Incidence and outcome of cerebrovascular disease in Perth, Western Australia

We estimated the event rates for stroke and transient cerebral ischemic attacks in a prospective community-based epidemiologic study in a representative segment of the city of Perth, Western Australia, during a 10-month period in 1986. Of 349 persons with an initial diagnosis of stroke or transient ischemic attack, 154 had suffered a first stroke, 75 a recurrent stroke, and 47 a transient ischemic attack; the remaining 73 persons were thought not to have had an episode of acute cerebrovascular disease. Annual event rates for first stroke (age-standardized to the "world" population) were 120 per 100,000 for males and 56 per 100,000 for females. The crude case-fatality ratio at 28 days after the index event for first stroke was 23% and varied from 0% for lacunar infarction to 57% for subarachnoid hemorrhage.     

Increasing incidence of stroke among Swedish women

The incidence of stroke and transient ischemic attack was studied prospectively in the municipality of S?derhamn, Sweden, during the periods 1975-1978 and 1983-1986. A total of 723 cases of stroke and 111 cases of transient ischemic attack were registered during the two periods. The number of first-ever strokes increased by 28% between the 1970s and the 1980s, while the annual incidence of first-ever stroke rose from 2.90 to 3.53/1,000 (p less than 0.02). Female incidence increased by 38%, from 2.62 to 3.62/1,000 (p less than 0.05) between the study periods. Male incidence, however, changed nonsignificantly from 3.19 in the first period to 3.43 in the second. In 1975-1978, male incidence was four times greater than that of females up to 65 years of age, but the distribution became balanced in 1983-1986, when the increment of female incidence was 47% in the group 25-44 years old and 232% (p less than 0.05) in the group 45-64 years old. The annual incidence of first-ever transient ischemic attack was 0.43/1,000 in men and 0.48/1,000 in women in 1975-1978. The corresponding rates for 1983-1986 were 0.56 and 0.45/1,000, respectively. These changes were not significant. The cause of the increase in the incidence of stroke among women has not been established.     

Increased levels of elastin-derived peptides in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with lacunar stroke

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether elastin-derived peptides (EDP) are detectable in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy controls and of patients with acute brain ischemia and if so to assess possible trends in EDP levels in different groups of ischemic stroke patients (small-vessel disease vs. other ischemic strokes; first-ever vs. recurrent stroke). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Levels of EDP were determined by ELISA in blood sera and CSF of 80 patients with acute ischemic stroke (mean age 61.5+/-10.8; age range 47-70; 22 women) and in 15 healthy age- and sex-matched controls (mean age 57.3+/-13.4; age range 50-65). The patients were divided into a group with first ever lacunar stroke (27); first ever non-lacunar ischemic stroke (27) and recurrent stroke (26). EDP were measured early (mean 7 days, range 1-15) after stroke onset. RESULTS: Serum EDP levels were mildly higher in recurrent strokes as compared to first ever lacunar lesion and controls. However, in the CSF the concentrations of EDP in stroke patients were strongly elevated (from 2 up to 30 times depending on subgroup) as compared with healthy subjects. The highest level of EDP in CSF and in the serum was found in recurrent strokes. Subgroup analysis revealed a trend for significantly higher EDP concentrations in CSF in lacunar and recurrent stroke as compared with non-lacunar. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first application of elastin peptide measurement to human CSF and stroke patients. The increased levels of EDP were detected in CSF of patients with lacunar and recurrent strokes.     

广东省脑卒中流行病学调查

目的调查广东省居民脑卒中患病率、发病率、死亡率及主要危险因素状况。方法本研究是2013年中国脑卒中流行病学调查的一部分,采用多阶段分层整群抽样的方法,对样本人群进行逐户家访,共调查了广东省内6个监测点的16724名成年居民。脑卒中后至2013年8月31日仍幸存者被认为是患病病例,2012年9月1日至2013年8月31日一年内的首次发病者被认为是发病病例,死亡者被认为是死亡病例。结果16724名受调查者中,共有脑卒中患者155例,患病率为926.8/10万;一年内病例33例,发病率为197.3/10万;死亡病例10例,死亡率为59.8/10万。年龄标化后,患病率、发病率和死亡率分别为773.7/10万、168.6/10万和49.4/10万。男性脑卒中患病粗率为1081.1/10万,明显高于女性的777.2/10万,城市居民脑卒中患病粗率为1785.7/10万,明显高于农村居民的706.3/10万。共有130例(83.9%)患病病例在起病7 d内住院治疗。在155例患病病例中,脑梗死121例(78.1%),脑出血28例(18.1%),蛛网膜下腔出血2例(1.3%),不确定型4例(2.6%)。脑卒中患者中,99例合并高血压(63.9%)、36例合并血脂异常(23.2%),33例合并吸烟(21.9%)。结论广东省脑卒中患病率、发病率和死亡率高,城市地区的脑卒中负担比农村更重,流行病学状况值得高度重视。     

