Association of blood lipids,atherosclerosis and statin use with dementia and cognitive impairment after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundTrial and observational evidence is conflicting in terms of the association of blood lipids, atherosclerosis and statin use with dementia and cognitive impairment in the general population. It is uncertain whether the associations occur in stroke patients, who are at known higher risk of cognitive decline. This systematic review was to synthesize the evidence for these associations among stroke patients.MethodsMEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and trial registries were searched. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational cohort studies conducted among patients with stroke and reported on the association of blood lipids, atherosclerosis or statin use with dementia or cognitive impairment. Meta-analysis was conducted separately for crude and maximally adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs).ResultsOf 18,026 records retrieved, 56 studies (one RCT and 55 cohort studies) comprising 38,423 stroke patients were included. For coronary heart disease, the pooled OR of dementia and cognitive impairment was 1.32 (95%CI 1.10–1.58, n = 15 studies, I² = 0%) and 1.23 (95%CI 0.99–1.54, n = 14, I² = 26.9%), respectively. Peripheral artery disease was associated with dementia (OR 3.59, 95%CI 1.47–8.76, n = 2, I² = 0%) and cognitive impairment (OR 2.70, 95%CI 1.09–6.69, n = 1). For carotid stenosis, the pooled OR of dementia and cognitive impairment was 2.67 (95%CI 0.83–8.62, n = 3, I² = 77.9%) and 3.34 (95%CI 0.79–14.1, n = 4, I² = 96.6%), respectively. For post-stroke statin use, the pooled OR of dementia and cognitive impairment was 0.89 (95%CI 0.65–1.21, n = 1) and 0.56 (95%CI 0.46-0.69, n = 3, I² = 0%), respectively. No association was observed for hypercholesterolemia. These results were mostly consistent with adjusted ORs or HRs, which were reported from limited evidence.ConclusionAtherosclerosis was associated with an increased risk of post-stroke dementia. Post-stroke statin use was associated with decreased risk of cognitive impairment. To confirm whether or not statins confer advantages in the post-stroke population in terms of preventing cognitive decline over and above their known effectiveness in reducing risk of further vascular events, further stroke trials including cognitive assessment and observational analyses adjusted for key confounders, focusing on key subgroups or statin use patterns are required.     

Objective sleep disturbance is associated with poor response to cognitive and behavioral treatments for insomnia in postmenopausal women

Study objectivesTo determine whether insomnia patients with objective sleep disturbance are less responsive to cognitive and behavioral treatments than those without objective sleep disturbance, characterize effects of insomnia therapy on objective sleep, and determine whether reductions in nocturnal cognitive arousal correspond to changes in objective sleep.MethodsSecondary analysis of a single-site, randomized controlled trial. 113 postmenopausal women (56.40 ± 5.34 years) with menopause-related insomnia disorder were randomized to three treatment conditions: cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI), sleep restriction therapy (SRT), or sleep education control. Primary outcomes were the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and polysomnography (PSG) sleep parameters and were collected at pretreatment, posttreatment, and six-month follow-up.ResultsPatients with lower pretreatment PSG sleep efficiency had lower rates of insomnia remission after active treatment relative to those with higher sleep efficiency (37.8% vs 61.8%). Neither CBTI and SRT produced clinically meaningful effects on PSG sleep. Exploratory analyses revealed that reductions in nocturnal cognitive arousal were associated with decreases in PSG sleep latency, but not wake after sleep onset.ConclusionsOur findings support an emerging literature suggesting that insomnia patients with objective sleep disturbance may have blunted response to insomnia therapy. Research is needed to enhance treatments to better improve insomnia in patients with objective sleep disturbance. A lack of observed CBTI and SRT effects on PSG sleep suggests that these therapies may be presently ill-designed to improve objective sleep. Nocturnal cognitive arousal may represent an entry point to improve objective sleep latency in insomnia.NameBehavioral Treatment of Menopausal Insomnia: Sleep and Daytime Outcomes. URL: clinicaltrials.gov. Registration: NCT01933295.     

针灸治疗轻度认知障碍的处方规律初探

[目的]通过临床随机对照研究的质量评价,从循证医学角度对针灸治疗轻度认知障碍的处方规律进行探讨。[方法]计算机检索中国生物医学文献(CBM)、中国知网(CNKI)、维普数据库(VIP)和万方文献数据库,国外数据库Pubmed、Embase和Cochrane Library。中文检索词为针灸、轻度认知障碍、随机等。英文检索词为Acupuncture、Mild Cognitive Impairment等。检索时间截止至2018年6月30日。对符合纳入标准的针灸治疗轻度认知障碍的临床随机对照试验进行分析。按照Cochrane系统评价手册4.2.8进行方法学质量评价,对针灸治疗轻度认知障碍的处方规律进行探讨。[结果]共检索到相关文献319篇,按照纳入标准,筛选出14篇临床随机对照试验。研究结果显示针灸选穴以督脉头面颈项部穴位及五输穴、原穴居多,多选取百会、风池、神庭为主。[结论]有限证据支持针灸治疗轻度认知障碍的选穴以督脉头面颈项部穴位及五输穴、原穴居多,但由于纳入研究证据质量不高,需要进一步高质量研究支持。     

