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PubMed2004

Stroke unit care and outcome: results from the 2001 National Sentinel Audit of Stroke (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke unit care is one of the most powerful interventions available to help stroke patients. There are limited data available to assess the impact of stroke units in routine clinical practice outside randomized clinical trials. This article uses data from the 2001 to 2002 National Stroke Audit to assess the effectiveness of stroke unit care in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in delivering effective processes of care and in reducing case fatality and disability. METHODS: An observational study of the organization, structure, process of care, and outcomes for stroke in 2001. Case fatality after stroke in England was compared using data from the audit and routinely collected data from the Department of Health. 240 hospitals (196 Trusts) from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland took part in the 2001 to 2002 National Stroke Audit, a response rate of >95%. These sites assessed a total of 8200 patients using the Royal College of Physicians Intercollegiate Working Party Stroke Audit Tool. RESULTS: The availability of stroke unit care varies hugely across the country. Case fatality after stroke was higher in Trusts with least availability of stroke unit care. These differences persisted after control for case mix. The process of care was better for patients managed on stroke units compared with other settings. Overall, the risk of death for patients who received stroke unit care was estimated to be approximately 75% that of the risk for those having no stroke unit care (95% CI, 60 to 90). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke unit care as provided in routine clinical practice in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland reduces case fatality by approximately 25%, which is in line with the figures obtained from systematic analysis of stroke unit trial data.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Family history in ischemic stroke before 70 years of age: the Sahlgrenska Academy Study on Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Results from twin and family history studies of ischemic stroke suggest that future molecular genetic studies should focus on strictly defined stroke subtypes and younger cases. Accordingly, we investigated stroke subtypes, vascular risk factors, and family history in a large study of patients with ischemic stroke onset before age 70 years. METHODS: Six hundred consecutive white participants with ischemic stroke (18 to 69 years) and 600 age- and sex-matched controls were examined for vascular risk factors and family history of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). Stroke subtype was defined using Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria. RESULTS: Family history of stroke was associated with overall ischemic stroke (multivariate odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26 to 2.43), large-vessel disease (LVD) (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.44), small-vessel disease (SVD, OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.84), and cryptogenic stroke (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.56), but not with cardioembolic stroke. Family history of MI was strongly associated with LVD (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.74 to 6.07), whereas no significant association were observed for other subtypes. We also found an independent association between family history of stroke and a favorable outcome after 3 months. CONCLUSION: Family history of stroke is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke with onset before age 70 years. For the first time to our knowledge, we report this association not only for LVD and SVD but also for cryptogenic stroke, implying that future studies of the genetics of ischemic stroke should target these 3 subtypes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Parental history of stroke predicts subclinical but not clinical stroke: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An individual with a positive family history of a disease may be at increased risk for the disease. We sought to examine whether parental history of stroke is associated with subclinical or clinical stroke in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, and whether any observed association is independent of established stroke risk factors. METHODS: Parental history of stroke was determined by home interview at the baseline examination. Cerebral MRI was performed on individuals from 2 ARIC field centers. Subclinical cerebral infarct cases (n=202) were defined by the presence of cerebral infarcts >3 mm. The comparison group for the subclinical cases included all individuals participating in the MRI examination who were not identified as a subclinical case (n=1533). Incidence of clinical ischemic stroke was determined by following the ARIC cohort for potential cerebrovascular events. Two hundred sixty-one validated ischemic strokes were identified; 13 775 individuals from the ARIC cohort did not experience an ischemic event. RESULTS: Parental history of stroke was significantly associated with subclinical stroke after adjusting for age, gender, and race (OR 1.67, 95% CI1.23 to 2.26) and after further adjustment for multiple stroke risk factors (OR1. 64, 95% CI1.20 to 2.24). Parental history of stroke was not a significant predictor of clinical stroke in either adjustment model. CONCLUSIONS: The observed increased risk of subclinical stroke among individuals with a parental history of stroke is consistent with the expression of genetic susceptibility, a shared environment, or both in the etiology of stroke. This effect did not appear to be mediated by established stroke risk factors. Parental history of stroke does not confer an increased risk of clinical stroke in this sample of middle-aged Americans.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