Outcome of patients with cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to estimate the recurrence rate and to define subgroups at increased risk for recurrent cerebral ischaemia in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and so called cryptogenic stroke due to paradoxical embolism. METHODS: Patent foramen ovale was diagnosed in 318 patients with otherwise unexplained ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). One hundred and fifty nine were treated medically (oral anticoagulation 79, platelet inhibitors 80) and represent the study population. The remaining 159 patients underwent endovascular or surgical closure of the PFO and are not part of this study. RESULTS: Mean age was 50.7 (SD 13.5) years. The event leading to the diagnosis of PFO was a TIA in 38 patients (23.9%), an ischaemic stroke in 119 (74.8%), and an amaurosis fugax in two patients (1.3%). Forty four patients (27.7%) had experienced multiple cerebrovascular ischaemic events before the diagnosis of the PFO. During mean follow up of 29 (SD 23) months 21 patients (13.4%) had a recurrent cerebrovascular event (seven strokes and 14 TIAs). The average annual rate of recurrent strokes was 1.8% and that of recurrent strokes or TIAs was 5.5%. When patients with PFO with multiple cerebrovascular events before the diagnosis of the PFO were analyzed separately, the average annual rates of recurrent cerebral ischaemia were 3.6% for recurrent strokes and 9.9% for recurrent strokes or TIAs. These rates were significantly higher than in patients with first ever stroke or TIA (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms a risk of stroke recurrence that is similar to the rates of previously published series of patients with PFO and cryptogenic strokes. Patients with more than one previous event were at increased risk of recurrent cerebral ischaemia.     

Epidemiology of cerebrovascular disease in Tartu, Estonia, USSR, 1970 through 1973.

This study was undertaken to establish the incidence and mortality for various types of cerebrovascular disease in the population of Tartu. All medical records for this population were reviewed for the period 1970 through 1973, and those with a diagnosis of brain infarction, transient ischemic attacks, cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage were identified. Only the first stroke was considered when determining incidence. A total of 786 cases were included in the study. Without cases of transient ischemic attacks, the number was 667 (e.g., cases of stroke). Cerebral infarction accounted for 80% of all strokes, cerebral hemorrhage for 13.5% and subarachnoid hemorrhage for 6.5%. The incidence rate for stroke was higher for men than for women and significantly increased in each older age group. The rate for all persons was 184 per 100,000 population per year. The incidence of transient ischemic attacks was 33 per 100,000 population per year. The mortality rate for stroke for this population was 98/100,000 per year. The data on incidence of stroke and its type, its dependence on age and sex, and mortality rate are close to the corresponding data reported from other countries.     

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: Clinical characteristics and long-term predictors

Few studies have examined the long-term prognosis of Chinese patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study assessed the clinical characteristics and predictors of vascular events occurring within 5 years after ICH.We included consecutive patients diagnosed with first-ever ICH between June 2013 and December 2014. Based on follow-up data (collected until December 2019), we used multivariable logistic regression to examine the clinical characteristics and long-term predictors of vascular events (including recurrent ICH, ischemic stroke, and acute coronary syndrome) in patients who survived more than 30 days after ICH.Across the 307 patients in our analysis, the 5-year mortality rate was 28.01%. Within 5 years after ICH, major vascular events were observed in 62 patients (17.82%, 95% CI 13.78–21.82%). We observed high incidence of recurrent ICH (8.91%) and ischemic stroke (10.06%), but low incidence of acute coronary syndrome (1.15%). Most cases of recurrent ICH (80.65%) occurred within 3 years after ICH. Age ≥56 years and history of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were identified as predictors of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.ICH survivors are at high risk of both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, especially older patients (≥56 years) and those who experienced ischemic stroke or TIA prior to their first ICH. Recurrent ICH is more likely to occur within the first three years after first ICH than at later times. Clinicians should monitor patients closely for adverse events, particularly during the first three years after initial ICH.     

