicing in 71 different institutions located in 13 countries completed the survey. Respondents described their clinical impression of the occurrence of delirium to be approximately 25%. Most respondents (75%) reported that their ICU does not routinely screen for delirium. Over half of the respondents (61%) have never attended a lecture on delirium. The majority of respondents (86%) were not satisfied with current delirium screening, diagnosis, and management practices. Promotion of day/night cycle, exposure to natural light, deintensification of care, sleep hygiene, and reorientation to prevent or manage delirium were among nonpharmacologic interventions reported along with the use of anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and medications for insomnia. Clinicians responding to the survey reported a range of delirium assessment and management practices in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Study results highlight the need for improvement in delirium education for pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians as well as the need for systematic evaluation of current delirium assessment and management practices.

Stroke in Commercial Flights.

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-Velasco, Rodrigo; Masjuan, Jaime; DeFelipe, Alicia; Corral, Iñigo; Estévez-Fraga, Carlos; Crespo, Leticia; Alonso-Cánovas, Araceli

2016-04-01

Stroke on board aircraft has been reported in retrospective case series, mainly focusing on economy class stroke syndrome. Data on the actual incidence, pathogenesis, and prognosis of stroke in commercial flights are lacking. A prospective registry was designed to include all consecutive patients referred from an international airport (40 million passengers a year) to our hospital with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack and onset of symptoms during a flight or immediately after landing. Forty-four patients (32 ischemic strokes and 12 transient ischemic attacks) were included over a 76-month period (January 2008 to April 2014). The estimated incidence of stroke was 1 stroke in 35 000 flights. Pathogeneses of stroke or transient ischemic attack were atherothrombotic in 16 (36%), economy class stroke syndrome in 8 (18%), cardioembolic in 7 (16%), arterial dissection in 4 (9%), lacunar stroke in 4 (9%), and undetermined in 5 (12%) patients. Carotid stenosis >70% was found in 12 (27%) of the patients. Overall prognosis was good, and thrombolysis was applied in 44% of the cases. The most common reason for not treating patients who had experienced stroke onset midflight was the delay in reaching the hospital. Only 1 patient with symptom onset during the flight prompted a flight diversion. We found a low incidence of stroke in the setting of air travel. Economy class stroke syndrome and arterial dissection were well represented in our sample. However, the main pathogenesis was atherothrombosis with a high proportion of patients with high carotid stenosis. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Use of individualized learning plans among fourth-year sub-interns in pediatrics and internal medicine.

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Shepard, Michelle E; Sastre, Elizabeth A; Davidson, Mario A; Fleming, Amy E

2012-01-01

Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) are an effective tool for promoting self-directed learning among residents. However, no literature details ILP use among medical students. Fifty fourth-year sub-interns in pediatrics and internal medicine created ILPs, including a self-assessment of strengths and weaknesses based on ACGME core competencies and the setting of learning objectives. During weekly follow-up meetings with faculty mentors and peers, students discussed challenges and revised goals. Upon completion of the rotation, students completed a survey of Likert-scale questions addressing satisfaction with and perceived utility of ILP components. Students most often self-identified strengths in the areas of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills and weaknesses in Patient Care and Systems-Based Practice. Eighty-two percent set at least one learning objective in an identified area of weakness. Students expressed high confidence in their abilities to create achievable learning objectives and to generate strategies to meet those objectives. Students agreed that discussions during group meetings were meaningful, and they identified the setting learning objectives and weekly meetings as the most important elements of the exercise. Fourth-year sub-interns reported that ILPs helped them to accomplish rotation goals, with the setting of learning objectives and weekly discussions being the most useful elements.

Validity of the international consultation on incontinence questionnaire-pediatric lower urinary tract symptoms: a screening questionnaire for children.

Science.gov (United States)

De Gennaro, Mario; Niero, Mauro; Capitanucci, Maria Luisa; von Gontard, Alexander; Woodward, Mark; Tubaro, Andrea; Abrams, Paul

2010-10-01

Lower urinary tract symptoms are common in pediatric patients. To our knowledge no validated instruments properly designed to screen lower urinary tract symptoms in the pediatric population have been published to date. In the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Committee the psychometric properties of a screening questionnaire for pediatric lower urinary tract symptoms were assessed. The 12-item International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Pediatric Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms was developed in child and parent self-administered versions, and produced in English, Italian and German using a standard cross-cultural adaptation process. The questionnaire was self-administered to children 5 to 18 years old and their parents presenting for lower urinary tract symptoms (cases) or to pediatric/urological clinics for other reasons (controls). A case report form included history, urinalysis, bladder diary, flowmetry/post-void residual urine volume and clinician judgment on whether each child did or did not have lower urinary tract symptoms. Questionnaire psychometric properties were evaluated and data were stratified into 3 age groups, including 5 to 9, 10 to 13 and 14 to 18 years. A total of 345 questionnaires were completed, of which 147 were negative and 198 were positive for lower urinary tract symptoms. A mean of 1.67% and 2.10% of items were missing in the child and parent versions, respectively. Reliability (Cronbach's α) was unacceptable in only the 5 to 9-year-old group. The high ICC of 0.847 suggested fair child/parent equivalence. Sensitivity and specificity were 89% and 76% in the child version, and 91% and 73.5% in the parent version, respectively. The questionnaire is an acceptable, reliable tool with high sensitivity and specificity to screen for lower urinary tract symptoms in pediatric practice. Problems related to literacy suggest use of the child versions for patients older than 9 years. In research this questionnaire

Specialist training in pediatric anesthesia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Tom G

2009-01-01

There has been a great deal of focus on specialist training in pediatric anesthesia in the last decade or so. Internationally, however, there is still no uniform agreement as to how such a training program should be arranged and organized. Since September 2003, the Scandinavian Society of Anaesth......There has been a great deal of focus on specialist training in pediatric anesthesia in the last decade or so. Internationally, however, there is still no uniform agreement as to how such a training program should be arranged and organized. Since September 2003, the Scandinavian Society...... of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine has coordinated an advanced Inter-Nordic educational program in pediatric anesthesia and intensive care. The training program is managed by a Steering Committee. This program is intended for physicians who recently have received their specialist degree in anesthesiology...... and intensive care. The training period is 12 months of which 9 months are dedicated to pediatric anesthesia and 3 months to pediatric intensive care. During the 1-year training period, the candidates are designated a Scandinavian host clinic (at a tertiary pediatric center in Scandinavia approved...

Knowledge of stroke among stroke patients and their relatives in Northwest India.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandian, Jeyaraj Durai; Kalra, Guneet; Jaison, Ashish; Deepak, Sukhbinder Singh; Shamsher, Shivali; Singh, Yashpal; Abraham, George

2006-06-01

The knowledge of warning symptoms and risk factors for stroke has not been studied among patients with stroke in developing countries. We aimed to assess the knowledge of stroke among patients with stroke and their relatives. Prospective tertiary referral hospital-based study in Northwest India. Trained nurses and medical interns interviewed patients with stroke and transient ischemic attack and their relatives about their knowledge of stroke symptoms and risk factors. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used. Of the 147 subjects interviewed, 102 (69%) were patients and 45 (31%) were relatives. There were 99 (67%) men and 48 (33%) women and the mean age was 59.7+/-14.1 years. Sixty-two percent of respondents recognized paralysis of one side as a warning symptom and 54% recognized hypertension as a risk factor for stroke. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher education was associated with the knowledge of correct organ involvement in stroke (OR 2.6, CI 1.1- 6.1, P =0.02), whereas younger age (OR 2.7, CI 1.1-7.0, P =0.04) and higher education (OR 4.1, CI 1.5-10.9, P =0.005) correlated with a better knowledge regarding warning symptoms of stroke. In this study cohort, in general, there is lack of awareness of major warning symptoms, risk factors, organ involvement and self-recognition of stroke. However younger age and education status were associated with better knowledge. There is an urgent need for awareness programs about stroke in this study cohort.

Long-term outcome of visual internal urethrotomy for the management of pediatric urethral strictures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hafez, Ashraf T; El-Assmy, Ahmed; Dawaba, Mohamed S; Sarhan, Osama; Bazeed, Mahmoud

2005-02-01

We evaluated the long-term results of visual internal urethrotomy for pediatric urethral strictures to evaluate the efficacy and final outcome of this procedure in children and to evaluate the risk factors for stricture recurrence. The computerized surgical records of our hospital were reviewed to identify children who underwent visual internal urethrotomy between 1980 and 2001. Hospital and followup clinical charts were then reviewed. Many variables were analyzed, including age, etiology, length and site of the strictures, and catheter duration. Only patients with a minimum followup of 2 years were included. Regular self-catheterization was not used by any child. A total of 31 patients (mean age 11.2 years, range 2 to 18) were identified. Followup ranged from 2 to 20 years, with a mean of 6.6 years. The most common etiology for stricture formation was failed previous urethroplasty and post instrumentation (35.5% and 32.3%, respectively). The success rate after initial urethrotomy was 35.5% (11 of 31 patients). Mean interval to first recurrence was 26 months. A second urethrotomy improved the success rate of 58.1%. Eight patients required 2 or more urethrotomies, of whom half required open urethroplasty. Among the evaluated variables only stricture length shorter than 1 cm was associated with good results. Visual internal urethrotomy provides a safe first line therapeutic option for pediatric urethral strictures shorter than 1 cm, independent of etiology and location. For patients with more than 1 recurrence or with strictures longer than 1 cm, who are at high risk for recurrence after internal urethrotomy, open urethroplasty remains the treatment of choice.

Aphasic Dystextia as Presenting Feature of Ischemic Stroke in a Pediatric Patient

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Arpita Lakhotia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aphasia is an important presenting symptom of acute stroke. With increasing reliance on electronic communication, incoherent texting or “dystextia,” which is a subset of aphasia that is reflected in text messages, can be a useful tool for symptom recognition and analysis. It can be a red flag for the family and therefore can help in early identification of an acute neurological deficit. It is also useful for providers to reliably analyze the deficit as well as establish a timeline of evolution of symptoms. There have been case reports where dystextia has been the presenting feature of stroke or complicated migraine and in one case of meningioma. We present the case of a teenage patient that in our knowledge is the youngest reported case of dystextia, whose aphasia recorded in a text message assisted with stroke localization. This also adds to the literature of dystextia which so far has only seven other cases reported.

The Riks-Stroke story: building a sustainable national register for quality assessment of stroke care.

Science.gov (United States)

Asplund, Kjell; Hulter Åsberg, Kerstin; Appelros, Peter; Bjarne, Daniela; Eriksson, Marie; Johansson, Asa; Jonsson, Fredrik; Norrving, Bo; Stegmayr, Birgitta; Terént, Andreas; Wallin, Sari; Wester, Per-Olov

2011-04-01

Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register, is the world's longest-running national stroke quality register (established in 1994) and includes all 76 hospitals in Sweden admitting acute stroke patients. The development and maintenance of this sustainable national register is described. Riks-Stroke includes information on the quality of care during the acute phase, rehabilitation and secondary prevention of stroke, as well as data on community support. Riks-Stroke is unique among stroke quality registers in that patients are followed during the first year after stroke. The data collected describe processes, and medical and patient-reported outcome measurements. The register embraces most of the dimensions of health-care quality (evidence-based, safe, provided in time, distributed fairly and patient oriented). Annually, approximately 25,000 patients are included. In 2009, approximately 320,000 patients had been accumulated (mean age 76-years). The register is estimated to cover 82% of all stroke patients treated in Swedish hospitals. Among critical issues when building a national stroke quality register, the delicate balance between simplicity and comprehensiveness is emphasised. Future developments include direct transfer of data from digital medical records to Riks-Stroke and comprehensive strategies to use the information collected to rapidly implement new evidence-based techniques and to eliminate outdated methods in stroke care. It is possible to establish a sustainable quality register for stroke at the national level covering all hospitals admitting acute stroke patients. Riks-Stroke is fulfilling its main goals to support continuous quality improvement of Swedish stroke services and serve as an instrument for following up national stroke guidelines. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2010 World Stroke Organization.

Pediatric Aspects of Headache Classification in the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 (ICHD-3 beta version).

Science.gov (United States)

McAbee, Gary N; Morse, Anne Marie; Assadi, Mitra

2016-01-01

This analysis looks at the applicability of the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 beta (ICHD-3 beta) to various headache syndromes of children and adolescents. Areas of similarities and differences between adult and pediatric headaches are addressed as they relate to the ICHD-3 beta.

Stroke care: Experiences and clinical research in stroke units in Chennai

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Gobindram Arjundas

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Background: S troke is the second commonest cause of death in India with crude overall prevalence rate of 220 per 100,000. With an increasing aging population at risk, the stroke burden in India can be expected to reach epidemic proportions. Materials and Methods: The first protocol-based prospective studies, funded by private agencies was conducted in Madras Institute of Neurology in 1984-86. The results led to establishment of the first stroke unit in Tamil Nadu state, in the institute. The first all-India hospital-based studies in acute stroke was completed as INDIAN COOPERATIVE ACUTE STROKE STUDIES (ICASS I and ICASS II with WHO STEP ONE by members of the Indian Stroke Association between 2000-2005. This has generated very useful data for our country. Results: Mortality in 1984-86 was 40%. Stroke unit in the institute dropped it to 12%. About 10 years later, ICASS studies showed a further fall of mortality to 8%, which is the current international figure in the west. Morbidity pattern showed about half return to their original activities. But about one third are left totally disabled needing prolonged care, for which fiscal, social and rehab provisions have to be done on a national basis. Conclusions: The progress and success of care of Stroke in the last three decades, from treatment in medical and neurology wards to specialized stroke units is presented. The main risk factors are hypertension, diabetes and ischemic heart disease across the country. Hypertension alone or with the other two diseases was present in 72% of cases. Prevention and treatment of these factors will reduce the stroke burden, mortality and morbidity of strokes. The Stroke-team concept can be extended to the smallest hospitals in our country.

International longitudinal pediatric reference standards for bone mineral content.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter-Jones, Adam D G; Burrows, Melonie; Bachrach, Laura K; Lloyd, Tom; Petit, Moira; Macdonald, Heather; Mirwald, Robert L; Bailey, Don; McKay, Heather

2010-01-01

To render a diagnosis pediatricians rely upon reference standards for bone mineral density or bone mineral content, which are based on cross-sectional data from a relatively small sample of children. These standards are unable to adequately represent growth in a diverse pediatric population. Thus, the goal of this study was to develop sex and site-specific standards for BMC using longitudinal data collected from four international sites in Canada and the United States. Data from four studies were combined; Saskatchewan Paediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (n=251), UBC Healthy Bones Study (n=382); Penn State Young Women's Health Study (n=112) and Stanford's Bone Mineral Accretion study (n=423). Males and females (8 to 25 years) were measured for whole body (WB), total proximal femur (PF), femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS) BMC (g). Data were analyzed using random effects models. Bland-Altman was used to investigate agreement between predicted and actual data. Age, height, weight and ethnicity independently predicted BMC accrual across sites (Paccrual; Hispanic 75.4 (28.2) g less BMC accrual; Blacks 82.8 (26.3) g more BMC accrual with confounders of age, height and weight controlled. We report similar findings for the PF and FN. Models for females for all sites were similar with age, height and weight as independent significant predictors of BMC accrual (Paccounting for age, size, sex and ethnicity. In conclusion, when interpreting BMC in pediatrics we recommend standards that are sex, age, size and ethnic specific. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Slow-stroke Back Massage on Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting in the Pediatrics with Acute Leukemia: a Challenge of Controlling Symptoms

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Mojtaba Miladinia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects of chemotherapy in the pediatrics with cancer which affect their quality of life. Use of some methods of complementary medicine in leukemia patients is problematic. Because, leukemia patients are at risk of infection and bleeding, therefore the use of acupressure, acupuncture, and deep massage can be risky in these patients. Slow- stroke back massage is applied on the surface of body, so does not have complications. No study has addressed the effect of massage therapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatrics with acute leukemia in the world.  Material and methods This study was a two-group randomized controlled trial (RCT, double blind and repeated measures design. In this RCT, 45 school age children with acute leukemia were placed in the massage and control groups. Before start of the study, at the day of chemotherapy administration (day 1th, only nausea and vomiting were measured. Then during 6 days next (day 2 through 7, the intervention group received 5-minutes Super Smash Bros. Melee (SSBM, immediately before start of each session of chemotherapy. Nausea was measured during chemotherapy, 0.5 h and 3 h after each session of chemotherapy in the two groups. Also vomiting was recorded during 24 h after each session of chemotherapy. Repeated measures ANOVA, Chi-square, and t-test were used for analysis. Results Most of pediatrics were male (58.13%, and suffered from Acute myeloid leukemia (AML (81.7%. The repeated measure analysis showed that in the intervention group, the SSBM reduced progressive mean of nausea severity and frequency of vomit over time. While, this side effects have slightly increased over time in the control group. Conclusion The results of this study are suggesting that SSBM, as a non-pharmacologic, easy and safe method, is effective in controlling Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV in the pediatrics with acute leukemia.

Experimental investigation of the influence of internal and external EGR on the combustion characteristics of a controlled auto-ignition two-stroke cycle engine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andwari, Amin Mahmoudzadeh; Aziz, Azhar Abdul; Said, Mohd Farid Muhamad; Latiff, Zulkarnain Abdul

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Investigate the effect of In-EGR, Ex-EGR and octane number on a CAI 2-stroke engine. • Effect of In-EGR, Ex-EGR and octane number on combustion phasing of the engine. • Effect of In-EGR, Ex-EGR and octane number on cyclic variability of the engine. • Identify the CAI combustion upper and lower boundary for operating regions. - Abstract: A two-stroke cycle engine incorporated with a controlled auto-ignition combustion approach presents a high thermodynamic efficiency, ultra-low exhaust emissions and high power-to-weight ratio features for future demand of prime movers. The start of auto-ignition, control of the auto-ignition and its cyclic variability, are major concerns that should be addressed in the combustion timing control of controlled auto-ignition engines. Several studies have been performed to examine the effect of internal exhaust gas recirculation utilization on auto-ignited two-stroke cycle engines. However, far too little attention has been devoted to study on the influence of external exhaust gas recirculation on the cyclic variation and the combustion characteristics of controlled auto-ignition two-stroke cycle engines. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of external exhaust gas recirculation in combination with internal exhaust gas recirculation on the combustion characteristics and the cyclic variability of a controlled auto-ignition two-stroke engine using fuel with different octane numbers. In a detailed experimental investigation, the combustion-related and pressure-related parameters of the engine are examined and statistically associated with the coefficient of variation and the standard deviation. The outcomes of the investigation indicates that the most influential controlled auto-ignition combustion phasing parameters can be managed appropriately via regulating the internal and external exhaust gas recirculation and fuel octane number. In general, start of auto-ignition and its cyclic variability are

Pediatric Gastroenterology in Cuba: Evolution and Challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Castañeda-Guillot, Carlos

2016-10-01

INTRODUCTION The professional practice of pediatric gastroenterology arose in Cuba as an expression of the specialty's development internationally and Cuba's new strategies in public health, and in response to national needs for health care expertise in digestive diseases of infants, older children and adolescents. OBJECTIVES Describe the history of pediatric gastroenterology's development in Cuba since its inception at the National Gastroenterology Institute in the early 1970s, its contributions, and efforts to extend it to pediatric hospitals throughout Cuba. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION This is a historical review based on document analysis. Institutional sources from the National Gastroenterology Institute and Ministry of Public Health were reviewed, as well as international and national literature on the history of pediatric gastroenterology and unpublished texts since its emergence in 1972. DEVELOPMENT Although pediatric gastroenterology has not been formally recognized as a medical specialty in Cuba, there have been important achievements in establishing a network of specialized health care services for digestive diseases of children and adolescents. Gastrointestinal endoscopy and other auxiliary diagnostic modalities have been introduced for children and play a major role in clinical trials and research. This article describes the international context that promoted the specialty's development in Cuba. Reference is made to specialized training from its initial stages in 1972, its consolidation as an emerging discipline in Cuban medicine, and its diffusion in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Professional development and specialized training to meet health human resource needs in pediatric hospitals are described, as well as Cuban participation in the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. National and international milestones, publications, awards and recognitions that indicate advances despite difficulties are also

Rounds Today: A Qualitative Study of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Resident Perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabinowitz, Raphael; Farnan, Jeanne; Hulland, Oliver; Kearns, Lisa; Long, Michele; Monash, Bradley; Bhansali, Priti; Fromme, H Barrett

2016-10-01

Attending rounds is a key component of patient care and education at teaching hospitals, yet there is an absence of studies addressing trainees' perceptions of rounds. To determine perceptions of pediatrics and internal medicine residents about the current and ideal purposes of inpatient rounds on hospitalist services. In this multi-institutional qualitative study, the authors conducted focus groups with a purposive sample of internal medicine and pediatrics residents at 4 teaching hospitals. The constant comparative method was used to identify themes and codes. The study identified 4 themes: patient care, clinical education, patient/family involvement, and evaluation. Patient care included references to activities on rounds that forwarded care of the patient. Clinical education pertained to teaching/learning on rounds. Patient/family involvement encompassed comments about incorporating patients and families on rounds. Evaluation described residents demonstrating skill for attendings. Resident perceptions of the purposes of rounds aligned with rounding activities described by prior observational studies of rounds. The influence of time pressures and the divergent needs of participants on today's rounds placed these identified purposes in tension, and led to resident dissatisfaction in the achievement of all of them. Suboptimal congruency exists between perceived resident clinical education and specialty-specific milestones. These findings suggest a need for education of multiple stakeholders by (1) enhancing faculty teaching strategies to maximize clinical education while minimizing inefficiencies; (2) informing residents about the value of patient interactions and family-centered rounds; and (3) educating program directors in proper alignment of inpatient rotational objectives to the milestones.

Training in childhood obesity management in the United States: a survey of pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics and family medicine residency program directors

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Rhodes Erinn T

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Information about the availability and effectiveness of childhood obesity training during residency is limited. Methods We surveyed residency program directors from pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds, and family medicine residency programs between September 2007 and January 2008 about childhood obesity training offered in their programs. Results The response rate was 42.2% (299/709 and ranged by specialty from 40.1% to 45.4%. Overall, 52.5% of respondents felt that childhood obesity training in residency was extremely important, and the majority of programs offered training in aspects of childhood obesity management including prevention (N = 240, 80.3%, diagnosis (N = 282, 94.3%, diagnosis of complications (N = 249, 83.3%, and treatment (N = 242, 80.9%. However, only 18.1% (N = 54 of programs had a formal childhood obesity curriculum with variability across specialties. Specifically, 35.5% of IM-Peds programs had a formal curriculum compared to only 22.6% of pediatric and 13.9% of family medicine programs (p Conclusions While most residents receive training in aspects of childhood obesity management, deficits may exist in training quality with a minority of programs offering a formal childhood obesity curriculum. Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity, a greater emphasis should be placed on development and use of effective training strategies suitable for all specialties training physicians to care for children.

Training in childhood obesity management in the United States: a survey of pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics and family medicine residency program directors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolff, Margaret S; Rhodes, Erinn T; Ludwig, David S

2010-02-17

Information about the availability and effectiveness of childhood obesity training during residency is limited. We surveyed residency program directors from pediatric, internal medicine-pediatrics (IM-Peds), and family medicine residency programs between September 2007 and January 2008 about childhood obesity training offered in their programs. The response rate was 42.2% (299/709) and ranged by specialty from 40.1% to 45.4%. Overall, 52.5% of respondents felt that childhood obesity training in residency was extremely important, and the majority of programs offered training in aspects of childhood obesity management including prevention (N = 240, 80.3%), diagnosis (N = 282, 94.3%), diagnosis of complications (N = 249, 83.3%), and treatment (N = 242, 80.9%). However, only 18.1% (N = 54) of programs had a formal childhood obesity curriculum with variability across specialties. Specifically, 35.5% of IM-Peds programs had a formal curriculum compared to only 22.6% of pediatric and 13.9% of family medicine programs (p obesity training was competing curricular demands (58.5%). While most residents receive training in aspects of childhood obesity management, deficits may exist in training quality with a minority of programs offering a formal childhood obesity curriculum. Given the high prevalence of childhood obesity, a greater emphasis should be placed on development and use of effective training strategies suitable for all specialties training physicians to care for children.

Content validation of the international classification of functioning, disability and health core set for stroke from gender perspective using a qualitative approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Glässel, A; Coenen, M; Kollerits, B; Cieza, A

2014-06-01

The extended ICF Core Set for stroke is an application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) with the purpose to represent the typical spectrum of functioning of persons with stroke. The objective of the study is to add evidence to the content validity of the extended ICF Core Set for stroke from persons after stroke taking into account gender perspective. A qualitative study design was conducted by using individual interviews with women and men after stroke in an in- and outpatient rehabilitation setting. The sampling followed the maximum variation strategy. Sample size was determined by saturation. Concepts from qualitative data analysis were linked to ICF categories and compared to the extended ICF Core Set for stroke. Twelve women and 12 men participated in 24 individual interviews. In total, 143 out of 166 ICF categories included in the extended ICF Core Set for stroke were confirmed (women: N.=13; men: N.=17; both genders: N.=113). Thirty-eight additional categories that are not yet included in the extended ICF Core Set for stroke were raised by women and men. This study confirms that the experience of functioning and disability after stroke shows communalities and differences for women and men. The validity of the extended ICF Core Set for stroke could be mostly confirmed, since it does not only include those areas of functioning and disability relevant to both genders but also those exclusively relevant to either women or men. Further research is needed on ICF categories not yet included in the extended ICF Core Set for stroke.

Stenting of the cervical internal carotid artery in acute stroke management: The Karolinska experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Mpotsaris, Anastasios; Kabbasch, Christoph; Borggrefe, Jan; Gontu, Vamsi; Soderman, Michael

2017-04-01

Background Emergency stent placement in the extracranial internal carotid artery in combination with anterior circulation thrombectomy is a routine procedure. Yet, precise indications and clinical safety in this setting remains controversial. Present data for mechanical thrombectomy include few studies with acute stenting of tandem occlusions. We evaluated the feasibility, safety and clinical outcome of this endovascular treatment in a retrospective analysis of all consecutive cases at a comprehensive stroke centre. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients with acute extracranial carotid artery occlusion including acute dissection or high-grade stenosis and concomitant intracranial large-vessel occlusion treated with emergency carotid stenting and intracranial mechanical thrombectomy between November 2007 and May 2015. Results A total of 63 patients with a median age of 67 years (range 33-84 years) were treated. Of these, 33 (52%) patients had concomitant intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator initially. Median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 14 (range 1-29). Median time from stroke onset to recanalization was 408 minutes (range 165-1846 minutes). Procedure time was significantly shorter after intravenous thrombolysis (110 minutes [range 15-202 minutes] vs. 130 minutes [range 60-280 minutes]; p = 0.02). Three (5%) patients experienced post-procedural symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage. In 55/63 (87%) patients, a score of ≥2b on the Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale could be achieved. Eight (13%) patients died, five (8%) during the acute phase. A total of 29/63 (46%) patients showed a favourable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2) after three months. Conclusions Our single-centre retrospective analysis of emergency stent placement in the extracranial internal carotid artery in combination with anterior circulation thrombectomy demonstrated high

In-hospital stroke: characteristics and outcomes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Briggs, R

2015-01-01

In-hospital stroke (IS) made up 6.5% of strokes recorded in the Irish National Stroke Register in 2012. International research has demonstrated poorer outcomes post IS compared to out of hospital stroke (OS). We aimed to profile all IS and OS over a 22 month period and compare the two groups by gathering data from the HIPE portal stroke register. The study site is a primary stroke centre. IS represented 11% (50\\/458) of total strokes with over half (27\\/50, 54%) admitted initially with medical complaints. IS patients had a significantly longer length of stay (79.2 +\\/- 87.4 days vs. 21.9 +\\/- 45.9 days, p < 0.01) and higher mortality (13\\/50 vs. 39\\/408, p < 0.01). Patients in the IS group were also less likely to receive stroke unit care (1\\/50 vs. 136\\/408, p < 0.01). This study demonstrates the significant morbidity and mortality associated with IS and highlights the need for efforts to be made to optimize identification and management of acute stroke in this cohort.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Pediatric Hypertension: A Mini Review

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Robert P. Woroniecki

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Adults with arterial hypertension (HTN have stroke, myocardial infarction, end-stage renal disease (ESRD, or die at higher rates than those without. In children, HTN leads to target organ damage, which includes kidney, brain, eye, blood vessels, and heart, which precedes “hard outcomes” observed in adults. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH or an anatomic and pathologic increase in left ventricular mass (LVM in response to the HTN is a pediatric surrogate marker for HTN-induced morbidity and mortality in adults. This mini review discusses current definitions, clinically relevant methods of LVM measurements and normalization methods, its epidemiology, management, and issue of reversibility in children with HTN. Pediatric definition of LVH and abnormal LVM is not uniformed. With multiple definitions, prevalence of pediatric HTN-induced LVH is difficult to ascertain. In addition while in adults cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is considered “the gold standard” for LVM and LVH determination, pediatric data are limited to “special populations”: ESRD, transplant, and obese children. We summarize available data on pediatric LVH treatment and reversibility and offer future directions in addressing LVH in children with HTN.

International consensus on the diagnosis and management of pediatric patients with hereditary angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Farkas, H; Martinez-Saguer, I; Bork, K; Bowen, T; Craig, T; Frank, M; Germenis, A E; Grumach, A S; Luczay, A; Varga, L; Zanichelli, A

2017-02-01

The consensus documents published to date on hereditary angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) have focused on adult patients. Many of the previous recommendations have not been adapted to pediatric patients. We intended to produce consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of pediatric patients with C1-INH-HAE. During an expert panel meeting that took place during the 9th C1 Inhibitor Deficiency Workshop in Budapest, 2015 (www.haenet.hu), pediatric data were presented and discussed and a consensus was developed by voting. The symptoms of C1-INH-HAE often present in childhood. Differential diagnosis can be difficult as abdominal pain is common in pediatric C1-INH-HAE, but also commonly occurs in the general pediatric population. The early onset of symptoms may predict a more severe subsequent course of the disease. Before the age of 1 year, C1-INH levels may be lower than in adults; therefore, it is advisable to confirm the diagnosis after the age of one year. All neonates/infants with an affected C1-INH-HAE family member should be screened for C1-INH deficiency. Pediatric patients should always carry a C1-INH-HAE information card and medicine for emergency use. The regulatory approval status of the drugs for prophylaxis and for acute treatment is different in each country. Plasma-derived C1-INH, recombinant C1-INH, and ecallantide are the only agents licensed for the acute treatment of pediatric patients. Clinical trials are underway with additional drugs. It is recommended to follow up patients in an HAE comprehensive care center. The pediatric-focused international consensus for the diagnosis and management of C1-INH-HAE patients was created. © 2016 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gross efficiency during rowing is not affected by stroke rate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hofmijster, M.J.; van Soest, A.J.; de Koning, J.J.

2009-01-01

Purpose: It has been suggested that the optimal stroke rate in rowing is partly determined by the stroke-rate dependence of internal power losses. This should be reflected in a stroke-rate dependency of gross efficiency (e

Pediatric biobanking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salvaterra, Elena; Giorda, Roberto; Bassi, Maria T

2012-01-01

Ethical, legal, and social issues related to the collection, storage, and use of biospecimens and data derived from children raise critical concerns in the international debate. So far, a number of studies have considered a variety of the individual issues crucial to pediatric biobanking such as ......Ethical, legal, and social issues related to the collection, storage, and use of biospecimens and data derived from children raise critical concerns in the international debate. So far, a number of studies have considered a variety of the individual issues crucial to pediatric biobanking...... such as decision making, privacy protection, minor recontact, and research withdrawal by focusing on theoretical or empirical perspectives. Our research attempted to analyze such issues in a comprehensive manner by exploring practices, rules, and researcher opinions regarding proxy consent, minor assent, specimens...

Basic characteristics of hospital stroke services in Eastern Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihalka, Laszlo; Fekete, Istvan; Csepany, Tuende; Csiba, Laszlo; Bereczki, Daniel

1999-01-01

Stroke mortality is extremely high in Central-Eastern European countries. We report basic characteristics of a stroke unit in Eastern Hungary, including age and sex distribution; the proportion of transient ischemic attacks (TIA), ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes; case fatality; application of diagnostic methods; and length of stay for all patients treated with acute cerebrovascular disease over a 12-month period. Records of all patients with acute cerebrovascular disease (n = 522) discharged in 1995 from a stroke unit with a well defined catchment area of 220,000 inhabitants in Eastern Hungary were retrospectively analyzed. Case fatality was 18.6% for all patients and 21.1% after excluding cases with TIA. Computer tomography, duplex carotid ultrasound, cerebrospinal fluid examination and electroencephalography were performed in 79%, 77%, 7% and 2% of the patients, respectively. The database of the university hospital with the same catchment area was electronically searched for patients who were discharged with the diagnosis of stroke from the three departments of internal medicine. Stroke mortality data of the catchment area based on death certificates was obtained from the Central Statistical Bureau. Two hundred twenty-eight stroke deaths were reported in the catchment area in 1995. In the same period 97 stroke deaths occurred at the stroke unit and 76 at the departments of internal medicine. If we aim to treat all patients with acute stroke at the stroke unit, with the present stroke incidence and duration of hospital stay the current capacity of the stroke unit (1 bed per 10.000 inhabitants) should be doubled

Post-stroke disposition from a geriatric-rehabilitative stroke care area: an Italian experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Masina

2014-02-01

Full Text Available A large number of stroke patients cannot be discharged at home. Studies on post stroke disposition have low validity outside the country in which they are carried out because healthcare systems offer different rehabilitative and long-term facilities. Moreover absolute selection criteria for admission to rehabilitation are not available yet. Few studies on post-stroke disposition from Italian stroke units are available. Authors evaluated data of a 18-month period from a geriatric managed stroke care area where comprehensive multi-professional assessment and discharge planning are routinely carried out. Only patients discharged with diagnosis related to acute stroke were considered. Baseline characteristics, clinical, neurological and functional conditions according to the structured multidimensional assessment were prospectively collected in the stroke unit registry. Univariate and multinomial logistic regression were performed to identify independent variables associated with three discharge settings: home, rehabilitation and skilled long-term ward. Out of 188 patients evaluated, 56.4% were discharged home, 18.6% to rehabilitation and 25.0% to long-term ward. Data showed an efficient disposition to intermediate settings with a shorter length of stay compared to other international studies. Factors associated with post-stroke disposition were age, dysphagia, neurological impairment on admission (NIH-SS≥6, after stroke functional status (mRankin≥3, poor pre-stroke functional level (mRankin≥3 and hemorrhagic stroke. Dysphagia, severe neurological impairment and post-stroke disability were associated with discharge to rehabilitation and long term ward. These two settings differed in age and pre-stroke functional condition. Patients discharged to long-term wards were about 10 years older than those admitted to rehabilitative ward. Only 5% of patients discharged to rehabilitation had a pre-stroke mRankin score ≥3. Disposition to a skilled

Introduction-Pediatric epilepsy surgery techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Rydenhag, Bertil; Cukiert, Arthur

2017-04-01

This supplement includes the proceedings from the Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Techniques Meeting held in Gothenburg (July 4-5, 2014), which focused on presentations and discussions regarding specific surgical technical issues in pediatric epilepsy surgery. Pediatric epilepsy neurosurgeons from all over the world were present and active in very fruitful and live presentations and discussions. These articles represent a synopsis of the areas and subjects dealt with there. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League Against Epilepsy.

Disentangling the Sleep-Pain Relationship in Pediatric Chronic Pain: The Mediating Role of Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms

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Maria Pavlova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Pediatric chronic pain often emerges in adolescence and cooccurs with internalizing mental health issues and sleep impairments. Emerging evidence suggests that sleep problems may precede the onset of chronic pain as well as anxiety and depression. Studies conducted in pediatric populations with pain-related chronic illnesses suggest that internalizing mental health symptoms may mediate the sleep-pain relationship; however, this has not been examined in youth with primary pain disorders. Objective. To examine whether anxiety and depressive symptoms mediated relationships between sleep quality and pain outcomes among youth with chronic pain. Methods. Participants included 147 youth (66.7% female aged 8–18 years who were referred to a tertiary-level chronic pain program. At intake, the youth completed psychometrically sound measures of sleep quality, pain intensity, pain interference, and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results. As hypothesized, poor sleep quality was associated with increased pain intensity and pain interference, and anxiety and depressive symptoms mediated these sleep-pain relationships. Discussion. For youth with chronic pain, poor sleep quality may worsen pain through alterations in mood and anxiety; however, prospective research using objective measures is needed. Future research should examine whether targeting sleep and internalizing mental health symptoms in treatments improve pain outcomes in these youth.

Resting-state connectivity and executive functions after pediatric arterial ischemic stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salome Kornfeld

2018-01-01

Conclusion: Decreased interhemispheric connections after stroke in childhood may indicate a disruption of typical interhemispheric interactions relating to executive functions. The present results emphasize the relationship between functional organization of the brain at rest and cognitive processes.

Intracystic interferon-alpha in pediatric craniopharyngioma patients: an international multicenter assessment on behalf of SIOPE and ISPN.

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Kilday, John-Paul; Caldarelli, Massimo; Massimi, Luca; Chen, Robert Hsin-Hung; Lee, Yi Yen; Liang, Muh-Lii; Parkes, Jeanette; Naiker, Thuran; van Veelen, Marie-Lise; Michiels, Erna; Mallucci, Conor; Pettorini, Benedetta; Meijer, Lisethe; Dorfer, Christian; Czech, Thomas; Diezi, Manuel; Schouten-van Meeteren, Antoinette Y N; Holm, Stefan; Gustavsson, Bengt; Benesch, Martin; Müller, Hermann L; Hoffmann, Anika; Rutkowski, Stefan; Flitsch, Joerg; Escherich, Gabriele; Grotzer, Michael; Spoudeas, Helen A; Azquikina, Kristian; Capra, Michael; Jiménez-Guerra, Rolando; MacDonald, Patrick; Johnston, Donna L; Dvir, Rina; Constantini, Shlomi; Kuo, Meng-Fai; Yang, Shih-Hung; Bartels, Ute

2017-10-01

Craniopharyngiomas are frequent hypothalamo-pituitary tumors in children, presenting predominantly as cystic lesions. Morbidity from conventional treatment has focused attention on intracystic drug delivery, hypothesized to cause fewer clinical consequences. However, the efficacy of intracystic therapy remains unclear. We report the retrospective experiences of several global centers using intracystic interferon-alpha. European Société Internationale d'Oncologie Pédiatrique and International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery centers were contacted to submit a datasheet capturing pediatric patients with cystic craniopharyngiomas who had received intracystic interferon-alpha. Patient demographics, administration schedules, adverse events, and outcomes were obtained. Progression was clinical or radiological (cyst reaccumulation, novel cysts, or solid growth). Fifty-six children (median age, 6.3 y) from 21 international centers were identified. Median follow-up from diagnosis was 5.1 years (0.3-17.7 y). Lesions were cystic (n = 22; 39%) or cystic/solid (n = 34; 61%). Previous progression was treated in 43 (77%) patients before interferon use. In such cases, further progression was delayed by intracystic interferon compared with the preceding therapy for cystic lesions (P = 0.0005). Few significant attributable side effects were reported. Progression post interferon occurred in 42 patients (median 14 mo; 0-8 y), while the estimated median time to definitive therapy post interferon was 5.8 (1.8-9.7) years. Intracystic interferon-alpha can delay disease progression and potentially offer a protracted time to definitive surgery or radiotherapy in pediatric cystic craniopharyngioma, yet demonstrates a favorable toxicity profile compared with other therapeutic modalities-important factors for this developing age group. A prospective, randomized international clinical trial assessment is warranted. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of

VISTA-Rehab: a resource for stroke rehabilitation trials.

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Ali, Myzoon; Ashburn, Ann; Bowen, Audrey; Brodie, Eric; Corr, Susan; Drummond, Avril; Edmans, Judi; Gladman, John; Kalra, Lalit; Langhorne, Peter; Lees, Kennedy R; Lincoln, Nadina; Logan, Pip; Mead, Gillian; Patchick, Emma; Pollock, Alex; Pomeroy, Val; Sackley, Catherine; Sunnerhagen, Katherina S; van Vliet, Paulette; Walker, Marion; Brady, Marian

2010-12-01

Stroke rehabilitation is a complex intervention. Many factors influence the interaction between the patient and the elements of the intervention. Rehabilitation interventions are aimed at altering different domains of patient outcome including body functions, activity and participation. As a consequence, randomised clinical trials in this area are difficult to design. We developed an archive of stroke rehabilitation trials (VISTA-Rehab) to act as a resource to help trialists model and design future rehabilitation studies. We developed specific eligibility criteria for the entry of stroke rehabilitation trials into the archive. We established a Steering Committee to oversee projects and publications and commenced the recruitment of rehabilitation trials into this resource. As of August 2009, VISTA-Rehab contains data from 23 stroke rehabilitation trials (>3400 patients). Demographic data, including age [median=73, interquartile range (63,79)], gender (male=53%) and initial dependency [median baseline Barthel index score=6, interquartile range (9,19)], are available for all patients. Outcome measures include the modified Rankin Scale, Barthel Index, Rivermead Motor Assessment, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, General Health Questionnaire and Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Scale. VISTA-Rehab expands the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive to include rehabilitation trials. Anonymised data can be used to examine questions specific to stroke rehabilitation and to generate novel hypotheses. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2010 World Stroke Organization.

Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis and Collateral Recruitment in Stroke Patients.

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Dankbaar, Jan W; Kerckhoffs, Kelly G P; Horsch, Alexander D; van der Schaaf, Irene C; Kappelle, L Jaap; Velthuis, Birgitta K

2017-04-24

Leptomeningeal collaterals improve outcome in stroke patients. There is great individual variability in their extent. Internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis may lead to more extensive recruitment of leptomeningeal collaterals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of pre-existing ICA stenosis with leptomeningeal collateral filling visualized with computed tomography perfusion (CTP). From a prospective acute ischemic stroke cohort, patients were included with an M1 middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and absent ipsilateral, extracranial ICA occlusion. ICA stenosis was determined on admission CT angiography (CTA). Leptomeningeal collaterals were graded as good (>50%) or poor (≤50%) collateral filling in the affected MCA territory on CTP-derived vessel images of the admission scan. The association between ipsilateral ICA stenosis ≥70% and extent of collateral filling was analyzed using logistic regression. In a multivariable analysis the odds ratio (OR) of ICA stenosis ≥70% was adjusted for complete circle of Willis, gender and age. We included 188 patients in our analyses, 50 (26.6%) patients were classified as having poor collateral filling and 138 (73.4%) as good. Of the patients 4 with poor collateral filling had an ICA stenosis ≥70% and 14 with good collateral filling. Unadjusted and adjusted ORs of ICA stenosis ≥70% for good collateral filling were 1.30 (0.41-4.15) and 2.67 (0.81-8.77), respectively. Patients with poor collateral filling had a significantly worse outcome (90-day modified Rankin scale 3-6; 80% versus 52%, p = 0.001). No association was found between pre-existing ICA stenosis and extent of CTP derived collateral filling in patients with an M1 occlusion.

Language and functionality of post-stroke adults: evaluation based on International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

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Santana, Maria Tereza Maynard; Chun, Regina Yu Shon

2017-03-09

Cerebrovascular accident is an important Public Health problem because of the high rates of mortality and sequelae such as language disorders. The conceptual health changes have led to the incorporation of functional and social aspects in the assessments as proposed by the World Health Organization in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The purpose was to evaluate and classify language aspects, functionality and participation of post-stroke individuals based on the concepts of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and characterize the sociodemographic profile of participants. Data collection was carried out through the application of a clinical instrument to evaluate language, participation and functionality in fifty individuals based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The age of the participants varied between 32 and 88 years, and the majority were elderly men. Among body functions, the participants reported more difficulties in "memory functions". As for activity and participation, more difficulties were reported in "recreation and leisure". As for environmental factors, the component "healthcare professionals" was indicated as a facilitator by the majority of participants. The results show the impact of language difficulties in the lives of post-stroke adults and reinforce the applicability of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as an important complementary tool for assessing language, functionality and participation in a comprehensive and humane approach, towards the improvement of health assistance in ambulatory care.

Aphasia As a Predictor of Stroke Outcome.

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Lazar, Ronald M; Boehme, Amelia K

2017-09-19

Aphasia is a common feature of stroke, affecting 21-38% of acute stroke patients and an estimated 1 million stroke survivors. Although stroke, as a syndrome, is the leading cause of disability in the USA, less is known about the independent impact of aphasia on stroke outcomes. During the acute stroke period, aphasia has been found to increase length of stay, inpatient complications, overall neurological disability, mortality, and to alter discharge disposition. Outcomes during the sub-acute and chronic stroke periods show that aphasia is associated with lower Functional Independence Measures (FIM) scores, longer stays in rehabilitation settings, poorer function in activities of daily living, and mortality. Factors that complicate the analysis of aphasia on post-stroke outcomes, however, include widely different systems of care across international settings that result in varying admission patterns to acute stroke units, allowable length of stays based on reimbursement, and criteria for rehabilitation placement. Aphasia arising from stroke is associated with worse outcomes both in the acute and chronic periods. Future research will have to incorporate disparate patterns in analytic models, and to take into account specific aphasia profiles and evolving methods of post-stroke speech-language therapy.

Ischemic stroke in combined cerebrovascular abnormalities - aneurysm of the right internal carotid artery and arteriovenous malformation temporo occipital in the right hemisphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manolova, T.; Naydenov, K.; Manchev, I.; Manchev, L.

2016-01-01

A case of combined vascular abnormalities is presented- an aneurysm of the internal carotid artery and arterio-venous malformation temporooccipitally on the right, clinically presented by an ischemic brain stroke in the territory supplied by the right middle cerebral artery. Treatment included - hypo-tensive drugs, antiplatelet (antiaggregants) agents and vasodilators, which lead to significant improvement of the general and focal neurological symptoms. Neurosurgical intervention is been discussed, in order to remove the vascular malformation and to prevent future vascular events. Key words: Aneurysm. Arteriovenous Malformation. Ischemic Stroke

Prediction of Large Vessel Occlusions in Acute Stroke: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Is Hard to Beat.

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Vanacker, Peter; Heldner, Mirjam R; Amiguet, Michael; Faouzi, Mohamed; Cras, Patrick; Ntaios, George; Arnold, Marcel; Mattle, Heinrich P; Gralla, Jan; Fischer, Urs; Michel, Patrik

2016-06-01

Endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke with a large vessel occlusion was recently shown to be effective. We aimed to develop a score capable of predicting large vessel occlusion eligible for endovascular treatment in the early hospital management. Retrospective, cohort study. Two tertiary, Swiss stroke centers. Consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients (1,645 patients; Acute STroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne registry), who had CT angiography within 6 and 12 hours of symptom onset, were categorized according to the occlusion site. Demographic and clinical information was used in logistic regression analysis to derive predictors of large vessel occlusion (defined as intracranial carotid, basilar, and M1 segment of middle cerebral artery occlusions). Based on logistic regression coefficients, an integer score was created and validated internally and externally (848 patients; Bernese Stroke Registry). None. Large vessel occlusions were present in 316 patients (21%) in the derivation and 566 (28%) in the external validation cohort. Five predictors added significantly to the score: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale at admission, hemineglect, female sex, atrial fibrillation, and no history of stroke and prestroke handicap (modified Rankin Scale score, < 2). Diagnostic accuracy in internal and external validation cohorts was excellent (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.84 both). The score performed slightly better than National Institute of Health Stroke Scale alone regarding prediction error (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p < 0.001) and regarding discriminatory power in derivation and pooled cohorts (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.81 vs 0.80; DeLong test, p = 0.02). Our score accurately predicts the presence of emergent large vessel occlusions, which are eligible for endovascular treatment. However, incorporation of additional demographic and historical information available on hospital arrival

Achievement of metabolic control goals set by the American Diabetes Association and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes from Spain.

