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Biomedical subjects

M Fatar

Publications and source records attributed to M Fatar.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Mannheim carotid intima-media thickness consensus (2004-2006). An update on behalf of the Advisory Board of the 3rd and 4th Watching the Risk Symposium, 13th and 15th European Stroke Conferences, Mannheim, Germany, 2004, and Brussels, Belgium, 2006.

Intima-media thickness (IMT) is increasingly used as a surrogate end point of vascular outcomes in clinical trials aimed at determining the success of interventions that lower risk factors for atherosclerosis and associated diseases (stroke, myocardial infarction and peripheral artery diseases). The necessity to promote further criteria to distinguish early atherosclerotic plaque formation from thickening of IMT and to standardize IMT measurements is expressed through this updated consensus. Plaque is defined as a focal structure that encroaches into the arterial lumen of at least 0.5 mm or 50% of the surrounding IMT value or demonstrates a thickness >1.5 mm as measured from the media-adventitia interface to the intima-lumen interface. Standard use of IMT measurements is based on physics, technical and disease-related principles as well as agreements on how to perform, interpret and document study results. Harmonization of carotid image acquisition and analysis is needed for the comparison of the IMT results obtained from epidemiological and interventional studies around the world. The consensus concludes that there is no need to 'treat IMT values' nor to monitor IMT values in individual patients apart from exceptions named, which emphasize that inside randomized clinical trials should be performed. Although IMT has been suggested to represent an important risk marker, according to the current evidence it does not fulfill the characteristics of an accepted risk factor. Standardized methods recommended in this consensus statement will foster homogenous data collection and analysis. This will help to improve the power of randomized clinical trials incorporating IMT measurements and to facilitate the merging of large databases for meta-analyses.

Adult↗

[Retrospective analysis of neurological patients on a medical intensive care unit].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate number and kind of neurological patients in comparison with other patients on a medical ICU. METHODS: Over a period of one year, all neurological intensive care patients on a medical ICU were evaluated according to age, sex, diagnosis, mortality, diagnostic methods, ventilation and referral to other hospitals and general wards. RESULTS: Comparable to a specialist neurological ICU a wide spectrum of neurological diseases could be observed on an interdisciplinary ICU. In comparison to other patient groups, patients with neurological disease had a higher rate of ventilation, a longer hospital stay and a higher mortality. CONCLUSION: Our data also demonstrate the relevant amount of neurological patients (19 % measured by bed assignment) in comparison to all patients, and the specific neurological procedures were applicable on a medical/interdisciplinary ICU. A higher interest for neurological patient on a medical ICU would therefore be essential.

Adult↗

Mannheim intima-media thickness consensus.

Intima-media thickness (IMT) is increasingly used in clinical trials as a surrogate end point for determining the success of interventions that lower risk factors for atherosclerosis. The necessity for unified criteria to distinguish early atherosclerotic plaque formation from thickening of IMT and to standardize IMT measurements is addressed in this consensus statement. Plaque is defined as a focal structure that encroaches into the arterial lumen of at least 0.5 mm or 50% of the surrounding IMT value or demonstrates a thickness of > or =1.5 mm as measured from the media-adventitia interface to the intima-lumen interface. Standard use of IMT measurements is recommended in all epidemiological and interventional trials dealing with vascular diseases to improve characterization of the population investigated. The consensus concludes that there is no need to 'treat IMT values' nor to monitor IMT values in individual patients apart from few exceptions. Although IMT has been suggested to represent an important risk marker, it does not fulfill the characteristics of an accepted risk factor. Standardized methods recommended in this consensus statement will foster homogenous data collection and analysis. This will help to improve the power of studies incorporating IMT measurements and to facilitate the merging of large databases for meta-analyses.

Arteriosclerosis↗

Efficacy of sonothrombolysis in a rat model of embolic ischemic stroke.

The key goal in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke is fast vessel recanalization. Thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is efficient in humans but mean time for recanalization is within hours. Ultrasound bio-effects has been shown to facilitate rt-PA mediated thrombolysis in peripheral arteries. We used an embolic stroke model in the rat. In all rats we induced an ischemic stroke by a selective occlusion of the middle cerebral artery with whole blood clots. From an entire collective of 54 rats 47 completed the protocol (n = 7 died early). Four different groups (no treatment n = 6; full dose rt-PA treatment only [10 mg/kg per body weight] n = 14, half dose rt-PA treatment plus ultrasound n = 10, and full dose rt-PA treatment plus ultrasound n = 17) were investigated. We found a significant reduction of absolute as well as relative infarct volume in the full dose rt-PA plus ultrasound group (81+/-72 mm(3); P< 0.05) in comparison to untreated rats (253+/-159 mm(3); P < 0.05) as well as in comparison to rats treated with full dose rt-PA only (167+/-91 mm(3); P < 0.05). There were five intracranial bleedings giving a bleeding rate of 9.3%. In summary: ultrasound treatment in addition to rt-PA is more effective than single rt-PA treatment in reducing infarct volume and safe with regard to bleeding.