Frequency of asymptomatic microbleeds on T2*-weighted MR images of patients with recurrent stroke: association with combination of stroke subtypes and leukoaraiosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Asymptomatic microbleeds shown by T2*-weighted MR imaging are associated with small-artery diseases, especially with intracerebral hemorrhage. Few studies have focused on the prevalence of microbleeds in patients with recurrent stroke. We investigated frequency of microbleeds in patients with recurrent stroke and association of presence of microbleeds with a combination of stroke subtypes and severity of leukoaraiosis. METHODS: The study population consisted of 102 patients with primary stroke and 54 patients with recurrent stroke. Microbleeds were counted and classified by using T2*-weighted MR imaging with a 1.0-T system. RESULTS: Patients with recurrent stroke showed a significantly higher prevalence of microbleeds (68.5%) than did patients with primary stroke (28.4%) (P <.0001). Among patients with recurrent stroke, the highest frequency of microbleeds occurred in those with intracerebral hemorrhage alone (92.3%), with the next highest frequency occurring in those with a combination of intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke (76.5%) and then those with ischemic stroke alone (50.0%) (P <.05). Leukoaraiosis was more severe in patients with recurrent stroke than in patients with primary stroke, and correlations between grade of microbleeds and severity of leukoaraiosis were found in patients with primary stroke (r = 0.367, P <.001) and in patients with recurrent stroke (r = 0.553, P <.0001). Logistic regression analysis identified recurrent stroke (odds ratio, 4.487; 95% confidence interval, 1.989-10.120) and leukoaraiosis (odds ratio, 5.079; 95% confidence interval, 2.125-12.143) as being significantly and independently associated with microbleeds. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic microbleeds are observed to occur frequently in patients with recurrent stroke, either hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, and are closely associated with the severity of leukoaraiosis.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Factors associated with pre-stroke dementia: the cracow stroke database.

BACKGROUND: Many stroke patients who fulfilled diagnostic criteria for dementia three months after stroke had a mental deterioration before stroke, implying an underlying neurodegenerative process. The goal of this study was to determine the factors associated with pre-stroke dementia in hospitalised-based population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Pre-stroke cognitive decline was evaluated in 250 stroke patients using the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). Patients with IQCODE score > or=104 were classified as having pre-stroke dementia. Clinical, radiological, and biochemical data of patients with and without pre-stroke dementia were compared. RESULTS: Pre-stroke dementia was found in 12% of 250 stroke patients. Patients with pre-stroke dementia were older, suffered more frequently from ischemic heart disease and diabetes, and had more frequently prior cerebrovascular disease. These patients had significantly more brain atrophy and number of old infarcts on CT than patients without pre-stroke dementia. Serum gamma-globulins levels at admission were significantly higher in patients with pre-stroke dementia. In logistic regression analysis female gender (OR 3.47, CI 95% 1.25-9.64), history of previous stroke (OR 3.46, CI 95 % 1.26-9.51), the number of old infarcts on CT (OR 1.58, CI 95 % 1.08-2.33) and serum gamma-globulins level (OR 1.19, CI 95 % 1.02-1.40) were independently associated with pre-stroke dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Female gender and previous ischemic stroke are the most important determinants of pre-stroke cognitive decline.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Glycerol for acute ischaemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Infarct-related oedema following ischaemic stroke is thought to be a major cause of early death. Intravenous glycerol may reduce the oedema, increase cerebral blood flow and improve cerebral metabolism. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to assess the effect of glycerol in acute ischaemic stroke. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group trials register, Medline and Embase. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials of intravenous glycerol compared with control in people with definite or presumed ischaemic stroke. Trials were included if treatment was initiated within the first four days of stroke onset. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers assessed trial quality and independently extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS: Eight trials involving 649 people were included. Based on 454 patients in six trials, glycerol was associated with a decrease in deaths within 14 days of stroke onset (odds ratio of 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.36 to 0.91). Based on 431 patients in five trials, there was a non-significant decrease in deaths within the first year of stroke onset (odds ratio of 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.54 to 1.23). The effect of treatment on functional outcome was not clear. Haemolysis appeared to be the only adverse effect. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is not enough evidence to evaluate glycerol treatment for people with acute ischaemic stroke.