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Enes, Patricia; Martín-Frías, María; Álvarez, Ma Ángeles; Yelmo, Rosa; Alonso, Milagros; Barrio, Raquel

2015-02-01

The "T1D Exchange Clinic Registry" of 13.316 pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in U.S. recently revealed that most children have HbA1c values above target levels established by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD). The aim of this study is to assess the proportion of youngsters with T1D who meet the internationally accepted targets for good metabolic control of diabetes at a single, referral Pediatric Diabetes Center in Spain. Cross-sectional study of 236 children and adolescents with T1D controlled at our Pediatric Diabetes Unit. We analyzed the compliance to metabolic goals set by ADA and ISPAD and the differences between patients treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and multiple daily injections. SPSS™ version 21.0. Mean age: 12.6 ± 4.6 years old, mean age at diagnosis: 6.1 ± 4.3 years old and mean diabetes duration: 6.4 ± 4.3 years; 47% female. HbA1c average: 6.7 ± 0.7% (49.7 ± 7.6 mmol/mol). The age-specific ADA and ISPAD HbA1c targets were achieved by 93% and 91% of patients, respectively. Among pump users, 97%/97% met ADA/ISPAD HbA1c targets compared to 87%/88% of MDI users (p = 0.04/p = 0.03), without significant differences in the analysis by groups of age. Among participants, 95%, 62%, 95%, 98% and 89% met HDLc, LDLc, triglycerides, BP and BMI targets. Most patients in our children and adolescent cohort of T1D patients correctly achieve metabolic goals established by ADA and ISPAD with low incidence of hypoglycemia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk score to predict gastrointestinal bleeding after acute ischemic stroke.

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Ji, Ruijun; Shen, Haipeng; Pan, Yuesong; Wang, Penglian; Liu, Gaifen; Wang, Yilong; Li, Hao; Singhal, Aneesh B; Wang, Yongjun

2014-07-25

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a common and often serious complication after stroke. Although several risk factors for post-stroke GIB have been identified, no reliable or validated scoring system is currently available to predict GIB after acute stroke in routine clinical practice or clinical trials. In the present study, we aimed to develop and validate a risk model (acute ischemic stroke associated gastrointestinal bleeding score, the AIS-GIB score) to predict in-hospital GIB after acute ischemic stroke. The AIS-GIB score was developed from data in the China National Stroke Registry (CNSR). Eligible patients in the CNSR were randomly divided into derivation (60%) and internal validation (40%) cohorts. External validation was performed using data from the prospective Chinese Intracranial Atherosclerosis Study (CICAS). Independent predictors of in-hospital GIB were obtained using multivariable logistic regression in the derivation cohort, and β-coefficients were used to generate point scoring system for the AIS-GIB. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test were used to assess model discrimination and calibration, respectively. A total of 8,820, 5,882, and 2,938 patients were enrolled in the derivation, internal validation and external validation cohorts. The overall in-hospital GIB after AIS was 2.6%, 2.3%, and 1.5% in the derivation, internal, and external validation cohort, respectively. An 18-point AIS-GIB score was developed from the set of independent predictors of GIB including age, gender, history of hypertension, hepatic cirrhosis, peptic ulcer or previous GIB, pre-stroke dependence, admission National Institutes of Health stroke scale score, Glasgow Coma Scale score and stroke subtype (Oxfordshire). The AIS-GIB score showed good discrimination in the derivation (0.79; 95% CI, 0.764-0.825), internal (0.78; 95% CI, 0.74-0.82) and external (0.76; 95% CI, 0.71-0.82) validation cohorts

Development of a Pediatric Adverse Events Terminology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gipson, Debbie S; Kirkendall, Eric S; Gumbs-Petty, Brenda; Quinn, Theresa; Steen, A; Hicks, Amanda; McMahon, Ann; Nicholas, Savian; Zhao-Wong, Anna; Taylor-Zapata, Perdita; Turner, Mark; Herreshoff, Emily; Jones, Charlotte; Davis, Jonathan M; Haber, Margaret; Hirschfeld, Steven

2017-01-01

In 2009, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) established the Pediatric Terminology Harmonization Initiative to establish a core library of terms to facilitate the acquisition and sharing of knowledge between pediatric clinical research, practice, and safety reporting. A coalition of partners established a Pediatric Terminology Adverse Event Working Group in 2013 to develop a specific terminology relevant to international pediatric adverse event (AE) reporting. Pediatric specialists with backgrounds in clinical care, research, safety reporting, or informatics, supported by biomedical terminology experts from the National Cancer Institute's Enterprise Vocabulary Services participated. The multinational group developed a working definition of AEs and reviewed concepts (terms, synonyms, and definitions) from 16 pediatric clinical domains. The resulting AE terminology contains >1000 pediatric diseases, disorders, or clinical findings. The terms were tested for proof of concept use in 2 different settings: hospital readmissions and the NICU. The advantages of the AE terminology include ease of adoption due to integration with well-established and internationally accepted biomedical terminologies, a uniquely temporal focus on pediatric health and disease from conception through adolescence, and terms that could be used in both well- and underresourced environments. The AE terminology is available for use without restriction through the National Cancer Institute's Enterprise Vocabulary Services and is fully compatible with, and represented in, the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities. The terminology is intended to mature with use, user feedback, and optimization. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Translating knowledge for action against stroke--using 5-minute videos for stroke survivors and caregivers to improve post-stroke outcomes: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (Movies4Stroke).

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Kamal, Ayeesha Kamran; Khoja, Adeel; Usmani, Bushra; Muqeet, Abdul; Zaidi, Fabiha; Ahmed, Masood; Shakeel, Saadia; Soomro, Nabila; Gowani, Ambreen; Asad, Nargis; Ahmed, Asma; Sayani, Saleem; Azam, Iqbal; Saleem, Sarah

2016-01-27

Two thirds of the global mortality of stroke is borne by low and middle income countries (LMICs). Pakistan is the world's sixth most populous country with a stroke-vulnerable population and is without a single dedicated chronic care center. In order to provide evidence for a viable solution responsive to this health care gap, and leveraging the existing >70% mobile phone density, we thought it rational to test the effectiveness of a mobile phone-based video intervention of short 5-minute movies to educate and support stroke survivors and their primary caregivers. Movies4Stroke will be a randomized control, outcome assessor blinded, parallel group, single center superiority trial. Participants with an acute stroke, medically stable, with mild to moderate disability and having a stable primary caregiver will be included. After obtaining informed consent the stroke survivor-caregiver dyad will be randomized. Intervention participants will have the movie program software installed in their phone, desktop, or Android device which will allow them to receive, view and repeat 5-minute videos on stroke-related topics at admission, discharge and first and third months after enrollment. The control arm will receive standard of care at an internationally accredited center with defined protocols. The primary outcome measure is medication adherence as ascertained by a locally validated Morisky Medication Adherence Scale and control of major risk factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol at 12 months post discharge. Secondary outcome measures are post-stroke complications and mortality, caregiver knowledge and change in functional outcomes after acute stroke at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Movies4Stroke is designed to enroll 300 participant dyads after inflating 10% to incorporate attrition and non-compliance and has been powered at 95% to detect a 15% difference between intervention and usual care arm. Analysis will be done by the intention

Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation--an Asian stroke perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Tse, Hung-Fat; Wang, Yong-Jun; Ahmed Ai-Abdullah, Moheeb; Pizarro-Borromeo, Annette B; Chiang, Chern-En; Krittayaphong, Rungroj; Singh, Balbir; Vora, Amit; Wang, Chun-Xue; Zubaid, Mohammad; Clemens, Andreas; Lim, Paul; Hu, Dayi

2013-07-01

Despite relatively lower prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Asians (~1%) than in Caucasians (~2%), Asia has a much higher overall disease burden because of its proportionally larger aged population. For example, on the basis of reported age-adjusted prevalence rates and projected population figures in China, there will be an estimated 5.2 million men and 3.1 million women with AF older than 60 years by year 2050. Stroke is a disabling complication of AF that is of increasing cause for concern in Asians patients. Implementing consensus expert recommendations for managing stroke risk in patients with AF can considerably reduce stroke rates. However, caution is necessary when aligning management of Asian patients with AF to that of their Caucasian counterparts. Current international guidelines and risk stratification tools for AF management are based on findings in predominantly Caucasian populations and may therefore have limited relevance, in certain respects, to Asian patients. Oral anticoagulants play an important role in preventing AF-related stroke. The vitamin K antagonist warfarin is recommended for reducing the risk of stroke and thromboembolism in high-risk patients with nonvalvular AF; however, warfarin interacts with many drugs and food ingredients, which may pose significant challenges in administration and monitoring among Asian patients. Further research is needed to inform specific guidance on the implications of different stroke and bleeding profiles in Asians vs Caucasians. Moreover, there is scope to improve physician perceptions and patient knowledge, as well as considering alternative new oral anticoagulants, for example, direct thrombin inhibitors or factor Xa inhibitors. Copyright © 2013 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Congenital and genetic cerebrovascular anomalies as risk factors for stroke in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A.; Kentab, Amal Y.; Murshid, Waleed R.; Zahraa, Jihad N.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.; Tjan, G. T.

2006-01-01

To explore the role of and report congenital and genetic cerebrovascular anomalies as risk factors for stroke in a prospective and retrospective cohort of Saudi children. Children with stroke were evaluated at the Division of Pediatric Neurology (Dpn), or were seen as inpatients in the Pediatric Wards at King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the periods July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). Stroke work-up for each suspected case included hemostatic assays, serological, biochemical and neurophysiological tests. Neuroimaging modalities included routine skill x-rays, CT, MRI, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and conventional cerebral angiography. Of 104 children with stroke, congenital and genetic cerebrovascular anomalies were the underlying risk factor in 7 (6.7%). The patients were evaluated at the DPN at a mean age of 66 months (range = 8 months to 11 years, median = 6 years); and they had stroke at a mean age of 48 months (range = 2 months to 10 years, median = 8 months). Four patients had stroke in association with neurocutaneous syndromes. Two had Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), one had Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome associated with SWS, and the fourth had neurofibromatosis type 1. Two patients had intracranial hemorrhage secondary to ruptured aneurysm. A girl (aged 9 years and 4 months) had left posterior cerebral artery aneurysm. She was diagnosed to have autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease following renal ultrasonography. She died 5 months later despite surgical intervention (clipping of aneurysm). The second child was an 8-months-old boy who presented with subarachnoid and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) following ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. He recovered with no residual symptoms following successful clipping of the aneurysm. Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) caused IVH in a 7-year-old boy who reported to hospital 5 hours

[Treatment of pediatric distal femur fractures by external fixator combined with limited internal fixation].

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Sheng-wang; Shi, Zhan-ying; Hu, Ju-zheng; Wu, Hao

2016-03-01

To discuss the clinical effects of external fixator combined with limited internal fixation in the treatment of pediatric distal femur fractures. From January 2008 to June 2014, 17 children of distal femur fractures were treated by external fixator combined with limited internal fixation. There were 12 males and 5 females, aged from 6 to 13 years old with an average of 10.2 years, ranged in the course of disease from 1 h to 2 d. Preoperative diagnoses were confirmed by X-ray films in all children. There were 11 patients with supracondylar fracture , and 6 patients with intercondylar comminuted fracture. According to AO/ASIF classification, 9 fractures were type A1, 5 cases were type A2,and 3 cases were type C1. The intraoperative and postoperative complications, postoperative radiological examination, lower limbs length and motion of knee joints were observed. Knee joint function was assessed by KSS score. All the patients were followed up from 6 to 38 months with an average of 24.4 months. No nerve or blood vessel injury was found. One case complicated with the external fixation loosening, 2 cases with the infection of pin hole and 3 cases with the leg length discrepancy. Knee joint mobility and length measurement (compared with the contralateral), the average limited inflexion was 10 degrees (0 degrees to 20 degrees), the average limited straight was 4 degrees (0 degrees to 10), the average varus or valgus angle was 3 degrees (0 degrees to 5 degrees). KSS of the injured side was (96.4 +/- 5.0) points at final follow-up, 16 cases got excellent results and 1 good. All fractures obtained healing and no epiphyseal closed early was found. External fixator combined with limited internal fixation has advantages of simple operation, reliable fixation, early functional exercise in treating pediatric distal femurs fractures.

History of pediatric cardiology in India

OpenAIRE

Anita Saxena

2015-01-01

In India, the discipline of cardiology started in the late 1950s and at that time pediatric cardiology was practiced as a part of cardiology specialty. This article traces the history of pediatric cardiology in India. Dr. S. Padmawati and Dr. Kamala Vytilingam underwent training in pediatric cardiology at international centers in the early 1950s and early 1960s. Dr. N. Gopinath successfully closed a ventricular septal defect using a pump oxygenator at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Open ...

Diagnostic approach and management strategy of childhood stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.

2006-01-01

Prompt recognition and early intervention, with pertinent management and medication, may reduce subsequent neurologic deficits in stroke, which constitutes a devastating event in children. This is due to the tasking and demanding consequences including death or residual neurological deficits, which may last for many decades, in over 60% of survivors. Evidence based treatment for children with stroke is still lacking, reflecting scarcity in base line epidemiological data on pediatric stroke, the multitude of underlying risk factors, and ethical and practical challenges incurred in conducting clinical trials. Based on the experience we gained from a combined a combined prospective and retrospective study on childhood stroke (covering 10 years and 7 months and involving a cohort of 104 Saudi children), a diagnostic algorithm, which outlines the approach to a child with suspected stroke/cerebovascular lesion was designed. This algorithm might also be of use for managing other children with stroke from the Arabian Peninsula and Middle East Region with similar demographic, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds. Underlying risk factors which need special attention, include thrombophilia and hypercoagulable states and sickle cell diseases (SCD), which contrary to previous studies from Saudi Arabia, were found to constitute a common risk factor with severe manifestations. Other risk factors include infections (especially neurobrucellosis), cardiac diseases, and hypernatremic dehydration. Recognition of an identifiable syndrome or inherited metabolic cause may unravel an underlying cerebovascular disease. This is particularly important in this region, given the large pool of autosomal recessive diseases and the high rate of consanguinity. In the evaluation of a suspected case of stroke, important imaging modalities include cranial CT, MRI (including diffusion-weighted images), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), magnetic resonance venography (MRV) and conventional

Achieving a holistic perspective in stroke rehabilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Hanne Kaae; Lund, Hans; Jones, Dorrie

2015-01-01

Background/Aims: Holistic, multidisciplinary rehabilitation is often the most appropriate for stroke patients. The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a comprehensive conceptual framework and systematic terminology used...... to a holistic approach in stroke rehabilitation, including an understanding of functioning and the ability to participate in everyday life. Using this approach to rehabilitation, disability is not only perceived as a consequence of stroke but also in the context of the individual person, where interactions...... the holistic approach....

Outcome of stroke in Saudi children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Al-Jarallah; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A.; Kentab, Amal Y.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.

2006-01-01

Objective was to report on the prognosis, neurologic outcome, and recurrence of stroke in Saudi children. We evaluated a cohort of 104 Saudi children with stroke at the Division of Pediatric Neurology at King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). We analyzed the salient clinical, neuroimaging, neurophysiological, neuropsychological and laboratory data following retrieval from a specially designed comprehensive protocol. Of the 104 children in the cohort (aged one month to 12 years), 5 (4.8%) died during the study period and 9(8.7%) were lost to follow-up. The mean duration of follow-up for the remaining 90 children was 40 months (median 33 months). Recovery was judged complete in 6(6.7%) of these 90 children. We detected residual hemiparesis (irrespective of its effect on daily functions) in 73 (81%) and this was combined with other motor deficits in 45 children (50%). Forty-one children (46%) had residual dysphasia or language deficits, whereas 45 (50%) were judged to have had cognitive deficit. Psychometry revealed an abnormal intelligence quotient test (70) in 19 of 26 (73%) children. Other neurologic sequelae included epilepsy in 52 (58%), recurrent headaches in 13 (14%) and hydrocephalus in 4 (4.4%) patients, Six of the 95 (6.3%) children, who were ascertained to have died or kept their follow-up, had one or more occurrences, one month to 5 years after initial stroke (median 23 months). Patients who had recurrent strokes were significantly more likely to be the product of consanguineous marriages (p=0.04). Regarding the group of 23 children with perinatal stroke, neither deaths nor recurrences occurred during the follow-up period. However, 20 (87%) of them had significant delays in their developmental milestones. The toll of stroke in Saudi children is demanding, with most children demonstrating

Pediatric phantoms for use in dosimetric calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoup, R.L.; Hwang, J.L.; Poston, J.W.; Warner, G.G.

1976-01-01

Estimating absorbed doses to children from external and internal radiation sources has become important to the nuclear industry and pediatric nuclear medicine. The Medical Physics and Internal Dosimetry Section at ORNL has recently completed the design of mathematical representations of children of ages newborn, 1 year, and 5 years old. These mathematical representations will be referred to as pediatric phantoms. Using these phantoms, relevant energy deposition data have been developed which establish a meaningful model for use in estimating radiation dose to children

Comprehensive stroke centers may be associated with improved survival in hemorrhagic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinney, James S; Cheng, Jerry Q; Rybinnik, Igor; Kostis, John B

2015-05-06

Comprehensive stroke centers (CSCs) provide a full spectrum of neurological and neurosurgical services to treat complex stroke patients. CSCs have been shown to improve clinical outcomes and mitigate disparities in ischemic stroke patients. It is believed that CSCs also improve outcomes in hemorrhagic stroke. We used the Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System (MIDAS) database, which includes data on patients discharged with a primary diagnosis of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH; International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision [ICD-9] 431) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; ICD-9 430) from all nonfederal acute care hospitals in New Jersey (NJ) between 1996 and 2012. Out-of-hospital deaths were assessed by matching MIDAS records with NJ death registration files. The primary outcome variable was 90-day all-cause mortality. The primary independent variable was CSC versus primary stroke center (PSC) and nonstroke center (NSC) admission. Multivariate logistic models were used to measure the effects of available covariates. Overall, 36 981 patients were admitted with a primary diagnosis of ICH or SAH during the study period, of which 40% were admitted to a CSC. Patients admitted to CSCs were more likely to have neurosurgical or endovascular interventions than those admitted to a PSC/NSC (18.9% vs. 4.7%; Pmortality (35.0% vs. 40.3%; odds ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89 to 0.97) for hemorrhagic stroke. This was particularly true for those admitted with SAH. Hemorrhagic stroke patients admitted to CSCs are more likely to receive neurosurgical and endovascular treatments and be alive at 90 days than patients admitted to other hospitals. © 2015 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Recommended Curriculum for Training in Pediatric Transplant Infectious Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Danziger-Isakov, Lara; Allen, Upton; Englund, Janet; Herold, Betsy; Hoffman, Jill; Green, Michael; Gantt, Soren; Kumar, Deepali; Michaels, Marian G

2015-03-01

A working group representing the American Society of Transplantation, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and International Pediatric Transplant Association has developed a collaborative effort to identify and develop core knowledge in pediatric transplant infectious diseases. Guidance for patient care environments for training and core competencies is included to help facilitate training directed at improving the experience for pediatric infectious diseases trainees and practitioners in the area of pediatric transplant infectious diseases. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ways of Improving the Training of Interns Pediatricians and General Practitioners — Family Physicians in «Pediatrics» Discipline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.A. Mokiia-Serbina

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Graduates of medical schools having sufficient theoretical and practical skills often have difficulty in communicating with patients — children and their parents, as well as with colleagues. Objective: improving the efficiency of the educational process in the training of interns pediatricians and general practitioners — family physicians in «Pediatrics» course. Methods of the study: theoretical analysis of gathered experience. Results and discussion. During internship at the department, there are used seminars-discussions, seminars — training conferences, seminars — round tables that allows you to work out the tactics of speech, methods of discussion, reasoning of judgments, review, assessment, analysis. Interns most of the time must participate in the examination of a sick child, discussions of the results, conversations with parents. Clinical analysis of patients should be carried out using the method of structured group discussion when each intern can express his views. Interns are involved in scientific work, speak at scientific conferences. The department created a series of ambulatory pediatrics, -during which the intern talks to a child, his parents and he must to conciliate them, to inspire confidence and to prove himself as a specialist. During this course, special attention is paid to the psychological component of medical trai-ning. Clas-ses are conducted by assistant pediatrician, a graduate majoring in «Practical Psychology». Conclusions. The use of interactive teaching methods at different stages of the educational process contributes not only to improvement of theoretical activity, but also the formation in interns of professional qualities of clinical and scientific thinking, competence in the construction and development of interpersonal relations, humanism.

Pediatric Blood Pressure and Adult Preclinical Markers of Cardiovascular Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Magnussen, Costan G.; Smith, Kylie J.

2016-01-01

A high blood pressure level in adults is considered the single most important modifiable risk factor for global disease burden, especially those of cardiovascular (CV) origin such as stroke and ischemic heart disease. Because blood pressure levels have been shown to persist from childhood to adulthood, elevations in pediatric levels have been hypothesized to lead to increased CV burden in adulthood and, as such, might provide a window in the life course where primordial and primary prevention could be focused. In the absence of substantive data directly linking childhood blood pressure levels to overt adult CV disease, this review outlines the available literature that examines the association between pediatric blood pressure and adult preclinical markers of CV disease. PMID:27168729

Clinical and imaging features of intracranial arterial aneurysms in the pediatric population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abruzzo, Todd A.; Aeron, Gunjan; Jones, Blaise V.

2013-01-01

Intracranial arterial aneurysms (IAAs) are rare in children. Nevertheless, IAAs account for at least 10 % - 15 % of hemorrhagic strokes during the first two decades of life. Traditional vascular risk factors, which are common in the adult population, are generally absent in the pediatric population, engendering distinct modes of IAA pathogenesis. Classification of pediatric IAAs according to the pathogenetic mechanism shows eight distinct categories: idiopathic, traumatic, those due to excessive hemodynamic stress, vasculopathic, infectious, noninfectious inflammatory, oncotic, and familial. Pathogenetic mechanism is the best predictor of the clinical course of the disease, response to treatment, and long-term prognosis. The pathogenetic subtypes of pediatric IAA show characteristic and variably overlapping features. In most cases, IAAs manifesting during the first two decades of life are idiopathic. IAAs that are idiopathic, traumatic (second most common type), or due to excessive hemodynamic stresses (third most common type) account for more than 80 % of IAAs in the pediatric age group. Most of the remaining pediatric IAAs are the result of congenital cerebral aneurysmal arteriopathies or infection. Multiple IAAs are unusual in young children except in those with acquired (secondary to immune deficiency states) or congenital cerebral aneurysmal arteriopathies or infectious IAAs. (orig.)

Pediatric Melanoma and Drug Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaus Rose

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Importance—Pediatric melanoma occurs, albeit rarely. Should patients be treated by today’s medical standards, or be subjected to medically unnecessary clinical studies? Observations—We identified international, industry-sponsored pediatric melanoma studies triggered by regulatory demands in www.clinicaltrials.gov and further pediatric melanoma studies demanded by European Union pediatric investigation plans. We retrieved related regulatory documents from the internet. We analyzed these studies for rationale and medical beneficence on the basis of physiology, pediatric clinical pharmacology and rationale. Regulatory authorities define children by chronological age, not physiologically. Newborns’ organs are immature but they develop and mature rapidly. Separate proof of efficacy in underage patients is justified formally/regulatorily but lacks medical sense. Children—especially post-puberty—and adults vis-a-vis medications are physiologically very similar. Two adolescent melanoma studies were terminated in 2016 because of waning recruitment, while five studies in pediatric melanoma and other solid tumors, triggered by European Union pediatric investigation plans, continue recruiting worldwide. Conclusions and Relevance—Regulatory-demanded pediatric melanoma studies are medically superfluous. Melanoma patients of all ages should be treated with effective combination treatment. Babies need special attention. Children need dose-finding and pharmacokinetic studies but adolescents metabolize and respond to drugs similarly to adults. Institutional Review Boards/ethics committees should suspend ongoing questionable pediatric melanoma studies and reject newly submitted questionable studies.

Dental traumatology: an orphan in pediatric dentistry?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Jens Ove; Lauridsen, Eva; Daugaard-Jensen, Jette

2009-01-01

Traumatic dental injuries are very frequent during childhood and adolescence. In fact, 2 out of 3 children have suffered a traumatic dental injury before adulthood. This fact links dental traumatology to pediatric dentistry. Unfortunately, this is not reflected by active participation by pediatric...... dentists in acute treatment, follow-up, and research. To examine the status of pediatric dentistry in relation to dental trauma, a publication analysis was undertaken in 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2007 about trauma articles published in 4 pediatric journals: journal of Dentistry for Children, Pediatric...... Dentistry, The journal of Pedodontics, and the International journal of Pediatric Dentistry. This study shows an average publication rate of trauma articles of approximately 3 percent of all articles published and with no improvement in later decennia. If only clinical studies are considered (leaving out...

[Ischemic stroke in the young adult].

Science.gov (United States)

Calvet, D

2016-01-01

Ischemic stroke is not rare in young adults since one in ten stroke patients are less than 50 years old. This incidence increased over the past last years, mainly due to the rise in the prevalence of traditional vascular risk factors in this sub-group of age but also of illegal drug use. Even though both survival and functional outcome of young stroke patients are better than those observed in older patients, socio-economic and quality of life consequences make this disease a main objective in terms of primary and secondary prevention. Identifying the cause of ischemic stroke in young adults is of major importance to prevent stroke recurrence. However, given the wide variety of potential underlying causes, the etiologic work-up of stroke in young adults requires a different approach from that in the elderly. In this context, a sequential diagnostic work-up is needed in order to optimize the yield of diagnostic tests, to reduce their cost and risks for the patient. Arterial dissection is the most frequent cause of stroke in young adults but other less frequent causes are numerous. Despite a comprehensive work-up, about one third of cases remains unexplained leading to the diagnosis of cryptogenic ischemic stroke. Copyright © 2015 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

In-hospital risk prediction for post-stroke depression: development and validation of the Post-stroke Depression Prediction Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

de Man-van Ginkel, Janneke M; Hafsteinsdóttir, Thóra B; Lindeman, Eline; Ettema, Roelof G A; Grobbee, Diederick E; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2013-09-01

The timely detection of post-stroke depression is complicated by a decreasing length of hospital stay. Therefore, the Post-stroke Depression Prediction Scale was developed and validated. The Post-stroke Depression Prediction Scale is a clinical prediction model for the early identification of stroke patients at increased risk for post-stroke depression. The study included 410 consecutive stroke patients who were able to communicate adequately. Predictors were collected within the first week after stroke. Between 6 to 8 weeks after stroke, major depressive disorder was diagnosed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted. A bootstrap-backward selection process resulted in a reduced model. Performance of the model was expressed by discrimination, calibration, and accuracy. The model included a medical history of depression or other psychiatric disorders, hypertension, angina pectoris, and the Barthel Index item dressing. The model had acceptable discrimination, based on an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 (0.72-0.85), and calibration (P value of the U-statistic, 0.96). Transforming the model to an easy-to-use risk-assessment table, the lowest risk category (sum score, depression, which increased to 82% in the highest category (sum score, >21). The clinical prediction model enables clinicians to estimate the degree of the depression risk for an individual patient within the first week after stroke.

Clinical assessment of fear of falling after stroke: validity, reliability and responsiveness of the Persian version of the Fall Efficacy Scale-International.

Science.gov (United States)

Azad, Akram; Hassani Mehraban, Afsoon; Mehrpour, Masoud; Mohammadi, Babak

2014-01-01

Fear of falling may be related to falling during stroke onset. The Fall Efficacy ScaleInternational (FES-I) with excellent psychometric properties, is an instrument developed to assess patients' concerns about fallings. The aim of this study was to determine validation of this scale in Iranian patients with stroke. The "forward-backward" procedure was applied to translate the FES-I from English to Persian. One hundred-twenty patients who had suffered stroke, aged 40 to 80 years (55% male) completed the Persian FES-I, Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15), General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Timed up and Go (TUG) questionnaires. The interval time for the test-retest of the Persian scale was 7-14 days. The test-retest and inter-rater reliabilities of the Persian FES-I were excellent (ICC2,1=0.98, pPersian scale showed only one significant factor. The total Persian FES-I score had a significantly negative correlation (pPersian FES-I proved to be an effective and valuable measurement tool to assess stroke patients' fear of falling in practice and research setting.

Stroke and sleep-disordered breathing: A relationship under construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Parra, Olga; Arboix, Adrià

2016-02-16

The association between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and cardiovascular risk has been the focus of attention in recent years. Sleep disorders are emerging risk factors for cardiovascular disease and have been related to the whole spectrum of stroke, including transient ischemic attack, ischemic cerebral infarction and intracerebral haemorrhage. It has been shown that lacunar stroke or lacunar infarctions affecting the internal capsule or the protuberance are associated with a higher frequency of SDB. Acute stroke patients with associated SDB have a worse prognosis and a higher mortality as compared to patients with first-ever stroke without SDB. Preliminary studies provide evidence of the usefulness of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure when SDB is present in stroke patients.

Hematologic risk factors for stroke in Saudi children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa S.; Al-Jarallah, Ahmad A.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.

2006-01-01

Objective was to explore the hematologic risk factors for stroke in cohort of Saudi children. We evaluated children at the Division of Pediatric Neurology at King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, during the periods July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). Investigations for suspected cases included neuroimaging, transcranial Dopppler (TCD) for cases of sickle cell diseases (SCD), and Duplex scan. Hemostatic assays included coagulation screening tests, tests of thrombin generation and fibrinolysis, coagulation inhibitors, and activated protein C resistance. During the study period, 104 Saudi children (aged one month to 12 years) with stroke were seen. The mean age of the cohort was 27.1 months (SD=39.3 months) and median was 6 months. Ischemic strokes accounted for the majority of cases (76%). A major risk factor was identified in 93 of 104 cases of stroke (89.4%). Hematologic disorders were the most common (46.2%), followed by prothrombic disorders (31.7%); microcystic hypochromic anemia (26%); sickle cell disease (SCD), or SCB-thalassemia, (11.5%), and factor IX deficiency (2.9%). Raised anticardiolipin antibodies (13/49, 26.5%) was the most frequent abnormality. Deficiencies of the natural anticoagulants (protein S, protein C and antithrombin III) were as follows: protein S (15/70, 21.4%); protein C (15/70,21.4%) and combined deficiency of 2 or more inhibitors (9/70, 12.9%). Activated protein C resistance has not been detected. Contrary to the findings of previous studies from Saudi Arabia, SCD is a common risk factor and is severe, as it resulted in multiple strokes. Moyamoya syndrome was diagnosed in 2 patients with SCD, one of whom had revascularization surgery (encephaldoduroarteriosynangiosis). Assessment of children with SCD at a risk of stroke was helped by the introduction of TCD followed by neuroimaging, using MRI and magnetic resonanceangiography

Infections Up to 76 Days After Stroke Increase Disability and Death

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Learoyd, Annastazia E; Woodhouse, Lisa; Shaw, Laurence

2017-01-01

Early infection after stroke is associated with a poor outcome. We aimed to determine whether delayed infections (up to 76 days post-stroke) are associated with poor outcome at 90 days. Data came from the international Efficacy of Nitric Oxide Stroke (ENOS, ISRCTN99414122) trial. Post hoc data on...

New frontiers in pediatric Allo-SCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Talano, J M; Pulsipher, M A; Symons, H J; Militano, O; Shereck, E B; Giller, R H; Hancock, L; Morris, E; Cairo, M S

2014-09-01

The inaugural meeting of 'New Frontiers in Pediatric Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation' organized by the Pediatric Blood and Transplant Consortium (PBMTC) was held at the American Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Annual Meeting. This meeting provided an international platform for physicians and investigators active in the research and utilization of pediatric Allo-SCT in children and adolescents with malignant and non-malignant disease (NMD), to share information and develop future collaborative strategies. The primary objectives of the conference included: (1) to present advances in Allo-SCT in pediatric ALL and novel pre and post-transplant immunotherapy; (2) to highlight new strategies in alternative allogeneic stem cell donor sources for children and adolescents with non-malignant hematological disorders; (3) to discuss timing of immune reconstitution after Allo-SCT and methods of facilitating more rapid recovery of immunity; (4) to identify strategies of utilizing Allo-SCT in pediatric myeloproliferative disorders; (5) to develop diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to hematological complications post pediatric Allo-SCT; (6) to enhance the understanding of new novel cellular therapeutic approaches to pediatric malignant and non-malignant hematological disorders; and (7) to discuss optimizing drug therapy in pediatric recipients of Allo-SCT. This paper will provide a brief overview of the conference.

Effects of virtual reality for stroke individuals based on the International Classification of Functioning and Health: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Palma, Gisele Carla Dos Santos; Freitas, Tatiana Beline; Bonuzzi, Giordano Márcio Gatinho; Soares, Marcos Antonio Arlindo; Leite, Paulo Henrique Wong; Mazzini, Natália Araújo; Almeida, Murilo Ruas Groschitz; Pompeu, José Eduardo; Torriani-Pasin, Camila

2017-05-01

This review determines the effects of virtual reality interventions for stroke subjects based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability,and Health (ICF) framework. Virtual reality is a promising tool for therapy for stroke rehabilitation, but the effects of virtual reality interventions on post-stroke patients based on the specific ICF domains (Body Structures, Body Functions, Activity, and Participation) have not been investigated. A systematic review was conducted, including trials with adults with a clinical diagnosis of a chronic, subacute, or acute stroke. Eligible trials had to include studies with an intervention protocol and follow-up, with a focus on upper limbs and/or lower limbs and/or balance. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) was used to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials. Each trial was separated according to methodological quality into a high-quality trial (PEDro ≥ 6) and a low-quality trial (PEDro ≤ 6). Only high-quality trials were analyzed specifically based on the outcome of these trials. In total, 54 trials involving 1811 participants were included. Of the papers included and considered high quality, 14 trials evaluated areas of the Body Structures component, 20 trials of the Body Functions domain, 17 trials of the Activity component, and 8 trials of the Participation domain. In relation to ICF Part 2, four trials evaluated areas of the Personal Factors component and one trial evaluated domains of the Environmental Factors component. The effects of virtual reality on stroke rehabilitation based on the ICF framework are positive in Body Function and Body Structure. However, the results in the domains Activity and Participation are inconclusive. More high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm the effectiveness of virtual reality in the domains of Activity and Participation.

A Family History of Stroke Is Associated with Increased Intima-Media Thickness in Young Ischemic Stroke - The Norwegian Stroke in the Young Study (NOR-SYS).

Science.gov (United States)

Øygarden, Halvor; Fromm, Annette; Sand, Kristin Modalsli; Kvistad, Christopher Elnan; Eide, Geir Egil; Thomassen, Lars; Naess, Halvor; Waje-Andreassen, Ulrike

2016-01-01

Positive family history (FH+) of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a risk factor for own CVD. We aimed to analyze the effect of different types of FH (stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), peripheral artery disease (PAD) on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in young and middle-aged ischemic stroke patients. First-degree FH of CVD was assessed in ischemic stroke patients ≤ 60y using a standardized interview. Carotid ultrasound was performed and far wall cIMT in three carotid artery segments was registered, representing the common carotid (CCA-IMT), carotid bifurcation (BIF-IMT) and the internal carotid artery (ICA-IMT). Measurements were compared between FH+ and FH negative groups and stepwise backward regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with increased cIMT. During the study period 382 patients were enrolled, of which 262 (68%) were males and 233 (61%) reported FH of CVD. Regression analyses adjusting for risk factors revealed age as the most important predictor of cIMT in all segments. The association between FH+ and cIMT was modified by age (p = 0.014) and was significant only regarding ICA-IMT. FH+ was associated with increased ICA-IMT in patients aged stroke (p = 0.034), but not a FH+ of CHD or PAD. FH of stroke is associated with higher ICA-IMT in young ischemic stroke patients. Subtyping of cardiovascular FH is important to investigate heredity in young ischemic stroke patients. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01597453.

Cerebral White Matter Hypoperfusion Increases with Small-Vessel Disease Burden. Data From the Third International Stroke Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Arba, Francesco; Mair, Grant; Carpenter, Trevor; Sakka, Eleni; Sandercock, Peter A G; Lindley, Richard I; Inzitari, Domenico; Wardlaw, Joanna M

2017-07-01

Leukoaraiosis is associated with impaired cerebral perfusion, but the effect of individual and combined small-vessel disease (SVD) features on white matter perfusion is unclear. We studied patients recruited with perfusion imaging in the Third International Stroke Trial. We rated individual SVD features (leukoaraiosis, lacunes) and brain atrophy on baseline plain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Separately, we assessed white matter at the level of the lateral ventricles in the cerebral hemisphere contralateral to the stroke for visible areas of hypoperfusion (present or absent) on 4 time-based perfusion imaging parameters. We examined associations between SVD features (individually and summed) and presence of hypoperfusion using logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, hypertension, and diabetes. A total of 115 patients with median (interquartile range) age of 81 (72-86) years, 78 (52%) of which were male, had complete perfusion data. Hypoperfusion was most frequent on mean transit time (MTT; 63 patients, 55%) and least frequent on time to maximum flow (19 patients, 17%). The SVD score showed stronger independent associations with hypoperfusion (e.g., MTT, odds ratio [OR] = 2.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.56-5.03) than individual SVD markers (e.g., white matter hypoattenuation score, MTT, OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.09-2.04). Baseline blood pressure did not differ by presence or absence of hypoperfusion or across strata of SVD score. Presence of white matter hypoperfusion increased with SVD summed score. The SVD summed score was associated with hypoperfusion more consistently than individual SVD features, providing validity to the SVD score concept. Increasing SVD burden indicates worse perfusion in the white matter. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ipsilateral hemiparesis in ischemic stroke patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Inatomi, Y; Nakajima, M; Yonehara, T; Ando, Y

2017-07-01

To investigate clinical characteristics of ipsilateral hemiparesis in ischemic stroke patients. Patients with acute ischemic stroke were prospectively examined. Ipsilateral hemiparesis was defined as hemiparesis ipsilateral to recent stroke lesions. Patients with ipsilateral hemiparesis were examined with functional neuroimaging studies including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional MRI. Of 8360 patients, ipsilateral hemiparesis was detected in 14 patients (0.17%, mean age 71±6 years, eight men). Lesions responsible for the recent strokes were located in the frontal cortex in three patients, corona radiata in seven, internal capsule in one, and pons in three. These lesions were located along the typical route of the corticospinal tract in all but one patient. Thirteen patients also had a past history of stroke contralateral to the recent lesions; 12 of these had motor deficits contralateral to past stroke lesions. During TMS, ipsilateral magnetic evoked potentials were evoked in two of seven patients and contralateral potentials were evoked in all seven. Functional MRI activated cerebral hemispheres ipsilaterally in eight of nine patients and contralaterally in all nine. Most patients with ipsilateral hemiparesis had a past history of stroke contralateral to the recent one, resulting in motor deficits contralateral to the earlier lesions. Moreover, functional neuroimaging findings indicated an active crossed corticospinal tract in all of the examined patients. Both findings suggest the contribution of the uncrossed corticospinal tract contralateral to stroke lesions as a post-stroke compensatory motor system. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Meeting stroke survivors' perceived needs: a qualitative study of a community-based exercise and education scheme.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Mary; Harrington, Rachel; Duggan, Aine; Wood, Victorine A

2010-01-01

A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach, to explore stroke survivors' needs and their perceptions of whether a community stroke scheme met these needs. Semi-structured in-depth interviews of 12 stroke survivors, purposively selected from participants attending a new community stroke scheme. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews by two researchers independently. Participants attending the community stroke scheme sought to reconstruct their lives in the aftermath of their stroke. To enable this they needed internal resources of confidence and sense of purpose to 'create their social self', and external resources of 'responsive services' and an 'informal support network', to provide direction and encouragement. Participants felt the community stroke scheme met some of these needs through exercise, goal setting and peer group interaction, which included social support and knowledge acquisition. Stroke survivors need a variety of internal and external resources so that they can rebuild their lives positively post stroke. A stroke-specific community scheme, based on exercise, life-centred goal setting, peer support and knowledge acquisition, is an external resource that can help with meeting some of the stroke survivor's needs.

Knee posture during gait and global functioning post-stroke: a theoretical ICF framework using current measures in stroke rehabilitation

OpenAIRE

Neves Rosa, Marlene Cristina; Marques, Alda; Demain, Sara; Metcalf, Cheryl D.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To characterise the global functioning post-stroke in patients with normal knee posture (NKP) and abnormal knee posture (AKP) during loading-response. Methods: 35 people, 6 months post-stroke. with NKP and AKP were identified and assessed using clinical measures classified into the corresponding International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domains: weight function (body mass index); muscle power (knee isometric strength); muscle tone (Modified Ashworth Sca...

The global pediatric antiretroviral market: analyses of product availability and utilization reveal challenges for development of pediatric formulations and HIV/AIDS treatment in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Waning, Brenda; Diedrichsen, Ellen; Jambert, Elodie; Bärnighausen, Till; Li, Yun; Pouw, Mieke; Moon, Suerie

2010-10-17

Important advances in the development and production of quality-certified pediatric antiretroviral (ARV) formulations have recently been made despite significant market disincentives for manufacturers. This progress resulted from lobbying and innovative interventions from HIV/AIDS activists, civil society organizations, and international organizations. Research on uptake and dispersion of these improved products across countries and international organizations has not been conducted but is needed to inform next steps towards improving child health. We used information from the World Health Organization Prequalification Programme and the United States Food and Drug Administration to describe trends in quality-certification of pediatric formulations and used 7,989 donor-funded, pediatric ARV purchase transactions from 2002-2009 to measure uptake and dispersion of new pediatric ARV formulations across countries and programs. Prices for new pediatric ARV formulations were compared to alternative dosage forms. Fewer ARV options exist for HIV/AIDS treatment in children than adults. Before 2005, most pediatric ARVs were produced by innovator companies in single-component solid and liquid forms. Five 2-in1 and four 3-in-1 generic pediatric fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) in solid and dispersible forms have been quality-certified since 2005. Most (67%) of these were produced by one quality-certified manufacturer. Uptake of new pediatric FDCs outside of UNITAID is low. UNITAID accounted for 97-100% of 2008-2009 market volume. In total, 33 and 34 countries reported solid or dispersible FDC purchases in 2008 and 2009, respectively, but most purchases were made through UNITAID. Only three Global Fund country recipients reported purchase of these FDCs in 2008. Prices for pediatric FDCs were considerably lower than liquids but typically higher than half of an adult FDC. Pediatric ARV markets are more fragile than adult markets. Ensuring a long-term supply of quality, well

Methodology of a population-based stroke and TIA incidence and outcomes study: the Auckland Regional Community Stroke Study (ARCOS IV) 2011-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnamurthi, Rita; Jones, Amy; Barber, P Alan; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; McPherson, Kathryn; Bennett, Derrick; Rush, Elaine; Suh, Flora; Starkey, Nicola; Theadom, Alice; Parag, Varsha; Rathnasabapathy, Yogini; Feigin, Valery L

2014-01-01

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Stroke burden is immense as it leads to premature deaths, leaves survivors with ongoing disabilities, and has a major financial impact on the individual, their families, and the community. Reliable, high-quality evidence is needed on stroke risk factors, incidence, and outcomes to provide information on how best to reduce this burden. Population-based studies are regarded as the 'gold-standard' of measuring disease burden but are not common due to the logistical and financial challenges they present. The Auckland Regional Community Stroke Studies are among a few in the world that have been carried out at a population level and at regular intervals. The aim of the fourth Auckland Regional Community Stroke Studies IV is to examine the current measures of stroke incidence, prevalence, and outcomes as well the trends over four decades. This article describes the methodology of the Auckland Regional Community Stroke Studies IV with stroke and transient ischemic attacks cases registered over a 12-month period from March 1, 2011 to February 29, 2012. The methodology described may be used as a guide in order to design similar population-based stroke incidence and outcome studies in other countries and populations, thus facilitating the collection of most consistent and accurate stroke epidemiological data. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2013 World Stroke Organization.

