刺激颈迷走神经引起的心动过速及其对心脏功能的影响

刺激犬的颈迷走神经外周端时可引起心动过缓,而对心脏的抑制作用则逐渐减弱,表现为心率逐渐恢复(但比对照慢)。刺激后DBP立即下降,而SBP系逐渐下降,且下降程度没有DBP大。在刺激时及停止后均出现ES,其分别占刺激次数的47％和53％。在刺激停止后出现PVT(平均加速24.5次/min),PVT期间R波和BP波数不等,SV和BP轻度降低。LVET缩短和PEP/LVET比值升高,出现ES时,SV和BP较ES前显著降低。反映PVT时心脏功能降低。PVT的要理不太清楚,本研究表明反射性迷走撤退在PVT中不起作用。Q-T/Q-S_2比值增大是CA释放的间接证据。心得安可减弱PVT,阿托品可增强PVT,说明PVT由迷走静经释放CA所致。     

基层医院组建卒中小组的初步探讨

目的总结探索在基层医院组建卒中小组，治疗急性脑卒中的模式。方法组建包括社区网络在内的院内卒中小组，对脑卒中患者进行动态的全面评估和系统的个体化治疗。结果规范了急性脑卒中的临床治疗行为，改善了患者预后。结论在基层医院建立卒中小组是一种可行的治疗模式。     

A primary demyelinating disorder of young cattle

The clinical signs and neuropathological changes are described in six Limousin X calves that, at about one month after birth, showed signs of blindness, nystagmus, rotation of the eyes, opisthotonos, hyperprotraction of the forelegs and, in one case, apparent seizures. Pathologically there was necrosis of the optic chiasma and focal areas of myelin sheath vacuolation or demyelination in certain areas of the brain, especially in the cerebellar peduncles. In one animal, kept alive for 7 months, there was remyelination by Schwann cells of some demyelinated axons in the focal cerebellar lesions, while other axons remained demyelinated. There was no evidence of oligodendrocyte remyelination. The cause of the condition was not determined but a genetic association is likely.     

Impact of Retrograde Cerebral Perfusion on Ascending Aortic and Arch Aneurysm Repair

Purpose. The effect of retrograde cerebral perfusion on the incidence of stroke and death among patients undergoing repair of aneurysms of the ascending aorta and transverse arch was determined.

Material and Methods. Between January 1991 and March 1995, 161 patients were operated on for aneurysms of the ascending aorta and transverse arch. Thirty-three of the patients (20%) had an aneurysm of the ascending aorta only and 128 (80%) had aneurysms of both the ascending aorta and the transverse arch. All the patients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass, profound hypothermia, and circulatory arrest, and 120 (74%) also underwent retrograde cerebral perfusion. Median pump time was 143 minutes (range, 21 to 461 minutes). Median circulatory arrest time was 42 minutes (range, 8 to 111 minutes), and median myocardial ischemic time was 71 minutes (range, 14 to 306 minutes).

Results. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 6% (9 patients) and the incidence of stroke was 4% (7 patients). The use of retrograde cerebral perfusion demonstrated a protective effect against stroke (3 of 120 patients, or 3%) compared with no retrograde cerebral perfusion (4 of 41 patients, or 9%; odds ratio, 0.24; confidence interval, 0.06 to 0.99; p < 0.049). This was most significant in patients more than 70 years of age; none of the 36 elderly patients who received retrograde cerebral perfusion had a stroke, compared with 3 of the 13 (23%) who did not (p < 0.003). Only pump time was associated with an increased risk of stroke (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.02; p < 0.005). Pump time also was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.02; p < 0.008).

Conclusion. Retrograde cerebral perfusion decreased the incidence of stroke in patients undergoing repair of aneurysms of the ascending aorta and transverse arch.     