Brain Edema↗
PubMed2006

Family history of stroke and severity of neurologic deficit after stroke.

BACKGROUND: A family history of stroke is an independent risk factor for stroke. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether severity of neurologic deficit after stroke is associated with a family history of stroke. METHODS: The Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study, a five-center study of first-ever symptomatic ischemic stroke, assessed case subjects prospectively for a family history of stroke-affected first-degree relatives. Certified adjudicators used the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) to determine the severity of neurologic deficit. RESULTS: A total of 505 case subjects were enrolled (median age, 65 years; 55% male), with 81% enrolled within 1 week of onset of symptoms. A sibling history of stroke was associated with more severe stroke. The odds of an NIHSS score of 5 or higher were 2.0 times greater for cases with a sibling history of stroke compared with cases with no sibling history (95% CI, 1.0 to 3.9). An association of family history of stroke in parents or children with stroke severity was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: A sibling history of stroke increased the likelihood of a more severe stroke in the case subjects, independent of age, sex, and other potential confounding factors. Other family history characteristics were not associated with stroke severity.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Stroke. Neurologic and functional recovery the Copenhagen Stroke Study.

Neurologic and functional recovery is dependent on a large variety of factors such as initial stroke severity, body temperature and blood glucose in the acute phase of stroke, stroke in progression, and treatment and rehabilitation on a dedicated stroke unit. The most important factor for recovery remains the initial severity of the stroke. In unselected patients 19% of the strokes are very severe, 14% are severe, 26% are moderate, and 41% are mild. In survivors, neurologic impairment after completed rehabilitation is still severe or very severe in 11%, moderate in 11%, mild in 47%, and 31% have achieved normal neurologic function. The ability to perform basic activities of daily living initially is reduced in three out of four patients with stroke. Most often affected is the ability to transfer, dress, and walk. After completed rehabilitation the group with moderate and severe disability is reduced from 50% to 25%, and the group with mild or no disability is increased from 50% to 75%. The prognosis of patients with mild or moderate stroke generally is excellent. Patients with severe stroke have a very variable recovery. Although the prognosis of patients with the most severe stroke is generally poor, one third of the survivors in this group are able to be discharged back to their own homes with no or only mild disability, if rehabilitated on a dedicated stroke unit. Functional recovery generally was completed within 3 months of stroke onset. Patients with mild stroke, however, recover within 2 months, patients with moderate stroke within 3 months, patients with severe stroke within 4 months, and patients with the most severe strokes have their functional recovery within 5 months from onset. Functional recovery is preceded by neurologic recovery by a mean of 2 weeks.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

Interventions for deliberately altering blood pressure in acute stroke.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether hypertension should be treated after acute stroke, and some have hypothesised that blood pressure should be increased to improve cerebral perfusion. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to assess the effect of lowering or elevating blood pressure in people with acute stroke, and the effect of different vasoactive drugs on blood pressure in acute stroke. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group trials register, the Ottawa Stroke Trials Registry (1994), Medline (from 1965), Embase (from 1981), ISI, and existing review articles. We contacted researchers in the field and pharmaceutical companies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials of interventions that aimed to alter blood pressure in patients within two weeks of acute ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently applied the inclusion criteria and assessed trial quality. Two reviewers extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS: Three trials involving 133 people were included. The trials tested the following vasodilators: nimodipine (66 people), nicardipine (five people), captopril (three people) and clonidine (two people). Oral calcium channel blockers (nimodipine, nicardipine) reduced systolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference 10.9mmHg, 95% confidence interval 2.0 to 19.7), diastolic blood pressure (weighted mean difference 9.5mmHg, 95% confidence interval 4.0 to 15.1) and heart rate (weighted mean difference 4.7 beats per minute, 95% confidence interval 0.2 to 9.2) at 48 hours. The greatest fall in blood pressure over the first 24 hours was shown in patients given the highest dose of nimodipine. The relationship between change in blood pressure and clinical outcome was not clear. There was not enough information to assess the effect of drugs other than calcium channel blockers. No studies of interventions to raise blood pressure were found. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is not enough evidence to evaluate the effect of altering blood pressure after acute stroke. Although oral calcium channel blockers appear to reduce blood pressure following acute stroke, the balance of benefit and risk remains unclear.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed2004

[Knowledge about stroke in patients admitted in a French Stroke Unit].