Regional variation in acute stroke care organisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz Venturelli, Paula; Robinson, Thompson; Lavados, Pablo M; Olavarría, Verónica V; Arima, Hisatomi; Billot, Laurent; Hackett, Maree L; Lim, Joyce Y; Middleton, Sandy; Pontes-Neto, Octavio; Peng, Bin; Cui, Liying; Song, Lily; Mead, Gillian; Watkins, Caroline; Lin, Ruey-Tay; Lee, Tsong-Hai; Pandian, Jeyaraj; de Silva, H Asita; Anderson, Craig S

2016-12-15

Few studies have assessed regional variation in the organisation of stroke services, particularly health care resourcing, presence of protocols and discharge planning. Our aim was to compare stroke care organisation within middle- (MIC) and high-income country (HIC) hospitals participating in the Head Position in Stroke Trial (HeadPoST). HeadPoST is an on-going international multicenter crossover cluster-randomized trial of 'sitting-up' versus 'lying-flat' head positioning in acute stroke. As part of the start-up phase, one stroke care organisation questionnaire was completed at each hospital. The World Bank gross national income per capita criteria were used for classification. 94 hospitals from 9 countries completed the questionnaire, 51 corresponding to MIC and 43 to HIC. Most participating hospitals had a dedicated stroke care unit/ward, with access to diagnostic services and expert stroke physicians, and offering intravenous thrombolysis. There was no difference for the presence of a dedicated multidisciplinary stroke team, although greater access to a broad spectrum of rehabilitation therapists in HIC compared to MIC hospitals was observed. Significantly more patients arrived within a 4-h window of symptoms onset in HIC hospitals (41 vs. 13%; Porganisation and treatment. Future multilevel analyses aims to determine the influence of specific organisational factors on patient outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

American Academy of Pediatrics

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... this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Early Career Pediatric Trainees Medical Students International HealthyChildren.org Become a Member Sign In Professional Resources Practice Transformation Economics of Healthcare Managing Your ...

mStroke: "Mobile Stroke"-Improving Acute Stroke Care with Smartphone Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew, Benjamin Y; Stack, Colleen M; Yang, Julian P; Dodds, Jodi A

2017-07-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of method and time of system activation on clinical metrics in cases utilizing the Stop Stroke (Pulsara, Inc.) mobile acute stroke care coordination application. A retrospective cohort analysis of stroke codes at 12 medical centers using Stop Stroke from March 2013 to May 2016 was performed. Comparison of metrics (door-to-needle time [DTN] and door-to-CT time [DTC], and rate of DTN ≤ 60 minutes [goal DTN]) was performed between subgroups based on method (emergency medical service [EMS] versus emergency department [ED]) and time of activation. Effects were adjusted for confounders (age, sex, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score) using multiple linear and logistic regression. The final dataset included 2589 cases. Cases activated by EMS were more severe (median NIHSS score 8 versus 4, P technology provides unique insight into acute stroke codes. Activation of mobile electronic stroke coordination in the field appears to promote a more expedited and successful care process. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pediatric acquired brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodack, Marie I

2010-10-01

Although pediatric patients are sometimes included in studies about visual problems in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI), few studies deal solely with children. Unlike studies dealing with adult patients, in which mechanisms of brain injury are divided into cerebral vascular accident (CVA) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), studies on pediatric patients deal almost exclusively with traumatic brain injury, specifically caused by accidents. Here we report on the vision problems of 4 pediatric patients, ages 3 to 18 years, who were examined in the ophthalmology/optometry clinic at a children's hospital. All patients had an internally caused brain injury and after the initial insult manifested problems in at least one of the following areas: acuity, binocularity, motility (tracking or saccades), accommodation, visual fields, and visual perceptual skills. Pediatric patients can suffer from a variety of oculo-visual problems after the onset of head injury. These patients may or may not be symptomatic and can benefit from optometric intervention. Copyright © 2010 American Optometric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Racial and ethnic disparities in stroke outcomes: a scoping review of post-stroke disability assessment tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Suzanne Perea; White, Brandi M; Magwood, Gayenell; Ellis, Charles; Logan, Ayaba; Jones Buie, Joy N; Adams, Robert J

2018-03-23

To identify how post-stroke disability outcomes are assessed in studies that examine racial/ethnic disparities and to map the identified assessment content to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) across the time course of stroke recovery. We conducted a scoping review of the literature. Articles published between January 2001 and July 2017 were identified through Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We identified 1791 articles through database and hand-searching strategies. Of the articles, 194 met inclusion criteria for full-text review, and 41 met inclusion criteria for study inclusion. The included studies used a variety of outcome measures encompassing domains within the ICF: body functions, activities, participation, and contextual factors across the time course of stroke recovery. We discovered disproportionate representation among racial/ethnic groups in the post-stroke disability disparities literature. A wide variety of assessments are used to examine disparities in post-stroke disability across the time course of stroke recovery. Several studies have identified disparities through a variety of assessments; however, substantial problems abound from the assessments used including inconsistent use of assessments, lacking evidence on the validity of assessments among racial/ethnic groups, and inadequate representation among all racial/ethnic populations comprising the US. Implications for Rehabilitation An enhanced understanding of racial/ethnic disparities in post-stroke disability outcomes is inherently important among rehabilitation practitioners who frequently engage with racial/ethnic minority populations across the time course of stroke recovery. Clinicians should carefully consider the psychometric properties of assessment tools to counter potential racial bias. Clinicians should be aware that many assessments used in stroke rehabilitation lack cultural

Comprehensive stroke units: a review of comparative evidence and experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Daniel K Y; Cordato, Dennis; O'Rourke, Fintan; Chan, Daniel L; Pollack, Michael; Middleton, Sandy; Levi, Chris

2013-06-01

. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Toxicity assessment of molecularly targeted drugs incorporated into multiagent chemotherapy regimens for pediatric Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL): Review from an International Consensus Conference

NARCIS (Netherlands)

T.M. Horton (Terzah); R. Sposto (Richard); P. Brown (Patrick); C.P. Reynolds (Patrick); S.P. Hunger (Stephen); N.J. Winick (Naomi); E.A. Raetz (Elizabeth); W.L. Carroll (William); R.J. Arceci (Robert); M.J. Borowitz (Michael); P.S. Gaynon (Paul); L. Gore (Lia); S. Jeha (Sima); B.J. Maurer (Barry); S.E. Siegel (Stuart); A. Biondi (Andrea); P. Kearns (Pamela); A. Narendran (Aru); L.B. Silverman (Lewis); M.A. Smith (Malcolm); C.M. Zwaan (Christian Michel); J.A. Whitlock (James)

2010-01-01

textabstractOne of the challenges of incorporating molecularly targeted drugs into multi-agent chemotherapy (backbone) regimens is defining dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) of the targeted agent against the background of toxicities of the backbone regimen. An international panel of 22 pediatric acute

Stroke Prevalence in Children With Sickle Cell Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Marks, Lianna J; Munube, Deogratias; Kasirye, Philip; Mupere, Ezekiel; Jin, Zhezhen; LaRussa, Philip; Idro, Richard; Green, Nancy S

2018-01-01

Objectives . The prevalence of stroke among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) in sub-Saharan Africa was systematically reviewed. Methods . Comprehensive searches of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were performed for articles published between 1980 and 2016 (English or French) reporting stroke prevalence. Using preselected inclusion criteria, titles and abstracts were screened and full-text articles were reviewed. Results . Ten full-text articles met selection criteria. Cross-sectional clinic-based data reported 2.9% to 16.9% stroke prevalence among children with SCD. Using available sickle gene frequencies by country, estimated pediatric mortality, and fixed- and random-effects model, the number of affected individuals is projected as 29 800 (95% confidence interval = 25 571-34 027) and 59 732 (37 004-82 460), respectively. Conclusion . Systematic review enabled the estimation of the number of children with SCD stroke in sub-Saharan Africa. High disease mortality, inaccurate diagnosis, and regional variability of risk hamper more precise estimates. Adopting standardized stroke assessments may provide more accurate determination of numbers affected to inform preventive interventions.

Multiple Strokes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Obododimma Oha

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This poem playfully addresses the slippery nature of linguistic signification, employing humour and sarcasm in presenting a wide range of human experience. It ironical twists -- and "strokes" (read ambiguously as both a giving a punishment and erotic pleasuring -- move from the naming of location through international discourse of capital to the crumbling relationships between nation states. It reading of the signs of language is tied to the unease and fracture in cultural and political experience.

A template-based procedure for determining white matter integrity in the internal capsule early after stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew A. Petoe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The integrity of descending white matter pathways, measured by fractional anisotropy from DW-MRI, is a key prognostic indicator of motor recovery after stroke. Barriers to translation of fractional anisotropy measures into routine clinical practice include the time required for manually delineating volumes of interest (VOIs, and inter-examiner variability in this process. This study investigated whether registering and then editing template volumes of interest ‘as required’ would improve inter-examiner reliability compared with manual delineation, without compromising validity. MRI was performed with 30 sub-acute stroke patients with motor deficits (mean NIHSS = 11, range 0–17. Four independent examiners manually delineated VOIs for the posterior limbs of the internal capsules on T1 images, or edited template VOIs that had been registered to the T1 images if they encroached on ventricles or basal ganglia. Fractional anisotropy within each VOI and interhemispheric asymmetry were then calculated. We found that 13/30 registered template VOIs required editing. Edited template VOIs were more spatially similar between examiners than the manually delineated VOIs (p = 0.005. Both methods produced similar asymmetry values that correlated with clinical scores with near perfect levels of agreement between examiners. Contralesional fractional anisotropy correlated with age when edited template VOIs were used but not when VOIs were manually delineated. Editing template VOIs as required is reliable, increases the validity of fractional anisotropy measurements in the posterior limb of the internal capsule, and is less time-consuming compared to manual delineation. This approach could support the use of FA asymmetry measures in routine clinical practice.

Does national expenditure on research and development influence stroke outcomes?

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young Dae; Jung, Yo Han; Norrving, Bo; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Saposnik, Gustavo

2017-10-01

Background Expenditure on research and development is a macroeconomic indicator representative of national investment. International organizations use this indicator to compare international research and development activities. Aim We investigated whether differences in expenditures on research and development at the country level may influence the incidence of stroke and stroke mortality. Methods We compared stroke metrics with absolute amount of gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) per-capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (aGERD) and relative amount of GERD as percent of gross domestic product (rGERD). Sources included official data from the UNESCO, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and population-based studies. We used correlation analysis and multivariable linear regression modeling. Results Overall, data on stroke mortality rate and GERD were available from 66 countries for two periods (2002 and 2008). Age-standardized stroke mortality rate was associated with aGERD (r = -0.708 in 2002 and r = -0.730 in 2008) or rGERD (r = -0.545 in 2002 and r = -0.657 in 2008) (all p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed a lower aGERD and rGERD were independently and inversely associated with higher stroke mortality (all p < 0.05). The estimated prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, or obesity was higher in countries with lower aGERD. The analysis of 27 population-based studies showed consistent inverse associations between aGERD or rGERD and incident risk of stroke and 30-day case fatality. Conclusions There is higher stroke mortality among countries with lower expenditures in research and development. While this study does not prove causality, it suggests a potential area to focus efforts to improve global stroke outcomes.

The global pediatric antiretroviral market: analyses of product availability and utilization reveal challenges for development of pediatric formulations and HIV/AIDS treatment in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jambert Elodie

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Important advances in the development and production of quality-certified pediatric antiretroviral (ARV formulations have recently been made despite significant market disincentives for manufacturers. This progress resulted from lobbying and innovative interventions from HIV/AIDS activists, civil society organizations, and international organizations. Research on uptake and dispersion of these improved products across countries and international organizations has not been conducted but is needed to inform next steps towards improving child health. Methods We used information from the World Health Organization Prequalification Programme and the United States Food and Drug Administration to describe trends in quality-certification of pediatric formulations and used 7,989 donor-funded, pediatric ARV purchase transactions from 2002-2009 to measure uptake and dispersion of new pediatric ARV formulations across countries and programs. Prices for new pediatric ARV formulations were compared to alternative dosage forms. Results Fewer ARV options exist for HIV/AIDS treatment in children than adults. Before 2005, most pediatric ARVs were produced by innovator companies in single-component solid and liquid forms. Five 2-in1 and four 3-in-1 generic pediatric fixed-dose combinations (FDCs in solid and dispersible forms have been quality-certified since 2005. Most (67% of these were produced by one quality-certified manufacturer. Uptake of new pediatric FDCs outside of UNITAID is low. UNITAID accounted for 97-100% of 2008-2009 market volume. In total, 33 and 34 countries reported solid or dispersible FDC purchases in 2008 and 2009, respectively, but most purchases were made through UNITAID. Only three Global Fund country recipients reported purchase of these FDCs in 2008. Prices for pediatric FDCs were considerably lower than liquids but typically higher than half of an adult FDC. Conclusion Pediatric ARV markets are more fragile than

Young ischemic stroke in Tunisia: a multicentric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kefi, Asma; Larbi, Thara; Abdallah, Meya; Ouni, Amira El; Bougacha, Neil; Bouslama, Kamel; Hamzaoui, Saloua; M'rad, Skander

2017-04-01

There is wanting data regarding young ischemic stroke in developing countries, especially in Tunisia. The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors and etiologies of young ischemic stroke in Tunisian and make a comparison with previous reports. A total of 102 young ischemic stroke patients (15-45 years old) were admitted, between January 1996 and August 2007, to 11 departments of internal medicine in different Tunisian hospitals. The risk factors for stroke were documented and assessed. Diagnosis workup consisted of anamnesis, complete physical examination and extensive laboratory, radiologic, immunologic, neurologic and cardiologic examination. Stroke etiologies were classified according the Trial of ORG 10172 in acute stroke treatment. There were 42 men (41.2%) and 60 women (58.89%) with a mean age at onset of 35.7 years. As regards stroke subtype, large-artery atherosclerosis was diagnosed in 6.9% of cases, cardioembolism in 11.8%, small-vessel occlusion in 8.8%, other determined etiology in 37.3% and undetermined etiology in 35.3%. Concerning the traditional risk factors, smoking (31.4%), hypertension and diabetes mellitus (12.7% for each one) and a family history of stroke (10.8%) were the most common. The mean follow-up period was 30.5 months. In our study, traditional risk factors were not-so-uncommon in young adults with ischemic stroke suggesting that prevention can go through controlling these factors. Stroke of other determined etiology was the most common among our patients, so that a broad and detailed diagnostic workup is crucial to puzzle out the etiology for more and better stroke prevention.

National data on stroke outcomes in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kongbunkiat, Kannikar; Kasemsap, Narongrit; Thepsuthammarat, Kaewjai; Tiamkao, Somsak; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak

2015-03-01

Stroke is a major public health problem worldwide. There are limited data on national stroke prevalence and outcomes after the beginning of the thrombolytic therapy era in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with mortality in stroke patients in Thailand using the national reimbursement databases. Clinical data retrieved included individuals under the universal coverage, social security, and civil servant benefit systems between 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2010. The stroke diagnosis code was based on the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision system including G45 (transient cerebral ischemic attacks and related syndromes), I61 (intracerebral hemorrhage), and I63 (cerebral infarction). The prevalence and stroke outcomes were calculated from these coded data. Factors associated with death were evaluated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. We found that the most frequent stroke subtype was cerebral infarction with a prevalence of 122 patients per 100,000 of population, an average length of hospital stay of 6.8 days, an average hospital charge of 20,740 baht (∼$USD 691), a mortality rate of 7%, and thrombolytic prescriptions of 1%. The significant factors associated with stroke mortality were septicemia, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, myocardial infarction, status epilepticus, and heart failure. In conclusion, the prevalence and outcomes of stroke in Thailand were comparable with other countries. The era of thrombolytic therapy has just begun in Thailand. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stroke mimic diagnoses presenting to a hyperacute stroke unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Ang; Cloud, Geoffrey C; Pereira, Anthony C; Moynihan, Barry J

2016-10-01

Stroke services have been centralised in several countries in recent years. Diagnosing acute stroke is challenging and a high proportion of patients admitted to stroke units are diagnosed as a non-stroke condition (stroke mimics). This study aims to describe the stroke mimic patient group, including their impact on stroke services. We analysed routine clinical data from 2,305 consecutive admissions to a stroke unit at St George's Hospital, London. Mimic groupings were derived from 335 individual codes into 17 groupings. From 2,305 admissions, 555 stroke mimic diagnoses were identified (24.2%) and 72% of stroke mimics had at least one stroke risk factor. Common mimic diagnoses were headache, seizure and syncope. Medically unexplained symptoms and decompensation of underlying conditions were also common. Median length of stay was 1 day; a diagnosis of dementia (p=0.028) or needing MRI (p=0.006) was associated with a longer stay. Despite emergency department assessment by specialist clinicians and computed tomography brain, one in four suspected stroke patients admitted to hospital had a non-stroke diagnosis. Stroke mimics represent a heterogeneous patient group with significant impacts on stroke services. Co-location of stroke and acute neurology services may offer advantages where service reorganisation is being considered. © Royal College of Physicians 2016. All rights reserved.

Foundational Issues in Touch-Screen Stroke Gesture Design - An Integrative Review

OpenAIRE

Zhai , Shumin; Kristensson , Per Ola; Appert , Caroline; Andersen , Tue Haste; Cao , Xiang

2012-01-01

International audience; The potential for using stroke gestures to enter, retrieve and select commands and text has been recently unleashed by the popularity of touchscreen devices. This monograph provides a state-of-the-art inte- grative review of a body of human-computer interaction research on stroke gestures. It begins with an analysis of the design dimensions of stroke gestures as an interaction medium. The analysis classifies gestures into analogue versus abstract gestures, gestures for...

Recurrent Stroke in Minor Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack With Metabolic Syndrome and/or Diabetes Mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Weiqi; Pan, Yuesong; Jing, Jing; Zhao, Xingquan; Liu, Liping; Meng, Xia; Wang, Yilong; Wang, Yongjun

2017-06-01

We aimed to determine the risk conferred by metabolic syndrome (METS) and diabetes mellitus (DM) to recurrent stroke in patients with minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack from the CHANCE (Clopidogrel in High-risk patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events) trial. In total, 3044 patients were included. Patients were stratified into 4 groups: neither, METS only, DM only, or both. METS was defined using the Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) and International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) definitions. The primary outcome was new stroke (including ischemic and hemorrhagic) at 90 days. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to assess the relationship of METS and DM status to the risk of recurrent stroke adjusted for potential covariates. Using the CDS criteria of METS, 53.2%, 17.2%, 19.8%, and 9.8% of patients were diagnosed as neither, METS only, DM only, and both, respectively. After 90 days of follow-up, there were 299 new strokes (293 ischemic, 6 hemorrhagic). Patients with DM only (16.1% versus 6.8%; adjusted hazard ratio 2.50, 95% CI 1.89-3.39) and both (17.1% versus 6.8%; adjusted hazard ratio 2.76, 95% CI 1.98-3.86) had significantly increased rates of recurrent stroke. No interaction effect of antiplatelet therapy by different METS or DM status for the risk of recurrent stroke ( P =0.82 for interaction in the fully adjusted model of CDS) was observed. Using the METS (IDF) criteria demonstrated similar results. Concurrent METS and DM was associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke in patients with minor stroke and transient ischemic attack. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

The Bobath Concept in Walking Activity in Chronic Stroke Measured Through the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Benito García, Miguel; Atín Arratibel, María Ángeles; Terradillos Azpiroz, Maria Estíbaliz

2015-12-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a rehabilitation programme based on the Bobath concept in order to improve walking activity in patients with chronic stroke and to show the usefulness of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a tool for gathering functioning information. This study is a repeated measures study. The setting of this study is an outpatient neurological rehabilitation centre based on a multidisciplinary approach. Twenty-four participants suffering from chronic stroke (>1 year and a half and Bobath concept principles with three weekly individual physiotherapy sessions of 45 min each over a 6-month period was the intervention for this study. The measures used were Modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile, 10-m walk test, 6-min walk test, muscle strength testing and subsequent codification of these results into ICF qualifiers. The results of the study showed significant improvement in activities of walking long distances, on different surfaces and around obstacles. There was no significant improvement in the activity of walking short distances or for muscle power functions. A rehabilitation programme based on the Bobath Concept improved walking activities in people with chronic stroke. For this intervention, the use of the ICF qualifiers was sensitive in perceiving post-treatment changes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Temporal trends in health-related quality of life after stroke: analysis from the South London Stroke Register 1995-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldenkar, Anita; Crichton, Siobhan; Douiri, Abdel; Rudd, Anthony G; Wolfe, Charles D A; Chen, Ruoling

2014-08-01

Survival after stroke has dramatically increased in the last two decades as the treatment of stroke has improved. However, time-trend analyses of health-related quality of life in stroke patients covering this time period are still not well investigated. The study aims to examine temporal trends in mental and physical health-related quality of life of stroke survivors between the period of 1995 and 2011. First in a lifetime strokes were registered in the South London Stroke Register between 1995 and 2011. Using the Short Form-12 Health Survey, trends in self-reported health-related quality of life at one-year after stroke were assessed over a 17-year period using linear regression, adjusting for socio-demographics, risk factors, and case-mix variables. Analyses stratifying by age, gender, race-ethnicity, and functional impairment were also performed. The overall trends of mental and physical health-related quality of life scores at one-year after stroke remained relatively unchanged over the period 1995-2011. However, mental health-related quality of life scores significantly improved between the period of 1995-2007 [β = 0·94 (95% CI; 0·15 to 1·74), P = 0·02], after which scores deteriorated [β = -2·02 (-3·82 to -0·22), P = 0·03]. Physical health-related quality of life scores remained stable until 2007, after which scores declined [β = -1·63 (-3·25 to -0·01), P = 0·05]. Despite declining health-related quality of life trends within the general population, stroke survivors' overall health-related quality of life remained unchanged, possibly due to lower expectations of health among stroke survivors. However, in recent years there has been a significant unexplained decline in both physical and mental health-related quality of life, suggesting that despite stroke policy aims to improve health-related quality of life, more needs to be done to target this decline. © 2014 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2014 World

Establishment of an effective acute stroke telemedicine program for Australia: protocol for the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine project.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadilhac, Dominique A; Moloczij, Natasha; Denisenko, Sonia; Dewey, Helen; Disler, Peter; Winzar, Bruce; Mosley, Ian; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Bladin, Christopher

2014-02-01

Urgent treatment of acute stroke in rural Australia is problematic partly because of limited access to medical specialists. Utilization of telemedicine could improve delivery of acute stroke treatments in rural communities. The study aims to demonstrate enhanced clinical decision making for use of thrombolysis within 4·5 h of ischemic stroke symptom onset in a rural setting using a telemedicine specialist support model. A formative program evaluation research design was used. The Victorian Stroke Telemedicine program was developed and will be evaluated over five stages to ensure successful implementation. The phases include: (a) preimplementation phase to establish the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine program including the clinical pathway, data collection tools, and technology processes; (b) pilot clinical application phase to test the pathway in up to 10 patients; (c) modification phase to refine the program; (d) full clinical implementation phase where the program is maintained for one-year; and (e) a sustainability phase to assess project outcomes over five-years. Qualitative (clinician interviews) and quantitative data (patient, clinician, costs, and technology processes) are collected in each phase. The primary outcome is to achieve a minimum 10% absolute increase in eligible patients treated with thrombolysis. Secondary outcomes are utilization of the telestroke pathway and improvements in processes of stroke care (e.g., time to brain scan). We will report door to telemedicine consultation time, length of telemedicine consultation, clinical utility and acceptability from the perspective of clinicians, and 90-day patient outcomes. This research will provide evidence for an effective telestroke program for use in regional Australian hospitals. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2013 World Stroke Organization.

Improving Access to Pediatric Cardiology in Cape Verde via a Collaborative International Telemedicine Service.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapão, Luís Velez; Correia, Artur

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the role of international telemedicine services in supporting the evacuation procedures from Cape Verde to Portugal, enabling better quality and cost reductions in the management of the global health system. The Cape Verde, as other African countries, health system lacks many medical specialists, like pediatric cardiologists, neurosurgery, etc. In this study, tele-cardiology shows good results as diagnostic support to the evacuation decision. Telemedicine services show benefits while monitoring patients in post-evacuation, helping to address the lack of responsive care in some specialties whose actual use will help save resources both in provision and in management of the evacuation procedures. Additionally, with tele-cardiology collaborative service many evacuations can be avoided whereas many cases will be treated and followed locally in Cape Verde with remote technical support from Portugal. This international telemedicine service enabled more efficient evacuations, by reducing expenses in travel and housing, and therefore contributed to the health system's improvement. This study provides some evidence of how important telemedicine really is to cope with both the geography and the shortage of physicians.

Impact of global economic disparities on practices and outcomes of chronic peritoneal dialysis in children: insights from the International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network Registry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaefer, Franz; Borzych-Duzalka, Dagmara; Azocar, Marta; Munarriz, Reyner Loza; Sever, Lale; Aksu, Nejat; Barbosa, Lorena Sànchez; Galan, Yajaira Silva; Xu, Hong; Coccia, Paula A.; Szabo, Attila; Wong, William; Salim, Rosana; Vidal, Enrico; Pottoore, Stephen; Warady, Bradley A.; Alconcher, L.; Sojo, E.; Coccia, P. A.; Suarez, A.; Valles, P. G.; Salim, R.; Salta, S. A.; van Hoeck, K.; Koch, V.; Feber, J.; Geary, D. A.; White, C.; Valenzuela, M.; Villagra, J.; Cano, F.; Contreras, M. A.; Vogel, A.; Zambrano, P.; Berrocal, P.; Tse, K. C.; Xu, H.; Vondrak, K.; Rönnholm, K.; Harambat, J.; Ranchin, B.; Roussey, G.; Ulinski, T.; Fischbach, M.; Büscher, R.; Kemper, M.; Pape, L.; Schaefer, F.; Borzych, D.; Groothoff, J. W.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES, AND METHODS: The number of patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) is increasing rapidly on a global scale. We analyzed the International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network (IPPN) registry, a global database active in 33 countries spanning a wide range in gross

Reliability and validity of the de Morton Mobility Index in individuals with sub-acute stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Braun, Tobias; Marks, Detlef; Thiel, Christian; Grüneberg, Christian

2018-02-04

To establish the validity and reliability of the de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) in patients with sub-acute stroke. This cross-sectional study was performed in a neurological rehabilitation hospital. We assessed unidimensionality, construct validity, internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability, minimal detectable change and possible floor and ceiling effects of the DEMMI in adult patients with sub-acute stroke. The study included a total sample of 121 patients with sub-acute stroke. We analysed validity (n = 109) and reliability (n = 51) in two sub-samples. Rasch analysis indicated unidimensionality with an overall fit to the model (chi-square = 12.37, p = 0.577). All hypotheses on construct validity were confirmed. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.92-0.97) were excellent. The minimal detectable change with 90% confidence was 13 points. No floor or ceiling effects were evident. These results indicate unidimensionality, sufficient internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability, and construct validity of the DEMMI in patients with a sub-acute stroke. Advantages of the DEMMI in clinical application are the short administration time, no need for special equipment and interval level data. The de Morton Mobility Index, therefore, may be a useful performance-based bedside test to measure mobility in individuals with a sub-acute stroke across the whole mobility spectrum. Implications for Rehabilitation The de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) is an unidimensional measurement instrument of mobility in individuals with sub-acute stroke. The DEMMI has excellent internal consistency and inter-rater reliability, and sufficient construct validity. The minimal detectable change of the DEMMI with 90% confidence in stroke rehabilitation is 13 points. The lack of any floor or ceiling effects on hospital admission indicates

Numerical Investigation of the Scavenging Process in Marine Two-Stroke Diesel Engines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Fredrik Herland; Hult, Johan; Nogenmyr, Karl-Johan

2013-01-01

The scavenging process is an integral part of any two-stroke internal combustion engine cycle whether it is spark ignited or compression ignited. The scavenging process is responsible for transporting the burned gases from the previous working stroke out of the combustion chamber to allow...... for the fresh charge or fresh air to enter for the next combustion/working stroke. This implies that the scavenging process is responsible for setting the initial condition for the combustion process, consequently affecting fuel economy, power output and emission of hazardous gases. Two-stroke diesel engines...

Determinations of vertical stroke V{sub cb} vertical stroke and vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke from baryonic Λ{sub b} decays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsiao, Y.K. [Shanxi Normal University, School of Physics and Information Engineering, Linfen (China); National Tsing Hua University, Department of Physics, Hsinchu (China); Geng, C.Q. [Shanxi Normal University, School of Physics and Information Engineering, Linfen (China); National Tsing Hua University, Department of Physics, Hsinchu (China); Hunan Normal University, Synergetic Innovation Center for Quantum Effects and Applications (SICQEA), Changsha (China)

2017-10-15

We present the first attempt to extract vertical stroke V{sub cb} vertical stroke from the Λ{sub b} → Λ{sub c}{sup +}l anti ν{sub l} decay without relying on vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke inputs from the B meson decays. Meanwhile, the hadronic Λ{sub b} → Λ{sub c}M{sub (c)} decays with M = (π{sup -},K{sup -}) and M{sub c} =(D{sup -},D{sup -}{sub s}) measured with high precisions are involved in the extraction. Explicitly, we find that vertical stroke V{sub cb} vertical stroke =(44.6 ± 3.2) x 10{sup -3}, agreeing with the value of (42.11 ± 0.74) x 10{sup -3} from the inclusive B → X{sub c}l anti ν{sub l} decays. Furthermore, based on the most recent ratio of vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke / vertical stroke V{sub cb} vertical stroke from the exclusive modes, we obtain vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke = (4.3 ± 0.4) x 10{sup -3}, which is close to the value of (4.49 ± 0.24) x 10{sup -3} from the inclusive B → X{sub u}l anti ν{sub l} decays. We conclude that our determinations of vertical stroke V{sub cb} vertical stroke and vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke favor the corresponding inclusive extractions in the B decays. (orig.)

Causes of Death Data in the Global Burden of Disease Estimates for Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Truelsen, Thomas; Krarup, Lars-Henrik; Iversen, Helle K

2015-01-01

on the International Classification of Diseases and the pathology behind each code by checking multiple causes of death and literature review. RESULTS: Unspecified stroke and primary and secondary hypertension are leading contributing 'GCs' to stroke mortality estimates for hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and ischemic stroke...... (IS). There were marked differences in the fraction of death assigned to IS and HS for unspecified stroke and hypertension between GBD regions and between age groups. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of stroke fatalities are derived from the redistribution of 'unspecified stroke' and 'hypertension...

Cryptogenic Stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Saadatnia

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptogenic stroke is defined as brain infarction that is not attributable to a source of definite embolism, large artery atherosclerosis, or small artery disease despite a thorough vascular, cardiac, and serologic evaluation. Despite many advances in our understanding of ischemic stroke, cryptogenic strokes remain a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The pathophysiology of cryptogenic stroke is likely various. Probable mechanisms include cardiac embolism secondary to occult paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, aortic atheromatous disease or other cardiac sources, paradoxical embolism from atrial septal abnormalities such as patent foramen ovale, hypercoagulable states, and preclinical or subclinical cerebrovascular disease.  Cryptogenic stroke is one-fourth among cerebral infarction, but most of them could be ascribed to embolic stroke. A significant proportion of cryptogenic strokes adhere to embolic infarct topography on brain imaging and improvement in our ability to detect paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with cryptogenic stroke has strengthened the idea that these strokes are embolic in nature. a significant proportion of cryptogenic strokes adhere to embolic infarct topography on brain imaging.embolic stroke of undetermined sources(ESUS was planned for unifying embolic stroke of undetermined source.  The etiologies underlying ESUS included minor-risk potential cardioembolic sources, covert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, cancer-associated coagulopathy and embolism, arteriogenic emboli, and paroxysmal embolism. Extensive evaluation including transesophageal echocardiography and cardiac monitoring for long time could identify the etiology of these patients. Therefore cryptogenic stroke is a diagnosis of exclusion. Compared with other stroke subtypes, cryptogenic stroke tends to have a better prognosis and lower long-term risk of recurrence.

Neuroprotection for Stroke: Current Status and Future Perspectives

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Christoph Kleinschnitz

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Neuroprotection aims to prevent salvageable neurons from dying. Despite showing efficacy in experimental stroke studies, the concept of neuroprotection has failed in clinical trials. Reasons for the translational difficulties include a lack of methodological agreement between preclinical and clinical studies and the heterogeneity of stroke in humans compared to homogeneous strokes in animal models. Even when the international recommendations for preclinical stroke research, the Stroke Academic Industry Roundtable (STAIR criteria, were followed, we have still seen limited success in the clinic, examples being NXY-059 and haematopoietic growth factors which fulfilled nearly all the STAIR criteria. However, there are a number of neuroprotective treatments under investigation in clinical trials such as hypothermia and ebselen. Moreover, promising neuroprotective treatments based on a deeper understanding of the complex pathophysiology of ischemic stroke such as inhibitors of NADPH oxidases and PSD-95 are currently evaluated in preclinical studies. Further concepts to improve translation include the investigation of neuroprotectants in multicenter preclinical Phase III-type studies, improved animal models, and close alignment between clinical trial and preclinical methodologies. Future successful translation will require both new concepts for preclinical testing and innovative approaches based on mechanistic insights into the ischemic cascade.

Agreement between routine electronic hospital discharge and Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) data in identifying stroke in the Scottish population.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Melanie; Barber, Mark; Dodds, Hazel; Dennis, Martin; Langhorne, Peter; Macleod, Mary-Joan

2015-12-30

In Scotland all non-obstetric, non-psychiatric acute inpatient and day case stays are recorded by an administrative hospital discharge database, the Scottish Morbidity Record (SMR01). The Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) collects data from all hospitals managing acute stroke in Scotland to support and improve quality of stroke care. The aim was to assess whether there were discrepancies between these data sources for admissions from 2010 to 2011. Records were matched when admission dates from the two data sources were within two days of each other and if an International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code of I61, I63, I64, or G45 was in the primary or secondary diagnosis field on SMR01. We also carried out a linkage analysis followed by a case-note review within one hospital in Scotland. There were a total of 22 416 entries on SSCA and 22 200 entries on SMR01. The concordance between SSCA and SMR01 was 16 823. SSCA contained 5593 strokes that were not present in SMR01, whereas SMR01 contained 185 strokes that were not present in SSCA. In the case-note review the concordance was 531, with SSCA containing 157 strokes that were not present in SMR01 and SMR01 containing 32 strokes that were not present in SSCA. When identifying strokes, hospital administrative discharge databases should be used with caution. Our results demonstrate that SSCA most accurately represents the number of strokes occurring in Scotland. This resource is useful for determining the provision of adequate patient care, stroke services and resources, and as a tool for research.

48th Annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Radiology 2005. Abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2005-01-01

The Society for Pediatric Radiology is committed to improving the health care of the patient by providing excellence of diagnostic imaging and treatment of neonates, infants, children and adolescents. The SPR, as an advocate for the pediatric patient, is dedicated to setting standards of excellence of radiologic care. These standards of excellence will include appropriateness criteria, clinical and imaging protocols, and outcome expectations. The SPR will be a proactive organization to enhance the national visibility and unity of pediatric health care providers as a critical component of health care systems and national health care. The SPR will disseminate information/education to all pediatric health care providers who utilize radiologic imaging techniques. Primarily through its annual national meeting and its dedicated journal, Pediatric Radiology, the SPR promotes scientific review and critical appraisal of the specialty for its members and for the international medical community. Moreover, the SPR will establish liaisons and provide information to local, state, regional, and international organizations that have responsibility and authority for the development of both regulations and guidelines governing the medical imaging of pediatric patients

Primary stroke prevention for sickle cell disease in north-east Italy: the role of ethnic issues in establishing a Transcranial Doppler screening program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierobon Marta

2009-06-01

prevention in SCD increases compliance and should be a necessary part of the program. Ethnic background does not seem to influence TCD velocity and internationally accepted reference values already validated in African-American SCD pediatric patients can be used, but long prospective trials are needed to verify their efficacy in defining stroke risk in our setting.

Clinical efficacy of open reduction and semirigid internal fixation in management of displaced pediatric mandibular fractures: A series of 10 cases and surgical guidelines

OpenAIRE

Samir Joshi; Rajesh Kshirsagar; Akshay Mishra; Rahul Shah

2015-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of open reduction and semirigid internal fixation in the management of displaced pediatric mandibular fractures. Method: Ten patients with displaced mandibular fractures treated with 1.5 mm four holed titanium mini-plate and 4 mm screws which were removed within four month after surgery. Results: All cases showed satisfactory bone healing without any growth disturbance. Conclusion: Open reduction and rigid internal fixation (ORIF) with 1.5 mm titanium mini- plate...

Clinical Characteristics of Pediatric Trichotillomania: Comparisons with Obsessive-Compulsive and Tic Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozenman, Michelle; Peris, Tara S; Gonzalez, Araceli; Piacentini, John

2016-02-01

This study compared youth ages 5-17 years with a primary diagnosis of trichotillomania (TTM, n = 30) to those with primary OCD (n = 30) and tic disorder (n = 29) on demographic characteristics, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms. Findings suggest that youth with primary TTM score more comparably to youth with tics than those with OCD on internalizing and externalizing symptom measures. Compared to the OCD group, youth in the TTM group reported lower levels of anxiety and depression. Parents of youth in the TTM group also reported fewer internalizing, externalizing, attention, and thought problems than those in the OCD group. Youth with TTM did not significantly differ from those with primary Tic disorders on any measure. Findings suggest that pediatric TTM may be more similar to pediatric tic disorders than pediatric OCD on anxiety, depression, and global internalizing and externalizing problems.

Child-Mediated Stroke Communication: findings from Hip Hop Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Olajide; DeSorbo, Alexandra; Noble, James; Gerin, William

2012-01-01

Low thrombolysis rates for acute ischemic stroke are linked to delays in seeking immediate treatment due to low public stroke awareness. We aimed to assess whether "Child-Mediated Stroke Communication" could improve stroke literacy of parents of children enrolled in a school-based stroke literacy program called Hip Hop Stroke. Parents of children aged 9 to 12 years from 2 public schools in Harlem, New York City, were recruited to participate in stroke literacy questionnaires before and after their child's participation in Hip Hop Stroke, a novel Child-Mediated Stroke Communication intervention delivered in school auditoriums. Parental recall of stroke information communicated through their child was assessed 1-week after the intervention. Fifth and sixth grade students (n=182) were enrolled into Hip Hop Stroke. One hundred two parents were approached in person to participate; 75 opted to participate and 71 completed both the pretest and post-test (74% response rate and 95% retention rate). Parental stroke literacy improved after the program; before the program, 3 parents of 75 (3.9%) were able to identify the 5 cardinal stroke symptoms, distracting symptom (chest pains), and had an urgent action plan (calling 911) compared with 21 of 71 parents (29.6%) postintervention (P<0.001). The FAST mnemonic was known by 2 (2.7%) of participants before the program versus 29 (41%) after program completion (P<0.001). Knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms remains low among residents of this high-risk population. The use of Child-Mediated Stroke Communication suggests that school children aged 9 to 12 years may be effective conduits of critical stroke knowledge to their parents.

Patient and Process Factors Associated With Type of First Neuroimaging and Delayed Diagnosis in Childhood Arterial Ischemic Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Daverio, Marco; Bressan, Silvia; Gregori, Dario; Babl, Franz E; Mackay, Mark T

2016-09-01

In-hospital factors contribute more to delayed diagnosis of childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) than prehospital factors. We aimed to explore process and patient factors associated with type of and timing to neuroimaging in childhood AIS in the emergency department (ED). This was a retrospective hospital registry-based study of children with AIS, presenting to an Australian tertiary pediatric ED between January 2003 and December 2012. Neuroimaging data and timelines of care were also collected from referring hospitals for transferred patients. Seventy-one AIS episodes and 19 transient ischemic attacks were recorded. The majority (56%) were initially seen at a referring hospital. Patients underwent computed tomography (CT) as first scan more frequently than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as first scan (61% vs. 32%) at both the referring and the tertiary hospitals. Time to first scan as CT was significantly shorter compared with MRI (median = 1.5 hours vs. 10.9 hours, p first presenting to a referring hospital and those directly accessing the tertiary center. Patient characteristics including age, past medical history, conscious state, focal symptoms, and signs on arrival were not associated with the type of first neuroimaging or time to diagnostic MRI. Patients presenting during weekends were less likely to receive an MRI as first scan (odds ratio [OR] = 0.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.1-0.8), while time to MRI was significantly longer for children presenting after hours (5 pm-8 am; median = 17.6 hours vs. 8.4 hours, p = 0.026). MRI overall and as first scan was associated with a higher use of sedation than CT (OR = 6.5, 95% CI = 1.3-32.9; and OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.3-11.8), particularly for children younger than 5 years of age (OR = 12.5, 95% CI = 3-52.4). Strategies to improve rapid diagnosis of pediatric stroke should include shared regional hospital networks protocols to optimize local imaging strategies and where possible rapid transfer to the

Pediatric epilepsy: The Indian experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadgil, Pradnya; Udani, Vrajesh

2011-10-01

Epilepsy is a common clinical entity in neurology clinics. The understanding of the genetics of epilepsy has undergone a sea change prompting re-classification by the International league against epilepsy recently. The prevalence rates of epilepsy in India are similar to those of developed nations. However, the large treatment gap is a major challenge to our public health system. Perinatal injuries are a major causative factor in pediatric group. We have discussed a few common etiologies such as neurocysticercosis and newer genetic epilepsy syndromes. We have also briefly touched upon the Indian experience in pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Measuring patterns of disability using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in the post-acute stroke rehabilitation setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Goljar, Nika; Burger, Helena; Vidmar, Gaj; Leonardi, Matilde; Marincek, Crt

2011-06-01

To determine whether the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) model is adequate for assessing disability patterns in stroke survivors in the sub-acute rehabilitation setting in terms of potential changes in functional profiles over time. Functional profiles of 197 stroke patients were assessed using the ICF Checklist and the Functional Independence Measure (FIMTM) at admission and discharge from rehabilitation hospital. The ICF Checklist was applied based on medical documentation and rehabilitation team meetings. Descriptive analyses were performed to identify changes in ICF categories and qualifiers from admission to discharge, and correlations between different improvement measures were calculated. Mean rehabilitation duration was 60 days; patients' mean age was 60 years, with mean FIM-score 75 at admission. Mean FIM-score improvement at discharge was 12.5. Within Body Functions, changes in at least 10% of patients were found regarding 13 categories; no categories within Body Structures, 24 within Activities and Participation, and 2 within Environmental Factors. Changes were mostly due to improvement in qualifiers, except for within Environmental Factors, where they were due to use of additional categories. Correlations between improvements in Body Functions and Activities and Participation (regarding capacity and performance), as well as between capacity and performance within Activities and Participation, were approximately 0.4. Rating ICF categories with qualifiers enables the detection of changes in functional profiles of stroke patients who underwent an inpatient rehabilitation programme. :

Stroke Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

... Stroke Association.org Professionals for Stroke Association.org Shop for Stroke Association.org Support for Stroke Association. ... works by dissolving the clot and improving blood flow to the part of the brain being deprived ...

Post-stroke depression among stroke survivors attending two ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The burden of stroke worldwide is increasing rapidly. There is paucity of data on post-stroke depression (PSD) among stroke survivors in Uganda, despite the high prevalence of PSD reported elsewhere. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we assessed adult participants with confirmed first stroke with a ...

Developmental Status of Translational Medicine on Cerebral Stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-chuan WU

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Translational medicine, as a new research theory and disciplinary branch, aims at the translation from bench to bedside. It can shorten the gap between basic scientific research and clinical treatment, and promote the highly efficient application of basic research results in clinical practice through bidirectional connection and feedback process between them. Cerebral stroke, as a common cerebrovascular circulatory disorder in clinic, is characterized by high morbidity, high disability rate and high mortality. After disease onset, patients are frequently complicated with severe functional disorders and sequelae, such as aphasia, paralysis, and partial or complete loss of self-care capacity, thus bringing about great burdens to the patients’ families and to the society. In China, there are more than 2 000 000 new cases with cerebral stroke annually, > 50% of whom are complicated with different-degree neurological functional decrease or deletion, and more than 1 000 000 die of cerebral stroke annually. Therefore, cerebral stroke is also an important concern in translational medicine study. In recent years, International Stroke Conference has emphasized the necessity of translational medicine research, and the bidirectional translation of bench to bedside (B2B is of great significance in guiding the development of depth and width of translational medicine on stroke. This study mainly reviewed the advances of translational medicine at home and abroad and its significance in guiding the clinical treatment of cerebral stroke.

Pediatric MS

Science.gov (United States)

... Pediatric MS Share this page Facebook Twitter Email Pediatric MS Pediatric MS Pediatric MS Support Pediatric Providers ... system through the Pediatric MS Support Group . Treating pediatric MS In 2018 the U.S. Food and Drug ...

Stroke due to mitochondrial disorders in Saudi children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Zahraa, Jihad N.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.; Al-Rayees, Molham; Ruitenbeek, W.; Zeviani, M.

2006-01-01

Objective was to report on the clinical and biochemical features of patients who presented with stroke due to mitochondrial disorders amongst a prospective and retrospective cohort of Saudi children. Children, who presented with stroke were evaluated at the Division of Pediatric Neurology, or admitted to King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the periods July 1992 to February2001 (retrospective study)and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). Open muscle biopsies were obtained from patients suspected to have mitochondrial disorders, and examined using conventional histological and histochemical techniques. Biochemical, molecular pathological investigations, or both, of muscle could be arranged for only some of the patients. Mitochondrial disorders were the underlying risk factor for stroke in 4 (3.8%) of 104 children (aged one month to 12 years). Three patients (one male and 2 females) had Leigh syndromes (LS) and one had mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). At the time of stroke, the 3 children with LS were 11 months, 15 months, and 7 years old. They presented with psychomotor regression and seizures. Muscle histology and histochemistry showed mild non-specific changes but no ragged red fibers. Biochemical analysis of muscle (in one patient) revealed deficiency of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), [the other 2 patients] was negative for the 2 point mutations (T-G and T-C) at nucleotide position 8993, and for two T-C point mutations (at position 8851 and 9176 of the ATPase 6 gene) that have been described in patients with LS. The girl with MELAS syndrome presented with a stroke-like episode at the age of 29 months and had focal brain lesions in the media aspect of the left occipital and temporal lobes, and in the posteromedial aspect of the left thalamus, which resolved within 7 weeks. She had

Personal Digital Assistant-Based Self-Work Sampling Study of Pediatric Interns Quantifies Workday and Educational Value.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Joyce K; Ortiz, Michael V; Ottolini, Mary C; Birch, Sarah; Agrawal, Dewesh

2017-04-01

Optimizing clinical proficiency and education of residents has become more important with restricted residency duty hours. Our objective was to investigate how interns spend their time on inpatient rotations and the perceived educational value of workday activities. We performed a descriptive self-work sampling study using a personal digital assistant (PDA) to randomly query interns on inpatient rotations in real time regarding their activity and the perceived educational value of that activity on a 4-point Likert scale. A total of 31 interns participated on 88 workdays over a 5-month period, generating 2082 samples from which the average workday was modeled. Time spent using the electronic health record (EHR) accounted for 33% of intern time, communicating with the health care team 23%, educational activities 17%, and time with patients and families 12%. Time with patients and families was perceived to be the most educational part of clinical service. Time spent using the EHR was perceived as the least educational. Interns perceived clinical service as excellent or good 37% of the time, while planned educational activities were perceived as excellent or good 81% of the time. Interns spend the majority of their time using the EHR and communicating with the health care team. Interns perceive time spent in planned educational activities has more educational value than time spent in clinical service. The distribution of daily activities is discordant with the perceived educational value of those activities. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stroke Risk and Mortality in Patients With Ventricular Assist Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Parikh, Neal S; Cool, Joséphine; Karas, Maria G; Boehme, Amelia K; Kamel, Hooman

2016-11-01

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have advanced the management of end-stage heart failure. However, these devices are associated with hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications, including stroke. We assessed the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke after VAD placement. Using administrative claims data from acute care hospitals in California, Florida, and New York from 2005 to 2013, we identified patients who underwent VAD placement, defined by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 37.66. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes were identified by previously validated coding algorithms. We used survival statistics to determine the incidence rates and Cox proportional hazard analyses to examine the associations. Among 1813 patients, we identified 201 ischemic strokes and 116 hemorrhagic strokes during 3.4 (±2.0) years of follow-up after implantation of a VAD. The incidence of stroke was 8.7% per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.7-9.7). The annual incidence of ischemic stroke (5.5%; 95% CI, 4.8-6.4) was nearly double that of hemorrhagic stroke (3.1%; 95% CI, 2.6-3.8). Women faced a higher hazard of stroke than men (hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.1), particularly hemorrhagic stroke (hazard ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4-3.4). Stroke was strongly associated with subsequent in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio, 6.1; 95% CI, 4.6-7.9). The incidence of stroke after VAD implantation was 8.7% per year, and incident stroke was strongly associated with subsequent in-hospital mortality. Notably, ischemic stroke occurred at nearly twice the rate of hemorrhagic stroke. Women seemed to face a higher risk for hemorrhagic stroke than men. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Impact of Generator Stroke Length on Energy Production for a Direct Drive Wave Energy Converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yue Hong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The Lysekil wave energy converter (WEC, developed by the wave energy research group of Uppsala University, has evolved through a variety of mechanical designs since the first prototype was installed in 2006. The hundreds of engineering decisions made throughout the design processes have been based on a combination of theory, know-how from previous experiments, and educated guesses. One key parameter in the design of the WECs linear generator is the stroke length. A long stroke requires a taller WEC with associated economical and mechanical challenges, but a short stroke limits the power production. The 2-m stroke of the current WECs has been an educated guess for the Swedish wave climate, though the consequences of this choice on energy absorption have not been studied. When the WEC technology is considered for international waters, with larger waves and challenges of energy absorption and survivability, the subject of stroke length becomes even more relevant. This paper studies the impact of generator stroke length on energy absorption for three sites off the coasts of Sweden, Chile and Scotland. 2-m, 4-m, and unlimited stroke are considered. Power matrices for the studied WEC prototype are presented for each of the studied stroke lengths. Presented results quantify the losses incurred by a limited stroke. The results indicate that a 2-m stroke length is likely to be a good choice for Sweden, but 4-m is likely to be necessary in more energetic international waters.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among North Indian adolescents using Adult Treatment Panel III and pediatric International Diabetic Federation definitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riyaz Ahmad Bhat

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Childhood obesity is an important risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome (MS in children and adolescent. Because of high prevalence of insulin resistance and MS in Indian adult population, studies are needed to identify the prevalence of these metabolic abnormalities in the adolescent population. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MS using pediatric International Diabetic Federation (IDF definition and compare it with estimates of Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III definition among adolescents in Northern India. Materials and Methods: At a total of 899 adolescents attending school (aged 10-18 years participated in this population-based prospective study. All the clinical and biochemical assessment were done after proper consent. The MS was determined by the National Cholesterol Education Program ATP III definition modified for age and pediatric IDF definition. Results: The prevalence of MS was 3.5% according to ATP III criteria and 1.5% based on IDF criteria. No significant gender difference was observed in the distribution of MS. Hypertriglyceridemia was the most common and abdominal obesity the least common constituent of MS. Conclusion: This study provides the first estimates of MS using pediatric IDF definition in the adolescent population from Northern India.