Cerebellar astrocytomas

The present study has been based on a detailed, computer-assisted, analysis of 112 astrocytomas from patients of all ages seen at The Radcliffe Infirmary between 1938 and 1984. There have been only six studies larger than the present one. From the results obtained in the present study, and the review of the literature, the following conclusions have been reached.Between 70 and 80010 of cerebellar astrocytomas are found in children. Few patients are less than 1 year of age or older than 40 at the time of diagnosis. There appear to be no age peaks. Prognosis is poorest at the extremes of life, children less than 5 years old tending to suffer an early recurrence and patients in the oldest age groups having not only a very rapid recurrence but also a very low overall survival rate.In the present study, there was a slight predominance of males although basically, when all studies are considered, the incidence appears to be equal amongst the sexes. Around puberty there appears to be an abrupt drop in the number of tumours in females and a concomitant rise in the number in males. There appears to be no relationship between sex and the length of survival.It would appear that cerebellar astrocytomas can begin either within the vermis or one hemisphere. There appears to be no laterality, the right and left sides of the cerebellum being affected equally. In the present study, the hemispheres were affected three times more frequently than the vermis (34.807o: 12.5010). The rate of recurrence is much faster with tumours of the vermis, whilst the length of survival to death is much longer with tumours of one hemisphere at least up to 10 years after surgery. The most rapid recurrences take place in tumours which involve both hemispheres and the vermis whilst the poorest survival is associated with tumours infiltrating the brain stem. The average length of history is 18.7 months, being under forty-eight months in approximately 60010 of patients, but only greater than 60 months in 6.201o of cases. The length of history was not related to either patient age or survival time.Most patients present with obstructive hydracephalus with or without localising symptoms. The presentation is usually chronic and intermittent but may also be acute. Symptoms generally appear only after much cerebellar tissue has been destroyed. Clinical features can be divided into four groups: those referrable to raised intracranial pressure; altered cerebellar function; visual disturbance; or cranial nerve dysfunction. Headache was found to be the most common symptom due to raised pressure and it was noted more commonly in the older patients. The rate of recurrence was slower in patients with headache, although their survival to death was not altered. Patients with raised pressure were also commonly noted to be drowsy. Drowsiness was more frequent in children than in adults but not associated with survival. Papillodoema was the most common sign referrable to raised pressure. Although it could not be related to survival, it is essential to relieve raised pressure rapidly in order to preserve vision. A substantial number of patients with large heads were noted in the present study. Ataxia was the most common sign referrable to altered cerebellar function, and found in up to 95°70 of all patients. It was more common in patients with tumours of the vermis than in those of the hemispheres, but was not related to survival. Visual disturbances, including nystagmus, diplopia, and reduced visual acuity, were more common in adults. They could not be related to survival. Cranial nerve palsies were not specifically assessed in the present study. Seventh nerve cranial palsies have been said, however, by others, to be the most reliable, localising sign in patients with cerebellar astrocytomas.     

Pathophysiology of idiopathic dystonia: findings from genetic animal models

Dystonia is a common movement disorder which is thought to represent a disease of the basal ganglia. However, the pathogenesis of the idiopathic dystonias, i.e. the neuroanatomic and neurochemical basis, is still a mystery. Research in dystonia is complicated by the existence of various phenotypic and genotypic subtypes of idiopathic dystonia, probably related to heterogeneous dysfunctions.In neurological diseases in which no obvious neuronal degeneration can be found, such as in idiopathic dystonia, the identification of a primary defect is difficult, because of the large number of chemically distinct, but functionally interrelated, neurotransmitter systems in the brain.The variable response to pharmacological agents in patients with idiopathic dystonia supports the notion that the underlying biochemical dysfunctions vary in the subtypes of idiopathic dystonia. Hence, in basic research it is important to clearly define the involved type of dystonia.Animal models of dystonias were described as limited. However, over the last years, there has been considerable progress in the evaluation of animal models for different types of dystonia.Apart from animal models of symptomatic dystonia, genetic animal models with inherited dystonia which occurs in the absence of pathomorphological alterations in brain and spinal cord are described.This review will focus mainly on genetic animal models of different idiopathic dystonias and pathophysiological findings. In particular, in the case of the mutant dystonic (dt) rat, a model of generalized dystonia, and in the case of the genetically dystonic hamster (dt^sz), a model of paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis has been used, as these show great promise in contributing to the identification of underlying mechanisms in idiopathic dystonias, although even a proper animal model will probably never be equivalent to a human disease.Several pathophysiological findings from animal models are in line with clinical observations in dystonic patients, indicating abnormalities not only in the basal ganglia and thalamic nuclei, but also in the cerebellum and brainstem. Through clinical studies and neurochemical data several similarities were found in the genetic animal models, although the current data indicates different defects in dystonic animals which is consistent with the notion that dystonia is a heterogenous disorder.Different supraspinal dysfunctions appear to lead to manifestation of dystonic movements and postures. In addition to increasing our understanding of the pathophysiology of idiopathic dystonia, animal models may help to improve therapeutic strategies for this movement disorder.     