Admission delay remains the main cause for stroke patient exclusion from urgent therapeutic protocols. Public lack of knowledge about stroke symptoms may result in delay in seeking medical care and late presentation at hospital. Lack of knowledge of risk factors for stroke may also hamper compliance with stroke prevention practices. The aim of this prospective study using a standardized questionnaire was to evaluate the stroke awareness of acute stroke patients in France. From July 2, 1998 to July 2, 1999, 166 consecutive stroke patients were admitted at our stroke unit. Among the 91 patients who were able to answer the questionnaire during the first 48 hours, only 19 patients (21 p.cent) thought they were having a stroke before their arrival at the hospital, 38 patients (42 p.cent) did not know a single sign of stroke and 33 patients (36 p.cent) did not know a single risk factor of stroke. The most common risk factors named by the patients were smoking and hypercholesterolemia (named by 31 patients (34 p.cent) and 19 patients (21 p.cent), respectively). The most common warning signs named by the patients were paralysis of one side of body or one limb and speech disturbance (named by 40 patients (44 p.cent) and 15 patients (16 p.cent), respectively). Female sex and "knowing somebody who had a stroke" were significantly associated with awareness of signs of stroke in multivariate analysis. Educational public programs regarding stroke awareness are needed in France. Educational campaigns must stress the risk factors and symptoms of stroke and the appropriate response in the hopes of reducing admission delay and improving stroke prevention.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stroke knowledge and barriers to stroke prevention among African Americans: implications for health communication.

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability, especially among African Americans. Yet research on stroke knowledge and barriers to stroke prevention among African Americans is limited. This study used a 50-item questionnaire to conduct structured telephone interviews with 379 African American adults, 50 years or older. The questionnaire included questions on stroke knowledge, stroke risk behaviors, and barriers to stroke prevention. A stroke knowledge score was computed by assigning points for correct responses on knowledge items. The average stroke knowledge score of participants was 10.9, out of a maximum possible score of 27. Stroke knowledge was significantly related to the presence of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and family history of stroke. College education was significantly associated with older respondents' stroke knowledge. Younger college-educated respondents had more knowledge about the risky behaviors that lead to stroke than those with less education. Respondents preferred hospitals to churches or senior centers for receiving stroke information and for learning about stroke from their physicians. Stress and poor financial status were most frequently reported as barriers to stroke prevention. These findings have implications for developing more effective strategies for educating African Americans about stroke prevention.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2006

The effectiveness of a stroke education group on persons with stroke and their caregivers.

The educational group has been proposed as an effective way to deliver a program based on structured stroke knowledge to enhance emotional support among people with stroke and their caregivers. The aim of this study was to explore whether the stroke educational group could increase stroke-related knowledge, and improve perceived health status, in persons with stroke and their caregivers, and thus reduce the stress induced during the care-giving process. In this study a quasi-experimental design, that included a pre-test and a post-test, was employed on a total of 54 patients with stroke and 32 caregivers who participated in a 2-week stroke educational group. The outcome measures included a Stroke Knowledge Test, the Short-Form 36 and the Relatives' Stress Scale. The tests were administrated before and after the running of the stroke educational group as well as, during the 1-week, 2-week and 1-month follow-up sessions. The results showed a statistically significant increase in stroke-related knowledge in the patients (F [1,51]=7.28-9.67, P<0.01) and their caregivers (F [1,30]=44.19-80.49, P<0.01), but no similar significant improvement was noted on perceived health status and care-giving stress. A significant association between the total scores in the stroke knowledge test and the admission scores in the Mini Mental State Examination of the patients was also revealed (F [1,51]=48.03-58.87, P<0.01). In conclusion, the results suggest that there was an improvement in the acquisition of stroke-related knowledge by both patients with stroke, and their caregivers, after a stroke educational group. A further study exploring the behavioral changes of individuals with stroke and their caregivers after attending a stroke educational group is recommended.

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