A Comprehensive List of Items to be Included on a Pediatric Drug Monograph.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Lauren E; Ito, Shinya; Woods, David; Nunn, Anthony J; Taketomo, Carol; de Hoog, Matthijs; Offringa, Martin

2017-01-01

Children require special considerations for drug prescribing. Drug information summarized in a formulary containing drug monographs is essential for safe and effective prescribing. Currently, little is known about the information needs of those who prescribe and administer medicines to children. Our primary objective was to identify a list of important and relevant items to be included in a pediatric drug monograph. Following the establishment of an expert steering committee and an environmental scan of adult and pediatric formulary monograph items, 46 participants from 25 countries were invited to complete a 2-round Delphi survey. Questions regarding source of prescribing information and importance of items were recorded. An international consensus meeting to vote on and finalize the items list with the steering committee followed. Pediatric formularies are most commonly the first resource consulted for information on medication used in children by 31 Delphi participants. After the Delphi rounds, 116 items were identified to be included in a comprehensive pediatric drug monograph, including general information, adverse drug reactions, dosages, precautions, drug-drug interactions, formulation, and drug properties. Health care providers identified 116 monograph items as important for prescribing medicines for children by an international consensus-based process. This information will assist in setting standards for the creation of new pediatric drug monographs for international application and for those involved in pediatric formulary development.

Risk Factors and Stroke Characteristic in Patients with Postoperative Strokes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yi; Cao, Wenjie; Cheng, Xin; Fang, Kun; Zhang, Xiaolong; Gu, Yuxiang; Leng, Bing; Dong, Qiang

2017-07-01

Intravenous thrombolysis and intra-arterial thrombectomy are now the standard therapies for patients with acute ischemic stroke. In-house strokes have often been overlooked even at stroke centers and there is no consensus on how they should be managed. Perioperative stroke happens rather frequently but treatment protocol is lacking, In China, the issue of in-house strokes has not been explored. The aim of this study is to explore the current management of in-house stroke and identify the common risk factors associated with perioperative strokes. Altogether, 51,841 patients were admitted to a tertiary hospital in Shanghai and the records of those who had a neurological consult for stroke were reviewed. Their demographics, clinical characteristics, in-hospital complications and operations, and management plans were prospectively studied. Routine laboratory test results and risk factors of these patients were analyzed by multiple logistic regression model. From January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, over 1800 patients had neurological consultations. Among these patients, 37 had an in-house stroke and 20 had more severe stroke during the postoperative period. Compared to in-house stroke patients without a procedure or operation, leukocytosis and elevated fasting glucose levels were more common in perioperative strokes. In multiple logistic regression model, perioperative strokes were more likely related to large vessel occlusion. Patients with perioperative strokes had different risk factors and severity from other in-house strokes. For these patients, obtaining a neurological consultation prior to surgery may be appropriate in order to evaluate the risk of perioperative stroke. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Literature and art therapy in post-stroke psychological disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Eum, Yeongcheol; Yim, Jongeun

2015-01-01

Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and long-term disability worldwide, and post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common and serious psychiatric complication of stroke. PSD makes patients have more severe deficits in activities of daily living, a worse functional outcome, more severe cognitive deficits and increased mortality as compared to stroke patients without depression. Therefore, to reduce or prevent mental problems of stroke patients, psychological treatment should be recommended. Literature and art therapy are highly effective psychological treatment for stroke patients. Literature therapy divided into poetry and story therapy is an assistive tool that treats neurosis as well as emotional or behavioral disorders. Poetry can add impression to the lethargic life of a patient with PSD, thereby acting as a natural treatment. Story therapy can change the gloomy psychological state of patients into a bright and healthy story, and therefore can help stroke patients to overcome their emotional disabilities. Art therapy is one form of psychological therapy that can treat depression and anxiety in stroke patients. Stroke patients can express their internal conflicts, emotions, and psychological status through art works or processes and it would be a healing process of mental problems. Music therapy can relieve the suppressed emotions of patients and add vitality to the body, while giving them the energy to share their feelings with others. In conclusion, literature and art therapy can identify the emotional status of patients and serve as a useful auxiliary tool to help stroke patients in their rehabilitation process.

Stroke care in Central Eastern Europe: current problems and call for action.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenti, Laura; Brainin, Michael; Titianova, Ekaterina; Morovic, Sandra; Demarin, Vida; Kalvach, Pavel; Skoloudik, David; Kobayashi, Adam; Czlonkowska, Anna; Muresanu, Dafin F; Shekhovtsova, Ksenia; Skvortsova, Veronica I; Sternic, Nadezda; Beslac Bumbasirevic, Ljiljana; Svigelj, Viktor; Turcani, Peter; Bereczki, Dániel; Csiba, László

2013-07-01

Stroke is a major medical problem and one of the leading causes of mortality and disability all over in Europe. However, there are significant East-West differences in stroke care as well as in stroke mortality and morbidity rates. Central and Eastern European countries that formerly had centralized and socialist health care systems have serious and similar problems in organizing health and stroke care 20 years after the political transition. In Central and Eastern Europe, stroke is more frequent, the mortality rate is higher, and the victims are younger than in Western Europe. High-risk patients live in worse environmental conditions, and the socioeconomic consequences of stroke further weaken the economic development of these countries. To address these issues, a round table conference was organized. The main aim of this conference was to discuss problems to be solved related to acute and chronic stroke care in Central and Eastern European countries, and also, to exchange ideas on possible solutions. In this article, the discussed problems and possible solutions will be summarized, and introduce 'The Budapest Statement of Stroke Experts of Central and Eastern European countries'. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Severe versus Moderate Criteria for the New Pediatric Case Definition for ME/CFS

Science.gov (United States)

Jason, Leonard; Porter, Nicole; Shelleby, Elizabeth; Till, Lindsay; Bell, David S.; Lapp, Charles W.; Rowe, Kathy; De Meirleir, Kenny

2009-01-01

The new diagnostic criteria for pediatric ME/CFS are structurally based on the Canadian Clinical Adult case definition, and have more required specific symptoms than the (Fukuda et al. Ann Intern Med 121:953-959, 1994) adult case definition. Physicians specializing in pediatric ME/CFS referred thirty-three pediatric patients with ME/CFS and 21…

Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Outcomes Associated With Neonatal Hemorrhagic Stroke: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Lauran; Dewey, Deborah; Letourneau, Nicole; Kaplan, Bonnie J; Chaput, Kathleen; Gallagher, Clare; Hodge, Jacquie; Floer, Amalia; Kirton, Adam

2017-03-01

Hemorrhage into the brain of term newborns often results in major injury and lifelong disability. The clinical epidemiology of neonatal hemorrhagic stroke (NHS) remains undefined, hindering the development of strategies to improve outcomes. To characterize the incidence, types, presentations, associated factors, and outcomes of neonatal hemorrhagic stroke. Population-based, nested case-control study. The Alberta Perinatal Stroke Project, a provincial registry, ascertained NHS cases using exhaustive diagnostic code searching (1992-2010, >2500 medical record reviews). Prospective cases were captured through the Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program (2007-2014). Participants included term neonates with magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed NHS including primary and secondary intracerebral hemorrhage, hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic injury, and presumed perinatal hemorrhagic stroke. Control infants with common data were recruited from a population-based study (4 to 1 ratio). Infants with NHS underwent structured medical record review using data-capture forms and blinded scoring of neuroimaging. Clinical risk factor common data elements were explored using logistic regression. Provincial live births were obtained from Statistics Canada. Outcomes were extrapolated to the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure. We identified 86 cases: 51 infants (59%) with NHS, of which 32 (67%) were idiopathic, 30 (35%) were hemorrhagic transformation of primary ischemic injuries (14 with neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis, 11 with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and 5 with neonatal arterial ischemic stroke), and 5 were presumed perinatal hemorrhagic stroke. Sixty-two percent were male. Incidence of pure NHS was 1 in 9500 live births and 1 in 6300 for all forms. Most presented in the first week of life with seizures and encephalopathy. Acute neurosurgical intervention was rare (3 of 86 total cases; 3.5%). Temporal lobe was the most common NHS location (16 of 51 pure NHS cases; 31%). A

Angiotensin receptor blockade in acute stroke. The Scandinavian Candesartan Acute Stroke Trial: rationale, methods and design of a multicentre, randomised- and placebo-controlled clinical trial (NCT00120003)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandset, Else Charlotte; Murray, Gordon; Boysen, Gudrun Margrethe

2010-01-01

AND DESIGN: The Scandinavian Candesartan Acute Stroke Trial is an international randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of candesartan in acute stroke. We plan to recruit 2500 patients presenting within 30 h of stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic) and with systolic blood pressure =140 mm......Hg. The recruited patients are randomly assigned to candesartan or placebo for 7-days (doses increasing from 4 to 16 mg once daily). Randomisation is performed centrally via a secure web interface. The follow-up period is 6-months. Patients are included from the following nine North-European countries: Norway...

Establishment of radiation doses for pediatric X-ray examinations in a large pediatric hospital in Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olgar, T.; Sahmaran, T.

2017-01-01

Pediatric patients are more sensitive to ionizing radiation when compared with adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiation doses for some common pediatric x-ray examinations performed with various digital radiography systems. Quality control tests of the digital radiography systems were carried out according to international published protocols before the pediatric dose measurements. Radiation dose measurement was performed by using the x-ray tube outputs and thermoluminescent dosimeter dose measurement methods. In the present study, radiation doses were assessed for 247 chest, 230 pelvis, 194 skull and 73 abdomen x-ray examinations and in total 744 pediatric patients doses were measured. Pediatric patients were classified into four age groups 0-1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 years as given by European Commission guidance. Effective doses were determined for each examination using a PCXMC 2.0 Monte Carlo program. The mean measured entrance skin doses for the age interval 1-5 years and AP projection by using tube output measurement methods were 149 μGy for chest, 304 μGy for pelvis, 387 μGy for skull and 199 μGy for abdomen examinations. The radiation dose results obtained in this study were in the range of the published results in the literature. (authors)

Out-of-pocket costs for childhood stroke: the impact of chronic illness on parents' pocketbooks.

Science.gov (United States)

Plumb, Patricia; Seiber, Eric; Dowling, Michael M; Lee, JoEllen; Bernard, Timothy J; deVeber, Gabrielle; Ichord, Rebecca N; Bastian, Rachel; Lo, Warren D

2015-01-01

Direct costs for children who had stroke are similar to those for adults. There is no information regarding the out-of-pocket costs families encounter. We described the out-of-pocket costs families encountered in the first year after a child's ischemic stroke. Twenty-two subjects were prospectively recruited at four centers in the United States and Canada in 2008 and 2009 as part of the "Validation of the Pediatric NIH Stroke Scale" study; families' indirect costs were tracked for 1 year. Every 3 months, parents reported hours they did not work, nonreimbursed costs for medical visits or other health care, and mileage. They provided estimates of annual income. We calculated total out-of-pocket costs in US dollars and reported costs as a proportion of annual income. Total median out-of-pocket cost for the year after an ischemic stroke was $4354 (range, $0-$28,666; interquartile range, $1008-$8245). Out-of-pocket costs were greatest in the first 3 months after the incident stroke, with the largest proportion because of lost wages, followed by transportation, and nonreimbursed health care. For the entire year, median costs represented 6.8% (range, 0%-81.9%; interquartile range, 2.7%-17.2%) of annual income. Out-of-pocket expenses are significant after a child's ischemic stroke. The median costs are noteworthy provided that the median American household had cash savings of $3650 at the time of the study. These results with previous reports of direct costs provide a more complete view of the overall costs to families and society. Childhood stroke creates an under-recognized cost to society because of decreased parental productivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ischemic stroke in paediatrics - narrative review of the literature and two cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Klucka, Jozef; Stourac, Petr; Stoudek, Roman; Toukalkova, Michaela; Harazim, Hana; Kosinova, Martina; Stouracova, Alena; Mrlian, Andrej; Suk, Petr; Malaska, Jan

2017-03-01

Stroke is a rare condition in childhood with an estimated incidence of between 1.3-13/100.000 patients. Clinical manifestation and risk factors for paediatric stroke are different from those of adults. The uncommon incidence, age-associated difference and plethora of clinical symptoms make the diagnosis of such strokes extremely difficult and often delayed. The history and clinical examination should point to diseases or predisposing factors. Neuroimaging (DWI MR) is the golden standard for diagnosis of paediatric stroke and other investigations can be considered according to the clinical condition. Despite advances in paediatric stroke research and clinical care, questions remain unanswered regarding acute treatment, secondary prevention and rehabilitation. The treatment recommendations are mainly extrapolated from studies on adult populations. In the review authors summarized the clinical characteristics and diagnostic steps for stroke in children/adolescents based on the most recent international guidelines and practical directions for recognising and managing the child/adolescent with stroke in paediatric emergency. In the two case reports, we describe the clinical course in both stroke patients.

Knowledge of Stroke Risk Factors among Stroke Survivors in Nigeria

OpenAIRE

Grace Vincent-Onabajo; Taritei Moses

2016-01-01

Background. Knowledge of stroke risk factors is expected to reduce the incidence of stroke?whether first-ever or recurrent. This study examined knowledge of stroke risk factors and its determinants among stroke survivors. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of consenting stroke survivors at two physiotherapy facilities in Nigeria was carried out. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained and knowledge of stroke risk factors (defined as the ability to mention at least one correct risk fac...

Identification of stroke mimics among clinically diagnosed acute strokes.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuntiyatorn, Lojana; Saksornchai, Pichaya; Tunlayadechanont, Supoch

2013-09-01

Stroke is a clinically syndrome of a sudden onset of neurological deficit in a vascular cause. Stroke mimics is the non-vascular disorders with stroke-like clinical symptoms. It is important to distinguish true stroke from mimics since treatment plan may differ To determine the incidence of the stroke mimics and identify their etiologies. All non-contrast head CT of the patients with clinically diagnosed stroke who immediately received imaging upon arrival at the emergency department of the university hospital were retrospectively reviewed in 12-month period between January 1 and December 31, 2008. Medical records, laboratory results, MRI, and 6-month clinical follow-up records were reviewed for final diagnosis. Seven hundred four patients were included in this study, including 363 (51.5%) men and 341 (48.5%) women with range in age from 24 to 108 years. Amongst those, 417 (59.2%) were ischemic stroke, 80 (11.40%) were hemorrhagic stroke, 186 (26.4%) were stroke-mimics, and 21 (3%) were inconclusive. The etiologies among stroke-mimics were metabolic/intoxication (35, 18.8%), sepsis (28, 15.0%), seizure (21, 11.3%), syncope (20, 10.8%), subdural hemorrhage (14, 7.5%), vertigo (11, 6.0%), brain tumor (10, 5.30%), central nervous system infection (5, 2.7%), others (26, 14.0%), and unspecified (16, 8.6%). Incidence rates and etiologies of the stroke mimics were similar to the western reports. However the frequency of each mimic was not.

Prevention Of Stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagaraja D

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Stroke is an important cause for neurological morbidity and mortality. Prevention of ischemic stroke involves identification and prevention of risk factors and optimal use of pharmacotherapy. Risk factors have been classified as modifiable and non-modifiable; control of modifiable factors should prevent stroke occurrence. Stroke prevention has been described at three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. Prolonged hypertension increases an individual′s risk for developing fatal or nonfatal stroke by three times and its control has been shown to prevent stroke. Diabetes mellitus is an important cause for microangiopathy and predisposes to stroke. Statin trials have shown significant reduction in stroke in those who were treated with statins. Stroke risk can be reduced by avoiding tobacco use, control of obesity and avoiding sedentary life style. Anti platelet medications are effective for secondary prevention of stroke. Educating society regarding modifiable risk factors and optimal use of pharmacotherapy form the cornerstone for the prevention of stroke.

Stroke risk perception among participants of a stroke awareness campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Kraywinkel, Klaus; Heidrich, Jan; Heuschmann, Peter U; Wagner, Markus; Berger, Klaus

2007-01-01

Background Subjective risk factor perception is an important component of the motivation to change unhealthy life styles. While prior studies assessed cardiovascular risk factor knowledge, little is known about determinants of the individual perception of stroke risk. Methods Survey by mailed questionnaire among 1483 participants of a prior public stroke campaign in Germany. Participants had been informed about their individual stroke risk based on the Framingham stroke risk score. Stroke risk factor knowledge, perception of lifetime stroke risk and risk factor status were included in the questionnaire, and the determinants of good risk factor knowledge and high stroke risk perception were identified using logistic regression models. Results Overall stroke risk factor knowledge was good with 67–96% of the participants recognizing established risk factors. The two exceptions were diabetes (recognized by 49%) and myocardial infarction (57%). Knowledge of a specific factor was superior among those affected by it. 13% of all participants considered themselves of having a high stroke risk, 55% indicated a moderate risk. All major risk factors contributed significantly to the perception of being at high stroke risk, but the effects of age, sex and education were non-significant. Poor self-rated health was additionally associated with high individual stroke risk perception. Conclusion Stroke risk factor knowledge was high in this study. The self perception of an increased stroke risk was associated with established risk factors as well as low perception of general health. PMID:17371603

Cross-cultural adaptation of the stroke self-efficacy questionnaire - Denmark (SSEQ-DK)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Lola Qvist; Pallesen, Hanne

2018-01-01

Objective The objective of the present study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (SSEQ) from English to Danish in order to create a Danish version of the measure, SSEQ-DK, and to assess psychometric properties in the form of internal consistency...... from the pretest, internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's α. Results There was a high level of agreement in the translations. Some adjustments were made, primarily with regard to semantic equivalence. Thirty stroke survivors participated in the pretest, evaluating the relevance...... difficult (0%). Face validity was satisfactory, and the SSEQ-DK showed good internal consistency (0.89). Conclusion The translation and cultural adaptation of the SSEQ to SSEQ-DK appears to be successful, with good face validity and internal consistency along with a high level of relevance...

Development of mathematical pediatric phantoms for internal dose calculations: designs, limitations, and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cristy, M.

1980-01-01

Mathematical phantoms of the human body at various ages are employed with Monte Carlo radiation transport codes for calculation of photon specific absorbed fractions. The author has developed a pediatric phantom series based on the design of the adult phantom, but with explicit equations for each organ so that organ sizes and marrow distributions could be assigned properly. Since the phantoms comprise simple geometric shapes, predictive dose capability is limited when geometry is critical to the calculation. Hence, there is a demand for better phantom design in situations where geometry is critical, such as for external irradiation or for internal emitters with low energy photons. Recent advances in computerized axial tomography (CAT) present the potential for derivation of anatomical information, which is so critical to development of phantoms, and ongoing developmental work on compuer architecture to handle large arrays for Monte Carlo calculations should make complex-geometry dose calculations economically feasible within this decade

Isokinetic dynamometry on the internal rotator and adductor muscles of the swimmers' shoulders: no differences between asymmetrical and symmetrical swimming strokes

OpenAIRE

Secchi, Leonardo Luiz Barretti; Brech, Guilherme Carlos; Greve, Júlia Maria D'Andréa

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we compare muscular strength of the internal rotators and adductors of the shoulder between asymmetrical (backstroke and freestyle) and symmetrical (breaststroke and butterfly) swimming strokes. METHOD: We evaluated: shoulders of (a) asymmetrical swimmers (aged 21.8 ± 3.8 years), (b) symmetrical swimmers (aged 20.3 ± 4.5 years), (c) recreational swimmers (aged 24.5 ± 4.5 years), and (d) control individuals (aged 25.8 ± 3.5 years). All evaluations were performed on a...

The pediatric mandible: II. Management of traumatic injury or fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Smartt, James M; Low, David W; Bartlett, Scott P

2005-08-01

After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the changing epidemiology of mandibular fractures in children and adolescents. 2. Discuss the appropriate use of internal fixation in the treatment of pediatric mandibular fractures. 3. Describe the difficulties posed by the deciduous dentition in the use of interdental wiring. 4. Understand reasons why techniques specific to adult fractures may not be applicable to the growing mandible. 5. Understand the etiology and epidemiology of pediatric mandibular fractures. 6. Understand the reasons for conservative (closed) versus aggressive (open) treatment of mandibular injury. Fractures of the pediatric mandible are complicated by the anatomic complexity of the developing mandible, particularly by the presence of tooth buds and the eruption of deciduous and permanent teeth. Traditional methods of fracture reduction and fixation employed in adults have little applicability in the pediatric population. The authors describe the surgical techniques that have been used at their institution and those that can be used safely in the pediatric setting. In most cases, "conservative" management is the preferred option, especially in the treatment of condylar fractures. In cases requiring surgical intervention, interdental wiring, drop wires in combination with circummandibular wires, and acrylic splints are suited well to specific phases of dental maturation. Open reduction and internal fixation using monocortical screws and microplates or resorbable plates and screws are acceptable techniques in the pediatric patient, but they require special safeguards. Algorithms are presented to simplify management of these complicated injuries.

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieto, Antonio; Mazon, Angel; Martin-Mateos, Maria Anunciacion; Plaza, Ana-Maria; Garde, Jesus; Alonso, Elena; Martorell, Antonio; Boquete, Manuel; Lorente, Felix; Ibero, Marcel; Bone, Javier; Pamies, Rafael; Garcia, Juan Miguel; Echeverria, Luis; Nevot, Santiago; Martinez-Cañavate, Ana; Fernandez-Benitez, Margarita; Garcia-Marcos, Luis

2011-11-01

The data of the ISAAC project in Spain show a prevalence of childhood asthma ranging from 7.1% to 15.3%, with regional differences; a higher prevalence, 22.6% to 35.8%, is described for rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis is found in 4.1% to 7.6% of children. The prevalence of food allergy is 3%. All children in Spain have the right to be visited in the National Health System. The medical care at the primary level is provided by pediatricians, who have obtained their titles through a 4-yr medical residency training program. The education on pediatric allergy during that period is not compulsory and thus very variable. There are currently 112 certified European pediatric allergists in Spain, who have obtained the accreditation of the European Union of Medical Specialist for proven skills and experience in pediatric allergy. Future specialists in pediatric allergy should obtain their titles through a specific education program to be developed in one of the four accredited training units on pediatric allergy, after obtaining the title on pediatrics. The Spanish Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SEICAP) gathers over 350 pediatric allergists and pediatricians working in this field. SEICAP has a growing activity including yearly congresses, continued education courses, elaboration of technical clinical documents and protocols, education of patients, and collaboration with other scientific societies and associations of patients. The official journal of SEICAP is Allergologia et Immunophatologia, published every 2 months since 1972. The web site of SEICAP, http://www.seicap.es, open since 2004, offers information for professionals and extensive information on pediatric allergic and immunologic disorders for the lay public; the web site is receiving 750 daily visits during 2011. The pediatric allergy units are very active in clinical work, procedures as immunotherapy or induction of oral tolerance in food allergy, contribution to scientific literature, and

Blood Pressure Control: Stroke and Stroke Prevention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans-Christoph Diener

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor for primary and secondary stroke prevention.All antihypertensive drugs are effective in primary prevention: the risk reduction for stroke is 30—42%. However, not all classes of drugs have the same effects: there is some indication that angiotensin receptor blockers may be superior to other classes of antihypertensive drugs in stroke prevention.Seventy-five percent of patients who present to hospital with acute stroke have elevated blood pressure within the first 24—48 hours. Extremes of systolic blood pressure (SBP increase the risk of death or dependency. The aim of treatment should be to achieve and maintain the SBP in the range 140—160 mmHg. However, fast and drastic blood pressure lowering can have adverse consequences.The PROGRESS trial of secondary prevention with perindopril + indapamide versus placebo + placebo showed a decrease in numbers of stroke recurrences in patients given both active antihypertensive agents, more impressive for cerebral haemorrhage.There were also indications that active treatment might decrease the development of post-stroke dementia.

History of pediatric cardiology in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Saxena

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In India, the discipline of cardiology started in the late 1950s and at that time pediatric cardiology was practiced as a part of cardiology specialty. This article traces the history of pediatric cardiology in India. Dr. S. Padmawati and Dr. Kamala Vytilingam underwent training in pediatric cardiology at international centers in the early 1950s and early 1960s. Dr. N. Gopinath successfully closed a ventricular septal defect using a pump oxygenator at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Open heart surgery program kicked off in the 1960s with the tireless efforts of many other surgeons. Dr. Rajendra Tandon, trained for 2 years at Boston Children Hospital under Dr. Alexander Nadas, joined the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in 1963. This and many other stories are described.

Hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes compared: stroke severity, mortality, and risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Klaus Kaae; Olsen, Tom Skyhøj; Dehlendorff, Christian; Kammersgaard, Lars Peter

2009-06-01

Stroke patients with hemorrhagic (HS) and ischemic strokes were compared with regard to stroke severity, mortality, and cardiovascular risk factors. A registry started in 2001, with the aim of registering all hospitalized stroke patients in Denmark, now holds information for 39,484 patients. The patients underwent an evaluation including stroke severity (Scandinavian Stroke Scale), CT, and cardiovascular risk factors. They were followed-up from admission until death or censoring in 2007. Independent predictors of death were identified by means of a survival model based on 25,123 individuals with a complete data set. Of the patients 3993 (10.1%) had HS. Stroke severity was almost linearly related to the probability of having HS (2% in patients with the mildest stroke and 30% in those with the most severe strokes). Factors favoring ischemic strokes vs HS were diabetes, atrial fibrillation, previous myocardial infarction, previous stroke, and intermittent arterial claudication. Smoking and alcohol consumption favored HS, whereas age, sex, and hypertension did not herald stroke type. Compared with ischemic strokes, HS was associated with an overall higher mortality risk (HR, 1.564; 95% CI, 1.441-1.696). The increased risk was, however, time-dependent; initially, risk was 4-fold, after 1 week it was 2.5-fold, and after 3 weeks it was 1.5-fold. After 3 months stroke type did not correlate to mortality. Strokes are generally more severe in patients with HS. Within the first 3 months after stroke, HS is associated with a considerable increase of mortality, which is specifically associated with the hemorrhagic nature of the lesion.

Stroke Care 2: Stroke rehabilitation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Langhorne, P.; Bernhardt, J.; Kwakkel, G.

2011-01-01

Stroke is a common, serious, and disabling global health-care problem, and rehabilitation is a major part of patient care. There is evidence to support rehabilitation in well coordinated multidisciplinary stroke units or through provision of early supported provision of discharge teams. Potentially

Case report. Neurosyphilis Masquerading as Stroke in an 84-year-old

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bologa Cristina

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The case of an 84 years old woman with uncharacteristic neurologic and cognitive symptoms, suspected of ischemic stroke is presented. Following an extensive assessment in the departments of neurology and internal medicine, the unusual aetiology of stroke was identified as meningovascular neurosyphilis. The patient fully recovered after antibiotic therapy. To our knowledge, this the eldest patient with tertiary neurosyphilis reported in the literature.

Airplane stroke syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Humaidan, Hani; Yassi, Nawaf; Weir, Louise; Davis, Stephen M; Meretoja, Atte

2016-07-01

Only 37 cases of stroke during or soon after long-haul flights have been published to our knowledge. In this retrospective observational study, we searched the Royal Melbourne Hospital prospective stroke database and all discharge summaries from 1 September 2003 to 30 September 2014 for flight-related strokes, defined as patients presenting with stroke within 14days of air travel. We hypothesised that a patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an important, but not the only mechanism, of flight-related stroke. We describe the patient, stroke, and flight characteristics. Over the study period, 131 million passengers arrived at Melbourne airport. Our centre admitted 5727 stroke patients, of whom 42 (0.73%) had flight-related strokes. Flight-related stroke patients were younger (median age 65 versus 73, p<0.001), had similar stroke severity, and received intravenous thrombolysis more often than non-flight-related stroke patients. Seven patients had flight-related intracerebral haemorrhage. The aetiology of the ischaemic strokes was cardioembolic in 14/35 (40%), including seven patients with confirmed PFO, one with atrial septal defect, four with atrial fibrillation, one with endocarditis, and one with aortic arch atheroma. Paradoxical embolism was confirmed in six patients. Stroke related to air travel is a rare occurrence, less than one in a million. Although 20% of patients had a PFO, distribution of stroke aetiologies was diverse and was not limited to PFO and paradoxical embolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing acute complications of sickle cell disease in pediatric patients [digest].

Science.gov (United States)

Subramaniam, Sathyaseelan; Chao, Jennifer H; Chaudhari, Pradip

2016-11-22

Sickle cell disease is a chronic hematologic disease with a variety of acute, and often recurring, complications. Vaso-occlusive crisis, a unique but common presentation in sickle cell disease, can be challenging to manage. Acute chest syndrome is the leading cause of death in patients with sickle cell disease, occurring in more than half of patients who are hospitalized with a vaso-occlusive crisis. Uncommon diagnoses in children, such as stroke, priapism, and transient red cell aplasia, occur more frequently in patients with sickle cell disease and necessitate a degree of familiarity with the disease process and its management. Patients with sickle cell trait generally have a benign course, but are also subject to serious complications. This issue provides a current review of evidence-based management of the most common acute complications of sickle cell disease seen in pediatric patients in the emergency department. [Points & Pearls is a digest of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice].

Important factors influencing the return to work after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying-Chih; Kapellusch, Jay; Garg, Arun

2014-01-01

As the field of rehabilitation shifts its focus towards improving functional capacity instead of managing disability, return to work (RTW) and return to the community emerge as key goals in a person's recovery from major disabling illness such as stroke. To compile important factors believed to influence RTW after a stroke. Based on a comprehensive literature review, we clustered similar factors and organized these factors based on the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF) framework: body functions or structure, activity participation, environmental factors and personal and psychosocial factors. Overall, stroke severity, as assessed by the degree of residual disability such as weakness, neurological deficit or impairments (speech, cognition, apraxia, agnosia), has been shown to be the most consistent negative predictor of RTW. Many factors such as the number of working years remaining until retirement, depression, medical history, and occupation need to be taken into consideration for stroke survivors, as they can influence RTW decision making. Stroke survivors who are flexible and realistic in their vocational goal and emotionally accept their disability appear more likely to return to work. There are many barriers to employment for stroke survivors ranging from physical and cognitive impairments to psychosocial and environmental factors.

Stroke Rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Belagaje, Samir R

2017-02-01

Rehabilitation is an important aspect of the continuum of care in stroke. With advances in the acute treatment of stroke, more patients will survive stroke with varying degrees of disability. Research in the past decade has expanded our understanding of the mechanisms underlying stroke recovery and has led to the development of new treatment modalities. This article reviews and summarizes the key concepts related to poststroke recovery. Good data now exist by which one can predict recovery, especially motor recovery, very soon after stroke onset. Recent trials have not demonstrated a clear benefit associated with very early initiation of rehabilitative therapy after stroke in terms of improvement in poststroke outcomes. However, growing evidence suggests that shorter and more frequent sessions of therapy can be safely started in the first 24 to 48 hours after a stroke. The optimal amount or dose of therapy for stroke remains undetermined, as more intensive treatments have not been associated with better outcomes compared to standard intensities of therapy. Poststroke depression adversely affects recovery across a variety of measures and is an important target for therapy. Additionally, the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) appears to benefit motor recovery through pleiotropic mechanisms beyond their antidepressant effect. Other pharmacologic approaches also appear to have a benefit in stroke rehabilitation. A comprehensive rehabilitation program is essential to optimize poststroke outcomes. Rehabilitation is a process that uses three major principles of recovery: adaptation, restitution, and neuroplasticity. Based on these principles, multiple different approaches, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic, exist to enhance rehabilitation. In addition to neurologists, a variety of health care professionals are involved in stroke rehabilitation. Successful rehabilitation involves understanding the natural history of stroke recovery and a

[Moyamoya disease as a rare cause of ischaemic stroke--case report].

Science.gov (United States)

Kułakowska, Alina; Kapica-Topczewska, Katarzyna; Borowik, Helena; Drozdowski, Wiesław

2009-10-01

Moyamoya disease is a rare, progressive disease of the vessels diagnosed according to characteristic abnormalities of brain arteries in the angiography. The incidence of moyamoya disease in Europe is lower than in Asia and its clinical course in European population is probably different from Asiatic (older age of onset and rare incidence of hemorrhagic strokes). Two young patients were diagnosed as moyamoya disease on the basis of clinical symptoms (ischaemic stroke) and results of brain vessels' angiography, which documented an occlusion of both internal carotid arteries above branching-off the ocular arteries in the first patient and stenosis of distal internal carotid arteries and proximal medial and anterior cerebral arteries in the second one. Both patients are under control of the Neurological Outpatient Department and their neurological state is stable. Despite that moyamoya disease is a rare cause of ischaemic stroke, it should be always considered as one of etiologic factors, especially in young patients.

Treatment of AKI in developing and developed countries: An international survey of pediatric dialysis modalities.

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Rupesh Raina

Full Text Available Acute kidney injury (AKI is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a pediatric incidence ranging from 19.3% to 24.1%. Treatment of pediatric AKI is a source of debate in varying geographical regions. Currently CRRT is the treatment for pediatric AKI, but limitations due to cost and accessibility force use of adult equipment and other therapeutic options such as peritoneal dialysis (PD and hemodialysis (HD. It was hypothesized that more cost-effective measures would likely be used in developing countries due to lesser resource availability.A 26-question internet-based survey was distributed to 650 pediatric Nephrologists. There was a response rate of 34.3% (223 responses. The survey was distributed via pedneph and pcrrt email servers, inquiring about demographics, technology, resources, pediatric-specific supplies, and preference in renal replacement therapy (RRT in pediatric AKI. The main method of analysis was to compare responses about treatments between nephrologists in developed countries and nephrologists in developing countries using difference-of-proportions tests.PD was available in all centers surveyed, while HD was available in 85.1% and 54.1% (p = 0.00, CRRT was available in 60% and 33.3% (p = 0.001, and SLED was available in 20% and 25% (p = 0.45 centers of developed and developing world respectively. In developing countries, 68.5% (p = 0.000 of physicians preferred PD to costlier therapies, while in developed countries it was found that physicians favored HD (72%, p = 0.00 or CRRT (24%, p = 0.041 in infants.Lack of availability of resources, trained physicians and funds often preclude standards of care in developing countries, and there is much development needed in terms of meeting higher global standards for treating pediatric AKI patients. PD remains the main modality of choice for treatment of AKI in infants in developing world.

Assessment of pediatric residents burnout in a tertiary academic centre

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Roaa S. Jamjoom

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To study burnout among pediatric residents at King Abdulazaiz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey that was administered to all pediatric residents enrolled in the Saudi Paediatric Board program (PGY1-PGY4 in a large tertiary academic hospital in the Western region of Saudi Arabia (King Abdulaziz University Hospital. The survey were sent via E-mail to 50 registered general pediatric residents. Results: Seventy percent of the pediatric residents completed the survey. More than 70% of residents experiencing severe burnout. Forty-three percent suffering emotional exhaustion, 71.8% experiencing depersonalization and 40.6% suffering from low accomplishment. Conclusion: Burnout syndrome appear to be a serious threat to resident well-being in our program. Moreover, pediatric residents in our institute experienced higher levels of depersonalization than their peers nationally and internationally.

Estimating the cost-effectiveness of stroke units in France compared with conventional care.

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Launois, R; Giroud, M; Mégnigbêto, A C; Le Lay, K; Présenté, G; Mahagne, M H; Durand, I; Gaudin, A F

2004-03-01

The incidence of stroke in France is estimated at between 120 000 and 150 000 cases per year. This modeling study assessed the clinical and economic benefits of establishing specialized stroke units compared with conventional care. Data from the Dijon stroke registry were used to determine healthcare trajectories according to the degree of autonomy and organization of patient care. The relative risks of death or institutionalization or death or dependence after passage through a stroke unit were compared with conventional care. These risks were then inserted with the costing data into a Markov model to estimate the cost-effectiveness of stroke units. Patients cared for in a stroke unit survive more trimesters without sequelae in the 5 years after hospitalization than those cared for conventionally (11.6 versus 8.28 trimesters). The mean cost per patient at 5 years was estimated at 30 983 for conventional care and 34 638 in a stroke unit. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for stroke units of 1359 per year of life gained without disability was estimated. The cost-effectiveness ratio for stroke units is much lower than the threshold (53 400 ) of acceptability recognized by the international scientific community. This finding justifies organizational changes in the management of stroke patients and the establishment of stroke units in France.

Ethnic differences in ischemic stroke subtypes in young-onset stroke: the Stroke Prevention in Young Adults Study.

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Trivedi, Megh M; Ryan, Kathleen A; Cole, John W

2015-10-29

Prior studies indicate that young African-Americans (AA) have a greater frequency of ischemic stroke than similarly aged European-Americans (EA). We hypothesized that differences in stroke subtype frequency mediated through sex and differing risk factor profiles may play a role in ethnicity-specific stroke. Utilizing our biracial young-onset stroke population, we explored these relationships. Fifty nine hospitals in the Baltimore-Washington area participated in a population-based study of young-onset stroke in men (218-AA, 291-EA) and women (219-AA, 222-EA) aged 16-49. Data on age, sex, ethnicity and stroke risk factors (hypertension (HTN) and smoking) were gathered through standardized interview. A pair of vascular neurologists adjudicated each case to determine TOAST subtype. Logistic regression analyses evaluating for differences in stroke risk factors by TOAST subtype were performed. Analyses controlling for age and sex demonstrated that AA were more likely to have a lacunar stroke than EA (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.12-2.32; p = 0.011) when utilizing the other TOAST subtypes as the reference group. This effect was mediated by HTN, which increases the risk of lacunar stroke (OR = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.38-2.98; p = 0.0003) and large artery stroke (OR = 1.70; 95% CI = 1.01-2.88; p = 0.048) when controlling for sex, ethnicity, and age. Cases below age 40 were more likely to have a cardioembolic stroke than those above age 40 (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.15-2.27; p = 0.006), controlling for sex and ethnicity. Lastly, current smokers were more likely to have a large artery stroke than non-smokers (OR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.08-2.98; p = 0.024). Our population-based data demonstrate ethnic differences in ischemic stroke subtypes. These findings may help clarify mechanisms of stroke in young adults which may in part be driven by ethnic-specific differences in early-onset traditional risk factors, thereby indicating differing emphasis on workup and prevention.

The Fangshan/Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC protocol

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Chen Dafang

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The exact etiology of ischemic stroke remains unclear, because multiple genetic predispositions and environmental risk factors may be involved, and their interactions dictate the complexity. Family-based studies provide unique features in design, while they are currently underrepresented for studies of ischemic stroke in developing countries. The Fangshan/Family-based Ischemic Stroke Study In China (FISSIC program aims to conduct a genetic pedigree study of ischemic stroke in rural communities of China. Methods/Design The pedigrees of ischemic stroke with clear documentation are recruited by using the proband-initiated contact method, based on the stroke registry in hospital and communities. Blood samples and detailed information of pedigrees are collected through the health care network in the rural area, and prospective follow-up of the pedigrees cohort is scheduled. Complementary strategies of both family-based design and matched case-spousal control design are used, and comprehensive statistical methods will be implemented to ascertain potential complex genetic and environmental factors and their interactions as well. Discussion This study is complementary to other genetic pedigree studies of ischemic stroke, such as the Siblings With Ischemic Stroke Study (SWISS, which are established in developed countries. We describe the protocol of this family-based genetic epidemiological study that may be used as a new practical guideline and research paradigm in developing countries and facilitate initiatives of stroke study for international collaborations.

Clinical efficacy of open reduction and semirigid internal fixation in management of displaced pediatric mandibular fractures: A series of 10 cases and surgical guidelines

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Samir Joshi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of open reduction and semirigid internal fixation in the management of displaced pediatric mandibular fractures. Method: Ten patients with displaced mandibular fractures treated with 1.5 mm four holed titanium mini-plate and 4 mm screws which were removed within four month after surgery. Results: All cases showed satisfactory bone healing without any growth disturbance. Conclusion: Open reduction and rigid internal fixation (ORIF with 1.5 mm titanium mini- plates and 4 mm screws is a reliable and safe method in treatment of displaced paediatric mandibular fractures.

Clinical efficacy of open reduction and semirigid internal fixation in management of displaced pediatric mandibular fractures: a series of 10 cases and surgical guidelines.

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Joshi, Samir; Kshirsagar, Rajesh; Mishra, Akshay; Shah, Rahul

2015-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of open reduction and semirigid internal fixation in the management of displaced pediatric mandibular fractures. Ten patients with displaced mandibular fractures treated with 1.5 mm four holed titanium mini-plate and 4 mm screws which were removed within four month after surgery. All cases showed satisfactory bone healing without any growth disturbance. Open reduction and rigid internal fixation (ORIF) with 1.5 mm titanium mini- plates and 4 mm screws is a reliable and safe method in treatment of displaced paediatric mandibular fractures.

Internet resources and web pages for pediatric surgeons.

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Lugo-Vicente, H

2000-02-01

The Internet, the largest network of connected computers, provides immediate, dynamic, and downloadable information. By re-architecturing the work place and becoming familiar with Internet resources, pediatric surgeons have anticipated the informatics capabilities of this computer-based technology creating a new vision of work and organization in such areas as patient care, teaching, and research. This review aims to highlight how Internet navigational technology can be a useful educational resource in pediatric surgery, examines web pages of interest, and defines ideas of network communication. Basic Internet resources are electronic mail, discussion groups, file transfer, and the Worldwide Web (WWW). Electronic mailing is the most useful resource extending the avenue of learning to an international audience through news or list-servers groups. Pediatric Surgery List Server, the most popular discussion group, is a constant forum for exchange of ideas, difficult cases, consensus on management, and development of our specialty. The WWW provides an all-in-one medium of text, image, sound, and video. Associations, departments, educational sites, organizations, peer-reviewed scientific journals and Medline database web pages of prime interest to pediatric surgeons have been developing at an amazing pace. Future developments of technological advance nurturing our specialty will consist of online journals, telemedicine, international chatting, computer-based training for surgical education, and centralization of cyberspace information into database search sites.

A review of the Journal of Pediatrics: the first 75 years.

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Hellems, Martha A; Gurka, Kelly K; Hayden, Gregory F

2009-07-01

To assess changes in the format and content of articles published in The Journal of Pediatrics to aid in understanding the current state of pediatric research and to anticipate what to expect in the coming years. We conducted a retrospective review of case reports, research articles, and review articles published in volume 150 of The Journal. We noted components of study authorship, content, and design and compared these data with those in earlier volumes. The numbers of authors and grants per article and the proportion of studies with international authorship have all increased. Print circulation has dropped, but The Journal is now available in electronic format. Research topics shifted, with fewer articles devoted to infectious disease and general pediatrics. An increase in articles about endocrinology reflects a surge of interest in pediatric obesity. Most articles contain original research, reporting analyses from observational studies with few clinical trials. Recent trends suggest that readers of The Journal should expect more research articles with observational designs and increasing international authorship. The Journal's electronic presence will likely increase and provide greater readership globally.

Sexual function in post-stroke patients: considerations for rehabilitation.

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Rosenbaum, Talli; Vadas, Dor; Kalichman, Leonid

2014-01-01

While the rehabilitation goals of post-stroke patients include improving quality of life and returning to functional activities, the extent to which sexual activity is addressed as part of the standard rehabilitation process is unknown. Moreover, the specific sexual concerns of stroke patients, including the effect of stroke on intimate relationships and sexuality of the partner, the ability to physically engage in sex, and the effect of psychological components such as role identity, depression, and anxiety on sexuality, all warrant examination by rehabilitation professionals. The aim of this study is to examine the existing literature on sexuality and stroke patients in order to better understand how the sexual lives of stroke patients and their partners are affected and to provide recommendations to rehabilitation professionals for addressing sexuality as part of treatment. Narrative review, PubMed, PEDro, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases (inception-December 2012) were searched for the key words "stroke," "sexual dysfunction," "sexuality," "quality of life," and their combination. All relevant articles in English and secondary references were reviewed. We report the results of the literature review. Sexual dysfunction and decreased sexual satisfaction are common in the post-stroke population and are related to physical, psychosocial, and relational factors. However, they are not adequately addressed in post-stroke rehabilitation. As sexual function is an important component to quality of life and activities of daily living, physicians and rehabilitation specialists, including physical, occupational, and speech therapists, should receive training in addressing sexuality in the treatment of post-stroke patients. Sexologists and sex therapists should be an integral part of the rehabilitation team. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Internationalization of pediatric sleep apnea research.

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Milkov, Mario

2012-02-01

Recently, the socio-medical importance of obstructive sleep apnea in infancy and childhood increases worldwide. The present investigation aims at analyzing the dynamic science internationalization in this narrow field as reflected in three data-bases and at outlining the most significant scientists, institutions and primary information sources. A scientometric study of data from a retrospective problem-oriented search on pediatric sleep apnea in three data-bases such as Web of Science, MEDLINE and Scopus was carried out. A set of parameters of publication output and citations was followed-up. Several scientometric distributions were created and enabled the identification of some essential peculiarities of the international scientific communications. There was a steady world publication output increase. In 1972-2010, 4192 publications from 874 journals were abstracted in MEDLINE. In 1985-2010, more than 8100 authors from 64 countries published 3213 papers in 626 journals and 256 conference proceedings abstracted in Web of Science. In 1973-2010, 152 authors published 687 papers in 144 journals in 19 languages abstracted in Scopus. USA authors dominated followed by those from Australia and Canada. Sleep, Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol., Pediatr. Pulmonol. and Pediatrics belonged to 'core' journals concerning Web of Science and MEDLINE while Arch. Dis. Childh. and Eur. Respir. J. dominated in Scopus. Nine journals being currently published in 5 countries contained the terms of 'sleep' or 'sleeping' in their titles. David Gozal, Carole L. Marcus and Christian Guilleminault presented with most publications and citations to them. W.H. Dietz' paper published in Pediatrics in 1998 received 764 citations. Eighty-four authors from 11 countries participated in 16 scientific events held in 12 countries which were immediately devoted to sleep research. Their 13 articles were cited 170 times in Web of Science. Authors from the University of Louisville, Stanford University, and

Outcome Determinants of Stroke in a Brazilian Primary Stroke Center

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Gustavo W. Kuster

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Stroke mortality in Brazil is one of the highest among Western countries. Nonetheless, stroke outcome determinants are still poorly known in this country. In this study we evaluate outcome determinants of stroke in a primary stroke center in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods. We evaluated demographic, clinical, and outcome data of patients with ischemic stroke (IS, transient ischemic attack (TIA, and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH admitted at “Hospital Paulistano,” São Paulo, Brazil. In-hospital mortality and functional outcome determinants were assessed. Univariate and binary logistic regression analysis were performed. Results. Three hundred forty-one patients were included in the study, 52.2% being male with 66.8±15.7 years. The stroke type distribution was IS: 59.2%, TIA: 29.6%, and ICH: 11.1%. ICH was associated with greater severity and poorer functional outcome. The determinants of poorer functional outcome were higher NIHSS, lower Glasgow score, and lower oxygen saturation level. The most important mortality determinant was the presence of visual symptoms. Conclusions. The stroke mortality and stroke outcome determinants found in the present study do not remarkably differ from studies carried out in developed countries. Stroke prognosis studies are crucial to better understand the high burden of stroke in Brazil.