Blood Flow Increase by Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation in Middle Cerebral and Common Carotid Arteries

The effect of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) has, in the past, been evaluated by semiquantitative techniques, but has not been used to treat CBF diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cervical SCS on regional blood flow by both semiquantitative and quantitative methods. Thirty‐five patients with cervical SCS‐implanted devices were enrolled. The following parameters were measured before and after cervical SCS: systolic and diastolic velocity (cm/s) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) by transcranial Doppler (TCD) and volume blood flow quantification (ml/min) in the common carotid artery (CCA) by color Doppler. During cervical SCS there was a significant and bilateral increase in systolic (21%) and diastolic (26%) velocity in the MCA and in CCA blood flow (50%). We conclude that cervical SCS increases blood flow in the middle cerebral artery and common carotid artery. The consistent increase supports the potential usefulness of cervical SCS as an adjuvant treatment for cerebral blood flow diseases.     

CLOTBUST: Design of a Randomized Trial of Ultrasound-Enhanced Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke

BACKGROUND: Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) therapy can be monitored with 2 MHz transcranial Doppler (TCD). This article describes the design of CLOTBUST (combined lysis of thrombus in brain ischemia using transcranial ultrasound and systemic TPA), the first prospective international multicenter randomized clinical trial of noninvasive externally applied ultrasound to enhance systemic thrombolysis in human stroke. SUBJECTS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke eligible for intravenous TPA therapy within 3 hours of symptom onset who have detectable middle cerebral artery occlusion on a prebolus TCD are included in this trial. All patients receive standard 0.9 mg/kg TPA therapy. Patients are randomized (1:1) to either 2 hours of continuous monitoring with TCD or placebo monitoring. FDA-approved portable diagnostic TCD equipment and standard headframes (Marc series, Spencer Technologies, Seattle, WA) are used. Output of TCD units is set at 100% power achievable at depths of insonation that display the worst TIBI flow grade signals. METHODS AND END-POINTS: Acute MCA occlusion on prebolus TCD is defined as thrombolysis in brain ischemia (TIBI) flow grades 0-3. Treating physicians are blinded to randomization assignment, and certified scorers measure stroke severity using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Safety of continuous TCD monitoring is determined by rates of symptomatic (NIHSS score increase by 4+ points) intracerebral hemorrhage within 72 hours after initial symptom onset. Potential enhancement of TPA therapy will be determined using combined primary end-point of early complete recanalization on TCD (TIBI flow grades 4-5), dramatic recovery (NIHSS < or = 3 points), or decline in the NIHSS > or = 10 points repeatedly measured every 30 minutes within 2 hours after TPA bolus. Other end-points include recovery at 24 hours and 3 months, modified Rankin scores (mRS) are obtained at 90 days, and favorable outcome is determined as NIHSS or mRS scores 0-1. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of phase II CLOTBUST trial is to determine the rates of early complete recanalization and dramatic/early clinical recovery in TPA + TCD and TPA groups. The sample size is set at 126 patients since a medium effect size (.50) is anticipated for TPA + TCD group vs TPA alone to achieve combined primary end-point.     

Functional decline in frail community-dwelling stroke patients

Patients who suffer a stroke event are at high risk of functional decline after the post-acute rehabilitation period. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of factors associated with functional decline in a large sample of older patients with stroke living in the community. The study population consisted of all patients admitted to home care programs after a post-acute rehabilitation program--with at least 1 year of follow-up--in twenty-two Italian Home Health Agencies from 2000 to 2002 (n=1338). For the present study we selected 355 (26%) patients with diagnosis of stroke. After 1 year of in-home care program, 149 out of 355 stroke survivors (42%) had presented a worsening in the activities of daily living (ADL) scale score. In the final adjusted model, patients with cognitive impairment (OR 2.59, 95% CI, 1.45-4.64), pressure ulcer (OR 2.74, 95% CI, 1.45-5.18), urinary incontinence (OR 1.64, 95% CI, 1.01-3.29), or hearing impairment (OR 1.83, 95% CI, 1.02-3.29) were more likely to significantly decline in physical functioning after a period of 1 year in-home care program. Our study documents that functional decline of stroke patients was largely dependent on specific subjects' clinical characteristics. Three of four concomitant disabling conditions associated in our sample with functional decline--pressure ulcer, urinary incontinence, hearing--can be prevented and eventually treated or modified. Appropriate post-acute rehabilitation programs and adequate home care interventions focused on the prevention and treatment of these conditions might be correlated to better outcomes in older post-stroke patients.