Animals↗

Temporal profile of release of interleukin-1beta in neurotrauma.

Timing and extent of trauma-induced release of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in extracellular fluid of the CNS were analyzed. In brain tissue perfusates obtained by in vivo microdialysis a marked release of IL-1beta was unexpectedly detected within less than 60 min. At such an early stage of neurotrauma, mRNA expression of IL-1beta was detected whereas immunoreactivity for the IL-1beta protein was negative. Concentrations of extracellularly secreted IL-1beta protein gradually increased, peaked at day 2 and decreased thereafter. Drugs acting on mononuclear phagocytes significantly modulated IL-1beta secretion. This so far unrecognized acuity of IL-1beta release demonstrated here, may represent a precondition for the orchestrating role of this mediator in the cascade of inflammatory host response.

Animals↗

Subacute but not acute generation of nitric oxide in focal cerebral ischemia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Excessive release of nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration in ischemic stroke. We compared intracerebral release of indicators of NO generation at the acute and subacute stages of transient focal cerebral ischemia. METHODS: In vivo microdialysis in the rat striatum was performed at the acute (first hours) and subacute (after 24 or 48 hours) stages of cerebral ischemia or sham operation to monitor intracerebral release of the stable NO metabolites nitrite and nitrate. RESULTS: Whereas only a nonsignificant trend toward increased release of these NO metabolites was evidenced in acute cerebral ischemia, a significant NO generation was observed subacutely, 48 hours after induction of cerebral ischemia. Aminoguanidine, a selective inhibitor of inducible NO synthase, suppressed this delayed release of nitrite and nitrate. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas these observations do not support a major NO generation in acute cerebral ischemia, they indicate an inducible NO synthase-dependent NO generation predominantly at the subacute phase of ischemic neurodegeneration. Therefore, NO generation may play a pathophysiological role in delayed ischemic neurodegeneration.

Animals↗

Leakage of brain-originated proteins in peripheral blood: temporal profile and diagnostic value in early ischemic stroke.

The clinical value of determination of CNS-specific proteins in peripheral blood at the acute phase of ischemic stroke is unclear. S-100 protein and neurone specific enolase were serially quantified in peripheral blood at the acute and subacute phase of ischemic stroke (hours 4, 8, 10, 24 and 72 after onset of symptoms). Whereas S-100 protein was detected in none of the matched control subjects. this protein was observed in 17/24 of the stroke patients. Patients with detectable S-100 protein had significantly larger infarctions. Cortical infarctions had already significantly increased S-100 concentrations at days 1 and 3 compared to subcortical or brainstem infarctions. Patients with volumes of brain lesion of >5 ccm exhibited significantly increased serum levels of S-100 at hours 10, 24 and 72 compared to those with lesion volumes of <5 ccm. At hours 10, 24 and 72, concentrations of S-100 correlated with scores of neurological outcome. Although kinetics of release of neurone specific enolase showed a similar pattern of release in blood, no significant association to outcome or extent of brain damage was observed. These results suggest that S-100 protein and not NSE may represent a useful serum marker of brain damage in acute stroke.

Aged↗

Endothelial-derived adhesion molecules in bacterial meningitis: association to cytokine release and intrathecal leukocyte-recruitment.

The release of circulating isoforms of selectin- (L-selectin, ELAM-1) and immunoglobulin-type- (ICAM-1) adhesion molecules, responsible for accumulation of leukocytes at sites of tissue injury was studied in CSF and serum of 21 patients with bacterial meningitis and in healthy subjects. Their concentrations were compared with the intrathecal leukocyte recruitment and release of inflammatory cytokines. In contrast to serum concentrations of the leukocyte-derived adhesion molecule, sL-selectin, serum concentrations of endothelial-derived adhesion molecules, sELAM-1 and sICAM-1, were significantly increased in meningitis. No intrathecal synthesis of these adhesion molecules was observed. Serum levels of sELAM-1 were associated with extent of CSF pleocytosis and with concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and TNF alpha in CSF, but not in serum. Therefore, expression of endothelial adhesion molecules i.e. ELAM-1 may be responsible for the massive intrathecal recruitment of potentially harmful leukocytes in patients with bacterial meningitis. Intrathecally released proinflammatory cytokines may represent the inducing signals for their endothelial upregulation.

Adolescent↗