Secondary prevention of stroke in Saskatchewan, Canada: hypertension control.

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Bartsch, Janelle Ann; Teare, Gary F; Neufeld, Anne; Hudema, Nedeene; Muhajarine, Nazeem

2013-10-01

and March 31, 2008. The results of this study indicate that the management of hypertension for secondary stroke prevention is sub-optimal in Saskatchewan. Although there was some improvement over the time period, approximately 40% of patients were not taking antihypertensives at 90 days after discharge from acute care. The correlates, urban/non-urban, previous use of antihypertensive drugs and effect of age modified by sex, were found to be significantly associated with receiving hypertensive secondary stroke prevention, suggesting there are modifiable factors that contribute to variations in this form of secondary stroke care quality in Saskatchewan. The results of this study suggest that there is a need for province-wide improvement to secondary stroke prevention in Saskatchewan, Canada. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Comparison of cardiovascular risk factors and survival in patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke.

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Henriksson, Karin M; Farahmand, Bahman; Åsberg, Signild; Edvardsson, Nils; Terént, Andreas

2012-06-01

Differences in risk factor profiles between patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke may have an impact on subsequent mortality. To explore cardiovascular disease risk factors, including the CHADS(2) score, with survival after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Between 2001 and 2005, 87 111 (83%) ischemic stroke, 12 497 (12%) hemorrhagic stroke, and 5435 (5%) patients with unspecified stroke were identified in the Swedish Stroke Register. Data on gender, age, and cardiovascular disease risk factors were linked to the Swedish Hospital Discharge and Cause of Death Registers. Adjusted odds and hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval were calculated using logistic and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Hemorrhagic stroke patients were younger than ischemic stroke patients. All cardiovascular disease risk factors studied, alone or combined in the CHADS(2) score, were associated with higher odds ratios for ischemic stroke vs. hemorrhagic stroke. Higher CHADS(2) scores and all studied risk factors except hypertension were associated with higher odds ratio for death by ischemic stroke than hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke was associated with lower early mortality (within 30 days) vs. hemorrhagic stroke (hazard ratio = 0·28, confidence interval 0·27 to 0·29). Patients with hemorrhagic stroke had a higher risk of dying within the first 30 days after stroke, but the risk of death was similar in the two groups after one-month. Hypertension was the only cardiovascular disease risk factor associated with an increased mortality rate for hemorrhagic stroke as compared to ischemic stroke. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2011 World Stroke Organization.

Building a Community of Practice for Researchers: The International Network for Simulation-Based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education.

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Cheng, Adam; Auerbach, Marc; Calhoun, Aaron; Mackinnon, Ralph; Chang, Todd P; Nadkarni, Vinay; Hunt, Elizabeth A; Duval-Arnould, Jordan; Peiris, Nicola; Kessler, David

2018-06-01

The scope and breadth of simulation-based research is growing rapidly; however, few mechanisms exist for conducting multicenter, collaborative research. Failure to foster collaborative research efforts is a critical gap that lies in the path of advancing healthcare simulation. The 2017 Research Summit hosted by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare highlighted how simulation-based research networks can produce studies that positively impact the delivery of healthcare. In 2011, the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education (INSPIRE) was formed to facilitate multicenter, collaborative simulation-based research with the aim of developing a community of practice for simulation researchers. Since its formation, the network has successfully completed and published numerous collaborative research projects. In this article, we describe INSPIRE's history, structure, and internal processes with the goal of highlighting the community of practice model for other groups seeking to form a simulation-based research network.

Atherosclerosis and Stroke

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... Stroke Association.org Professionals for Stroke Association.org Shop for Stroke Association.org Support for Stroke Association. ... endothelium significantly. The artery’s diameter shrinks and blood flow decreases, reducing oxygen supply. How atherosclerotic plaque causes ...

Hemorrhagic and Ischemic Strokes Compared Stroke Severity, Mortality, and Risk Factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Klaus Kaae; Olsen, T. S.; Dehlendorff, Christian

2009-01-01

were diabetes, atrial fibrillation, previous myocardial infarction, previous stroke, and intermittent arterial claudication. Smoking and alcohol consumption favored HS, whereas age, sex, and hypertension did not herald stroke type. Compared with ischemic strokes, HS was associated with an overall...... higher mortality risk (HR, 1.564; 95% CI, 1.441-1.696). The increased risk was, however, time-dependent; initially, risk was 4-fold, after 1 week it was 2.5-fold, and after 3 weeks it was 1.5-fold. After 3 months stroke type did not correlate to mortality. Conclusion-Strokes are generally more severe...... based on 25 123 individuals with a complete data set. Results-Of the patients 3993 (10.1%) had HS. Stroke severity was almost linearly related to the probability of having HS (2% in patients with the mildest stroke and 30% in those with the most severe strokes). Factors favoring ischemic strokes vs HS...

Simulation-Based Educational Module Improves Intern and Medical Student Performance of Closed Reduction and Percutaneous Pinning of Pediatric Supracondylar Humeral Fractures.

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Butler, Bennet A; Lawton, Cort D; Burgess, Jamie; Balderama, Earvin S; Barsness, Katherine A; Sarwark, John F

2017-12-06

Simulation-based education has been integrated into many orthopaedic residency programs to augment traditional teaching models. Here we describe the development and implementation of a combined didactic and simulation-based course for teaching medical students and interns how to properly perform a closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of a pediatric supracondylar humeral fracture. Subjects included in the study were either orthopaedic surgery interns or subinterns at our institution. Subjects all completed a combined didactic and simulation-based course on pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures. The first part of this course was an electronic (e)-learning module that the subjects could complete at home in approximately 40 minutes. The second part of the course was a 20-minute simulation-based skills learning session completed in the simulation center. Subject knowledge of closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of supracondylar humeral fractures was tested using a 30-question, multiple-choice, written test. Surgical skills were tested in the operating room or in a simulated operating room. Subject pre-intervention and post-intervention scores were compared to determine if and how much they had improved. A total of 21 subjects were tested. These subjects significantly improved their scores on both the written, multiple-choice test and skills test after completing the combined didactic and simulation module. Prior to the module, intern and subintern multiple-choice test scores were significantly worse than postgraduate year (PGY)-2 to PGY-5 resident scores (p < 0.01); after completion of the module, there was no significant difference in the multiple-choice test scores. After completing the module, there was no significant difference in skills test scores between interns and PGY-2 to PGY-5 residents. Both tests were validated using the scores obtained from PGY-2 to PGY-5 residents. Our combined didactic and simulation course significantly improved intern and

Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: definition, incidence, and epidemiology: proceedings from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.

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Khemani, Robinder G; Smith, Lincoln S; Zimmerman, Jerry J; Erickson, Simon

2015-06-01

Although there are similarities in the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults and children, pediatric-specific practice patterns, comorbidities, and differences in outcome necessitate a pediatric-specific definition. We sought to create such a definition. A subgroup of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome investigators who drafted a pediatric-specific definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome based on consensus opinion and supported by detailed literature review tested elements of the definition with patient data from previously published investigations. International PICUs. Children enrolled in published investigations of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. None. Several aspects of the proposed pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome definition align with the Berlin Definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults: timing of acute respiratory distress syndrome after a known risk factor, the potential for acute respiratory distress syndrome to coexist with left ventricular dysfunction, and the importance of identifying a group of patients at risk to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome. There are insufficient data to support any specific age for "adult" acute respiratory distress syndrome compared with "pediatric" acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, children with perinatal-related respiratory failure should be excluded from the definition of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Larger departures from the Berlin Definition surround 1) simplification of chest imaging criteria to eliminate bilateral infiltrates; 2) use of pulse oximetry-based criteria when PaO2 is unavailable; 3) inclusion of oxygenation index and oxygen saturation index instead of PaO2/FIO2 ratio with a minimum positive end-expiratory pressure level for invasively ventilated patients; 4) and specific inclusion of children with preexisting chronic lung disease or cyanotic congenital heart disease. This

Stroke etiology and collaterals: atheroembolic strokes have greater collateral recruitment than cardioembolic strokes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebello, L C; Bouslama, M; Haussen, D C; Grossberg, J A; Dehkharghani, S; Anderson, A; Belagaje, S R; Bianchi, N A; Grigoryan, M; Frankel, M R; Nogueira, R G

2017-06-01

Chronic hypoperfusion from athero-stenotic lesions is thought to lead to better collateral recruitment compared to cardioembolic strokes. It was sought to compare collateral flow in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) versus stroke patients with cervical atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease (CASOD). This was a retrospective review of a prospectively collected endovascular database. Patients with (i) anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke, (ii) pre-treatment computed tomography angiography (CTA) and (iii) intracranial embolism from AF or CASOD were included. CTA collateral patterns were evaluated and categorized into two groups: absent/poor collaterals (CTA collateral score 0-1) versus moderate/good collaterals (CTA collateral score 2-4). CT perfusion was also utilized for baseline core volume and evaluation of infarct growth. A total of 122 patients fitted the inclusion criteria, of whom 88 (72%) had AF and 34 (27%) CASOD. Patients with AF were older (P Collateral scores were lower in the AF group (P = 0.01) with patients having poor collaterals in 28% of cases versus 9% in the CASOD group (P = 0.03). Mortality rates (20% vs. 0%; P = 0.02) were higher in the AF patients whilst rates of any parenchymal hemorrhage (6% vs. 26%; P collaterals (odds ratio 4.70; 95% confidence interval 1.17-18.79; P = 0.03). Atheroembolic strokes seem to be associated with better collateral flow compared to cardioembolic strokes. This may in part explain the worse outcomes of AF-related stroke. © 2017 EAN.

Virtual Pediatric Hospital

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... Thoracopaedia - An Imaging Encyclopedia of Pediatric Thoracic Disease Virtual Pediatric Hospital is the Apprentice's Assistant™ Last revised ... pediatric resources: GeneralPediatrics.com | PediatricEducation.org | SearchingPediatrics.com Virtual Pediatric Hospital is curated by Donna M. D' ...

Assessing the impact of upper limb disability following stroke: a qualitative enquiry using internet-based personal accounts of stroke survivors.

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Poltawski, Leon; Allison, Rhoda; Briscoe, Simon; Freeman, Jennifer; Kilbride, Cherry; Neal, Debbie; Turton, Ailie J; Dean, Sarah

2016-01-01

Upper limb disability following stroke may have multiple effects on the individual. Existing assessment instruments tend to focus on impairment and function and may miss other changes that are personally important. This study aimed to identify personally significant impacts of upper limb disability following stroke. Accounts by stroke survivors, in the form of web-based diaries (blogs) and stories, were sought using a blog search engine and in stroke-related web-sites. Thematic analysis using the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) was used to identify personal impacts of upper limb disability following stroke. Ninety-nine sources from at least four countries were analysed. Many impacts were classifiable using the ICF, but a number of additional themes emerged, including emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes. Blogs and other web-based accounts were easily accessible and rich sources of data, although using them raised several methodological issues, including potential sample bias. A range of impacts was identified, some of which (such as use of information technology and alienation from the upper limb) are not addressed in current assessment instruments. They should be considered in post-stroke assessments. Blogs may help in the development of more comprehensive assessments. A comprehensive assessment of the upper limb following stroke should include the impact of upper limb problems on social participation, as well as associated emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes. Using personalised assessment instruments alongside standardised measures may help ensure that these broader domains are considered in discussions between clinicians and patients. Rehabilitation researchers should investigate whether and how these domains could be addressed and operationalised in standard upper limb assessment instruments.

Osteoprotegerin concentrations and prognosis in acute ischaemic stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jesper Khédri; Ueland, T; Gullestad, L

2010-01-01

Abstract. Jensen JK, Ueland T, Atar D, Gullestad L, Mickley H, Aukrust P, Januzzi JL (Odense University Hospital, Denmark; Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Massachusetts General Hospital, USA). Osteoprotegerin concentrations and prognosis in acute ischaemic stroke. J Intern Med 2009; doi: 10.1111/j...

Continuing stability of center differences in pediatric diabetes care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Beaufort, Carine E.; Swift, Peter G.F.; Skinner, Chas T.

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE- To reevaluate the persistence and stability of previously observed differences between pediatric diabetes centers and to investigate the influence of demography, language communication problems, and changes in insulin regimens on metabolic outcome, hypoglycemia, and ketoacidosis....... CONCLUSIONS - Despite many changes in diabetes management, major differences in metabolic outcome between 21 international pediatric diabetes centers persist. Different application between centers in the implementation of insulin treatment appears to be of more importance and needs further exploration....

Pediatric Specialists

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... Healthy Children > Family Life > Medical Home > Pediatric Specialists Pediatric Specialists Article Body ​Your pediatrician may refer your child to a pediatric specialist for further evaluation and treatment. Pediatric specialists ...

The risk of ischaemic stroke in primary antiphospholipid syndrome patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radin, M; Schreiber, K; Cecchi, I

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The most common neurological manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is ischaemic stroke. Identifying patients with APS at high risk for developing any thrombotic event remains a major challenge. In this study, the aim was to identify predictive factors of ischaemic...... thrombosis and were receiving vitamin K antagonist (VKA), with international normalized ratio target 2-3; one patient had a history of a previous arterial event receiving treatment with VKA target international normalized ratio 2-3 plus low dose aspirin; and one patient had a history of previous pregnancy...... morbidity receiving only low dose aspirin. Time in the therapeutic range for patients receiving VKA was 77.7% (SD 6.6%). Hypercholesterolaemia was significantly higher in patients with confirmed stroke compared to those without (P

Stroke treatment outcomes in hospitals with and without Stroke Units.

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Masjuan, J; Gállego Culleré, J; Ignacio García, E; Mira Solves, J J; Ollero Ortiz, A; Vidal de Francisco, D; López-Mesonero, L; Bestué, M; Albertí, O; Acebrón, F; Navarro Soler, I M

2017-10-23

Organisational capacity in terms of resources and care circuits to shorten response times in new stroke cases is key to obtaining positive outcomes. This study compares therapeutic approaches and treatment outcomes between traditional care centres (with stroke teams and no stroke unit) and centres with stroke units. We conducted a prospective, quasi-experimental study (without randomisation of the units analysed) to draw comparisons between 2 centres with stroke units and 4 centres providing traditional care through the neurology department, analysing a selection of agreed indicators for monitoring quality of stroke care. A total of 225 patients participated in the study. In addition, self-administered questionnaires were used to collect patients' evaluations of the service and healthcare received. Centres with stroke units showed shorter response times after symptom onset, both in the time taken to arrive at the centre and in the time elapsed from patient's arrival at the hospital to diagnostic imaging. Hospitals with stroke units had greater capacity to respond through the application of intravenous thrombolysis than centres delivering traditional neurological care. Centres with stroke units showed a better fit to the reference standards for stroke response time, as calculated in the Quick study, than centres providing traditional care through the neurology department. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Stroke: advances in medical therapy and acute stroke intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Kevin M; Lal, Brajesh K; Meschia, James F

2015-10-01

Evidence-based therapeutic options for stroke continue to emerge based on results from well-designed clinical studies. Ischemic stroke far exceeds hemorrhagic stroke in terms of prevalence and incidence, both in the USA and worldwide. The public health effect of reducing death and disability related to ischemic stroke justifies the resources that have been invested in identifying safe and effective treatments. The emergence of novel oral anticoagulants for ischemic stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation has introduced complexity to clinical decision making for patients with this common cardiac arrhythmia. Some accepted ischemic stroke preventative strategies, such as carotid revascularization for asymptomatic carotid stenosis, require reassessment, given advances in risk factor management, antithrombotic therapy, and surgical techniques. Intra-arterial therapy, particularly with stent retrievers after intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, has recently been demonstrated to improve functional outcomes and will require investment in system-based care models to ensure that effective treatments are received by patients in a timely fashion. The purpose of this review is to describe recent advances in medical and surgical approaches to ischemic stroke prevention and acute treatment. Results from recently published clinical trials will be highlighted along with ongoing clinical trials addressing key questions in ischemic stroke management and prevention where equipoise remains.

Diagnosis, management and prevention of ischemic stroke for non-neurologists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavian Ghandehari

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Stroke is the third common cause of disability and death. Diagnosis of stroke is based on its clinical manifestations and/or observation of infarct in the neuroimaging. Standard battery of diagnostic investigations and classification criteria is required for detection of stroke etiology. Materials and Method: This review article deals with the diagnosis and management of brain infarction particularly in our country and is provided for non-neurologists. Using online scientific search engines and in some parts referring to laboratory archives constituted base of this review article.Results: Acute stroke management is almost similar in its various etiologies. Neuroprotective drugs have little value in acute stroke management. At present time, a few Iranian medical centers have infrastructure of thrombolysis therapy. Prevention of stroke is based on the detection and control of its risk factors. Aspirin, 80 mg per day is the most common drug for stroke prevention. Co-administration of aspirin 80 mg/d and Dipyridamole 200-400 mg/d increases the preventive effects of aspirin. Clopidogrel 75 mg/d is the stroke preventive drug of choice in patients with peptic ulcer and coronary artery disease. Co-administration of aspirin and clopidogrel is more effective in stroke prevention but has more hemorrhagic complications. Using warfarin for stroke prevention is suggested only in patients who have facilities for repetitive coagulation tests. Carotid endarterectomy is indicated in symptomatic patients with more than 70% stenosis of extracranial internal carotid artery, if performed only by vascular surgeons experienced in carotid surgery.Conclusion: Many stroke patients are managed by general practitioners and non-neurologists, e.g. internists, cardiologists and neurosurgeons. This review article provides continuous medical education according to Iranian medical curriculum

The prospects of thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakashima, Takahiro; Minematsu, Kazuo

2009-01-01

The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of intravenous (IV) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in 1996, on the basis of the results of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) rt-PA Stroke Study. IV rt-PA therapy at a dose of 0.9 mg/kg has been approved internationally for the treatment of hyperacute ischemic stroke. After a dose comparison study using duteplase and a multicenter study using a single dose of alteplase (Japan Alteplase Clinical Trial: J-ACT), the administration of IV rt-PA therapy at a dose of 0.6 mg/kg was approved in Japan in 2005. Immediately after the approval, the Japan Stroke Society published the Japanese guidelines for this low-dose therapy. Two years after the approval in Japan, the outcome of IV rt-PA therapy in Japan was observed to be comparable to that of NINDS rt-PA therapy and to those published in studies based in Western nations. Several trials have reported predictors of unfavorable outcome for IV rt-PA therapy. Patients with severe strokes (higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, coma), higher age at disease onset, aortic arch dissection, higher blood pressure, higher blood sugar, occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) or tandem lesion of the left ICA and right middle cerebral artery (MCA), or the presence of major early ischemic changes as observed upon computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), showed a greater probability for unfavorable response to treatment. The results of the randomised 2008 trial conducted by the third European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS III) suggested that treatment with IV rt-PA administered 3-4.5 hours after symptom onset can still induce significant improvement in clinical outcomes after an acute ischemic stroke as opposed to a placebo. MRI-based thrombolysis might be safer than standard CT-based thrombolysis. A combination of reperfusion therapies, IV rt-PA and

STROKE IN YOUNG ADULTS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 68 CASES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. H. Harirchian

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Numerous etiologies are responsible for cases of stroke in young adults. This study reviews the causes of two types of stroke (ischemic and intracerebral hemorrhage in young adults aged 15 to 40years, admitted to our center (a tertiary care center from 1997 to 2002. The purpose of this study is to determine the relative frequency of causes of stroke in young adults and compare this with published data in the literature. Using the codes 46.0 to 46.8 of the International Classification of Diseases- 10th Edition (ICD-10, cases were identified from the records of the stroke patients admitted in Imam Khomeini Hospital and the data were collected from their files using a comprehensive questionnaire. Forty-two cases of ischemic stroke (62% and 26 cases of intracerebral hemorrhage (38% were identified. The leading cause of ischemic stroke was cardioembolism (38.1%, followed by atherosclerosis in 5 cases (11.9%. Among cardiac causes infarction was attributable to consequences of rheumatic heart disease in 8 cases. In 3 cases a cessation or decrease in dose of warfarin was followed directly by an ischemic stroke. The most leading cause of intracerebral hemorrhage was hypertension (30.8%. Other causes were anticoagulant therapy, intratumoral hemorrhage, aplastic anemia, leukemia, arteriovenous malformations, and chronic active hepatitis. In conclusion, cardioembolism and hypertension were the most leading causes of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in young adults admitted in our hospital.

Design and rationale for examining neuroimaging genetics in ischemic stroke

Science.gov (United States)

Giese, Anne-Katrin; Schirmer, Markus D.; Donahue, Kathleen L.; Cloonan, Lisa; Irie, Robert; Winzeck, Stefan; Bouts, Mark J.R.J.; McIntosh, Elissa C.; Mocking, Steven J.; Dalca, Adrian V.; Sridharan, Ramesh; Xu, Huichun; Frid, Petrea; Giralt-Steinhauer, Eva; Holmegaard, Lukas; Roquer, Jaume; Wasselius, Johan; Cole, John W.; McArdle, Patrick F.; Broderick, Joseph P.; Jimenez-Conde, Jordi; Jern, Christina; Kissela, Brett M.; Kleindorfer, Dawn O.; Lemmens, Robin; Lindgren, Arne; Meschia, James F.; Rundek, Tatjana; Sacco, Ralph L.; Schmidt, Reinhold; Sharma, Pankaj; Slowik, Agnieszka; Thijs, Vincent; Woo, Daniel; Worrall, Bradford B.; Kittner, Steven J.; Mitchell, Braxton D.; Rosand, Jonathan; Golland, Polina; Wu, Ona

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe the design and rationale for the genetic analysis of acute and chronic cerebrovascular neuroimaging phenotypes detected on clinical MRI in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) within the scope of the MRI–GENetics Interface Exploration (MRI-GENIE) study. Methods: MRI-GENIE capitalizes on the existing infrastructure of the Stroke Genetics Network (SiGN). In total, 12 international SiGN sites contributed MRIs of 3,301 patients with AIS. Detailed clinical phenotyping with the web-based Causative Classification of Stroke (CCS) system and genome-wide genotyping data were available for all participants. Neuroimaging analyses include the manual and automated assessments of established MRI markers. A high-throughput MRI analysis pipeline for the automated assessment of cerebrovascular lesions on clinical scans will be developed in a subset of scans for both acute and chronic lesions, validated against gold standard, and applied to all available scans. The extracted neuroimaging phenotypes will improve characterization of acute and chronic cerebrovascular lesions in ischemic stroke, including CCS subtypes, and their effect on functional outcomes after stroke. Moreover, genetic testing will uncover variants associated with acute and chronic MRI manifestations of cerebrovascular disease. Conclusions: The MRI-GENIE study aims to develop, validate, and distribute the MRI analysis platform for scans acquired as part of clinical care for patients with AIS, which will lead to (1) novel genetic discoveries in ischemic stroke, (2) strategies for personalized stroke risk assessment, and (3) personalized stroke outcome assessment. PMID:28852707

Factors influencing the decline in stroke mortality: a statement from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Lackland, Daniel T; Roccella, Edward J; Deutsch, Anne F; Fornage, Myriam; George, Mary G; Howard, George; Kissela, Brett M; Kittner, Steven J; Lichtman, Judith H; Lisabeth, Lynda D; Schwamm, Lee H; Smith, Eric E; Towfighi, Amytis

2014-01-01

Stroke mortality has been declining since the early 20th century. The reasons for this are not completely understood, although the decline is welcome. As a result of recent striking and more accelerated decreases in stroke mortality, stroke has fallen from the third to the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. This has prompted a detailed assessment of the factors associated with the change in stroke risk and mortality. This statement considers the evidence for factors that have contributed to the decline and how they can be used in the design of future interventions for this major public health burden. Writing group members were nominated by the committee chair and co-chair on the basis of their previous work in relevant topic areas and were approved by the American Heart Association Stroke Council's Scientific Statements Oversight Committee and the American Heart Association Manuscript Oversight Committee. The writers used systematic literature reviews, references to published clinical and epidemiological studies, morbidity and mortality reports, clinical and public health guidelines, authoritative statements, personal files, and expert opinion to summarize evidence and to indicate gaps in current knowledge. All members of the writing group had the opportunity to comment on this document and approved the final version. The document underwent extensive American Heart Association internal peer review, Stroke Council leadership review, and Scientific Statements Oversight Committee review before consideration and approval by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee. The decline in stroke mortality over the past decades represents a major improvement in population health and is observed for both sexes and for all racial/ethnic and age groups. In addition to the overall impact on fewer lives lost to stroke, the major decline in stroke mortality seen among people factor control interventions. Although it is difficult to

Pediatric allergy and immunology in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Gary W K; Li, Jing; Bao, Yi-Xiao; Wang, Jiu-Yao; Leung, Ting Fan; Li, Luan-Luan; Shao, Jie; Huang, Xin-Yuan; Liu, En-Mei; Shen, Kun-Ling; Chen, Yu-Zhi

2018-03-01

Over the past 30 years, China has enjoyed rapid economic development along with urbanization at a massive scale that the world has not experienced before. Such development has also been associated with a rapid rise in the prevalence of allergic disorders. Because of the large childhood population in the country, the burden of childhood allergic disorders has become one of the major challenges in the healthcare system. Among the Chinese centers participating in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, the data clearly showed a continuing rise in the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema. However, the discipline of pediatric allergy in mainland China is still in its infancy due to the lack of formal training program and subspecialty certification. Clinicians and researchers are increasingly interested in providing better care for patients with allergies by establishing pediatric allergy centers in different regions of the country. Many of them have also participated in national or international collaborative projects hoping to answer the various research questions related to the discipline of pediatric allergy and immunology. It is our hope that the research findings from China will not only improve the quality of care of affected children within this country but also the millions of patients with allergies worldwide. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Perinatal stroke in Saudi children: clinical features and risk factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salih, Mustafa A.; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A.; Kentab, Anal Y.; Al-Nasser, Mohammad N.; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M.; Alorainy, Ibrahim A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.

2006-01-01

To describe the clinical features and presentations of perinatal stroke in a prospective and retrospective cohort of Saudi children and ascertain the risk factors. Patients with perinatal stroke were identified from within a cohort of 104 Saudi children who were evaluated at the Division of Pediatric Neurology at King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). Neuroimaging for suspected cases of stroke consisted of cranial CT, MRI, or both. During the study period, 23 (22%) of 104 children (aged one months to 12 years) were diagnosed to have had perinatal stroke. The male: female ratio was 1.6:1. Ten (67%) of the 15 children who had unilateral ischemic involvement had their lesion in the left hemisphere. The presentation of the ischemic result was within 24-72 hours of life in 13 (57%) patients, and in 6 children (26%), motor impairment was recognized at or after the age of 4 months. Nine children (39%) had seizures at presentation. Pregnancy, labor, and delivery risk factors were ascertained in 18 (78%) cases. The most common of these included emergency cesarean section in 5 cases, and instrumental delivery in other 5. Screening for prothrombotic risk factors detected abnormalities in 6 (26%) patients on at least one test carried out between 2 months and 9 years of age. Four children (17%) had low protein C, which was associated low protein S and raised anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) in one patient, and low antithrombin III in another. Low proteins S was detected in a 42-month-old boy. The abnormality in the sixth child was confined to raised ACA. The present study highlights the non-specific features by which stroke presents during the neonatal period. The data are in keeping with the potential role for inherited and acquired thrombophilia as being the underlying cause. However, the high prevalence of

A multi-source feedback tool for measuring a subset of Pediatrics Milestones.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Alan; Margolis, Melissa J; Multerer, Sara; Haftel, Hilary M; Schumacher, Daniel J

2016-10-01

The Pediatrics Milestones Assessment Pilot employed a new multisource feedback (MSF) instrument to assess nine Pediatrics Milestones among interns and subinterns in the inpatient context. To report validity evidence for the MSF tool for informing milestone classification decisions. We obtained MSF instruments by different raters per learner per rotation. We present evidence for validity based on the unified validity framework. One hundred and ninety two interns and 41 subinterns at 18 Pediatrics residency programs received a total of 1084 MSF forms from faculty (40%), senior residents (34%), nurses (22%), and other staff (4%). Variance in ratings was associated primarily with rater (32%) and learner (22%). The milestone factor structure fit data better than simpler structures. In domains except professionalism, ratings by nurses were significantly lower than those by faculty and ratings by other staff were significantly higher. Ratings were higher when the rater observed the learner for longer periods and had a positive global opinion of the learner. Ratings of interns and subinterns did not differ, except for ratings by senior residents. MSF-based scales correlated with summative milestone scores. We obtain moderately reliable MSF ratings of interns and subinterns in the inpatient context to inform some milestone assignments.

MR-visible brain water content in human acute stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gideon, P; Rosenbaum, S; Sperling, B

1999-01-01

CBF) SPECT-scanning using 99mTc-HMPAO as flow tracer was performed in the patients. Mean water content (SD) in the infarct area was 37.7 (5.1); 41.8 (4.8); 35.2 (5.4); and 39.3 (5.1) mol x [kg wet weight](-1) at 0-3; 4-7; 8-21; and >180 days after stroke, respectively. Water content increased between Day 0......CBF from Day 0-3 to Day 4-7 (p = 0.050) and from Day 0-3 to Day 8-21 (p = 0.028). No correlation between rCBF and water content was found. Water content in ischemic brain tissue increased significantly between Day 4-7 after stroke. This should be considered when performing quantitative 1H-MRS using water...... as an internal standard in stroke patients....

Social pediatrics: weaving horizontal and vertical threads through pediatric residency.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Heuvel, Meta; Martimianakis, Maria Athina Tina; Levy, Rebecca; Atkinson, Adelle; Ford-Jones, Elizabeth; Shouldice, Michelle

2017-01-13

Social pediatrics teaches pediatric residents how to understand disease within their patients' social, environmental and political contexts. It's an essential component of pediatric residency training; however there is very little literature that addresses how such a broad-ranging topic can be taught effectively. The aim of this study was to determine and characterize social pediatric education in our pediatric residency training in order to identify strengths and gaps. A social pediatrics curriculum map was developed, attending to 3 different dimensions: (1) the intended curriculum as prescribed by the Objectives of Training for Pediatrics of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), (2) the formal curriculum defined by rotation-specific learning objectives, and (3) the informal/hidden curriculum as reflected in resident and teacher experiences and perceptions. Forty-one social pediatric learning objectives were extracted from the RCPSC Objectives of Training for Pediatrics, most were listed in the Medical Expert (51%) and Health Advocate competencies (24%). Almost all RCPSC social pediatric learning objectives were identified in more than one rotation and/or seminar. Adolescent Medicine (29.2%), Pediatric Ambulatory Medicine (26.2%) and Developmental Pediatrics (25%) listed the highest proportion of social pediatric learning objectives. Four (10%) RCPSC social pediatric objectives were not explicitly named within learning objectives of the formal curriculum. The informal curriculum revealed that both teachers and residents viewed social pediatrics as integral to all clinical encounters. Perceived barriers to teaching and learning of social pediatrics included time constraints, particularly in a tertiary care environment, and the value of social pediatrics relative to medical expert knowledge. Despite the lack of an explicit thematic presentation of social pediatric learning objectives by the Royal College and residency training program

Is this child sick? Usefulness of the Pediatric Assessment Triangle in emergency settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Fernandez

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: The Pediatric Assessment Triangle is a rapid assessment tool that uses only visual and auditory clues, requires no equipment, and takes 30-60 s to perform. It's being used internationally in different emergency settings, but few studies have assessed its performance. The aim of this narrative biomedical review is to summarize the literature available regarding the usefulness of the Pediatric Assessment Triangle in clinical practice. Sources: The authors carried out a non-systematic review in the PubMed®, MEDLINE®, and EMBASE® databases, searching for articles published between 1999-2016 using the keywords “pediatric assessment triangle,” “pediatric triage,” “pediatric assessment tools,” and “pediatric emergency department.” Summary of the findings: The Pediatric Assessment Triangle has demonstrated itself to be useful to assess sick children in the prehospital setting and make transport decisions. It has been incorporated, as an essential instrument for assessing sick children, into different life support courses, although little has been written about the effectiveness of teaching it. Little has been published about the performance of this tool in the initial evaluation in the emergency department. In the emergency department, the Pediatric Assessment Triangle is useful to identify the children at triage who require more urgent care. Recent studies have assessed and proved its efficacy to also identify those patients having more serious health conditions who are eventually admitted to the hospital. Conclusions: The Pediatric Assessment Triangle is quickly spreading internationally and its clinical applicability is very promising. Nevertheless, it is imperative to promote research for clinical validation, especially for clinical use by emergency pediatricians and physicians.

Collaborative Efforts Driving Progress in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Science.gov (United States)

Zwaan, C. Michel; Kolb, Edward A.; Reinhardt, Dirk; Abrahamsson, Jonas; Adachi, Souichi; Aplenc, Richard; De Bont, Eveline S.J.M.; De Moerloose, Barbara; Dworzak, Michael; Gibson, Brenda E.S.; Hasle, Henrik; Leverger, Guy; Locatelli, Franco; Ragu, Christine; Ribeiro, Raul C.; Rizzari, Carmelo; Rubnitz, Jeffrey E.; Smith, Owen P.; Sung, Lillian; Tomizawa, Daisuke; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M.; Creutzig, Ursula; Kaspers, Gertjan J.L.

2015-01-01

Diagnosis, treatment, response monitoring, and outcome of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have made enormous progress during the past decades. Because AML is a rare type of childhood cancer, with an incidence of approximately seven occurrences per 1 million children annually, national and international collaborative efforts have evolved. This overview describes these efforts and includes a summary of the history and contributions of each of the main collaborative pediatric AML groups worldwide. The focus is on translational and clinical research, which includes past, current, and future clinical trials. Separate sections concern acute promyelocytic leukemia, myeloid leukemia of Down syndrome, and relapsed AML. A plethora of novel antileukemic agents that have emerged, including new classes of drugs, are summarized as well. Finally, an important aspect of the treatment of pediatric AML—supportive care—and late effects are discussed. The future is bright, with a wide range of emerging innovative therapies and with more and more international collaboration that ultimately aim to cure all children with AML, with fewer adverse effects and without late effects. PMID:26304895

The rs10757278 Polymorphism of the 9p21.3 Locus in Children with Arterial Ischemic Stroke: A Family-Based and Case-Control Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Niemiec, Pawel; Balcerzyk, Anna; Iwanicki, Tomasz; Emich-Widera, Ewa; Kopyta, Ilona; Nowak, Tomasz; Pilarska, Ewa; Pienczk-Ręcławowicz, Karolina; Kaciński, Marek; Wendorff, Janusz; Gorczynska-Kosiorz, Sylwia; Trautsolt, Wanda; Grzeszczak, Władysław; Zak, Iwona

2017-12-01

The association of 9p21.3 locus single nucleotide polymorphisms with arterial ischemic stroke in adults was demonstrated in many studies, but there are no studies in pediatric arterial ischemic stroke patients. We investigated whether the 9p21.3 locus polymorphism, namely rs10757278, is associated with the arterial ischemic stroke risk in children. The study group consisted of 335 individuals: 80 children with arterial ischemic stroke, their biological parents (n = 122), and 133 children (age and sex matched) without any symptoms of arterial ischemic stroke as a control group. The rs10757278 polymorphism was genotyped using the TaqMan® Pre-designed SNP Genotyping Assay (Applied Biosystems). Two different study design models were used: family-based association test (transmission-disequilibrium test) and case-control model. There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of genotypes and alleles of the rs10757278 polymorphism between groups of children with arterial ischemic stroke and controls. The frequency of both transmitted alleles in transmission-disequilibrium test analysis was identical (50%). The A allele carrier state (AA+AG genotype) was more frequent in arterial ischemic stroke children with hemiparesis than in patients without this symptom (94.5% versus 68.0%, P = .004). There is no evidence to consider the 9p21.3 locus polymorphism as a risk factor for childhood arterial ischemic stroke. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute stroke unit improves stroke management-four years on from INASC.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanahan, E; Keenan, R; Cunningham, N; O'Malley, G; O'Connor, M; Lyons, D; Peters, C

2015-02-01

The Irish Heart Foundation carried out the Irish National Audit of Stroke Care (INASC) in 2008. Management practices were significantly poorer than those in the UK Sentinel audits. Since then an acute stroke unit has been established in University Hospital Limerick. A stroke database was established. 12 key indicators of stroke management audited by INASC were identified. Results were compared to those in INASC. 89 stroke patients were admitted. 8 of the 12 key indicators scored significantly better than in INASC. 92.5% had a brain scan within 24hrs (INASC-40%, p = strokes received anti-thrombotics (INASC-85%, p = 0.001). 94% had rehab goals agreed by MDT (22% in INASC p = 0.0000). 55% were treated in stroke unit (2% in INASC, p = 0.0000). MDT input improved with regard to physiotherapy (87% vs 43% in INASC, p = Stroke management has significantly improved from 2008, however some deficiencies remain.

STROKOG (stroke and cognition consortium): An international consortium to examine the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of neurocognitive disorders in relation to cerebrovascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachdev, Perminder S; Lo, Jessica W; Crawford, John D; Mellon, Lisa; Hickey, Anne; Williams, David; Bordet, Régis; Mendyk, Anne-Marie; Gelé, Patrick; Deplanque, Dominique; Bae, Hee-Joon; Lim, Jae-Sung; Brodtmann, Amy; Werden, Emilio; Cumming, Toby; Köhler, Sebastian; Verhey, Frans R J; Dong, Yan-Hong; Tan, Hui Hui; Chen, Christopher; Xin, Xu; Kalaria, Raj N; Allan, Louise M; Akinyemi, Rufus O; Ogunniyi, Adesola; Klimkowicz-Mrowiec, Aleksandra; Dichgans, Martin; Wollenweber, Frank A; Zietemann, Vera; Hoffmann, Michael; Desmond, David W; Linden, Thomas; Blomstrand, Christian; Fagerberg, Björn; Skoog, Ingmar; Godefroy, Olivier; Barbay, Mélanie; Roussel, Martine; Lee, Byung-Chul; Yu, Kyung-Ho; Wardlaw, Joanna; Makin, Stephen J; Doubal, Fergus N; Chappell, Francesca M; Srikanth, Velandai K; Thrift, Amanda G; Donnan, Geoffrey A; Kandiah, Nagaendran; Chander, Russell J; Lin, Xuling; Cordonnier, Charlotte; Moulin, Solene; Rossi, Costanza; Sabayan, Behnam; Stott, David J; Jukema, J Wouter; Melkas, Susanna; Jokinen, Hanna; Erkinjuntti, Timo; Mok, Vincent C T; Wong, Adrian; Lam, Bonnie Y K; Leys, Didier; Hénon, Hilde; Bombois, Stéphanie; Lipnicki, Darren M; Kochan, Nicole A

2017-01-01

The Stroke and Cognition consortium (STROKOG) aims to facilitate a better understanding of the determinants of vascular contributions to cognitive disorders and help improve the diagnosis and treatment of vascular cognitive disorders (VCD). Longitudinal studies with ≥75 participants who had suffered or were at risk of stroke or TIA and which evaluated cognitive function were invited to join STROKOG. The consortium will facilitate projects investigating rates and patterns of cognitive decline, risk factors for VCD, and biomarkers of vascular dementia. Currently, STROKOG includes 25 (21 published) studies, with 12,092 participants from five continents. The duration of follow-up ranges from 3 months to 21 years. Although data harmonization will be a key challenge, STROKOG is in a unique position to reuse and combine international cohort data and fully explore patient level characteristics and outcomes. STROKOG could potentially transform our understanding of VCD and have a worldwide impact on promoting better vascular cognitive outcomes.

Measuring of vertical stroke Vub vertical stroke in the forthcoming decade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, C.S.

1997-01-01

I first introduce the importance of measuring V ub precisely. Then, from a theoretician's point of view, I review (a) past history, (b) present trials, and (c) possible future alternatives on measuring vertical stroke V ub vertical stroke and/or vertical stroke V ub /V cb vertical stroke. As of my main topic, I introduce a model-independent method, which predicts Γ(B→X u lν)/Γ(B→X c lν)≡(γ u /γ c ) x vertical stroke V ub /V cb vertical stroke 2 ≅(1.83±0.28) x vertical stroke V ub /V cb vertical stroke 2 and vertical stroke V ub /V cb vertical stroke ≡(γ c /γ u ) 1/2 x [B(B→X u lν)/B(B→ X c lν]) 1/2 ≅(0.74±0.06) x [B(B→X u lν/)B(B→X c lν)] 1/2 , based on the heavy quark effective theory I also explore the possible experimental options to separate B→X u lν from the dominant B→X c lν: the measurement of inclusive hadronic invariant mass distributions, and the 'D-π' (and 'K-π') separation conditions I also clarify the relevant experimental backgrounds. (orig.)

Stroke

Science.gov (United States)

... doctor Preventing falls Stroke - discharge Swallowing problems Images Brain Carotid stenosis, x-ray of the left artery Carotid stenosis, x-ray of the right artery Stroke Brainstem function Cerebellum - function Circle of Willis Left cerebral hemisphere - ...

Assessing the impact of upper limb disability following stroke: a qualitative enquiry using internet-based personal accounts of stroke survivors

Science.gov (United States)

Poltawski, Leon; Allison, Rhoda; Briscoe, Simon; Freeman, Jennifer; Kilbride, Cherry; Neal, Debbie; Turton, Ailie J.; Dean, Sarah

2016-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Upper limb disability following stroke may have multiple effects on the individual. Existing assessment instruments tend to focus on impairment and function and may miss other changes that are personally important. This study aimed to identify personally significant impacts of upper limb disability following stroke. Methods: Accounts by stroke survivors, in the form of web-based diaries (blogs) and stories, were sought using a blog search engine and in stroke-related web-sites. Thematic analysis using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) was used to identify personal impacts of upper limb disability following stroke. Results: Ninety-nine sources from at least four countries were analysed. Many impacts were classifiable using the ICF, but a number of additional themes emerged, including emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes. Blogs and other web-based accounts were easily accessible and rich sources of data, although using them raised several methodological issues, including potential sample bias. Conclusions: A range of impacts was identified, some of which (such as use of information technology and alienation from the upper limb) are not addressed in current assessment instruments. They should be considered in post-stroke assessments. Blogs may help in the development of more comprehensive assessments.Implications for RehabilitationA comprehensive assessment of the upper limb following stroke should include the impact of upper limb problems on social participation, as well as associated emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes.Using personalised assessment instruments alongside standardised measures may help ensure that these broader domains are considered in discussions between clinicians and patients.Rehabilitation researchers should investigate whether and how these domains could be addressed and operationalised in standard upper limb assessment instruments. PMID

Acute stroke unit improves stroke management-four years on from INASC.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Shanahan, E

2015-02-01

The Irish Heart Foundation carried out the Irish National Audit of Stroke Care (INASC) in 2008. Management practices were significantly poorer than those in the UK Sentinel audits. Since then an acute stroke unit has been established in University Hospital Limerick. A stroke database was established. 12 key indicators of stroke management audited by INASC were identified. Results were compared to those in INASC. 89 stroke patients were admitted. 8 of the 12 key indicators scored significantly better than in INASC. 92.5% had a brain scan within 24hrs (INASC-40%, p = < 0.001). 100% of ischaemic strokes received anti-thrombotics (INASC-85%, p = 0.001). 94% had rehab goals agreed by MDT (22% in INASC p = 0.0000). 55% were treated in stroke unit (2% in INASC, p = 0.0000). MDT input improved with regard to physiotherapy (87% vs 43% in INASC, p = < 0.02) and SALT (74% vs 26%, p = < 0.02). Stroke management has significantly improved from 2008, however some deficiencies remain.

Stroke scale score and early prediction of outcome after stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, R.; Zuberi, F.Z.; Afsar, S.

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score as a predictor of functional outcome after ischemic stroke. Subjects and Methods: The study included 50 patients who presented to Civil Hospital, Karachi, during the study period with acute stroke and were evaluated with CT scan of brain. Only those patients were enrolled in the study that had acute ischemic stroke. The enrolled subjects were then evaluated for the neurological impairment using National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The subjects were followed-up and their functional outcome was assessed using Barthel index (BI) on the 7th day of their admission. Results: Of the fifty patients enrolled in the study, 31 (62%) were males and 19 (38%) were females, with age ranging from 45 years to 95 years and a mean age of 59.9 years. Neurological impairment at presentation was assessed by NIHSS. The score ranged between 2 and 28. The functional outcome was evaluated on the 7th day using Barthel index (BI), which ranged from 0 to 80. NIHSS score was found to be a good predictor of functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke (p<0.001). Other factors like gender, hypertension and heart disease did not affect the functional recovery in such patients. Various factors were found to be significant for early prediction of stroke recovery. The NIHSS score was the strongest predictor of outcome after ischemic stroke. Age at the time of the event was also found to be an important predictor for stroke recovery. Conclusion: The NIHSS score is a good predictor of patient's recovery after stroke. Assessing the patient's neurological impairment at first presentation of ischemic stroke can guide the physician regarding the prognosis and management plan. (author)

A highly efficient six-stroke internal combustion engine cycle with water injection for in-cylinder exhaust heat recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conklin, James C.; Szybist, James P.

2010-01-01

A concept adding two strokes to the Otto or Diesel engine cycle to increase fuel efficiency is presented here. It can be thought of as a four-stroke Otto or Diesel cycle followed by a two-stroke heat recovery steam cycle. A partial exhaust event coupled with water injection adds an additional power stroke. Waste heat from two sources is effectively converted into usable work: engine coolant and exhaust gas. An ideal thermodynamics model of the exhaust gas compression, water injection and expansion was used to investigate this modification. By changing the exhaust valve closing timing during the exhaust stroke, the optimum amount of exhaust can be recompressed, maximizing the net mean effective pressure of the steam expansion stroke (MEP steam ). The valve closing timing for maximum MEP steam is limited by either 1 bar or the dew point temperature of the expansion gas/moisture mixture when the exhaust valve opens. The range of MEP steam calculated for the geometry of a conventional gasoline engine and is from 0.75 to 2.5 bars. Typical combustion mean effective pressures (MEP combustion ) of naturally aspirated gasoline engines are up to 10 bar, thus this concept has the potential to significantly increase the engine efficiency and fuel economy.

Parenting stress in pediatric IBD: relations with child psychopathology, family functioning, and disease severity.