Effects of single and combined exposure to lead and stress during pregnancy on offspring neurodevelopment

ObjectiveTo assess associations of single and combined exposures to lead and stress during different stages of pregnancy with offspring neurodevelopment.MethodsWe measured prenatal lead (maternal blood-lead in early-pregnancy and umbilical-cord-blood-lead) and maternal stress levels in Shanghai-Birth-Cohort from 2013 to 2016. Maternal stress was assessed using Center-for-Epidemiological-Studies-Depression-Scale and Self-Rating-Anxiety-Scale during mid-pregnancy. The Ages-Stages-Questionnaires-3 (at 6/12-months-of-age) and Bayley-III (at 24-months-of-age) were both used to assess neurodevelopment.ResultsA total of 2132 mother-child pairs with both prenatal lead and stress measurements were included. The geometric-means of blood-lead in early-pregnancy and cord-blood-lead were 1.46 μg/dL and 1.33 μg/dL, respectively. Among the study women, 1.89 % and 0.14 % were screened positive for depression and anxiety. Adjusting for related confounders, the combined exposures had stronger adverse associations with offspring social-emotional skills than single exposures; and the combined exposure in early-pregnancy was associated with greater neurodevelopmental differences than combined exposure around-birth, especially in social-emotion at 24 months-of-age [β (95 %CI): − 10.48(−17.42, −3.54) vs. − 5.95(−11.53, −0.36)].ConclusionsBoth single and combined prenatal exposures to lead/stress impaired infant neuro-development, and the effects of combined exposure may be more profound than single exposures. Combined exposure in early-pregnancy may be associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes than combined exposure around-birth, especially in social-emotional development.     

Rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia in an essential tremor cohort: A prospective,longitudinal study

BackgroundEssential tremor (ET), among the most common neurological diseases, is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Yet, nearly all knowledge of ET-related cognitive impairment is static and cross-sectional (e.g., prevalence), with virtually no dynamic information (i.e., course and progression, conversion rates, and clinical outcomes).ObjectivesTo quantify the rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia in a cohort of elderly ET cases.Methods167 ET cases, enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal, clinical-pathological study, underwent an extensive neuropsychological testing battery at baseline (T1), 1.5 years (T2), and 3 years (T3). Results of these assessments informed clinical diagnoses of normal cognition (ET-NC), MCI (ET-MCI), and dementia (ET-D).ResultsAt baseline, 26 cases (82.7 ± 7.7 years) were diagnosed with ET-MCI and were available for follow-up at T2. At T2, three of 26 (11.5%) had converted to ET-D. At the start of T2, 23 cases (83.6 ± 7.7 years) were diagnosed with ET-MCI and were available for follow-up at T3. At T3, six of 23 (26.1%) converted to ET-D. The average annual conversion rate from ET-MCI to ET-D was 12.5%.ConclusionsThe study of cognitive impairment in ET is a nascent field, with limited data. We show that the conversion rate from ET-MCI to ET-dementia was 12.5%. Available studies on historical controls have reported conversion rates of 2.6–6.3%. Data such as these systematically fill gaps in knowledge, creating a scientifically-derived knowledge base to guide physicians and patients in clinical settings.     

Neurophysiology of motor skill learning in chronic stroke

ObjectiveMotor learning is relevant in chronic stroke for acquiring compensatory strategies to motor control deficits. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying motor skill acquisition with the paretic upper limb have received little systematic investigation. The aim of this study was to assess the modulation of corticomotor excitability and intracortical inhibition within ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1) during motor skill learning.MethodsTen people at the chronic stage after stroke and twelve healthy controls trained on a sequential visuomotor isometric wrist extension task. Skill was quantified before, immediately after, 24 hours and 7 days post-training. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to examine corticomotor excitability and short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI and LICI) pre- and post-training.ResultsThe patient group exhibited successful skill acquisition and retention, although absolute skill level was lower compared with controls. In contrast to controls, patients’ ipsilesional corticomotor excitability was not modulated during skill acquisition, which may be attributed to excessive ipsilesional LICI relative to controls. SICI decreased after training for both patient and control groups.ConclusionsOur findings indicate distinct inhibitory networks within M1 that may be relevant for motor learning after stroke.SignificanceThese findings have potential clinical relevance for neurorehabilitation adjuvants aimed at augmenting the recovery of motor function.     

认知行为干预在冠心病患者护理中的应用效果

目的观察认知行为干预在冠心病患者护理中的应用效果。方法选取本院2016年12月～2018年2月期间收治的53例冠心病患者,根据住院号奇偶性情况将其随机分为观察组(n=27)和对照组(n=26),对照组予以常规护理,观察组予以认知行为干预。比较两组患者控制态度评分、心理状况评分、生活质量改善情况及依从性。结果观察组控制态度评分、心理状况评分、生活质量改善情况及依从性与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论在冠心病患者护理中给予认知行为干预应用效果极佳,可作为临床干预首选措施。