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Gray, Wendy N; Graef, Danielle M; Schuman, Shana S; Janicke, David M; Hommel, Kevin A

2013-05-01

Parenting stress in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been under-examined. Data validating use of the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP), a measure of parenting stress associated with caring for a chronically ill child, in chronic diseases with intermittent, unpredictable disease courses, such as IBD, are needed. This study presents validity data in support of the PIP in pediatric IBD and examines relations between parenting stress and important psychosocial and medical outcomes. Adolescents (N = 130) with IBD and their caregivers across 3 sites completed measures of parenting stress, family functioning, and emotional/behavioral functioning. Disease severity was also assessed for each participant. The PIP demonstrates excellent internal consistency. Parenting stress was significantly higher among those with unhealthy general family functioning and those with children with borderline or clinically elevated internalizing symptoms. Caregiving stress was greater among parents of youth with more active Crohn's disease. Results supported the reliability and validity of the PIP for assessing caregiving stress in pediatric IBD. Routine assessment of parenting stress is recommended, particularly among parents reporting unhealthy family functioning and parents of youth with borderline or clinically elevated internalizing symptoms and more active disease.

The stroke impact scale: performance as a quality of life measure in a community-based stroke rehabilitation setting.

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Richardson, Marina; Campbell, Nerissa; Allen, Laura; Meyer, Matthew; Teasell, Robert

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). Data was derived from a study assessing a community-based stroke rehabilitation program. Patients were administered the SIS and Euroqol-5D (EQ-5D-5L) on admission to the study, and at six month and 12 month follow-up. The psychometric performance of each domain of the SIS was assessed at each time point. A total of 164 patients completed outcome measures at baseline, 108 patients at six months and 37 patients at 12 months. Correlation of the SIS domains with the EQ-5D-5L suggested that the dimensions of health contributing to a patient's perception of health-related quality of life changes over time. The SIS performed well in a sample of patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation in the community. Our findings suggest that the multidimensionality of the SIS may allow health professionals to track patient progress and tailor rehabilitation interventions to target the dimensions of health that are most important to a patient's overall health and perceived quality of life over time. Implications for Rehabilitation There is an increased need for valid and reliable measures to evaluate the outcomes of patients recovering from stroke in the community. The Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) measures multiple domains of health and is well-suited for use in patients recovering from stroke in the community. There is a high level of internal consistency in the eight SIS domains with no evidence of floor effects; ceiling effects were noted for several domains. Correlation of the SIS with the Euroqol-5D suggested that the dimensions of health contributing to a patient's perception of health related quality of life changes over time.

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Italy.

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Tozzi, Alberto E; Armenio, Lucio; Bernardini, Roberto; Boner, Attilio; Calvani, Mauro; Cardinale, Fabio; Cavagni, Giovanni; Dondi, Arianna; Duse, Marzia; Fiocchi, Alessandro; Marseglia, Gian L; del Giudice, Michele Miraglia; Muraro, Antonella; Pajno, Giovanni B; Paravati, Francesco; Peroni, Diego; Tripodi, Salvatore; Ugazio, Alberto G; Indinnimeo, Luciana

2011-05-01

In Italy, according to the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood study, the prevalence of current asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema in 2006 was 7.9%, 6.5%, and 10.1% among children aged 6-7 and 8.4%, 15.5%, and 7.75% among children aged 13-14 yr. University education in this field is provided by the Postgraduate Schools of Pediatrics and those of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, as well as several annual Master courses. The Italian Society of Pediatric Allergology and Immunology (SIAIP) was founded in 1996 and counts about 1000 members. SIAIP promotes evidence-based management of allergic children and disseminates information to patients and their families through a quite innovative website and the National Journal 'Rivista Italiana di Allergologia Pediatrica'. In the last decade, four major regional, inter-regional, and national web-based networks have been created to link pediatric allergy centers and to share their clinical protocols and epidemiologic data. In addition, National Registers of Primary Immune-deficiencies and on Pediatric HIV link all clinical excellence centers. Research projects in the field of pediatric allergy and immunology are founded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) and by the National Research Council (CNR), but the overall investments in this research area are quite low. Only a handful Italian excellence centers participate in European Projects on Pediatric Allergy and Immunology within the 7th Framework Program. The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology currently hosts two Italians in its Executive Committee (EC) and one in the EC of the Pediatric Section; moreover, major European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology meetings and courses in the area of pediatrics (e.g., PAAM, Venice, 2009) have been held in Italy in the last 3 yr. Italian hallmarks in the management of allergic diseases in childhood are a quite alive and spread interest in

Introduction to special issue: moving forward in pediatric neuropsychology.

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Daly, Brian P; Giovannetti, Tania; Zabel, T Andrew; Chute, Douglas L

2011-08-01

This special issue of The Clinical Neuropsychologist focuses on advances in the emerging subspecialty of pediatric neuropsychology. The national and international contributions in this issue cover a range of key clinical, research, training, and professional issues specific to pediatric neuropsychology. The genesis for this project developed out of a series of talks at the Philadelphia Pediatric Neuropsychology Symposium in 2010, hosted by the Stein Family Fellow, the Department of Psychology of the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University, and the Philadelphia Neuropsychology Society. Articles that explore clinical practice issue focus on the assessment of special medical populations with congenital and/or acquired central nervous system insults. Research articles investigate the core features of developmental conditions, the use of technology in neuropsychological research studies, and large sample size genomic, neuropsychological, and imaging studies of under-represented populations. The final series of articles examine new considerations in training, advocacy, and subspecialty board certification that have emerged in pediatric neuropsychology. This introductory article provides an overview of the articles in this special issue and concluding thoughts about the future of pediatric neuropsychology.

Does use of the recognition of stroke in the emergency room stroke assessment tool enhance stroke recognition by ambulance clinicians?

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Fothergill, Rachael T; Williams, Julia; Edwards, Melanie J; Russell, Ian T; Gompertz, Patrick

2013-11-01

U.K ambulance services assess patients with suspected stroke using the Face Arm Speech Test (FAST). The Recognition Of Stroke In the Emergency Room (ROSIER) tool has been shown superior to the FAST in identifying strokes in emergency departments but has not previously been tested in the ambulance setting. We investigated whether ROSIER use by ambulance clinicians can improve stroke recognition. Ambulance clinicians used the ROSIER in place of the FAST to assess patients with suspected stroke. As the ROSIER includes all FAST elements, we calculated a FAST score from the ROSIER to enable comparisons between the two tools. Ambulance clinicians' provisional stroke diagnoses using the ROSIER and calculated FAST were compared with stroke consultants' diagnosis. We used stepwise logistic regression to compare the contribution of individual ROSIER and FAST items and patient demographics to the prediction of consultants' diagnoses. Sixty-four percent of strokes and 78% of nonstrokes identified by ambulance clinicians using the ROSIER were subsequently confirmed by a stroke consultant. There was no difference in the proportion of strokes correctly detected by the ROSIER or FAST with both displaying excellent levels of sensitivity. The ROSIER detected marginally more nonstroke cases than the FAST, but both demonstrated poor specificity. Facial weakness, arm weakness, seizure activity, age, and sex predicted consultants' diagnosis of stroke. The ROSIER was not better than the FAST for prehospital recognition of stroke. A revised version of the FAST incorporating assessment of seizure activity may improve stroke identification and decision making by ambulance clinicians.

Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion Associated with the Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome

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Pria Anand

2014-03-01

Full Text Available A 39-year-old woman presented with a right-hemispheric stroke 1 year after she had suffered a left-hemispheric stroke. Her diagnostic workup was notable for bilateral occlusions of the internal carotid arteries at their origins and a positive lupus anticoagulant antibody test. There was no evidence of carotid dissection or another identifiable cause for her carotid occlusions. These findings suggest that the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome may be implicated in the pathological changes that resulted in occlusions of the extracranial internal carotid arteries. Young stroke patients who present with unexplained internal carotid artery occlusions may benefit from testing for the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in the Era of International Cooperation.

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Uziel, Yosef

2017-01-30

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Improved understanding of its pathogenesis has led to international cooperation in clinical studies. Multicenter, international collaborations and research facilitate rapid enrollment of enough patients to enable a variety of studies, including those of epidemiology, diagnostic and classification criteria, genetic disease predisposition, pathogenesis, outcomes, and treatment protocols. In the last 20 years, the vision of the Pediatric Rheumatology International Trial Organization (PRINTO) has become a reality of worldwide collaboration in pediatric rheumatology research, including North American and European research groups. Major advances have been made in treating systemic JIA and its main complication, macrophage-activating syndrome (MAS). Single Hub and Access Point to Pediatric Rheumatology in Europe (SHARE) is a project of the European Society of Pediatric Rheumatology with the goal of improving clinical care. Based on evidence in the scientific literature, position papers regarding optimal clinical approaches and care have been published. Formal, validated assessment tools to evaluate response to treatment have been developed. Recommendations have been established to encourage international research collaborations, especially in light of major advances achieved in the genetics of pediatric rheumatologic diseases and the need to share biological samples among different countries and continents. Every participating country has disease information available for patients and families. Additionally, educational programs and updated syllabi for pediatric rheumatology have been written to promote similar, high-level academic training in different countries. These efforts have resulted in significant improvements in treatment and in patient prognosis. However, improved cooperation is needed to enhance research with biological and genetic samples. The Israeli Research Group for

Accuracy of Electronic Health Record Data for Identifying Stroke Cases in Large-Scale Epidemiological Studies: A Systematic Review from the UK Biobank Stroke Outcomes Group.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Woodfield

Full Text Available Long-term follow-up of population-based prospective studies is often achieved through linkages to coded regional or national health care data. Our knowledge of the accuracy of such data is incomplete. To inform methods for identifying stroke cases in UK Biobank (a prospective study of 503,000 UK adults recruited in middle-age, we systematically evaluated the accuracy of these data for stroke and its main pathological types (ischaemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, subarachnoid haemorrhage, determining the optimum codes for case identification.We sought studies published from 1990-November 2013, which compared coded data from death certificates, hospital admissions or primary care with a reference standard for stroke or its pathological types. We extracted information on a range of study characteristics and assessed study quality with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies tool (QUADAS-2. To assess accuracy, we extracted data on positive predictive values (PPV and-where available-on sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive values (NPV.37 of 39 eligible studies assessed accuracy of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-coded hospital or death certificate data. They varied widely in their settings, methods, reporting, quality, and in the choice and accuracy of codes. Although PPVs for stroke and its pathological types ranged from 6-97%, appropriately selected, stroke-specific codes (rather than broad cerebrovascular codes consistently produced PPVs >70%, and in several studies >90%. The few studies with data on sensitivity, specificity and NPV showed higher sensitivity of hospital versus death certificate data for stroke, with specificity and NPV consistently >96%. Few studies assessed either primary care data or combinations of data sources.Particular stroke-specific codes can yield high PPVs (>90% for stroke/stroke types. Inclusion of primary care data and combining data sources should improve accuracy in large

Stroke-induced immunodepression and dysphagia independently predict stroke-associated pneumonia - The PREDICT study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Sarah; Harms, Hendrik; Ulm, Lena; Nabavi, Darius G; Mackert, Bruno-Marcel; Schmehl, Ingo; Jungehulsing, Gerhard J; Montaner, Joan; Bustamante, Alejandro; Hermans, Marcella; Hamilton, Frank; Göhler, Jos; Malzahn, Uwe; Malsch, Carolin; Heuschmann, Peter U; Meisel, Christian; Meisel, Andreas

2017-12-01

Stroke-associated pneumonia is a frequent complication after stroke associated with poor outcome. Dysphagia is a known risk factor for stroke-associated pneumonia but accumulating evidence suggests that stroke induces an immunodepressive state increasing susceptibility for stroke-associated pneumonia. We aimed to confirm that stroke-induced immunodepression syndrome is associated with stroke-associated pneumonia independently from dysphagia by investigating the predictive properties of monocytic HLA-DR expression as a marker of immunodepression as well as biomarkers for inflammation (interleukin-6) and infection (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein). This was a prospective, multicenter study with 11 study sites in Germany and Spain, including 486 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Daily screening for stroke-associated pneumonia, dysphagia and biomarkers was performed. Frequency of stroke-associated pneumonia was 5.2%. Dysphagia and decreased monocytic HLA-DR were independent predictors for stroke-associated pneumonia in multivariable regression analysis. Proportion of pneumonia ranged between 0.9% in the higher monocytic HLA-DR quartile (≥21,876 mAb/cell) and 8.5% in the lower quartile (≤12,369 mAb/cell). In the presence of dysphagia, proportion of pneumonia increased to 5.9% and 18.8%, respectively. Patients without dysphagia and normal monocytic HLA-DR expression had no stroke-associated pneumonia risk. We demonstrate that dysphagia and stroke-induced immunodepression syndrome are independent risk factors for stroke-associated pneumonia. Screening for immunodepression and dysphagia might be useful for identifying patients at high risk for stroke-associated pneumonia.

Blood markers of coagulation, fibrinolysis, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in lacunar stroke versus non-lacunar stroke and non-stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Wiseman, Stewart; Marlborough, Fergal; Doubal, Fergus; Webb, David J; Wardlaw, Joanna

2014-01-01

The cause of cerebral small vessel disease is not fully understood, yet it is important, accounting for about 25% of all strokes. It also increases the risk of having another stroke and contributes to about 40% of dementias. Various processes have been implicated, including microatheroma, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation. A previous review investigated endothelial dysfunction in lacunar stroke versus mostly non-stroke controls while another looked at markers of inflammation and endothelial damage in ischaemic stroke in general. We have focused on blood markers between clinically evident lacunar stroke and other subtypes of ischaemic stroke, thereby controlling for stroke in general. We systematically assessed the literature for studies comparing blood markers of coagulation, fibrinolysis, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in lacunar stroke versus non-stroke controls or other ischaemic stroke subtypes. We assessed the quality of included papers and meta-analysed results. We split the analysis on time of blood draw in relation to the stroke. We identified 1,468 full papers of which 42 were eligible for inclusion, including 4,816 ischaemic strokes, of which 2,196 were lacunar and 2,500 non-stroke controls. Most studies subtyped stroke using TOAST. The definition of lacunar stroke varied between studies. Markers of coagulation/fibrinolysis (tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI), fibrinogen, D-dimer) were higher in lacunar stroke versus non-stroke although fibrinogen was no different to non-stroke in the acute phase. tPA and PAI were no different between lacunar and non-lacunar stroke. Fibrinogen and D-dimer were significantly lower in lacunar stroke compared to other ischaemic strokes, both acutely and chronically. Markers of endothelial dysfunction (homocysteine, von Willebrand Factor (vWF), E-selectin, P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM), vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM)) were higher or

A measure of early physical functioning (EPF) post-stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Finch, Lois E; Higgins, Johanne; Wood-Dauphinee, Sharon; Mayo, Nancy E

2008-07-01

To develop a comprehensive measure of Early Physical Functioning (EPF) post-stroke quantified through Rasch analysis and conceptualized using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF). An observational cohort study. A cohort of 262 subjects (mean age 71.6 (standard deviation 12.5) years) hospitalized post-acute stroke. Functional assessments were made within 3 days of stroke with items from valid and reliable indices commonly utilized to evaluate stroke survivors. Information on important variables was also collected. Principal component and Rasch analysis confirmed the factor structure, and dimensionality of the measure. Rasch analysis combined items across ICF components to develop the measure. Items were deleted iteratively, those retained fit the model and were related to the construct; reliability and validity were assessed. A 38-item unidimensional measure of the EPF met all Rasch model requirements. The item difficulty matched the person ability (mean person measure: -0.31; standard error 0.37 logits), reliability of the person-item-hierarchy was excellent at 0.97. Initial validity was adequate. The 38-item EPF measure was developed. It expands the range of assessment post acute stroke; it covers a broad spectrum of difficulty with good initial psychometric properties that, once revalidated, can assist in planning and evaluating early interventions.

How is the patient’s nutrition after a stroke?

Science.gov (United States)

Ballesteros Pomar, María D; Palazuelo Amez, Laura

2017-05-08

Neurological conditions usually cause altered levels of consciousness or swallowing mechanisms which make artificial nutritional support necessary. International guidelines recommend nutritional screening to detect malnutrition in patients with neurological diseases. Dysphagia is a common problem after a stroke, however, it is a treatable pathology, and swallowing rehabilitation allows for improving patients’ nutritional status. Awareness of this problem is required among healthcare professionals both for its diagnosis and for the implementation of nutritional intervention measures. Patients should be tested for dysphagia within the first 24 hours of the stroke onset; this swallowing assessment as well as malnutrition screening should never be delayed by more than 72 hours. The present study addresses diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, the indications of the different nutritional treatments available and the transition to oral feeding in patients who have had a stroke episode.

Rationale and design of INTERSTROKE: a global case-control study of risk factors for stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

O'Donnell, M; Serpault, Damien Xavier; Diener, C

2010-01-01

with a first stroke within 72 h of hospital presentation in whom CT or MRI is performed. Proxy respondents are used for cases unable to communicate. Etiological and topographical stroke subtype is documented for all cases. Controls are hospital- and community-based, matched for gender, ethnicity and age (+/-5...... years). A questionnaire (cases and controls) is used to acquire information on known and proposed risk factors for stroke. Cardiovascular (e.g. blood pressure) and anthropometric (e.g. waist-to-hip ratio) measurements are obtained at the time of interview. Nonfasting blood samples and random urine......-income countries is inadequate, where a very large burden of stroke occurs. Accordingly, a similar epidemiological study is required for stroke, to inform effective population-based strategies to reduce the risk of stroke. Methods: INTERSTROKE is an international, multicenter case-control study. Cases are patients...

An outcomes approach to stroke care: the importance of teamwork and evidence-based nursing care.

Science.gov (United States)

Middleton, Sandy

2012-04-01

The Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) was a cluster randomised control trial (CRCT) which evaluated the effectiveness of evidence-based clinical treatment protocols for the management of fever, hyperglycaemia and swallowing, in conjunction with multidisciplinary team building workshops, and a standardised interactive staff education program (collectively known as the Fever, Sugar, Swallowing (FeSS) intervention) to improve patient outcomes 90-days. We found that patients cared for in stroke units who received our intervention were 15·7% more likely to be alive and independent 90 days following their stroke. They also had significantly: fewer episodes of fever, lower mean temperatures, lower mean blood glucose levels, and better screening for swallowing difficulties. © 2012 The Author. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Performance of four ischemic stroke prognostic scores in a Brazilian population.

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Kuster, Gustavo W; Dutra, Lívia A; Brasil, Israel P; Pacheco, Evelyn P; Arruda, Márcio J C; Volcov, Cristiane; Domingues, Renan B

2016-02-01

Ischemic stroke (IS) prognostic scales may help clinicians in their clinical decisions. This study aimed to assess the performance of four IS prognostic scales in a Brazilian population. We evaluated data of IS patients admitted at Hospital Paulistano, a Joint Commission International certified primary stroke center. In-hospital mortality and modified Rankin score at discharge were defined as the outcome measures. The performance of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Stroke Prognostication Using Age and NIHSS (SPAN-100), Acute Stroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne (ASTRAL), and Totaled Health Risks in Vascular Events (THRIVE) were compared. Two hundred six patients with a mean ± SD age of 67.58 ± 15.5 years, being 55.3% male, were included. The four scales were significantly and independently associated functional outcome. Only THRIVE was associated with in-hospital mortality. With area under the curve THRIVE and NIHSS were the scales with better performance for functional outcome and THRIVE had the best performance for mortality. THRIVE showed the best performance among the four scales, being the only associated with in-hospital mortality.

PROMIS GH (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health) Scale in Stroke: A Validation Study.

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Katzan, Irene L; Lapin, Brittany

2018-01-01

The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement recently included the 10-item PROMIS GH (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health) scale as part of their recommended Standard Set of Stroke Outcome Measures. Before collection of PROMIS GH is broadly implemented, it is necessary to assess its performance in the stroke population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of PROMIS GH in patients with ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage. PROMIS GH and 6 PROMIS domain scales measuring same/similar constructs were electronically collected on 1102 patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes at various stages of recovery from their stroke who were seen in a cerebrovascular clinic from October 12, 2015, through June 2, 2017. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to evaluate the adequacy of 2-factor structure of component scores. Test-retest reliability and convergent validity of PROMIS GH items and component scores were assessed. Discriminant validity and responsiveness were compared between PROMIS GH and PROMIS domain scales measuring the same or related constructs. Analyses were repeated stratified by stroke subtype and modified Rankin Scale score validity was good with significant correlations between all PROMIS GH items and PROMIS domain scales ( P 0.5) was demonstrated for 8 of the 10 PROMIS GH items. Reliability and validity remained consistent across stroke subtype and disability level (modified Rankin Scale, <2 versus ≥2). PROMIS GH exhibits acceptable performance in patients with stroke. Our findings support International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement recommendation to use PROMIS GH as part of the standard set of outcome measures in stroke. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Organizational issues in stroke treatment: The Swiss paradigm - Stroke units

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Georgios K Matis

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Stroke represents the leading cause of acquired disability in adults and poses a tremendous socioeconomic burden both on patients and the society. In this sense, prompt diagnosis and urgent treatment are needed in order to radically reduce the devastating consequences of this disease. Herein the authors present the new guidelines recently adopted by the Swiss Stroke Society concerning the establishment of stroke units. Standardized treatment and allocation protocols along with an acute rehabilitation concept seem to be the core of the Swiss stroke management system. Coordinated multidisciplinary care provided by specialized medical, nursing and therapy staff is of utmost importance for achieving a significant dependency and death reduction. It is believed that the implementation of these guidelines in the stroke care system would be beneficial not only for the stroke patients, but also for the health system.

ABCD² score may discriminate minor stroke from TIA on patient admission.

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Zhao, Hui; Li, Qingjie; Lu, Mengru; Shao, Yuan; Li, Jingwei; Xu, Yun

2014-02-01

With the advent of time-dependent thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke, it has become increasingly important to differentiate transient ischemic attack (TIA) from minor stroke patients after symptom onset quickly. This study investigated the difference between TIA and minor stroke based on age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of TIA, presence of diabetes, ABCD² score, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and blood lipids. One hundred seventy-one patients with clinical manifestations as transient neurological deficits in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were studied retrospectively. All patients were evaluated by ABCD² score, blood lipid test, fibrinogen, and Holter electrocardiograph and DSA on admission. Patients were categorized into TIA group or minor stroke group according to CT and MRI scan 24 h within symptom onset. The study suggested that minor stroke patients were more likely to have a higher ABCD² score (odds ratio (OR) 2.060; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.293-3.264). Receiver-operating characteristic curves identified ABCD² score >4 as the optimal cut-off for minor stroke diagnosis. Total serum cholesterol seemed a better diagnostic indicator to discriminate minor stroke from TIA (OR 4.815; 95% CI 0.946-1.654) than other blood lipids in simple logistic regression, but not valuable for the differentiation between TIA and minor stroke in multivariate logistic regression. Higher severity of intracranial internal carotid stenosis, especially >90%, were more likely to have minor stroke, but was not a reliable diagnostic indicator (P > 0.05). ABCD² could help clinicians to differentiate possible TIA from minor stroke at hospital admission while blood lipid parameters and artery stenosis location offer limited help.

An Innovative Model of Integrated Behavioral Health: School Psychologists in Pediatric Primary Care Settings

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Adams, Carolyn D.; Hinojosa, Sara; Armstrong, Kathleen; Takagishi, Jennifer; Dabrow, Sharon

2016-01-01

This article discusses an innovative example of integrated care in which doctoral level school psychology interns and residents worked alongside pediatric residents and pediatricians in the primary care settings to jointly provide services to patients. School psychologists specializing in pediatric health are uniquely trained to recognize and…

Visualization of venous vessels in cerebral arteriograms in various types of brain strokes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruszewska, J.; Trzebicki, J.; Binkiewicz, M.

1982-01-01

1468 internal carotin angiograms including 945 performed in patients with strokes and 523 with brain tumours were analysed. Three phases were evaluated: arterial, middle and venous, directing attention to brain venous system filling in the arterial phase. Carotid arteriography carried out within 14 days after stroke onset visualizes early filling of the veins and this sign may be helpful in localizing the site brain damage. (author)

Falls and Fear of Falling After Stroke: A Case-Control Study.

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Goh, Hui-Ting; Nadarajah, Mohanasuntharaam; Hamzah, Norhamizan Binti; Varadan, Parimalaganthi; Tan, Maw Pin

2016-12-01

Falls are common after stroke, with potentially serious consequences. Few investigations have included age-matched control participants to directly compare fall characteristics between older adults with and without stroke. Further, fear of falling, a significant psychological consequence of falls, has only been examined to a limited degree as a risk factor for future falls in a stroke population. To compare the fall history between older adults with and without a previous stroke and to identify the determinants of falls and fear of falling in older stroke survivors. Case-control observational study. Primary teaching hospital. Seventy-five patients with stroke (mean age ± standard deviation, 66 ± 7 years) and 50 age-matched control participants with no previous stroke were tested. Fall history, fear of falling, and physical, cognitive, and psychological function were assessed. A χ 2 test was performed to compare characteristics between groups, and logistic regression was performed to determine the risk factors for falls and fear of falling. Fall events in the past 12 months, Fall Efficacy Scale-International, Berg Balance Scale, Functional Ambulation Category, Fatigue Severity Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Patient Healthy Questionnaire-9 were measured for all participants. Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment was used to quantify severity of stroke motor impairments. Twenty-three patients and 13 control participants reported at least one fall in the past 12 months (P = .58). Nine participants with stroke had recurrent falls (≥2 falls) compared with none of the control participants (P falling than did nonstroke control participants (P falls in the nonstroke group, whereas falls in the stroke group were not significantly associated with any measured outcomes. Fear of falling in the stroke group was associated with functional ambulation level and balance. Functional ambulation level alone explained 22% of variance in fear of falling in the stroke group

Factors affecting mobility milestones and activities of daily living after stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeuchi, Masahito

2008-01-01

Mobility milestones are elementary movements related to activities of daily living (ADL) and have a significant influence on functional recovery after stroke. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting mobility milestones and to clarify the relationships between mobility milestones and ADL. Participants were in the acute phase after first-ever strokes (ischemic, n=77; hemorrhagic, n=84). Clinical and radiological factors within the first week were determined and their effects on mobility milestones after 4 weeks were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. After 4 weeks the patients were divided into four groups on the basis of sitting balance, standing balance, and walking ability. Then total ADL score was calculated using the Barthel index (BI), and percentage of independent patients in each 10 items of BI was transition rate of ADL for each of the four groups. Patients with ischemic stroke showed the following findings. Sitting balance was affected by severity of lower limb paralysis, consciousness level, and presence of an internal capsule lesion on computed tomography (CT) (R 2 =0.86); standing balance was influenced by severity of lower limb paralysis and consciousness level (R 2 =0.72); and walking ability was affected by severity of lower limb paralysis (R 2 =0.64). Patients with hemorrhagic stroke showed the following findings. Sitting balance was influenced by severity of lower limb paralysis, intraventricular hemorrhage on CT, blood pressure instability, and fever (R 2 =0.75); standing balance was affected by severity of lower limb paralysis, consciousness level, and presence of an internal capsule lesion (R 2 =0.58); and walking ability was influenced by severity of lower limb paralysis and presence of an internal capsule lesion (R 2 =0.70). In both types of stroke, sitting and standing balance and walking ability were directly associated with total ADL score, and sitting and standing balance became independent earlier than ADL. Severity of

Stroke survivors' endorsement of a "stress belief model" of stroke prevention predicts control of risk factors for recurrent stroke.

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Phillips, L Alison; Tuhrim, Stanley; Kronish, Ian M; Horowitz, Carol R

2014-01-01

Perceptions that stress causes and stress-reduction controls hypertension have been associated with poorer blood pressure (BP) control in hypertension populations. The current study investigated these "stress-model perceptions" in stroke survivors regarding prevention of recurrent stroke and the influence of these perceptions on patients' stroke risk factor control. Stroke and transient ischemic attack survivors (N=600) participated in an in-person interview in which they were asked about their beliefs regarding control of future stroke; BP and cholesterol were measured directly after the interview. Counter to expectations, patients who endorsed a "stress-model" but not a "medication-model" of stroke prevention were in better control of their stroke risk factors (BP and cholesterol) than those who endorsed a medication-model but not a stress-model of stroke prevention (OR for poor control=.54, Wald statistic=6.07, p=.01). This result was not explained by between group differences in patients' reported medication adherence. The results have implications for theory and practice, regarding the role of stress belief models and acute cardiac events, compared to chronic hypertension.

Death caused by heat stroke: Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Savić Slobodan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Heat stroke is the most dangerous among numerous disorders caused by elevated environmental temperature. It is characterized by an increased body temperature of over 40°C, the dysfunction of the central nervous system and the development of multiple organ failure. The aim of this paper was to highlight problems in the clinical and post-mortal diagnosis of fatal heat stroke. Case Outline. A 20-year-old male was found unconscious on the street; on admission at the Emergency Center, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, he was in a coma. The body temperature of 40°C was maintained despite the applied therapy, meningeal signs were negative, tachycardia with gallop rhythm, hypotension, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and presence of skin bruises. Laboratory findings: highly elevated LDH and creatine kinase, elevated serum creatinine, AST, and signs of DIC. Lethal outcome occurred 6 hours after admission, and the case remained clinically unsolved. Autopsy showed signs of hemorrhagic diathesis, brain and pulmonary edema, and microscopic examination revealed general congestion, internal bleeding in various organs, cerebral edema, massive blood aspiration and pulmonary edema. Toxicological and bacteriological examinations were negative. Based on these findings and subsequently obtained data on the conditions at the workplace where the young man had a part-time job, it was concluded that the violent death was caused by heat stroke. Conclusion. Since heat stroke is associated with a high mortality rate and high incidence of serious and permanent organ damage in survivors, it is important to make the diagnosis of heat stroke as quickly as possible and apply appropriate treatment. Misdiagnosis of heat stroke, and consequently inadequate treatment, with a potential fatal outcome for the patient, can be the reason for blaming doctors for the legal offense of medical malpractice in failing to administer first aid.

What about self-management post-stroke? Challenges for stroke survivors, spouses and professionals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Satink, A.J.H.

2016-01-01

Self-management post-stroke is challenging for many persons after a stroke. In this thesis is explored how stroke survivors, spouses and professionals perceived self-management post-stroke and how the process of self-management post-stroke evolved over time. The following studies are conducted: a

Our Journal Unites Us: Global Responsibilities and Possibilities for Pediatric Physical Therapy.

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Van Sant, Ann F

2018-04-01

This article was designed to describe personal and social responsibilities for strengthening the science of pediatric physical therapy and effective international research collaboration and communication. Common flaws in research design and analysis are reviewed with recommendations for developing research students' design and analytical skills. Our social responsibility to be informed by global knowledge is highlighted. Barriers to scientific collaboration and communication including international disparities in scientific development and language barriers are presented. Suggestions to reduce these barriers are outlined. The importance of free access to scientific literature in developing countries is reviewed. The journal should assume a leadership role in building a strong science of pediatric physical therapy through encouraging personal and social responsibility in research and serving as a model of international collaboration and communication. Treatment for children with movement disorders will be improved by stronger science, international collaboration, and communication.

Cognitive impairment and stroke in elderly patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lo Coco D

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Daniele Lo Coco,1 Gianluca Lopez,1 Salvatore Corrao,2,31Neurology and Stroke Unit, 2Department of Internal Medicine, National Relevance and High Specialization Hospital Trust ARNAS Civico, Di Cristina, Benfratelli, Palermo, 3Centre of Research for Effectiveness and Appropriateness in Medicine (C.R.E.A.M., Di.Bi.M.I.S., University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Abstract: We reviewed current knowledge about the interaction between stroke and vascular risk factors and the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. Stroke is increasingly recognized as an important cause of cognitive problems and has been implicated in the development of both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. The prevalence of cognitive impairment after stroke is high, and their combined effects significantly increase the cost of care and health resource utilization, with reflections on hospital readmissions and increased mortality rates. There is also substantial evidence that vascular risk factors (such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and tobacco smoking are independently associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Thus, a successful management of these factors, as well as optimal acute stroke management, might have a great impact on the development of cognitive impairment. Notwithstanding, the pathological link between cognitive impairment, stroke, and vascular risk factors is complex and still partially unclear so that further studies are needed to better elucidate the boundaries of this relationship. Many specific pharmacological treatments, including anticholinergic drugs and antihypertensive medications, and nonpharmacological approaches, such as diet, cognitive rehabilitation, and physical activity, have been studied for patients with vascular cognitive impairment, but the optimal care is still far away. Meanwhile, according to the most recent knowledge, optimal stroke care should also include cognitive assessment in the

Chronicle of pediatric radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benz-Bohm, Gabriele; Richter, Ernst

2012-01-01

The chronicle of pediatric radiology covers the following issues: Development of pediatric radiology in Germany (BRD, DDR, pediatric radiological accommodations); development of pediatric radiology in the Netherlands (chronology and pediatric radiological accommodations); development of pediatric radiology in Austria (chronology and pediatric radiological accommodations); development of pediatric radiology in Switzerland (chronology and pediatric radiological accommodations).

Canadian pediatric gastroenterology workforce: Current status, concerns and future projections

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Morinville, Véronique; Drouin, Éric; Lévesque, Dominique; Espinosa, Victor M; Jacobson, Kevan

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is concern that the Canadian pediatric gastroenterology workforce is inadequate to meet health care demands of the pediatric population. The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Pediatric Committee performed a survey to determine characteristics and future plans of the Canadian pediatric gastroenterology workforce and trainees. METHODS: Estimates of total and pediatric populations were obtained from the 2001 Census of Population, Statistics Canada (with estimates to July 1, 2005). Data on Canadian pediatric gastroenterologists, including clinical full-time equivalents, sex, work interests, opinions on workforce adequacy, retirement plans, fellowship training programs and future employment plans of fellows, were gathered through e-mail surveys and telephone correspondence in 2005 and 2006. RESULTS: Canada had an estimated population of 32,270,507 in 2005 (6,967,853 people aged zero to 17 years). The pediatric gastroenterology workforce was estimated at 9.2 specialists per million children. Women accounted for 50% of the workforce. Physician to pediatric population ratios varied, with Alberta demonstrating the highest and Saskatchewan the lowest ratios (1:69,404 versus 1:240,950, respectively). Between 1998 and 2005, Canadian pediatric gastroenterology fellowship programs trained 65 fellows (65% international trainees). Twenty-two fellows (34%) entered the Canadian workforce. CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights the variable and overall low numbers of pediatric gastroenterologists across Canada, an increasingly female workforce, a greater percentage of part-time physicians and a small cohort of Canadian trainees. In conjunction with high projected retirement rates, greater demands on the work-force and desires to partake in nonclinical activities, there is concern for an increasing shortage of pediatric gastroenterologists in Canada in future years. PMID:17948136

Stroke Neurologist's Perspective on the New Endovascular Trials.

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Grotta, James C; Hacke, Werner

2015-06-01

Before December 2014, the only proven effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke was recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-tPA). This has now changed with the publication of the Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN), Endovascular Treatment for Small Core and Anterior Circulation Proximal Occlusion With Emphasis on Minimizing CT to Recanalization Times (ESCAPE), Extending the Time for Thrombolysis in Emergency Neurological Deficits--Intra-Arterial (EXTEND IA), Solitaire With the Intention for Thrombectomy as Primary Endovascular Treatment Trial (SWIFT PRIME), and Randomized Trial of Revascularization With the Solitaire FR Device Versus Best Medical Therapy in the Treatment of Acute Stroke Due to Anterior Circulation Large Vessel Occlusion Presenting Within Eight Hours of Symptom Onset (REVASCAT) studies. We review the main results of these studies and how they inform stroke patient management going forward. The main take home points for neurologists are (1) intra-arterial thrombectomy is a potently effective treatment and should be offered to patients who have documented occlusion in the distal internal carotid or the proximal middle cerebral artery, have a relatively normal noncontrast head computed tomographic scan, severe neurological deficit, and can have intra-arterial thrombectomy within 6 hours of last seen normal; (2) benefits are clear in patients receiving r-tPA before intra-arterial thrombectomy; r-tPA should not be withheld if the patient meets criteria, and benefit in patients who do not receive r-tPA or have r-tPA exclusions requires further study; and (3) these favorable results occur when intra-arterial thrombectomy is performed in an endovascular stroke center by a coordinated multidisciplinary team that extends from the prehospital stage to the endovascular suite, minimizes time to recanalization, uses stent-retriever devices, and avoids general

From dictatorship to a reluctant democracy: stroke therapists talking about self-management.

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Norris, Meriel; Kilbride, Cherry

2014-01-01

Self-management is being increasingly promoted within chronic conditions including stroke. Concerns have been raised regarding professional ownership of some programmes, yet little is known of the professional's experience. This paper aims to present the views of trained therapists about the utility of a specific self-management approach in stroke rehabilitation. Eleven stroke therapists trained in the self-management approach participated in semi-structured interviews. These were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Two overriding themes emerged. The first was the sense that in normal practice therapists act as "benign dictators", committed to help their patients, but most comfortable when they, the professional, are in control. Following the adoption of the self-management approach therapists challenged themselves to empower stroke survivors to take control of their own recovery. However, therapists had to confront many internal and external challenges in this transition of power resulting in the promotion of a somewhat "reluctant democracy". This study illustrates that stroke therapists desire a more participatory approach to rehabilitation. However, obstacles challenged the successful delivery of this goal. If self-management is an appropriate model to develop in post stroke pathways, then serious consideration must be given to how and if these obstacles can be overcome. Stroke therapists perceive that self-management is appropriate for encouraging ownership of rehabilitation post stroke. Numerous obstacles were identified as challenging the implementation of self-management post stroke. These included: professional models, practices and expectations; institutional demands and perceived wishes of stroke survivors. For self-management to be effectively implemented by stroke therapists, these obstacles must be considered and overcome. This should be as part of an integrated therapy service, rather than as an add-on.

Using blogs to explore the lived-experience of life after stroke: "A journey of discovery I never wanted to take".

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Thomas, Caroline M; Allison, Rhoda; Latour, Jos M

2018-03-01

To explore the lived-experiences of stroke survivors as expressed in blogs and to discover the role the blogs play in the writers' lives. Stroke can be a devastating, life changing event. Previous qualitative studies tend to examine one aspect of life after stroke. As stroke often has multiple effects, it is necessary to look widely at its lived-experience. New resources which can enable researchers to explore the lived-experience of stroke are blogs. Phenomenological exploration using an interpretive thematic analysis. The Internet was searched for stroke survivors' blogs (January-March 2016) using pre-set criteria, seeking blogs with entries over an extended time (>1 year). Suitable blogs were identified and codes of meaning were identified and developed into categories, subthemes and themes. Eight blogs were identified for analysis. Of the 40 categories, eight subthemes were assimilated; internal dialogue, emotions, transition, stroke effects, health care, "in the world", relationships, rehabilitation. Two main themes were identified related to perspectives of lived-experience; Internal relationship with "self" and External relationship with "the world". Participants expressed loss and initially strove to regain their "old" lives, their focus being recovery and independence. Stroke survivors must transition from their previous life to a new and initially unwelcome way of being. Rehabilitation should respect this process and support stroke survivors as they undertake this individual journey. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Risk factors, mortality, and timing of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke with left ventricular assist devices.

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Frontera, Jennifer A; Starling, Randall; Cho, Sung-Min; Nowacki, Amy S; Uchino, Ken; Hussain, M Shazam; Mountis, Maria; Moazami, Nader

2017-06-01

Stroke is a major cause of mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement. Prospectively collected data of patients with HeartMate II (n = 332) and HeartWare (n = 70) LVADs from October 21, 2004, to May 19, 2015, were reviewed. Predictors of early (during index hospitalization) and late (post-discharge) ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and association of stroke subtypes with mortality were assessed. Of 402 patients, 83 strokes occurred in 69 patients (17%; 0.14 events per patient-year [EPPY]): early ischemic stroke in 18/402 (4%; 0.03 EPPY), early hemorrhagic stroke in 11/402 (3%; 0.02 EPPY), late ischemic stroke in 25/402 (6%; 0.04 EPPY) and late hemorrhagic stroke in 29/402 (7%; 0.05 EPPY). Risk of stroke and death among patients with stroke was bimodal with highest risks immediately post-implant and increasing again 9-12 months later. Risk of death declined over time in patients without stroke. Modifiable stroke risk factors varied according to timing and stroke type, including tobacco use, bacteremia, pump thrombosis, pump infection, and hypertension (all p hemorrhagic stroke (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-17.8, p = 0.04), late ischemic stroke (aOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-9.0, p = 0.03), and late hemorrhagic stroke (aOR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-9.2, p = 0.005) predicted death, whereas early ischemic stroke did not. Stroke is a leading cause and predictor of death in patients with LVADs. Risk of stroke and death among patients with stroke is bimodal, with highest risk at time of implant and increasing risk again after 9-12 months. Management of modifiable risk factors may reduce stroke and mortality rates. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the custo screen pediatric blood pressure monitor according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol revision 2010.

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Beime, Beate; Deutsch, Cornelia; Krüger, Ralf; Wolf, Andreas; Müller, Peter; Hammel, Gertrud; Bramlage, Peter

2017-05-01

The purpose of the study was to validate the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device custo screen pediatric in children aged 3 to 12 years according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH-IP revision 2010). Thirty-three children were included and systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements were performed according to the ESH-IP. The protocol was modified for children considering data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KIGGS). The custo screen pediatric met all the requirements of the ESH-IP. The mean difference between the test device and the reference was -1.4 ± 3.0 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and -0.7 ± 3.2 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (DBP). For SBP and DBP, all 99 measurements were within the absolute difference of 10 mmHg between the test device and the reference. As to part 2 of the protocol, for DBP in all subjects, two out of three measurements were within 5 mmHg between the device and the standard, whereas for SBP in 32 of 33 subjects, two out of three measurements were within this range. The custo screen pediatric met all criteria of the ESH-IP review 2010, modified for children from 3 to about 12 years, and can be recommended for ABPM in children. What is Known: • Validation of blood pressure measuring devices is essential to provide patients with an accurate blood pressure measuring device. • The majority of devices has not been validated in children. What is New: • Prior to the present validation, study protocol adjustments of ESH-IP review 2010 for children were defined according to German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents 2013 (KIGGS). • The custo screen pediatric test device met all criteria of ESH-IP revision 2010, modified for children, and can be recommended for ABPM in children aged 3 to about 12 years.

Measurement of vertical stroke Vub vertical stroke using b hadron semileptonic decay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbiendi, G.; Aakesson, P.F.

2001-01-01

The magnitude of the CKM matrix element vertical stroke V ub vertical stroke is determined by measuring the inclusive charmless semileptonic branching fraction of beauty hadrons at OPAL based on b → X u lν event topology and kinematics. This analysis uses OPAL data collected between 1991 and 1995, which correspond to about four million hadronic Z decays. We measure Br(b → X u lν) to be (1.63 ±0.53 +0.55 -0.62 ) x 10 -3 . The first uncertainty is the statistical error and the second is the systematic error. From this analysis, vertical stroke V ub vertical stroke is determined to be: vertical stroke V ub vertical stroke =(4.00±0.65(stat) +0.67 -0.76 (sys)±0.19(HQE)) x 10 -3 . The last error represents the theoretical uncertainties related to the extraction of vertical stroke V ub vertical stroke from Br(b→X u l ν) using the Heavy Quark Expansion. (orig.)

Microalbuminuria could improve risk stratification in patients with TIA and minor stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Elyas, Salim; Shore, Angela C; Kingwell, Hayley; Keenan, Samantha; Boxall, Leigh; Stewart, Jane; James, Martin A; Strain, William David

2016-09-01

Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and minor strokes are important risk factors for recurrent strokes. Current stroke risk prediction scores such as ABCD2, although widely used, lack optimal sensitivity and specificity. Elevated urinary albumin excretion predicts cardiovascular disease, stroke, and mortality. We explored the role of microalbuminuria (using albumin creatinine ratio (ACR)) in predicting recurrence risk in patients with TIA and minor stroke. Urinary ACR was measured on a spot sample in 150 patients attending a daily stroke clinic with TIA or minor stroke. Patients were followed up at day 7, 30, and 90 to determine recurrent stroke, cardiovascular events, or death. Eligible patients had a carotid ultrasound Doppler investigation. High-risk patients were defined as those who had an event within 90 days or had >50% internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Fourteen (9.8%) recurrent events were reported by day 90 including two deaths. Fifteen patients had severe ICA stenosis. In total, 26 patients were identified as high risk. These patients had a higher frequency of previous stroke or hypercholesterolemia compared to low-risk patients (P = 0.04). ACR was higher in high-risk patients (3.4 [95% CI 2.2-5.2] vs. 1.7 [1.5-2.1] mg/mmol, P = 0.004), independent of age, sex, blood pressure, diabetes, and previous stroke. An ACR greater than 1.5 mg/mmol predicted high-risk patients (Cox proportional hazard ratio 3.5 (95% CI 1.3-9.5, P = 0.01). After TIA or minor stroke, a higher ACR predicted recurrent events and significant ICA stenosis. Incorporation of urinary ACR from a spot sample in the acute setting could improve risk stratification in patients with TIA and minor stroke.

Seizure development after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Misirli, H; Ozge, A; Somay, G; Erdoğan, N; Erkal, H; Erenoğlu, N Y

2006-12-01

Although there have been many studies on seizures following stroke, there is still much we do not know about them. In this study, we evaluated the characteristics of seizures in stroke patients. There were 2267 patients with a first-ever stroke, and after excluding 387 patients, 1880 were available for analysis. Of these 1880 patients, we evaluated 200 patients with seizures and 400 patients without seizures. We investigated the seizures according to age, gender, stroke type, the aetiology of ischaemic stroke and the localisation of the lesion. The seizures were classified as early onset and late onset and the seizure type as partial, generalised or secondarily generalised. Seizures occurred in 200 (10.6%) of 1880 strokes. The number of patients with seizures were 138 (10.6%) in ischaemic stroke group and 62 (10.7%) in haemorrhagic stroke group. Patients with ischaemic strokes had 41 embolic (29.7%) and 97 thrombotic (70.3%) origin, and these were not statistically significant in comparison with controls. Cortical involvement for the development of seizures was the most important risk factor (odds ratios = 4.25, p < 0.01). It was concluded that embolic strokes, being younger than 65 years old, and cortical localisation of stroke were important risks for developing seizures.

Clinical Epidemiology Of Stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagaraja D

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Stroke is a huge public health problem because of its high morbidity and disability. The epidemiology of stroke is of relevance to construct practical paradigms to tackle this major health issue in the community. Recent data have shown that about 72-86% of strokes are ischemic, 9-18% are due to hemorrhage (intracerebral of subarachnoid and the rest are undefined. The risk factors for stroke are multiple and combined. At present, stroke is no more considered as unavoidable and untreatable. It is an emergency and specialized units and teams improve outcome and lower costs. Death related to stroke is declining in many countries and in both sexes. This decrease in multifactorial. The detection and more effective treatment of hypertension may play an important factor, as well as the improved medical care and improvement in diagnostic procedures. While stroke incidence appears stable and stroke mortality is slowly declining, the absolute magnitude of stroke is likely to grow over the next 30 years. as the population ages, the absolute number of stroke victims and demands on healthcare and other support systems is likely to increase substantially in the future. Keeping this in perspective, this chapter shall focus on the epidemiology of stroke in the world and in Indian, in particular.

A systematic review of perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Sarah; Sniehotta, Falko F; van Wijck, Frederike; Greig, Carolyn A; Johnston, Marie; McMurdo, Marion E T; Dennis, Martin; Mead, Gillian E

2013-07-01

Physical fitness is impaired after stroke, may contribute to disability, yet is amenable to improvement through regular physical activity. To facilitate uptake and maintenance of physical activity, it is essential to understand stroke survivors' perceived barriers and motivators. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review of perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity after stroke. Electronic searches of EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, and PsychInfo were performed. We included peer-reviewed journal articles, in English, between 1 January 1966 and 30 August 2010 reporting stroke survivors' perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity. Searches identified 73,807 citations of which 57 full articles were retrieved. Six articles were included, providing data on 174 stroke survivors (range 10 to 83 per article). Two reported barriers and motivators, two reported only motivators, and two reported only barriers. Five were qualitative articles and one was quantitative. The most commonly reported barriers were lack of motivation, environmental factors (e.g. transport), health concerns, and stroke impairments. The most commonly reported motivators were social support and the need to be able to perform daily tasks. This review has furthered our understanding of the perceived barriers and motivators to physical activity after a stroke. This review will enable the development of tailored interventions to target barriers, while building upon perceived motivators to increase and maintain stroke survivors' physical activity. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Analysis of speed, stroke rate, and stroke distance for world-class breaststroke swimming.

Science.gov (United States)

Garland Fritzdorf, Stephen; Hibbs, Angela; Kleshnev, Valery

2009-02-15

Speed in aquatic locomotion is determined by stroke distance and stroke rate, but it does not always follow that an increase in stroke rate will lead to an increase in speed. Kleshnev (2006) developed a method to evaluate the relationship between speed and stroke rate during rowing - the effective work per stroke. In this case study, the effective work per stroke was determined for a male world-class 100-m breaststroke swimmer for seven races in major championships and compared between: each of the seven races; each quarter within each race; and the best swims of this case study and seven other world-class swimmers. The effective work per stroke was related to race performance, with the fastest race having the highest effective work per stroke and lowest stroke rate, with slower races having low effectiveness and high stroke rate (R(2) = 0.85). The effective work per stroke was reduced in a race as the swimmer fatigued. The within-race standard deviation of effectiveness was lower in fast swims (R(2) = 0.84). This analysis has identified some characteristics of fast swimming: high effectiveness, optimal stroke rate, and a flat effectiveness profile. Training and racing strategies can now be devised to improve performance by increasing the sensitivity of assessment of strengths and weaknesses in individuals.

Construct validity of the items on the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) questionnaire that evaluate the participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Soraia Micaela; Corrêa, Fernanda Ishida; Pereira, Gabriela Santos; Faria, Christina Danielli Coelho de Morais; Corrêa, João Carlos Ferrari

2018-01-01

Analyze the construct validity and internal consistency of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) items that address the participation component of the ICF as well as analyze the ceiling and floor effects. One hundred subjects were analyzed: 85 community-dwelling and 15 institutionalized individuals. The analysis of construct validity was performed using classic psychometrics: (1) the comparison of known groups (individuals without restriction to participation vs. those with restriction to participation) using the Mann-Whitney test and (2) convergent validity - correlation between the scores on the SS-QOL items that address participation and the subscale scores of measures used to evaluate the similar constructs and concepts [the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and grip strength test]. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated for this analysis. Cronbach's α was used for the analysis of internal consistency and both the ceiling and floor effects were analyzed. The level of significance for all analyses was α = 0.05. The a priori hypotheses regarding construct validity were partially demonstrated, as only five of the eight domains exhibited positive moderate to strong correlations (r > 0.40) with measures that address constructs similar to those addressed on the SS-QOL questionnaire. The items demonstrated adequate internal consistency and are capable of differentiating individuals with and without restriction to participation. The ceiling and floor effects were considered adequate for the total SS-QOL score, but beyond acceptable standards for some domains. The 26 items of the SS-QOL questionnaire measure a multidimensional construct and therefore do not only address participation. However, the items demonstrated adequate internal consistency and are capable of differentiating individuals with and without restriction to participation. Implications for rehabilitation The 26 items of the SS

Stroke Burden in Rwanda: A Multicenter Study of Stroke Management and Outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkusi, Agabe Emmy; Muneza, Severien; Nshuti, Steven; Hakizimana, David; Munyemana, Paulin; Nkeshimana, Menelas; Rudakemwa, Emmanuel; Amendezo, Etienne

2017-10-01

Cerebrovascular accidents or stroke constitute the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries bear most of the stroke burden worldwide. The main objective of this study is to determine the burden of stroke in Rwanda. This was a prospective observational study in 2 parts: 6 months baseline data collection and outcome assessment sessions at 1 year. A total of 96 patients were enrolled in our series. Stroke constituted 2100 per 100,000 population. Of all patients, 55.2% were male and most (60%) were 55 years and older. Of all patients and/or caretakers, 22% were not aware of their previous health status and 53.5% of hypertensive patients were not on treatment by the time of the event. Median presentation delay was 72 hours for patients with ischemic stroke and 24 hours for patients with hemorrhagic stroke. Most patients had hemorrhagic stroke (65% vs. 35%), and more patients with hemorrhagic stroke presented with loss of consciousness (80% vs. 51%). Many patients (62% ischemic group and 44% hemorrhagic group) presented with severe stroke scores, and this was associated with worst outcome (P = 0.004). At 1 year follow-up, 24.7% had no or mild disability, 14.3% were significantly disabled, and 61% had died. Our results show that stroke is a significant public health concern in Rwanda. Risk factor awareness and control are still low and case fatality of stroke is significantly high. The significant delay in presentation to care and presentation with severe stroke are major contributors for the high mortality and severe disability rates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The international pediatric radiology 5th conjoint meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2006-01-01

The review course will feature a series of informative refresher courses on topics such as head and neck imaging, musculoskeletal intervention and emergency radiology. In addition, we will feature Special Focus Sessions on the important topics of radiation effects, fetal imaging, and the challenges of radiography in the digital age. The educational program will be rounded out by four State-of-the-Art sessions on CT radiation dose, imaging in pediatric oncology, the cardiovascular and urogenital systems, and the dysplastic hip. Three New Horizons sessions have been created which will study the rapid developments in molecular imaging and advanced MRI. A Film Panel of multinational experts has been formed to review unknown cases of interest. (orig.)

Cryptogenic embolic stroke in a girl with a trisomy 21 mosaic.

Science.gov (United States)

Stöllberger, Claudia; Weiss, Simone; Zlabinger, Gerhard; Finsterer, Josef

2012-06-01

Stroke in trisomy 21 may be due to cardioembolism, atherosclerosis, vasculitis, moyamoya disease, sinus venous thrombosis, internal carotid hypoplasia or infections like endocarditis with septic emboli, meningitis or brain abscess. In rare cases, however, stroke etiology remains unexplained. We present a 19 year old Caucasian girl with trisomy 21 with a 47XX+21 karyotype who suffered at age 11 years from a transient ischemic attack with left hemiparesis, and at age 17 years from an ischemic stroke in the territory of the right cerebral medial artery. She suffered from arterial hypertension, obesity and hypercholesterolemia. Since blood coagulation studies, immunologic parameters, blood cultures, 24-h Holter monitoring, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, magnetic resonance angiography of the extra- and intracranial vessels, thoracic and abdominal aorta and renal arteries did not provide any explanation for the stroke, implantation of a loop recorder is considered in order to detect episodes of clinically silent atrial fibrillation.

Pediatric Asthma

Science.gov (United States)

... Science Education & Training Home Conditions Asthma (Pediatric) Asthma (Pediatric) Make an Appointment Refer a Patient Ask a ... meet the rising demand for asthma care. Our pediatric asthma team brings together physicians, nurses, dietitians, physical ...

Pediatric sleep apnea

Science.gov (United States)

Sleep apnea - pediatric; Apnea - pediatric sleep apnea syndrome; Sleep-disordered breathing - pediatric ... Untreated pediatric sleep apnea may lead to: High blood pressure Heart or lung problems Slow growth and development

Hip Hop Stroke: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial to Address Stroke Literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Olajide; Leighton-Herrmann, Ellyn; DeSorbo, Alexandra; Hecht, Mindy; Hedmann, Monique; Huq, Saima; Gerin, William; Chinchilli, Vernon; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Noble, James

2015-10-01

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of serious long-term adult disability in the US. Acute stroke treatments with intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular therapy are proven to reduce disability, however a critical limitation on their effectiveness is the narrow time window for administration, which is 4.5 hours and 6 hours respectively from the onset of symptoms. Our overarching goal is to reduce pre-hospital delays to acute stroke treatments in economically disadvantaged minority communities where the greatest delays exist, using Hip Hop Stroke. Hip Hop Stroke (HHS) is a school-based, child-mediated, culturally-tailored stroke communication multimedia intervention developed using validated models of behavior change and designed to improve stroke literacy (knowledge of stroke symptoms, the urgent need to call 911, and prevention measures) of 4 th , 5 th and 6 th grade students and their parents residing in poor urban communities. Children in the intervention arm will receive the HHS intervention, while those in the attentional control arm will receive standardized nutrition education based on the USDA's MyPyramid program. Children will be trained and motivated to share stroke information with their parents or other adult caregiver. Both children and parents will complete a stroke knowledge assessment at baseline, immediately following the program, and at 3-months post-program. The primary outcome is the effect of the child mediation on parental stroke literacy. Stroke literate children, a captive audience in school systems, may represent a viable channel for spreading stroke information into households of poor urban communities where mass media stroke campaigns have shown the lowest penetration. These children may also call 911 when witnessing a stroke in their homes or communities. The HHS program may highlight the potential role of children in the chain of stroke recovery as a strategy for reducing prehospital delays to acute stroke

Prevalence of stroke symptoms among stroke-free residents: first national data from Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Farah, Rita; Zeidan, Rouba Karen; Chahine, Mirna N; Asmar, Roland; Chahine, Ramez; Salameh, Pascale; Hosseini, Hassan

2015-10-01

Stroke symptoms are common among people without a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack. Reported stroke symptoms may represent stroke episodes that failed to reach the threshold for clinical diagnosis. This study aimed to assess in the Lebanese population the prevalence of self-reported stroke symptoms in a stroke- and transient ischemic attack-free population, and the association of these symptoms with major risk factors for stroke. We carried out a cross-sectional study using a multistage cluster sample across Lebanon. We interviewed residents aged 40 years and more. Stroke symptoms were assessed using the Questionnaire for Verifying Stroke-Free Status. We included 1515 individuals (mean age was 57·2 ± 12·4 years, 783 women, 51·7%). Among 1460 participants stroke- and transient ischemic attack-free, 175 had experienced at least one stroke symptom (12·1%, 95% CI 9·9%-14·3%). Arterial hypertension (adjOR 4·37, 95% CI 2·68-7·12), history of heart disease (adjOR 3·34, 95% CI 2·00-5·56), current waterpipe smoking (adjOR 3·88, 95% CI 2·33-6·48), current and former cigarette smoking (adjOR 1·84, 95% CI 1·18-2·87 and adjOR 2·01, 95% CI 1·13-3·5, respectively), psychological distress (adjOR 1·04, 95% CI 1·02-1·05), the Mediterranean diet score (adjOR 0·87, 95% CI 0·76-0·99), and regular physical activity (adjOR 0·45, 95% CI 0·26-0·77) were independently associated with stroke symptoms. This is the first study conducted in the Middle East, assessing self-reported stroke symptoms among stroke-free residents. Our study showed that almost one in eight residents without a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack has had stroke symptoms. Major vascular risk factors are associated with these symptoms, thus allowing for prevention strategies. © 2015 World Stroke Organization.

Self-Reported Stroke Risk Stratification: Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, George; McClure, Leslie A; Moy, Claudia S; Howard, Virginia J; Judd, Suzanne E; Yuan, Ya; Long, D Leann; Muntner, Paul; Safford, Monika M; Kleindorfer, Dawn O

2017-07-01

The standard for stroke risk stratification is the Framingham Stroke Risk Function (FSRF), an equation requiring an examination for blood pressure assessment, venipuncture for glucose assessment, and ECG to determine atrial fibrillation and heart disease. We assess a self-reported stroke risk function (SRSRF) to stratify stroke risk in comparison to the FSRF. Participants from the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) were evaluated at baseline and followed for incident stroke. The FSRF was calculated using directly assessed stroke risk factors. The SRSRF was calculated from 13 self-reported questions to exclude those with prevalent stroke and assess stroke risk. Proportional hazards analysis was used to assess incident stroke risk using the FSRF and SRSRF. Over an average 8.2-year follow-up, 939 of 23 983 participants had a stroke. The FSRF and SRSRF produced highly correlated risk scores ( r Spearman =0.852; 95% confidence interval, 0.849-0.856); however, the SRSRF had higher discrimination of stroke risk than the FSRF (c SRSRF =0.7266; 95% confidence interval, 0.7076-0.7457; c FSRF =0.7075; 95% confidence interval, 0.6877-0.7273; P =0.0038). The 10-year stroke risk in the highest decile of predicted risk was 11.1% for the FSRF and 13.4% for the SRSRF. A simple self-reported questionnaire can be used to identify those at high risk for stroke better than the gold standard FSRF. This instrument can be used clinically to easily identify individuals at high risk for stroke and also scientifically to identify a subpopulation enriched for stroke risk. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Effect of a provincial system of stroke care delivery on stroke care and outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Kapral, Moira K.; Fang, Jiming; Silver, Frank L.; Hall, Ruth; Stamplecoski, Melissa; O’Callaghan, Christina; Tu, Jack V.

2013-01-01

Background: Systems of stroke care delivery have been promoted as a means of improving the quality of stroke care, but little is known about their effectiveness. We assessed the effect of the Ontario Stroke System, a province-wide strategy of regionalized stroke care delivery, on stroke care and outcomes in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We used population-based provincial administrative databases to identify all emergency department visits and hospital admissions for acute stroke and transient ischemic attack from Jan. 1, 2001, to Dec. 31, 2010. Using piecewise regression analyses, we assessed the effect of the full implementation of the Ontario Stroke System in 2005 on the proportion of patients who received care at stroke centres, and on rates of discharge to long-term care facilities and 30-day mortality after stroke. Results: We included 243 287 visits by patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack. The full implementation of the Ontario Stroke System in 2005 was associated with an increase in rates of care at stroke centres (before implementation: 40.0%; after implementation: 46.5%), decreased rates of discharge to long-term care facilities (before implementation: 16.9%; after implementation: 14.8%) and decreased 30-day mortality for hemorrhagic (before implementation: 38.3%; after implementation: 34.4%) and ischemic stroke (before implementation: 16.3%; after implementation: 15.7%). The system’s implementation was also associated with marked increases in the proportion of patients who received neuroimaging, thrombolytic therapy, care in a stroke unit and antithrombotic therapy. Interpretation: The implementation of an organized system of stroke care delivery was associated with improved processes of care and outcomes after stroke. PMID:23713072

White matter changes in stroke patients. Relationship with stroke subtype and outcome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leys, D; Englund, E; Del Ser, T

1999-01-01

or white matter lesions or leukoencephalopathy or leukoaraiosis' and 'stroke or cerebral infarct or cerebral hemorrhage or cerebrovascular disease or transient ischemic attack (TIA)'. WMC, as defined radiologically, are present in up to 44% of patients with stroke or TIA and in 50% of patients...... of death or dependency, recurrent stroke of any type, cerebral bleeding under anticoagulation, myocardial infarction, and poststroke dementia. WMC in stroke patients are often associated with small-vessel disease and lead to a higher risk of death, and poor cardiac and neurological outcome. However......White matter changes (WMC), detected by imaging techniques, are frequent in stroke patients. The aim of the study was to determine how WMC relate to stroke subtypes and to stroke outcome. We made a systematic Medline search for articles appearing with two of the following key words: either 'WMC...

Pediatric Sinusitis

Science.gov (United States)

... ENTCareers Marketplace Find an ENT Doctor Near You Pediatric Sinusitis Pediatric Sinusitis Patient Health Information News media interested in ... sinuses are present at birth. Unlike in adults, pediatric sinusitis is difficult to diagnose because symptoms of ...

Dynamics of myelin content decrease in the rat stroke model

Science.gov (United States)

Kisel, A.; Khodanovich, M.; Atochin, D.; Mustafina, L.; Yarnykh, V.

2017-08-01

The majority of studies were usually focused on neuronal death after brain ischemia; however, stroke affects all cell types including oligodendrocytes that form myelin sheath in the CNS. Our study is focused on the changes of myelin content in the ischemic core and neighbor structures in early terms (1, 3 and 10 days) after stroke. Stroke was modeled with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) in 15 male rats that were divided into three groups by time points after operation. Brain sections were histologically stained with Luxol Fast Blue (LFB) for myelin quantification. The significant demyelination was found in the ischemic core, corpus callosum, anterior commissure, whereas myelin content was increased in caudoputamen, internal capsule and piriform cortex compared with the contralateral hemisphere. The motor cortex showed a significant increase of myelin content on the 1st day and a significant decrease on the 3rd and 10th days after MCAo. These results suggest that stroke influences myelination not only in the ischemic core but also in distant structures.

Causes of Death Data in the Global Burden of Disease Estimates for Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Truelsen, Thomas; Krarup, Lars-Henrik; Iversen, Helle K; Mensah, George A; Feigin, Valery L; Sposato, Luciano A; Naghavi, Mohsen

2015-01-01

Stroke mortality estimates in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study are based on routine mortality statistics and redistribution of ill-defined codes that cannot be a cause of death, the so-called 'garbage codes' (GCs). This study describes the contribution of these codes to stroke mortality estimates. All available mortality data were compiled and non-specific cause codes were redistributed based on literature review and statistical methods. Ill-defined codes were redistributed to their specific cause of disease by age, sex, country and year. The reassignment was done based on the International Classification of Diseases and the pathology behind each code by checking multiple causes of death and literature review. Unspecified stroke and primary and secondary hypertension are leading contributing 'GCs' to stroke mortality estimates for hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and ischemic stroke (IS). There were marked differences in the fraction of death assigned to IS and HS for unspecified stroke and hypertension between GBD regions and between age groups. A large proportion of stroke fatalities are derived from the redistribution of 'unspecified stroke' and 'hypertension' with marked regional differences. Future advancements in stroke certification, data collections and statistical analyses may improve the estimation of the global stroke burden. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Pediatric Donation After Circulatory Determination of Death: A Scoping Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Matthew J; Hornby, Laura; Witteman, William; Shemie, Sam D

2016-03-01

Although pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death is increasing in frequency, there are no national or international donation after circulatory determination of death guidelines specific to pediatrics. This scoping review was performed to map the pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death literature, identify pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death knowledge gaps, and inform the development of national or regional pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death guidelines. Terms related to pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death were searched in Embase and MEDLINE, as well as the non-MEDLINE sources in PubMed from 1980 to May 2014. Seven thousand five hundred ninety-seven references were discovered and 85 retained for analysis. All references addressing pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death were considered. Exclusion criteria were articles that did not address pediatric patients, animal or laboratory studies, surgical techniques, and local pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death protocols. Narrative reviews and opinion articles were the most frequently discovered reference (25/85) and the few discovered studies were observational or qualitative and almost exclusively retrospective. Retained references were divided into themes and analyzed using qualitative methodology. The main discovered themes were 1) studies estimating the number of potential pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death donors and their impact on donation; 2) ethical issues in pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death; 3) physiology of the dying process after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy; 4) cardiac pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death; and 5) neonatal pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death. Donor estimates suggest that pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death will

MO-G-17A-04: Internal Dosimetric Calculations for Pediatric Nuclear Imaging Applications, Using Monte Carlo Simulations and High-Resolution Pediatric Computational Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papadimitroulas, P; Kagadis, GC [University of Patras, Rion, Ahaia (Greece); Loudos, G [Technical Educational Institute of Athens, Aigaleo, Attiki (Greece)

2014-06-15

Purpose: Our purpose is to evaluate the administered absorbed dose in pediatric, nuclear imaging studies. Monte Carlo simulations with the incorporation of pediatric computational models can serve as reference for the accurate determination of absorbed dose. The procedure of the calculated dosimetric factors is described, while a dataset of reference doses is created. Methods: Realistic simulations were executed using the GATE toolkit and a series of pediatric computational models, developed by the “IT'IS Foundation”. The series of the phantoms used in our work includes 6 models in the range of 5–14 years old (3 boys and 3 girls). Pre-processing techniques were applied to the images, to incorporate the phantoms in GATE simulations. The resolution of the phantoms was set to 2 mm3. The most important organ densities were simulated according to the GATE “Materials Database”. Several used radiopharmaceuticals in SPECT and PET applications are being tested, following the EANM pediatric dosage protocol. The biodistributions of the several isotopes used as activity maps in the simulations, were derived by the literature. Results: Initial results of absorbed dose per organ (mGy) are presented in a 5 years old girl from the whole body exposure to 99mTc - SestaMIBI, 30 minutes after administration. Heart, kidney, liver, ovary, pancreas and brain are the most critical organs, in which the S-factors are calculated. The statistical uncertainty in the simulation procedure was kept lower than 5%. The Sfactors for each target organ are calculated in Gy/(MBq*sec) with highest dose being absorbed in kidneys and pancreas (9.29*10{sup 10} and 0.15*10{sup 10} respectively). Conclusion: An approach for the accurate dosimetry on pediatric models is presented, creating a reference dosage dataset for several radionuclides in children computational models with the advantages of MC techniques. Our study is ongoing, extending our investigation to other reference models and

MO-G-17A-04: Internal Dosimetric Calculations for Pediatric Nuclear Imaging Applications, Using Monte Carlo Simulations and High-Resolution Pediatric Computational Models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papadimitroulas, P; Kagadis, GC; Loudos, G

2014-01-01

Purpose: Our purpose is to evaluate the administered absorbed dose in pediatric, nuclear imaging studies. Monte Carlo simulations with the incorporation of pediatric computational models can serve as reference for the accurate determination of absorbed dose. The procedure of the calculated dosimetric factors is described, while a dataset of reference doses is created. Methods: Realistic simulations were executed using the GATE toolkit and a series of pediatric computational models, developed by the “IT'IS Foundation”. The series of the phantoms used in our work includes 6 models in the range of 5–14 years old (3 boys and 3 girls). Pre-processing techniques were applied to the images, to incorporate the phantoms in GATE simulations. The resolution of the phantoms was set to 2 mm3. The most important organ densities were simulated according to the GATE “Materials Database”. Several used radiopharmaceuticals in SPECT and PET applications are being tested, following the EANM pediatric dosage protocol. The biodistributions of the several isotopes used as activity maps in the simulations, were derived by the literature. Results: Initial results of absorbed dose per organ (mGy) are presented in a 5 years old girl from the whole body exposure to 99mTc - SestaMIBI, 30 minutes after administration. Heart, kidney, liver, ovary, pancreas and brain are the most critical organs, in which the S-factors are calculated. The statistical uncertainty in the simulation procedure was kept lower than 5%. The Sfactors for each target organ are calculated in Gy/(MBq*sec) with highest dose being absorbed in kidneys and pancreas (9.29*10 10 and 0.15*10 10 respectively). Conclusion: An approach for the accurate dosimetry on pediatric models is presented, creating a reference dosage dataset for several radionuclides in children computational models with the advantages of MC techniques. Our study is ongoing, extending our investigation to other reference models and evaluating the

Pre-stroke use of beta-blockers does not affect ischaemic stroke severity and outcome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Raedt, S.; Haentjens, P.; De Smedt, A.; Brouns, R.; Uyttenboogaart, Maarten; Luijckx, G. J.; De Keyser, J.

Background and purpose: It is unclear whether pre-stroke beta-blockers use may influence stroke outcome. This study evaluates the independent effect of pre-stroke use of beta-blockers on ischaemic stroke severity and 3 months functional outcome. Methods: Pre-stroke use of beta-blockers was

The Reliability and Validity of the Japanese Version of the Stroke Impact Scale Version 3.0.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochi, Mitsuhiro; Ohashi, Hiroshi; Hachisuka, Kenji; Saeki, Satoru

It is important to evaluate body functions and structures, activity, and participation in stroke rehabilitation. The Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), a new stroke-specific self-report measure that was developed by Duncan et al, is widely used to measure multidimensional consequences about health-related quality of life. The SIS version 3.0 includes 9 domains (strength, hand function, activity of daily living and instrumental activity of daily living, mobility, communication, emotion, memory and thinking, participation, and recovery). Patients are asked to make a percentage rating of their recovery since their stroke on a visual analog scale of 0 to 100 for the stroke recovery domain. Each item in the 8 domains other than stroke recovery are scored in a range of 1 to 5 as a raw score and calculated using the manual to a final score. We developed a Japanese version of the SIS version 3.0 and assessed its reliability and validity in 32 chronic stroke survivors. The internal consistency (Cronbach's α 3.0 is valid, reliable, and clinically useful for stroke survivors.

Effect of pre-stroke use of ACE inhibitors on ischemic stroke severity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caplan Louis

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent trials suggest that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI are effective in prevention of ischemic stroke, as measured by reduced stroke incidence. We aimed to compare stroke severity between stroke patients who were taking ACEI before their stroke onset and those who were not, to examine the effects of pretreatment with ACEI on ischemic stroke severity. Methods We retrospectively studied 126 consecutive patients presenting within 24 hours of ischemic stroke onset, as confirmed by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI. We calculated the NIHSS score at presentation, as the primary measure of clinical stroke severity, and categorized stroke severity as mild (NIHSS [less than or equal to] 7, moderate (NIHSS 8–13 or severe (NIHSS [greater than or equal to] 14. We analyzed demographic data, risk-factor profile, blood pressure (BP and medications on admissions, and determined stroke mechanism according to TOAST criteria. We also measured the volumes of admission diffusion- and perfusion-weighted (DWI /PWI magnetic resonance imaging lesions, as a secondary measure of ischemic tissue volume. We compared these variables among patients on ACEI and those who were not. Results Thirty- three patients (26% were on ACE-inhibitors. The overall median baseline NIHSS score was 5.5 (range 2–21 among ACEI-treated patients vs. 9 (range 1–36 in non-ACEI patients (p = 0.036. Patients on ACEI prior to their stroke had more mild and less severe strokes, and smaller DWI and PWI lesion volumes compared to non-ACEI treated patients. However, none of these differences were significant. Predictably, a higher percentage of patients on ACEI had a history of heart failure (p = 0.03. Age, time-to-imaging or neurological evaluation, risk-factor profile, concomitant therapy with lipid lowering, other antihypertensives or antithrombotic agents, or admission BP were comparable between the two groups. Conclusion Our results

Nutraceuticals in the prophylaxis of pediatric migraine: Evidence-based review and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Orr, Serena L; Venkateswaran, Sunita

2014-07-01

The literature on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is expanding. One of the most common conditions for which CAM is studied in the pediatric population is migraine. Nutraceuticals are a form of CAM that is being used for pediatric migraine prophylaxis. A literature search was carried out in order to identify both observational studies and randomized controlled trials on the use of nutraceuticals for the prophylaxis of pediatric migraine. Adult studies on included nutraceuticals were also reviewed. Thirty studies were reviewed on six different nutraceuticals: butterbur, riboflavin, ginkgolide B, magnesium, coenzyme Q10 and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Overall, the quality of the evidence for the use of nutraceuticals in pediatric migraine prophylaxis is poor. Further research needs to be done in order to study the efficacy of nutraceuticals for the prophylaxis of pediatric migraine. © International Headache Society 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Winstein, Carolee J; Stein, Joel; Arena, Ross; Bates, Barbara; Cherney, Leora R; Cramer, Steven C; Deruyter, Frank; Eng, Janice J; Fisher, Beth; Harvey, Richard L; Lang, Catherine E; MacKay-Lyons, Marilyn; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J; Pugh, Sue; Reeves, Mathew J; Richards, Lorie G; Stiers, William; Zorowitz, Richard D

2016-06-01

The aim of this guideline is to provide a synopsis of best clinical practices in the rehabilitative care of adults recovering from stroke. Writing group members were nominated by the committee chair on the basis of their previous work in relevant topic areas and were approved by the American Heart Association (AHA) Stroke Council's Scientific Statement Oversight Committee and the AHA's Manuscript Oversight Committee. The panel reviewed relevant articles on adults using computerized searches of the medical literature through 2014. The evidence is organized within the context of the AHA framework and is classified according to the joint AHA/American College of Cardiology and supplementary AHA methods of classifying the level of certainty and the class and level of evidence. The document underwent extensive AHA internal and external peer review, Stroke Council Leadership review, and Scientific Statements Oversight Committee review before consideration and approval by the AHA Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee. Stroke rehabilitation requires a sustained and coordinated effort from a large team, including the patient and his or her goals, family and friends, other caregivers (eg, personal care attendants), physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, recreation therapists, psychologists, nutritionists, social workers, and others. Communication and coordination among these team members are paramount in maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of rehabilitation and underlie this entire guideline. Without communication and coordination, isolated efforts to rehabilitate the stroke survivor are unlikely to achieve their full potential. As systems of care evolve in response to healthcare reform efforts, postacute care and rehabilitation are often considered a costly area of care to be trimmed but without recognition of their clinical impact and ability to reduce the risk of downstream medical morbidity resulting from

Concept of Six Stroke Engine

OpenAIRE

P.Naresh

2015-01-01

One of the most difficult challenges in engine technology today is the urgent need to increase engine thermal efficiency. Higher efficiencies mean less fuel consumption and lower atmospheric emissions per unit of work produced by the engine. In 1862 a Frenchman Alphouse Beau de Rochas gives his theory regarding the ideal cycle of the internal combustion engine. This theory is applied by a German engineer named Nikolaus A. Otto, who firstly built a successful four-stroke SI engine in 1876. The...

Perceived barriers to physical activity among Nigerian stroke survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Idowu, Opeyemi Ayodiipo; Adeniyi, Ade Fatai; Ogwumike, Omoyemi Olubunmi; Fawole, Henrietta Oluwafunmilola; Akinrolie, Olayinka

2015-01-01

Benefits of physical activity in the prevention and management of stroke are well documented in the literature. There is increasing evidence that stroke survivors in South-West Nigeria are physically inactive. Data on barriers to the achievement of the recommended physical activity levels including its differences along socio-demographic characteristics among stroke survivors in South-West Nigeria are needed. The Exercise Benefits and Barrier Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were administered on 121 stroke survivors to determine their perceived barriers to physical activity and physical activity levels respectively. Information on socio-demographic data and clinical variables were also collected. The sample included 70.2% males, with majority of the participants reporting low physical activity levels (80.2%) and high perceived barriers (Mean = 48.13, SD = 7.88). The four most reported common barriers among stroke survivors were access to exercise facilities (95.0%), being embarrassed to exercise (94.2%), economic cost demands of exercise (94.2%) and notion that people in exercise clothes look funny (94.2%) respectively. There were no significant differences found in barriers to physical activity between gender (U = 1471.00, P = 0.74) and across each of: occupational status (H = 4.37, P = 0.22), age group (H = 0.82, P = 0.84) and educational levels (H = 4.56, P = 0.33). Significant difference however existed in perceived barriers across marital status categories (H = 12.87, P = 0.05). Stroke survivors indicated high perceived barriers to physical activity and these barriers were associated with marital status.

Sarcopenia and Physical Function in Middle-Aged and Older Stroke Survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Alice S; Ivey, Frederick M; Serra, Monica C; Hartstein, Joseph; Hafer-Macko, Charlene E

2017-03-01

To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in stroke survivors using different methodologies, and compare a subset of the stroke group to age-, sex-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched nonstroke control counterparts. Cohort study. A Veterans Affairs medical center and a university hospital. Mild to moderately disabled participants >6 months after onset of stroke aged 40 to 84 years (N=190, 61% men, 57% African American; mean BMI ± SEM, 29±1kg/m 2 ). Not applicable. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans to assess appendicular lean mass (ALM). Rates of sarcopenia were determined using 4 established methods: (1) ALM/height 2 (ALM/ht 2 ); (2) European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older Persons; (3) International Working Group on Sarcopenia; and (4) ALM/BMI. Sarcopenia prevalence in our stroke cohort ranged between 14% and 18%. The stroke survivor subset (n=38) matched one-for-one with control counterparts for race, sex, age ±4 years and BMI ±2.5kg/m 2 had higher prevalence rates compared with their nonstroke counterparts (13.2% vs 5.3%, Psarcopenia when considering age, sex, and race compared with nonstroke individuals. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Performance of four ischemic stroke prognostic scores in a Brazilian population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo W. Kuster

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective Ischemic stroke (IS prognostic scales may help clinicians in their clinical decisions. This study aimed to assess the performance of four IS prognostic scales in a Brazilian population. Method We evaluated data of IS patients admitted at Hospital Paulistano, a Joint Commission International certified primary stroke center. In-hospital mortality and modified Rankin score at discharge were defined as the outcome measures. The performance of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS, Stroke Prognostication Using Age and NIHSS (SPAN-100, Acute Stroke Registry and Analysis of Lausanne (ASTRAL, and Totaled Health Risks in Vascular Events (THRIVE were compared. Results Two hundred six patients with a mean ± SD age of 67.58 ± 15.5 years, being 55.3% male, were included. The four scales were significantly and independently associated functional outcome. Only THRIVE was associated with in-hospital mortality. With area under the curve THRIVE and NIHSS were the scales with better performance for functional outcome and THRIVE had the best performance for mortality. Conclusion THRIVE showed the best performance among the four scales, being the only associated with in-hospital mortality.

A comparison of outcome for stroke patients in Barbados and South London.

Science.gov (United States)

Smeeton, Nigel C; Corbin, David O C; Hennis, Anselm J M; Hambleton, Ian R; Rose, Angela M C; Fraser, Henry S; Heuschmann, Peter U; Wolfe, Charles D A

2011-04-01

Little is known about the poststroke outcome in Caribbean populations. We investigated differences in the activities of daily living, level of social activities, living circumstances and survival for stroke patients in Barbados and London. Data were collected from the South London Stroke Register and the Barbados Register of Strokes for patients with a first-ever stroke registered between January 2001 and December 2004. The ability to perform activities of daily living was measured by the Barthel Index and level of social activities by the Frenchay Activities Index. Living circumstances were categorised into private household vs. institutional care. Death and dependency, activities of daily living and social activities were assessed at three-months, one- and two-years using logistic regression, adjusted for differences in demographic, socioeconomic and stroke severity characteristics. At three-months, a high level of social activities was more likely for the Barbados Register of Strokes (odds ratio 1.84; 95% confidence interval 1.03-3.29); there were no differences in activities of daily living; and Barbados Register of Strokes patients were less likely to be in institutional care (relative risk ratio 0.38; 95% confidence interval 0.18-0.79). Following adjustment, Barbados Register of Strokes patients had a higher risk of mortality at three-months (relative risk ratio 1.85; 95% confidence interval 1.03-3.30), one-year (relative risk ratio 1.83; 95% confidence interval 1.08-3.09) and two-years (relative risk ratio 1.82; 95% confidence interval 1.08-3.07). This difference was due to early poststroke deaths; for patients alive at four-weeks poststroke, survival thereafter was similar in both settings. In Barbados, there was evidence for a healthy survivor effect, and short-term social activity was greater than that in the South London Stroke Register. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2010 World Stroke Organization.

Measurement of the CKM matrix element vertical stroke Vts vertical stroke 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unverdorben, Christopher Gerhard

2015-03-01

This is the first direct measurement of the CKM matrix element vertical stroke V ts vertical stroke, using data collected by the ATLAS detector in 2012 at √(s)= 8 TeV pp-collisions with a total integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb -1 . The analysis is based on 112 171 reconstructed t anti t candidate events in the lepton+jets channel, having a purity of 90.0 %. 183 t anti t→W + W - b anti s decays are expected (charge conjugation implied), which are available for the extraction of the CKM matrix element vertical stroke V ts vertical stroke 2 . To identify these rare decays, several observables are examined, such as the properties of jets, tracks and of b-quark identification algorithms. Furthermore, the s-quark hadrons K 0 s are considered, reconstructed by a kinematic fit. The best observables are combined in a multivariate analysis, called ''boosted decision trees''. The responses from Monte Carlo simulations are used as templates for a fit to data events yielding a significance value of 0.7σ for t→s+W decays. An upper limit of vertical stroke V ts vertical stroke 2 <1.74 % at 95 % confidence level is set, including all systematic and statistical uncertainties. So this analysis, using a direct measurement of the CKM matrix element vertical stroke V ts vertical stroke 2 , provides the best direct limit on vertical stroke V ts vertical stroke 2 up to now.

Experimental Evaluation of a Method for Turbocharging Four-Stroke, Single Cylinder, Internal Combustion Engines

Science.gov (United States)

Buchman, Michael; Winter, Amos

2015-11-01

Turbocharging an engine increases specific power, improves fuel economy, reduces emissions, and lowers cost compared to a naturally aspirated engine of the same power output. These advantages make turbocharging commonplace for multi-cylinder engines. Single cylinder engineers are not commonly turbocharged due to the phase lag between the exhaust stroke, which powers the turbocharger, and the intake stroke, when air is pumped into the engine. Our proposed method of turbocharging single cylinder engines is to add an ``air capacitor'' to the intake manifold, an additional volume that acts as a buffer to store compressed air between the exhaust and intake strokes, and smooth out the pressure pulses from the turbocharger. This talk presents experimental results from a single cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine fit with various sized air capacitors. Power output from the engine was measured using a dynamometer made from a generator, with the electrical power dissipated with resistive heating elements. We found that intake air density increases with capacitor size as theoretically predicted, ranging from 40 to 60 percent depending on heat transfer. Our experiment was able to produce 29 percent more power compared to using natural aspiration. These results validated that an air capacitor and turbocharger may be a simple, cost effective means of increasing the power density of single cylinder engines.

Relationship between QT Interval Dispersion in acute stroke and stroke prognosis: A Systematic Review

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Lederman, Yitzchok S.; Balucani, Clotilde; Lazar, Jason; Steinberg, Leah; Gugger, James; Levine, Steven R.

2014-01-01

Background QT dispersion (QTd) has been proposed as an indirect ECG measure of heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization. The predictive value of QTd in acute stroke remains controversial. We aimed to clarify the relationship between QTd and acute stroke and stroke prognosis. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed using pre-specified medical subjects heading (MeSH) terms, Boolean logic and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Eligible studies (a) included ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke and (b) provided QTd measurements. Results Two independent reviewers identified 553 publications. Sixteen articles were included in the final analysis. There were a total of 888 stroke patients: 59% ischemic and 41% hemorrhagic. There was considerable heterogeneity in study design, stroke subtypes, ECG assessment-time, control groups and comparison groups. Nine studies reported a significant association between acute stroke and baseline QTd. Two studies reported that QTd increases are specifically related to hemorrhagic strokes, involvement of the insular cortex, right-side lesions, larger strokes, and increases in 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylethylene glycol in hemorrhagic stroke. Three studies reported QTd to be an independent predictor of stroke mortality. One study each reported increases in QTd in stroke patients who developed ventricular arrhythmias and cardiorespiratory compromise. Conclusions There are few well-designed studies and considerable variability in study design in addressing the significance of QTd in acute stroke. Available data suggest that stroke is likely to be associated with increased QTd. While some evidence suggests a possible prognostic role of QTd in stroke, larger and well-designed studies need to confirm these findings. PMID:25282188

Incidence estimate and guideline-oriented treatment for post-stroke spasticity: an analysis based on German statutory health insurance data

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Egen-Lappe V

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Veronika Egen-Lappe, Ingrid Köster, Ingrid SchubertPMV Research Group, Department of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanyBackground: Spasticity after stroke has been internationally recognized as an important health problem causing impairment of mobility, deformity, and pain. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of first-ever and recurrent stroke and of subsequent spastic and flaccid paresis. Factors influencing the development of spasticity were analyzed. A further major aim was to provide a "real-life" assessment of the treatment of spasticity in Germany and to discuss this in view of the treatment recommended by German and international clinical guidelines.Methods: The database used in this study comprised a cohort of 242,090 insurants from a large statutory health insurance fund in the federal state of Hesse, Germany. A first hospital discharge diagnosis in 2009 with any of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10 codes I60–I64 was used to identify patients with acute stroke (hemorrhage and ischemic. These patients were followed up six months after stroke to monitor whether they developed spastic or flaccid paresis (hospital or ambulatory care diagnoses ICD-10 code G81–G83 [excluding G82.6/G83.4/G83.8]. For patients with spastic paresis after stroke the spasticity treatment was analyzed for a six-month period (physiotherapy, oral muscle relaxants, intrathecal baclofen, and botulinum toxin.Results: Standardized to the population of Germany, 3.7 per 1000 persons suffered a stroke in 2009 (raw 5.2/1000. Of all surviving patients, 10.2% developed spasticity within 6 months. Cox regression revealed no significant influence of patient age, gender, morbidity (diabetes, hypertensive diseases, ischemic heart diseases or type of stroke on development of spasticity. 97% of surviving patients with spasticity received physiotherapy (inpatient care 89

Leukocytosis in acute stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kammersgaard, L P; Jørgensen, H S; Nakayama, H

1999-01-01

Leukocytosis is a common finding in the acute phase of stroke. A detrimental effect of leukocytosis on stroke outcome has been suggested, and trials aiming at reducing the leukocyte response in acute stroke are currently being conducted. However, the influence of leukocytosis on stroke outcome has...

Revascularization of the internal carotid artery for isolated, stenotic, and symptomatic kinking.

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Illuminati, Giulio; Calió, Francesco G; Papaspyropoulos, Vassilios; Montesano, Giuseppe; D'Urso, Antonio

2003-02-01

The operation for isolated, stenotic, and symptomatic kinking of the internal carotid artery is safe and effective in preventing stroke and relieving the symptoms of cerebral ischemia. A consecutive sample clinical study with a mean follow-up of 44 months. The surgical department of an academic tertiary care center and an affiliated secondary care center. Fifty-four patients with a mean age of 67 years underwent 55 revascularizations of the internal carotid artery. The surgical procedures consisted of the following: shortening and reimplantation in the common carotid artery in 36 cases, bypass grafting in 15 cases, and transposition into the external carotid artery in 4 cases. Cumulative survival, primary patency, and stroke-free and neurologic symptom-free rates expressed by standard life-table analysis. No patients died in the postoperative period. The postoperative stroke rate was 1.8%. The cumulative rates (SEs) at 5 years were as follows: survival, 70% (10.2%); primary patency, 89% (7.8%); overall stroke free, 92% (6.8%); ipsilateral stroke free, 96% (5.3%); neurologic symptom free, 90% (7.5%); and ipsilateral symptom free, 93% (6.5%). Revascularization of the internal carotid artery for the treatment of isolated, stenotic, and symptomatic kinking is safe and effective in preventing stroke and relieving symptoms of cerebrovascular insufficiency.

Clinical and imaging features of intracranial arterial aneurysms in the pediatric population; Klinische und radiologische Merkmale des intrakraniellen arteriellen Aneurysmas bei Kindern und Jugendlichen

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Abruzzo, Todd A. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH (United States). Dept. of Radiology; Aeron, Gunjan; Jones, Blaise V.

2013-07-15

Intracranial arterial aneurysms (IAAs) are rare in children. Nevertheless, IAAs account for at least 10 % - 15 % of hemorrhagic strokes during the first two decades of life. Traditional vascular risk factors, which are common in the adult population, are generally absent in the pediatric population, engendering distinct modes of IAA pathogenesis. Classification of pediatric IAAs according to the pathogenetic mechanism shows eight distinct categories: idiopathic, traumatic, those due to excessive hemodynamic stress, vasculopathic, infectious, noninfectious inflammatory, oncotic, and familial. Pathogenetic mechanism is the best predictor of the clinical course of the disease, response to treatment, and long-term prognosis. The pathogenetic subtypes of pediatric IAA show characteristic and variably overlapping features. In most cases, IAAs manifesting during the first two decades of life are idiopathic. IAAs that are idiopathic, traumatic (second most common type), or due to excessive hemodynamic stresses (third most common type) account for more than 80 % of IAAs in the pediatric age group. Most of the remaining pediatric IAAs are the result of congenital cerebral aneurysmal arteriopathies or infection. Multiple IAAs are unusual in young children except in those with acquired (secondary to immune deficiency states) or congenital cerebral aneurysmal arteriopathies or infectious IAAs. (orig.)

Driving After a Stroke

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... 23,2015 Can I drive after a stroke? Driving is often a major concern after someone has a stroke. It’s not unusual for stroke survivors to want to drive. Being able to get around after a stroke is important. Safety behind the wheel is even more important after ...

Physical Activity Level of Ambulatory Stroke Patients: Is it Related to Neuropsychological Factors?

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Ersöz Hüseyinsinoğlu, Burcu; Kuran Aslan, Gökşen; Tarakci, Devrim; Razak Özdinçler, Arzu; Küçükoğlu, Hayriye; Baybaş, Sevim

2017-06-01

Physical inactivity is an important risk factor for stroke and stroke recurrence. There is insufficient knowledge about the physical activity (PA) level in stroke patients who are ambulatory in the subacute phase. Our aim was to compare the PA level between ambulatory stroke patients and a population of the same age and to investigate neuropsychological factors that could affect the PA level in the same stroke group. Eighty-five subacute stroke patients and 58 healthy subjects were included. Patients' demographic features, disease-related features, and comorbidities were recorded. The PA level was assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Version and a pedometer (OMRON Walking style II). The Apathy Rating Scale was applied to determine the apathy level. Depression level was investigated by the Geriatric Depression Scale. The standardized Mini-mental State Examination was performed to assess the cognitive status. The PA level was significantly higher in the healthy group than in the stroke group (plevel of men was significantly higher than that of women (p=0.03). Participants who were classified as level 4 had a lower PA level than those who were classified as level 5 according to the Functional Ambulation Category. There was no relationship between the PA level and the apathy, cognitive, and depression levels in the stroke patients (p>0.05). Subacute stroke patients have a lower PA level than healthy subjects. This is not related to neuropsychological factors. The reasons for minor deficits related to ambulation should be researched further while developing strategies for increasing the PA level of subacute stroke patients.

Recent age- and gender-specific trends in mortality during stroke hospitalization in the United States.

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Ovbiagele, Bruce; Markovic, Daniela; Towfighi, Amytis

2011-10-01

Advancements in diagnosis and treatment have resulted in better clinical outcomes after stroke; however, the influence of age and gender on recent trends in death during stroke hospitalization has not been specifically investigated. We assessed the impact of age and gender on nationwide patterns of in-hospital mortality after stroke. Data were obtained from all US states that contributed to the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. All patients admitted to hospitals between 1997 and 1998 (n=1 351 293) and 2005 and 2006 (n=1 202 449), with a discharge diagnosis of stroke (identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision procedure codes), were included. Time trends for in-hospital mortality after stroke were evaluated by gender and age group based on 10-year age increments (84) using multivariable logistic regression. Between 1997 and 2006, in-hospital mortality rates decreased across time in all sub-groups (all P84 years. In unadjusted analysis, men aged >84 years in 1997-1998 had poorer mortality outcomes than similarly aged women (odds ratio 0·93, 95% confidence interval=0·88-0·98). This disparity worsened by 2005-2006 (odds ratio 0·88, 95% confidence interval=0·84-0·93). After adjusting for confounders, compared with similarly aged women, the mortality outcomes among men aged >84 years were poorer in 1997-1998 (odds ratio 0·97, 95% confidence interval=0·92-1·02) and were poorer in 2005-2006 (odds ratio 0·92, 95% confidence interval=0·87-0·96), P=0·04, for gender × time trend. Over the last decade, in-hospital mortality rates after stroke in the United States have declined for every age/gender group, except men aged >84 years. Given the rapidly ageing US population, avenues for boosting in-hospital survival among very elderly men with stroke need to be explored. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2011 World Stroke Organization.

Chinese medicine patterns in patients with post-stroke dementia.

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Tang, Nou-Ying; Liu, Chung-Hsiang; Liu, Hsu-Jan; Li, Tsai-Chung; Liu, Jui-Chen; Chen, Ping-Kun; Hsieh, Ching-Liang

2012-04-01

A stroke often results in post-stroke dementia, a rapid decline in memory and intelligence causing dysfunctions in daily life. The Chinese medicine doctor uses 4 examinations of inspection, listening, smelling, and feeling to determine the Chinese medicine pattern (CMP). Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the CMP in patients with post-stroke dementia. A total of 101 stroke patients were examined, consistent with the DSM IV diagnostic criteria of the American Psychiatric Association, as well as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke-Association International pour Ia Recherche et I'Enseignement en Neurosciences vascular dementia diagnostic criteria of post-stroke dementia. 100 patients (99.0%) were KEDP (kidney essence deficiency pattern, shèn jīng kuī xū zhèng, ), 83 patients were AHLYP (ascendant hyperactivity of liver yang pattern, gān yáng shàng kàng zhèng, ), 83 patients were QBDP (qi-blood deficiency pattern, qì xuè kuī xū zhèng, ), 81 patients were SBOCP (static blood obstructing the collaterals pattern, yū xuè zǔ luò zhèng, ), 72 patients were BSTRP (bowels stagnation turbidity retention pattern, fǔ zhì zhuó liú zhèng, ), 50 patients were FHIEP (fire heat interior excess pattern, huǒ rè nèi sheng zhèng, ), and 39 participants (38.6%) were PTOOP (phlegm turbidity obstructing the orifices pattern, tán zhuó zǔ qiào zhèng, ); one to 31 patients have at least 2 CMPs simultaneously. In conclusion, the most CMP is KEDP CMP in the post-stroke dementia patients, and one patient may have one or at least 2 CMPs simultaneously.

EFFICACY OF MELDONIUM IN ACUTE PERIOD OF ISCHEMIC STROKE

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S. V. Kotov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: As long as systemic thrombolysis is indicated to not more than 10% of patients with ischemic stroke, the search for medical agents for basic treatment of stroke is an important problem of today’s neurology.Aim: To evaluate efficacy of meldonium in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Materials and methods: One hundred and fourteen patients were assessed in the acute period of strokes in the internal carotid artery system. The main group included 70 patients who were given meldonium (Mildronate in addition to their basic treatment regimen. The drug was administered intravenously in daily drop infusions at dose of 10 ml of 10% solution for 10 days, thereafter they were switched to oral treatment at 250 mg daily for 2 to 3 weeks. The control group consisted of 40 patients who received only basic treatment regimen. Both groups were compatible for their age, gender distribution, severity of stroke and degree of neurologic dysfunction.Results: In the patients who were given meldonium in addition to basic treatment of ischemic stroke, neurological deficiency, assessed by NIHSS, scored significantly better than in those from the control group (3.1 ± 0.1 vs. 2.6 ± 0.17, p < 0.05. Also, they had significantly less disability on modified Rankin scale (1.3 ± 0.03 vs. 1.07 ± 0.07, p < 0.01 and more improvement in mobility as per Rivermead mobility index (3.6 ± 0.17 vs. 2.9 ± 0.25, p < 0.05.Conclusion: The addition of meldonium to the set of medical treatment in ischemic stroke patients gives positive results reflecting a decreased neurological deficiency, increased levels of mobility and daily activities.

Patient Characteristics and Outcomes After Hemorrhagic Stroke in Pregnancy.

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Leffert, Lisa R; Clancy, Caitlin R; Bateman, Brian T; Cox, Margueritte; Schulte, Phillip J; Smith, Eric E; Fonarow, Gregg C; Schwamm, Lee H; Kuklina, Elena V; George, Mary G

2015-10-01

Hospitalizations for pregnancy-related stroke are rare but increasing. Hemorrhagic stroke (HS), ie, subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage, is more common than ischemic stroke in pregnant versus nonpregnant women, reflecting different phenotypes or risk factors. We compared stroke risk factors and outcomes in pregnant versus nonpregnant HS in the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Registry. Using medical history or International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision codes, we identified 330 pregnant and 10 562 nonpregnant female patients aged 18 to 44 years with HS in Get With The Guidelines-Stroke (2008-2014). Differences in patient and care characteristics were compared by χ(2) or Fisher exact test (categorical variables) or Wilcoxon rank-sum (continuous variables) tests. Conditional logistic regression assessed the association of pregnancy with outcomes conditional on categorical age and further adjusted for patient and hospital characteristics. Pregnant versus nonpregnant HS patients were younger with fewer pre-existing stroke risk factors and medications. Pregnant versus nonpregnant subarachnoid hemorrhage patients were less impaired at arrival, and less than half met blood pressure criteria for severe preeclampsia. In-hospital mortality was lower in pregnant versus nonpregnant HS patients: adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for subarachnoid hemorrhage 0.17 (0.06-0.45) and intracerebral hemorrhage 0.57 (0.34-0.94). Pregnant subarachnoid hemorrhage patients also had a higher likelihood of home discharge (2.60 [1.67-4.06]) and independent ambulation at discharge (2.40 [1.56-3.70]). Pregnant HS patients are younger and have fewer risk factors than their nonpregnant counterparts, and risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality is lower. Our findings suggest possible differences in underlying disease pathophysiology and challenges to identifying at-risk patients. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Head Position in Stroke Trial (HeadPoST)--sitting-up vs lying-flat positioning of patients with acute stroke: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

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Muñoz-Venturelli, Paula; Arima, Hisatomi; Lavados, Pablo; Brunser, Alejandro; Peng, Bin; Cui, Liying; Song, Lily; Billot, Laurent; Boaden, Elizabeth; Hackett, Maree L; Heritier, Stephane; Jan, Stephen; Middleton, Sandy; Olavarría, Verónica V; Lim, Joyce Y; Lindley, Richard I; Heeley, Emma; Robinson, Thompson; Pontes-Neto, Octavio; Natsagdorj, Lkhamtsoo; Lin, Ruey-Tay; Watkins, Caroline; Anderson, Craig S

2015-06-05

Positioning a patient lying-flat in the acute phase of ischaemic stroke may improve recovery and reduce disability, but such a possibility has not been formally tested in a randomised trial. We therefore initiated the Head Position in Stroke Trial (HeadPoST) to determine the effects of lying-flat (0°) compared with sitting-up (≥ 30°) head positioning in the first 24 hours of hospital admission for patients with acute stroke. We plan to conduct an international, cluster randomised, crossover, open, blinded outcome-assessed clinical trial involving 140 study hospitals (clusters) with established acute stroke care programs. Each hospital will be randomly assigned to sequential policies of lying-flat (0°) or sitting-up (≥ 30°) head position as a 'business as usual' stroke care policy during the first 24 hours of admittance. Each hospital is required to recruit 60 consecutive patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), and all patients with acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) (an estimated average of 10), in the first randomised head position policy before crossing over to the second head position policy with a similar recruitment target. After collection of in-hospital clinical and management data and 7-day outcomes, central trained blinded assessors will conduct a telephone disability assessment with the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. The primary outcome for analysis is a shift (defined as improvement) in death or disability on this scale. For a cluster size of 60 patients with AIS per intervention and with various assumptions including an intracluster correlation coefficient of 0.03, a sample size of 16,800 patients at 140 centres will provide 90 % power (α 0.05) to detect at least a 16 % relative improvement (shift) in an ordinal logistic regression analysis of the primary outcome. The treatment effect will also be assessed in all patients with ICH who are recruited during each treatment study period. HeadPoST is a large international clinical trial in

Pediatric Dentistese

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Sharath Asokan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Successful practice of pediatric dentistry depends on the establishment of a good relationship between the dentist and the child. Such a relationship is possible only through effective communication. Pediatric dentistry includes both an art and a science component. The focus has been mostly on the technical aspects of our science, and the soft skills we need to develop are often forgotten or neglected. This paper throws light on the communication skills we need to imbibe to be a successful pediatric dentist. A new terminology “Pediatric Dentistese” has been coined similar to motherese, parentese, or baby talk. Since baby talk cannot be applied to all age groups of children, pediatric dentistese has been defined as “the proactive development-based individualized communication between the pediatric dentist and the child which helps to build trust, allay fear, and treat the child effectively and efficiently.”

Factors influencing pre-stroke and post-stroke quality of life among stroke survivors in a lower middle-income country.

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Mahesh, P K B; Gunathunga, M W; Jayasinghe, S; Arnold, S M; Liyanage, S N

2018-02-01

Quality of life (QOL) reflects the individual's perception of the position within living contexts. This study was done to describe pre- and post-stroke QOLs of stroke survivors. A prospective longitudinal study was done among stroke survivors admitted to 13 hospitals in the western province of Sri Lanka. The calculated sample size was 260. The pre-stroke and post-discharge one-month QOL was gathered using short form-36 (SF-36) QOL tool. SF-36 includes questions on eight domains: general health, physical functioning, pain, role limitation due to physical problems, social functioning, vitality, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. Univariate analysis was followed by determining the independent risk factors through multivariate analysis. The response rate was 81%. The disability was measured by the modified Rankin scale which ranges from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (fatal outcome). The median (IQR) disability score was 4 (3 to 5). The post-discharge QOL scores were significantly lower than pre-stroke values (p role limitation-physical domains), female gender (for physical functioning and pain domains), lower health infrastructure (for general health, vitality, and mental health domains), lower education (for pain domain), higher disability (for general health, physical functioning, vitality, social functioning, and mental health domains), and hypercholesterolemia (for role limitation-emotional domain). Stroke survivors have not regained their pre-stroke QOL at 1 month following the hospital discharge irrespective of income level and pre-stroke QOL. Higher pre- and post-stroke QOLs are associated with better statuses of social determinants of health.

Risk of Stroke in Migraineurs Using Triptans. Associations with Age, Sex, Stroke Severity and Subtype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albieri, Vanna; Olsen, Tom Skyhøj; Andersen, Klaus Kaae

2016-01-01

for a first stroke were identified in the Danish Registries. Information on stroke severity/subtype and cardiovascular risk factors was available for stroke patients. FINDINGS: Of the 49,711 patients hospitalized for a first stroke, 1084 were migraineurs using triptans. Adjusting for age, sex, income......, and educational level, risk for stroke was higher among migraineurs in respect to all strokes (RR 1.07; CI 1.01-1.14) and ischemic strokes (RR 1.07; CI 1.00-1.14). Risk for hemorrhagic stroke was increased but only in women (RR 1.41; CI 1.11-1.79). Risk was for mild strokes (RR 1.31; CI 1.16-1.48) while risk...

Stroke subtyping for genetic association studies? A comparison of the CCS and TOAST classifications.

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Lanfranconi, Silvia; Markus, Hugh S

2013-12-01

Classification of Stroke system reduced the proportion of patients classified to undetermined subtypes. The excellent inter-rater reproducibility and web-based semiautomated nature make Causative Classification of Stroke system suitable for multicenter studies, but the benefit of reclassifying cases already classified using the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment system on existing databases is likely to be small. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Hyponatremia in stroke

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Sheikh Saleem

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte disorder encountered in patients of neurological disorders which is usually either due to inappropriate secretion of Antidiuretic hormone (SIADH or cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS. We conducted this study in a tertiary care hospital to determine the incidence and etiology of hyponatremia in patients of stroke admitted in the hospital. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study done over a period of two years that included established cases of stroke diagnosed on the basis of clinical history, examination and neuroimaging. 1000 stoke patients were evaluated for hyponatremia (serum sodium <130 meq/l. The data was analysed using Chi-square test using SPSS (Statistical package for social science software. Results: Out of 1000 patients, 353 patients had hyponatremia. Out of this 353 patients, 238 (67% had SIADH and 115 (33% had CSWS. SIADH was seen in 83 patients who had ischemic stroke and 155 patients of hemorrhagic stroke. CSWS was found in 38 patients with ischemic stroke and 77 patients with hemorrhagic stroke. Statistical analysis revealed that hyponatremia significantly affects the outcome of stroke especially when it is due to CSWS rather than SIADH. Conclusion: Incidence of hyponatremia in our study population was 35%. In patients of hyponatremia 67% were having SIADH and 33% were having CSWS. Overall hyponatremia affected the outcome of stroke especially when caused by CSWS. Therefore close monitoring of serum sodium must be done in all patients who are admitted with stroke and efforts must be made to determine the cause of hyponatremia, in order to properly manage such patients thereby decreasing the mortality rate.

Prediabetes is associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment in ischaemic stroke patients.

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Wang, Qiongzhang; Zhao, Kai; Cai, Yan; Tu, Xinjie; Liu, Yuntao; He, Jincai

2018-05-15

Diabetes mellitus is associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment. To the best of our knowledge, no study has explored the relationship between prediabetes and post-stroke cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between prediabetes and cognitive impairment in ischaemic stroke patients at 1 month. Two hundred one acute ischaemic stroke patients were consecutively recruited within the first 24 h after admission and were followed up for 1 month. Patients were divided into a diabetes mellitus group, prediabetes group and non-diabetes mellitus group by fasting glucose levels, 2-h postprandial blood glucose levels and glycosylated haemoglobin levels at admission. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination at 1 month after stroke. The prediabetes group had a higher risk of post-stroke cognitive impairment than the non-diabetes group (35.7% vs. 18.1%, χ 2  = 4.252, P = .039). In logistical analyses, prediabetes was associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment after adjusting for potential confounding factors (odds ratio 3.062, 95% confidence interval 1.130-8.299, P = .028). Our findings show that prediabetes is associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment and may predict its development at 1 month post-stroke. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burden of Stroke in Qatar.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Faisal; Deleu, Dirk; Akhtar, Naveed; Al-Yazeedi, Wafa; Mesraoua, Boulenouar; Kamran, Sadaat; Shuaib, Ashfaq

2015-12-01

Qatar is located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The total population is over 2.1 million with around 15% being Qatari citizens. Hamad General Hospital (HGH) is the only tertiary referral governmental hospital in Qatar which admits acute (thrombolysis-eligible) stroke patients. To provide an overview of the burden of stroke in Qatar. Data from literature databases, online sources and our stroke registry were collated to identify information on the burden of stroke in Qatar. Overall, over 80% of all stroke patients in Qatar are admitted in HGH. In 2010, the age-standardized incidence for first-ever ischemic stroke was 51.88/100,000 person-years. To date our stroke registry reveals that 79% of all stroke patients are male and almost 50% of stroke patients are 50 years or less. Hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia are the main predisposing factors for stroke, with ischemic stroke being more common (87%) than hemorrhagic stroke (13%). Despite the lack of a stroke unit, 9% of ischemic stroke patients are being thrombolyzed. However the presence of a stroke ward allows swift turnover of patients with a length of stay of less than 5 days before discharge or, if required, transfer to the fully-equipped hospital-based rehabilitation service. Several community awareness programs are ongoing, in addition to several research programs funded by the Qatar National Research Fund and Hamad Medical Corporation. In a country where over 15% of the population suffers from diabetes there is continuous need for national community-based awareness campaigns, prevention and educational programs particularly targeting patients and health care workers. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Latin American Consensus for Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 2017: Latin American Pediatric Critical Care Society Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Committee.

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López-Herce, Jesús; Almonte, Enma; Alvarado, Manuel; Bogado, Norma Beatriz; Cyunel, Mariana; Escalante, Raffo; Finardi, Christiane; Guzmán, Gustavo; Jaramillo-Bustamante, Juan C; Madrid, Claudia C; Matamoros, Martha; Moya, Luis Augusto; Obando, Grania; Reboredo, Gaspar; López, Lissette R; Scheu, Christian; Valenzuela, Alejandro; Yerovi, Rocío; Yock-Corrales, Adriana

2018-03-01

To develop a Latin American Consensus about Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. To clarify, reinforce, and adapt some specific recommendations for pediatric patients and to stimulate the implementation of these recommendations in clinical practice. Expert consensus recommendations with Delphi methodology. Latin American countries. Experts in pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation from 19 Latin American countries. Delphi methodology for expert consensus. The goal was to reach consensus with all the participating experts for every recommendation. An agreement of at least 80% of the participating experts had to exist in order to deliver a recommendation. Two Delphi voting rounds were sent out electronically. The experts were asked to score between 1 and 9 their level of agreement for each recommendation. The score was then classified into three groups: strong agreement (score 7-9), moderate agreement (score 4-6), and disagreement (score 1-3). Nineteen experts from 19 countries participated in both voting rounds and in the whole process of drafting the recommendations. Sixteen recommendations about organization of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, prevention, basic resuscitation, advanced resuscitation, and postresuscitation measures were approved. Ten of them had a consensus of 100%. Four of them were agreed by all the participants except one (94.7% consensus). One recommendation was agreed by all except two experts (89.4%), and finally, one was agreed by all except three experts (84.2%). All the recommendations reached a level of agreement. This consensus adapts 16 international recommendations to Latin America in order to improve the practice of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children. Studies should be conducted to analyze the effectiveness of the implementation of these recommendations.

Determinan Penyakit Stroke

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Woro Riyadina

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Penyakit stroke merupakan penyebab kematian dan kecacatan kronik yang paling tinggi pada kelompok umur diatas usia 45 tahun terbanyak di Indonesia. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengidentifikasi determinan utama yang berhubungan dengan penyakit stroke pada masyarakat di kelurahan Kebon Kalapa Bogor. Analisis lanjut terhadap 1.912 responden subset baseline data penelitian “Studi Kohort Faktor Risiko Penyakit Tidak Menular” Data dikumpulkan dengan metode wawancara pada penduduk tetap di kelurahan Kebon Kalapa, Kecamatan Bogor Tengah, Bogor tahun 2012. Diagnosis stroke berdasarkan anamnesis dan pemeriksaan dokter spesialis syaraf. Variabel independen meliputi karakteristik sosiodemografi, status kesehatan dan perilaku berisiko. Data dianalisis dengan uji regresi logistik ganda. Penyakit stroke ditemukan pada 49 (2,6% orang. Determinan utama stroke meliputi hipertensi (OR = 4,20; IK 95% = 2,20 – 8,03, penyakit jantung koroner (OR = 2,74; IK 95% = 1,51 – 4,99, diabetes melitus (OR = 2,89; IK 95% = 1,47 – 5,64, dan status ekonomi miskin (OR = 1,83 ; IK 95% = 1,03 – 3,33. Pencegahan penyakit stroke dilakukan dengan peningkatan edukasi (kampanye/penyuluhan melalui pengendalian faktor risiko utama yaitu hipertensi dan pencegahan terjadinya penyakit degeneratif lain yaitu penyakit jantung koroner dan diabetes melitus. Stroke disease is the leading cause of death and chronic disabi lity in most over the age of 45 years in Indonesia. The aim of study was to identify the major determinants of stroke disease in Kebon Kalapa community in Bogor. A deep analyze was conducted in 1.912 respondents based on the subset of baseline data “Risk Factors Cohort Study of Non Communicable Diseases.” Data was collected by interviews on Kebon Kalapa community, Bogor in 2012. Stroke diagnosis was determined by anamnesis and neu-rological examination with specialist. Independent variables were sociodemographic characteristics, health status and risk behavior

Strokes Associated With Pregnancy and Puerperium: A Nationwide Study by the Japan Stroke Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Kazumichi; Takahashi, Jun C; Takenobu, Yohei; Suzuki, Norihiro; Ogawa, Akira; Miyamoto, Susumu

2017-02-01

The incidence and cause of strokes associated with pregnancy and the puerperium are still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to characterize pregnancy-related strokes in Japan using a large-scale survey with current imaging techniques. A retrospective analysis was conducted based on clinical chart reviews in 736 stroke teaching hospitals certified by the Japan Stroke Society between 2012 and 2013, using a web-based questionnaire requesting the detailed clinical course without any personally identifying information. The collection rate of this questionnaire was 70.5%, with 151 pregnancy-associated strokes extracted. Hemorrhagic strokes were observed in 111 cases (73.5%), ischemic strokes in 37 (24.5%), and mixed type in 3 cases (2.0%). The estimated incidence of pregnancy-associated stroke was 10.2 per 100 000 deliveries. Major causes of hemorrhage were aneurysm (19.8%), arteriovenous malformation (17.1%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (11.7%), and HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) (8.1%). Preexisting cerebrovascular diseases responsible for hemorrhage were detected in 59 cases (53.1%). Among the ischemic strokes, 28 (75.7%) were arterial and 9 (24.3%) were venous infarctions. The most frequent cause of arterial infarctions was reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Hemorrhagic stroke showed much poorer prognosis than ischemic stroke. The incidence of pregnancy-associated stroke in Japan did not seem higher than that in other Asian and Western countries. The proportion of hemorrhagic stroke among Japanese women was much higher than that in white women. Preexisting cerebrovascular diseases and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome play a key role in hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, respectively. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Pediatric mandibular fractures: a free hand technique.

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Davison, S P; Clifton, M S; Davison, M N; Hedrick, M; Sotereanos, G

2001-01-01

The treatment of pediatric mandibular fractures is rare, controversial, and complicated by mixed dentition. To determine if open mandibular fracture repair with intraoral and extraoral rigid plate placement, after free hand occlusal and bone reduction, without intermaxillary fixation (IMF), is appropriate and to discuss postoperative advantages, namely, maximal early return of function and minimal oral hygiene issues. A group of 29 pediatric patients with a mandibular fracture were examined. Twenty pediatric patients (13 males and 7 females) with a mean age of 9 years (age range, 1-17 years) were treated using IMF. All patients were treated by the same surgeon (G.S.). Surgical time for plating was reduced by 1 hour, the average time to place patients in IMF. The patients who underwent open reduction internal fixation without IMF ate a soft mechanical diet by postoperative day 3 compared with postoperative day 16 for those who underwent IMF. Complication rates related to fixation technique were comparable at 20% for those who did not undergo IMF and 33% for those who did. We believe that free hand reduction is a valuable technique to reduce operative time for pediatric mandibular fractures. It maximizes return to function while minimizing the oral hygiene issues and hardware removal of intermaxillary function.

Registration of acute stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wildenschild, Cathrine; Mehnert, Frank; Thomsen, Reimar Wernich

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: The validity of the registration of patients in stroke-specific registries has seldom been investigated, nor compared with administrative hospital discharge registries. The objective of this study was to examine the validity of the registration of patients in a stroke-specific registry...... (The Danish Stroke Registry [DSR]) and a hospital discharge registry (The Danish National Patient Registry [DNRP]). METHODS: Assuming that all patients with stroke were registered in either the DSR, DNRP or both, we first identified a sample of 75 patients registered with stroke in 2009; 25 patients...... in the DSR, 25 patients in the DNRP, and 25 patients registered in both data sources. Using the medical record as a gold standard, we then estimated the sensitivity and positive predictive value of a stroke diagnosis in the DSR and the DNRP. Secondly, we reviewed 160 medical records for all potential stroke...

Body Mass Index and Stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Klaus Kaae; Olsen, Tom Skyhøj

2013-01-01

Although obesity is associated with excess mortality and morbidity, mortality is lower in obese than in normal weight stroke patients (the obesity paradox). Studies now indicate that obesity is not associated with increased risk of recurrent stroke in the years after first stroke. We studied...... the association between body mass index (BMI) and stroke patient's risk of having a history of previous stroke (recurrent stroke)....

Examination of the torque required to passively palmar abduct the thumb CMC joint in a pediatric population with hemiplegia and stroke.

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Stirling, Leia; Ahmad, Mona Qureshi; Kelty-Stephen, Damian; Correia, Annette

2015-12-16

Many activities of daily living involve precision grasping and bimanual manipulation, such as putting toothpaste on a toothbrush or feeding oneself. However, children afflicted by stroke, cerebral palsy, or traumatic brain injury may have lost or never had the ability to actively and accurately control the thumb. To translate insights from adult rehabilitation robotics to innovative therapies for hand rehabilitation in pediatric care, specifically for thumb deformities, an understanding of the torque needed to abduct the thumb to assist grasping tasks is required. Participants (n=16, 10 female, 13.2±3.1 years) had an upper extremity evaluation and measures were made of their passive range of motion, anthropometrics, and torques to abduct the thumb for both their affected and non-affected sides. Torque measures were made using a custom wrist orthosis that was adjusted for each participant. The torque to achieve maximum abduction was 1.47±0.61inlb for the non-affected side and 1.51±0.68inlb for the affected side, with a maximum recorded value of 4.87inlb. The overall maximum applied torque was observed during adduction and was 5.10inlb. We saw variation in the applied torque, which could have been due to the applied torques by the Occupational Therapist or the participant actively assisting or resisting the motion rather than remaining passive. We expect similar muscle and participant variation to exist with an assistive device. Thus, the data presented here can be used to inform the specifications for the development of an assistive thumb orthosis for children with "thumb-in-palm" deformity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stroke code improves intravenous thrombolysis administration in acute ischemic stroke.

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Chih-Hao Chen

Full Text Available Timely intravenous (IV thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke is associated with better clinical outcomes. Acute stroke care implemented with "Stroke Code" (SC may increase IV tissue plasminogen activator (tPA administration. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of SC on thrombolysis.The study period was divided into the "pre-SC era" (January 2006 to July 2010 and "SC era" (August 2010 to July 2013. Demographics, critical times (stroke symptom onset, presentation to the emergency department, neuroimaging, thrombolysis, stroke severity, and clinical outcomes were recorded and compared between the two eras.During the study period, 5957 patients with acute ischemic stroke were admitted; of these, 1301 (21.8% arrived at the emergency department within 3 h of stroke onset and 307 (5.2% received IV-tPA. The number and frequency of IV-tPA treatments for patients with an onset-to-door time of <3 h increased from the pre-SC era (n = 91, 13.9% to the SC era (n = 216, 33.3% (P<0.001. SC also improved the efficiency of IV-tPA administration; the median door-to-needle time decreased (88 to 51 min, P<0.001 and the percentage of door-to-needle times ≤60 min increased (14.3% to 71.3%, P<0.001. The SC era group tended to have more patients with good outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤2 at discharge (49.5 vs. 39.6%, P = 0.11, with no difference in symptomatic hemorrhage events or in-hospital mortality.The SC protocol increases the percentage of acute ischemic stroke patients receiving IV-tPA and decreases door-to-needle time.

Validation of the Neurological Fatigue Index for stroke (NFI-Stroke

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Mills Roger J

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fatigue is a common symptom in Stroke. Several self-report scales are available to measure this debilitating symptom but concern has been expressed about their construct validity. Objective To examine the reliability and validity of a recently developed scale for multiple sclerosis (MS fatigue, the Neurological Fatigue Index (NFI-MS, in a sample of stroke patients. Method Six patients with stroke participated in qualitative interviews which were analysed and the themes compared for equivalence to those derived from existing data on MS fatigue. 999 questionnaire packs were sent to those with a stroke within the past four years. Data from the four subscales, and the Summary scale of the NFI-MS were fitted to the Rasch measurement model. Results Themes identified by stroke patients were consistent with those identified by those with MS. 282 questionnaires were returned and respondents had a mean age of 67.3 years; 62% were male, and were on average 17.2 (SD 11.4, range 2–50 months post stroke. The Physical, Cognitive and Summary scales all showed good fit to the model, were unidimensional, and free of differential item functioning by age, sex and time. The sleep scales failed to show adequate fit in their current format. Conclusion Post stroke fatigue appears to be represented by a combination of physical and cognitive components, confirmed by both qualitative and quantitative processes. The NFI-Stroke, comprising a Physical and Cognitive subscale, and a 10-item Summary scale, meets the strictest measurement requirements. Fit to the Rasch model allows conversion of ordinal raw scores to a linear metric.

Dizziness in stroke

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M. V. Zamergrad

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Differential diagnosis of new-onset acute vestibular vertigo is chiefly made between vestibular neuronitis and stroke. Dizziness in stroke is usually accompanied by other focal neurological symptoms of brainstem and cerebellar involvement. However, stroke may appear as isolated vestibular vertigo in some cases. An analysis of history data and the results of neurovestibular examination and brain magnetic resonance imaging allows stroke to be diagnosed in patients with acute isolated dizziness. The treatment of patients with stroke-induced dizziness involves a wide range of medications for the reduction of the degree of dizziness and unsteadiness and for the secondary prevention of stroke. Vestibular rehabilitation is an important component of treatment. The paper describes an observation of a patient with poorly controlled hypertension, who developed new-onset acute systemic dizziness. Vestibular neuronitis might be presumed to be a peripheral cause of vestibular disorders, by taking into account the absence of additional obvious neurological symptoms (such as pareses, defective sensation, diplopia, etc. and the nature of nystagmus. However, intention tremor in fingernose and heel-knee tests on the left side, a negative Halmagyi test, and results of Romberg’s test could suggest that stroke was a cause ofdizziness.

Large Animal Stroke Models vs. Rodent Stroke Models, Pros and Cons, and Combination?

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Cai, Bin; Wang, Ning

2016-01-01

Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability worldwide and the second leading cause of death in many countries. Long-time attempts to salvage dying neurons via various neuroprotective agents have failed in stroke translational research, owing in part to the huge gap between animal stroke models and stroke patients, which also suggests that rodent models have limited predictive value and that alternate large animal models are likely to become important in future translational research. The genetic background, physiological characteristics, behavioral characteristics, and brain structure of large animals, especially nonhuman primates, are analogous to humans, and resemble humans in stroke. Moreover, relatively new regional imaging techniques, measurements of regional cerebral blood flow, and sophisticated physiological monitoring can be more easily performed on the same animal at multiple time points. As a result, we can use large animal stroke models to decrease the gap and promote translation of basic science stroke research. At the same time, we should not neglect the disadvantages of the large animal stroke model such as the significant expense and ethical considerations, which can be overcome by rodent models. Rodents should be selected as stroke models for initial testing and primates or cats are desirable as a second species, which was recommended by the Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable (STAIR) group in 2009.

Stroke And Substance Abuse

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A Chitsaz

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: stroke in recreational substance users can be an indirect complication, like endocarditis and cardio embolism in parenteral drug users. With some drug like cocaine, stroke appear to be the result of a direct effect. In young subjects without other risk factors provide persuasive evidence for causality . OPIATES: Heroine is the most abused opiate drug, which is administered by injection, by snorting or by smoking. Stroke affects heroin users by diverse mechanisms,. Injectors are at risk of infections endocarditis, which carries risk for both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Cerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage usually occurs after rupture of a septic (mycotic aneurysm. Heroine users can are also at risk for hemorrhagic stroke secondary to liver failure with deranged clotting and to heroin nephropathy with uremia or malignant hypertension. In some heroin users the drug it self is directly causal due to vasculitis, hypersensitivity and immunologic changes. Embolization of foreign material to brain due to mixed of heroine with quinine can cause cerebral embolism. AMPHETAMINE AND other psychostimulants: In abuser of amphetamine hemorrhagic stroke can occur, oral, intravenous, nasal, and inhalational routes of administration have been reported. Most were chronic user, but in several patients, stroke followed a first exposure. Some of amphetamine induced intracranial hemorrhages are secondary to acute hypertension, some to cerebral vacuities, and some to a combination of two. Decongestants and diet pills: Phenylpropanolamine (PPA, an amphetamine – like drug, in decongestants and diet pills, induce acute hypertension, sever headache, psychiatric symptoms, seizures and hemorrhagic stroke. Ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine are present in decongestants and bronchodilators and induce headache, tachyarrhythmia, hypertensive emergency, and hemorrhagic and occlusive stroke. Ecstasy, 3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamin (MDMA with amphetamine like can

Predictors of long-term recurrent vascular events after ischemic stroke at young age: the Italian Project on Stroke in Young Adults.

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Pezzini, Alessandro; Grassi, Mario; Lodigiani, Corrado; Patella, Rosalba; Gandolfo, Carlo; Zini, Andrea; Delodovici, Maria Luisa; Paciaroni, Maurizio; Del Sette, Massimo; Toriello, Antonella; Musolino, Rossella; Calabrò, Rocco Salvatore; Bovi, Paolo; Adami, Alessandro; Silvestrelli, Giorgio; Sessa, Maria; Cavallini, Anna; Marcheselli, Simona; Bonifati, Domenico Marco; Checcarelli, Nicoletta; Tancredi, Lucia; Chiti, Alberto; Del Zotto, Elisabetta; Spalloni, Alessandra; Giossi, Alessia; Volonghi, Irene; Costa, Paolo; Giacalone, Giacomo; Ferrazzi, Paola; Poli, Loris; Morotti, Andrea; Rasura, Maurizia; Simone, Anna Maria; Gamba, Massimo; Cerrato, Paolo; Micieli, Giuseppe; Melis, Maurizio; Massucco, Davide; De Giuli, Valeria; Iacoviello, Licia; Padovani, Alessandro

2014-04-22

Data on long-term risk and predictors of recurrent thrombotic events after ischemic stroke at a young age are limited. We followed 1867 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke who were 18 to 45 years of age (mean age, 36.8±7.1 years; women, 49.0%), as part of the Italian Project on Stroke in Young Adults (IPSYS). Median follow-up was 40 months (25th to 75th percentile, 53). The primary end point was a composite of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, or other arterial events. One hundred sixty-three patients had recurrent thrombotic events (average rate, 2.26 per 100 person-years at risk). At 10 years, cumulative risk was 14.7% (95% confidence interval, 12.2%-17.9%) for primary end point, 14.0% (95% confidence interval, 11.4%-17.1%) for brain ischemia, and 0.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.4%-1.3%) for myocardial infarction or other arterial events. Familial history of stroke, migraine with aura, circulating antiphospholipid antibodies, discontinuation of antiplatelet and antihypertensive medications, and any increase of 1 traditional vascular risk factor were independent predictors of the composite end point in multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis. A point-scoring system for each variable was generated by their β-coefficients, and a predictive score (IPSYS score) was calculated as the sum of the weighted scores. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the 0- to 5-year score was 0.66 (95% confidence interval, 0.61-0.71; mean, 10-fold internally cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.65). Among patients with ischemic stroke aged 18 to 45 years, the long-term risk of recurrent thrombotic events is associated with modifiable, age-specific risk factors. The IPSYS score may serve as a simple tool for risk estimation.

Country comparisons of human stroke research since 2001: a bibliometric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Asplund, Kjell; Eriksson, Marie; Persson, Olle

2012-03-01

This is the first bibliometric comparison between countries of the development of stroke research over time. Clinical and epidemiological articles on stroke published 2001 to mid-2011 were identified in Science Citation Index Expanded. Article fractions, citation fractions, h-index, and international collaboration were calculated using the BibExcel software and adjusted for population size and gross domestic product. The United States dominated with 28.7% of the sum of article fractions and 36.2% of the sum of citation fractions. The United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany together accounted for 52.1% of articles and 61.0% of citations. When adjusted for population size or gross domestic product, several small European countries, together with Israel and Taiwan, ranked the highest. Per population, there was a negative association (r=0.60) between burden of stroke (disability-adjusted life-years lost) and number of articles per population. In China, South Korea, and Singapore, the annual growth of stroke articles was more than twice the worldwide average. Whereas multinational collaboration was common within Europe and North America, it was relatively uncommon between Asian countries. The Big 4 in scientific literature on stroke, as to both number of articles and citations, are the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Many small European countries have, in relation to their size, a high scientific production. Several countries with rapidly expanding economies have very fast growth of scientific production on stroke. Our results emphasize the need for stroke research in countries with a high population burden of stroke and they highlight the role of multinational collaboration.

Bounds on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements vertical strokeVtdvertical stroke and vertical strokeVtsvertical stroke from experiments on B0-anti B0 mixings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.; Eijk, B. van; Have, I. ten

1987-01-01

We present a theoretical analysis of the process panti p → μ ± μ ± X, μ ± X', μ + μ - X' due to heavy flavour production and decays, based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, QCD. We find reasonable agreement for the inclusive rates and distributions between the UA1 measurement and our calculations, with the exception of the dimuon ratio R(±±/+--), which is found typically a factor ≅ 1.8 smaller than the UA1 data. We interpret this excess in terms of B s 0 -anti B s 0 mixing and obtain a lower bound on the mixing probability, ρ s > 0.14. In the standard model this implies a lower bound on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element vertical strokeV ts vertical stroke given the top quark mass. The lower bound on vertical strokeV ts vertical stroke and the upper bound on vertical strokeV td vertical stroke, obtained from the (upper bound) B d 0 -anti B d 0 mixing probability, ρ d , from e + e - experiments are worked out. (orig.)

Ischemic Stroke

Science.gov (United States)

... Workplace Giving Fundraise Planned Giving Corporate Giving Cause Marketing Join your team, your way! The Stroke Challenge ... Your Technology Guide High Blood Pressure and Stroke Importance of Physical Activity See More Multimedia Las minorías ...

Interprofessional stroke rehabilitation for stroke survivors using home care.

Science.gov (United States)

Markle-Reid, Maureen; Orridge, Camille; Weir, Robin; Browne, Gina; Gafni, Amiram; Lewis, Mary; Walsh, Marian; Levy, Charissa; Daub, Stacey; Brien, Heather; Roberts, Jacqueline; Thabane, Lehana

2011-03-01

To compare a specialized interprofessional team approach to community-based stroke rehabilitation with usual home care for stroke survivors using home care services. Randomized controlled trial of 101 community-living stroke survivors (stroke) using home care services. Subjects were randomized to intervention (n=52) or control (n=49) groups. The intervention was a 12-month specialized, evidence-based rehabilitation strategy involving an interprofessional team. The primary outcome was change in health-related quality of life and functioning (SF-36) from baseline to 12 months. Secondary outcomes were number of strokes during the 12-month follow-up, and changes in community reintegration (RNLI), perceived social support (PRQ85-Part 2), anxiety and depressive symptoms (Kessler-10), cognitive function (SPMSQ), and costs of use of health services from baseline to 12 months. A total of 82 subjects completed the 12-month follow-up. Compared with the usual care group, stroke survivors in the intervention group showed clinically important (although not statistically significant) greater improvements from baseline in mean SF-36 physical functioning score (5.87, 95% CI -3.98 to 15.7; p=0.24) and social functioning score (9.03, CI-7.50 to 25.6; p=0.28). The groups did not differ for any of the secondary effectiveness outcomes. There was a higher total per-person costs of use of health services in the intervention group compared to usual home care although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.76). A 12-month specialized, interprofessional team is a feasible and acceptable approach to community-based stroke rehabilitation that produced greater improvements in quality of life compared to usual home care. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00463229.

Recurrent Stroke: The Value of the CHA2DS2VASc Score and the Essen Stroke Risk Score in a Nationwide Stroke Cohort.

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Andersen, Søren Due; Gorst-Rasmussen, Anders; Lip, Gregory Y H; Bach, Flemming W; Larsen, Torben Bjerregaard

2015-09-01

The CHA2DS2VASc score and the Essen Stroke Risk Score are respectively used for risk stratification in patients with atrial fibrillation and in patients with cerebrovascular incidents. We aimed to test the ability of the 2 scores to predict stroke recurrence, death, and cardiovascular events (stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, or arterial thromboembolism) in a nationwide Danish cohort study, among patients with incident ischemic stroke and no atrial fibrillation. We conducted a registry-based study in patients with incident ischemic stroke and no atrial fibrillation. Patients were stratified according to the CHA2DS2VASc score and the Essen Stroke Risk Score and were followed up until stroke recurrence or death. We estimated stratified incidence rates and hazard ratios and calculated the cumulative risks. 42 182 patients with incident ischemic stroke with median age 70.1 years were included. The overall 1-year incidence rates of recurrent stroke, death, and cardiovascular events were 3.6%, 10.5%, and 6.7%, respectively. The incidence rates, the hazard ratios, and the cumulative risk of all outcomes increased with increasing risk scores. C-statistics for both risk scores were around 0.55 for 1-year stroke recurrence and cardiovascular events and correspondingly for death around 0.67 for both scores. In this cohort of non-atrial fibrillation patients with incident ischemic stroke, increasing CHA2DS2VASc score and Essen Stroke Risk Score was associated with increasing risk of recurrent stroke, death, and cardiovascular events. Their discriminatory performance was modest and further refinements are required for clinical application. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Guidelines for acute ischemic stroke treatment: part II: stroke treatment

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Sheila Cristina Ouriques Martins

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The second part of these Guidelines covers the topics of antiplatelet, anticoagulant, and statin therapy in acute ischemic stroke, reperfusion therapy, and classification of Stroke Centers. Information on the classes and levels of evidence used in this guideline is provided in Part I. A translated version of the Guidelines is available from the Brazilian Stroke Society website (www.sbdcv.com.br.

Costs of stroke and stroke services: Determinants of patient costs and a comparison of costs of regular care and care organised in stroke services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koopmanschap Marc A

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term disability in Western societies and constitutes a major claim on health care budgets. Organising stroke care in a stroke service has recently been demonstrated to result in better health effects for patients. This paper discusses patient costs after stroke and compares costs between regular and stroke service care. Methods Costs were calculated within the framework of the evaluation of three experiments with stroke services in the Netherlands. Cost calculations are base on medical consumption data and actual costs. Results 598 patients were consecutively admitted to hospital after stroke. The average total costs of care per patient for the 6 month follow-up are estimated at €16,000. Costs are dominated by institutional and accommodation costs. Patients who die after stroke incur less costs. For patients that survive the acute phase, the most important determinants of costs are disability status and having a partner – as they influence patients' stroke careers. These determinants also interact. The most efficient stroke service experiment was most successful in co-ordinating patient flow from hospital to (nursing home, through capacity planning and efficient discharge procedures. In this region the costs of stroke service care are the same as for regular stroke care. The other experiments suffered from waiting lists for nursing homes and home care, leading to "blocked beds" in hospitals and nursing homes and higher costs of care. Costs of co-ordination are estimated at about 3% of total costs of care. Conclusion This paper demonstrates that by organising care for stroke patients in a stroke service, better health effects can be achieved with the same budget. In addition, it provides insight in need, predisposing and enabling factors that determine costs of care after stroke.

A bibliometric analysis of pediatric liver transplantation publications.

Science.gov (United States)

McDowell, Dermot T; Darani, Alexandre; Shun, Albert; Thomas, Gordon; Holland, Andrew J A

2017-06-01

Citation counts can identify landmark papers. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the top-cited articles in the pediatric liver transplantation literature. A search strategy for the Scopus ® database was designed for pediatric liver transplantation publications from 1945 to 2014. The 50 top-cited articles were analyzed. Author co-citation analysis was performed using VOSviewer techniques. There were 2896 articles published between 1969 and 2015. The mean citation count of the top 50 cited articles was 166 (range 95-635). There were three case reports in this top-cited list. There were 15 collaborations in this top-cited list with nine being international. The top-cited publications originated in 12 countries, with the USA and the UK contributing 31 and seven articles, respectively. There were 14 authors with four or more publications in this list. There was a single author with nine publications in the top-cited list. These top-cited papers were found in 16 journals, with three journals collectively publishing over 50% of these publications. Pediatric liver transplantation research is an evolving entity. Surgical techniques and case reports are influential articles. Collaborations at a national and international level produce highly cited articles, which are found in influential journals. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Difficulty Swallowing After Stroke (Dysphagia)

Science.gov (United States)

... Stroke Heroes Among Us Difficulty Swallowing After Stroke (Dysphagia) Updated:Nov 15,2016 Excerpted and adapted from "Swallowing Disorders After a Stroke," Stroke Connection Magazine July/August ...

Nursing care for stroke patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tulek, Zeliha; Poulsen, Ingrid; Gillis, Katrin

2018-01-01

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To conduct a survey of the clinical nursing practice in European countries in accordance with the European Stroke Strategies (ESS) 2006, and to examine to what extent the ESS have been implemented in stroke care nursing in Europe. BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death...... comprising 61 questions based on the ESS and scientific evidence in nursing practice was distributed to representatives of the European Association of Neuroscience Nurses, who sent the questionnaire to nurses active in stroke care. The questionnaire covered the following areas of stroke care: Organization...... of stroke services, Management of acute stroke and prevention including basic care and nursing, and Secondary prevention. RESULTS: Ninety-two nurses in stroke care in 11 European countries participated in the survey. Within the first 48 hours after stroke onset, 95% monitor patients regularly, 94% start...

Diagnostic accuracy of guys Hospital stroke score (allen score) in acute supratentorial thrombotic/haemorrhagic stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zulfiqar, A.; Toori, K. U.; Khan, S. S.; Hamza, M. I. M.; Zaman, S. U.

2006-01-01

A consecutive series of 103 patients, 58% male with mean age of 62 year (range 40-75 years), admitted with supratentorial stroke in our teaching hospital were studied. All patients had Computer Tomography scan brain done after clinical evaluation and application of Allen stroke score. Computer Tomography Scan confirmed thrombotic stroke in 55 (53%) patients and haemorrhagic stroke in 48 (47%) patients. Out of the 55 patients with definitive thrombotic stroke on Computer Tomography Scan, Allen stroke score suggested infarction in 67%, haemorrhage in 6% and remained inconclusive in 27% of cases. In 48 patients with definitive haemorrhagic stroke on Computer Tomography Scan, Allen stroke score suggested haemorrhage in 60%, infarction in 11% and remained inconclusive in 29% of cases. The overall accuracy of Allen stroke score was 66%. (author)

Stroke management: Informal caregivers' burdens and strians of caring for stroke survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gbiri, Caleb Ademola; Olawale, Olajide Ayinla; Isaac, Sarah Oghenekewe

2015-04-01

Stroke survivors live with varied degrees of disabilities and cares are provided largely by the informal caregivers. This study investigated informal caregivers' burden and strains of caring for stroke patients. This study involved 157 (81 males and 76 females) informal caregivers of stroke survivors receiving care in all secondary and tertiary health institutions with physiotherapy services in Lagos State, Nigeria. Information was collected through self-administered questionnaire during clinic-hours. Data was analyzed using Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient. The patients' age ranged between 20 and 79 (mean=59.6 ± 14.6 years). Sixty-one had haemorrhagic stroke while 96 had ischaemic stroke. The informal caregivers' age was 39.2 ± 12.8 years (range: 17-36 years). More (60.8%) participants reported moderate objective while 79.2% had mild subjective burdens. The following factors significantly increased (Pfinancial well-beings of the informal caregivers. Caring for stroke survivors put social, emotional, health and financial burdens and strains on the informal caregivers. These burdens and strains increase with duration of stroke, intimacy, smaller number of caregivers and length of daily caregiving. Therefore, informal caregivers should be involved in the rehabilitation plan for stroke patients and their well-being should also be given adequate attention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Transtentorial diachisis in stroke patients demonstrated by I-123 HIPDM brain imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih, W.J.; DeKosky, S.; Coupal, J.J.; Clark, D.; Ryo, U.Y.; Kung, H.F.

1988-01-01

SPECT and planar images of 35 patients with stroke were compared with images of 26 patients with Alzheimer disease, two with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and one with schizoaffective disorder. Transtentorial diaschisis (TTD) with decreased cerebellar activity was shown in 18 patients with large infarcts of middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory and in four patients with internal capsule and basal ganglia infarcts. No TTD was shown in the 29 patients without stroke and those with small infarcts. Decreased cerebral activity contralateral to cerebral infarct due to interruption of cerebellar flow in TTD was hypothesized. The authors concluded that TTD occurs exclusively in an extensive cerebral infarct of the MCA territory, and an absent cortical perfusion abnormality with presence of TTD may indicate basal ganglia and/or internal capsule infarct

Topical review: sluggish cognitive tempo: research findings and relevance for pediatric psychology.

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