Incidence and predictive factors of cerebrovascular events in 8,846 elderly treated hypertensive patients during a 3-year follow-up: the PRESAGE study

This epidemiological study was carried out as a 3-year follow-up project to assess the incidence of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and strokes; 8,846 treated hypertensive patients (mean BP, 149/84 mm Hg) aged 65 years or over (mean age, 73.7 +/- 6.3 years), devoid of symptoms of dementia and with documented vascular risk factors were recruited from January 1994 to August 1995, by 1,598 general practitioners in connection with 36 referral university neurology units throughout metropolitan France. Among these patients, 506 (5.7%) had at least one cerebrovascular event during the follow-up period: 309 (3.5%) experienced one or more isolated TIAs, and 197 (2.2%) had a stroke with or without a preceding TIA. A total of 510 TIAs were reported. The stroke subtypes were ischemia, hemorrhage, and unclassified in 70, 16, and 15% of the cases, respectively. The estimated annual stroke incidence was 7.42 per thousand. Of the 197 patients who developed strokes, 51 (26%) died. This case-fatality rate should be compared with the 4.5% mortality rate observed in the whole population during the study period. The 3 subgroups (with isolated TIAs, strokes, or no events during the study) were found to differ regarding age, sedentary lifestyle, past history of cardiovascular events, duration of hypertension, and evidence of complicated hypertension (univariate analysis). The factors identified as predictive of a stroke (multivariate analysis) were: the patient's age; sedentary lifestyle; pulse pressure (SBP-DBP); identification of TIA at baseline, and presence of arrhythmias.     

神经保护药物干预短暂性脑缺血的临床分析

Transient ischemic attack(TIA) is an acute cerebrovascular incident,and is generally considered the best opportunity for early neuroprotective treatment against cerebral ischemia.This study retrospectively analyzed 80 patients with TIA(38 males and 42 females).Among 61 patients who received neuroprotective cerebrolysin treatment within 24 hours after TIA onset,13(21.31%) patients suffered subsequent strokes.Among 19 patients who received neuroprotective cerebrolysin treatment within 24-72 hours after TIA onset,seven(36.84%) developed cerebral infarction.There was a significant difference in the proportion of subsequent strokes between patients receiving cerebrolysin treatment within 24 hours and 24-72 hours after TIA onset(P = 0.438).These findings suggest that neuroprotective drugs administrated within 24 hours after TIA onset help reduce the incidence of subsequent strokes.The results demonstrate usefulness of the ABCD2 score at TIA patients in the determination of short-term and long-term cerebrovascular risk,including the frequency of subsequent ischemic cerebral infarctions up to 12 months.     

Noninvasive Assessment of Intracranial Perfusion in Acute Cerebral Ischemia

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) may help to determine a target group of patients w1th maximum therapeutiC response for tissue rescue after acute stroke. As previously described, the cerebral perfusion mdex represents a combination of these techniques, and is calculated by multiplying assigned values for TCD and SPECT perfusion patterns. The three grades of cerebral perfusion index (1–5, 6–12, 15–20) may predict short-term outcome if the index is based on SPECT and TCD performed w1thin the first 6 hours after stroke. A total of 30 consecutive patients were studied (18 with middle cerebral artery stroke and 12 with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke) Neurological deficit was scored using the Canadian Neurological Scale. SPECT and TCD were performed 4 ± 2 hours after the onset. Forty-five minutes were required to perform both tests, evaluate the results, and calculate the cerebral perfusion index. The mean score ( ± standard deviation) of the neurological deficit on admission was 84 ± 20 in patients with transient ischemic attack/minor stroke and 54 ± 33 in patients with stroke (p < 0 009) The volume of 1schemic lesion was measured on computed tomography scans performed more than 3 days after the ictus. Patients with transient ischemic attack/minor stroke had lesion volumes of 8 ± 7 cm3 compared to 72 ± 26 cm3 for those with stroke (p < 0.0001). The mean cerebral perfusion index in the transient ischemic attack group was 18 ± 4, while in the stroke group it was 4 ± 1 (p < 0.0001 ). Clinical examination on admission correctly predicted a reversible neurological deficit in 9 of 12 patients in the transient ischemic attack group and the irreversibility of brain damage in 14 of 18 patients in the stroke group. With the three-grades scale, cerebral perfusion index correctly identified 10 transient ischemic attacks and 17 strokes. Noninvasive diagnosis of intracranial perfusion abnormalities using SPECT and TCD correlates with the clinical outcome and the volume of brain damage, and therefore may improve the accuracy of prognosis in the hyperacute phase of cerebral ischemia. Cerebral perfusion index is a fast and qualitative scoring system that may be used for early differentiation of transient ischemic attacks, minor strokes, and strokes durmg the first 6 hours of cerebral ischemia.     

Clinical survey of ischemic cerebrovascular disease in children in a district of Japan

Ischemic cerebrovascular disease in children is relatively rare. To clarify the clinical features of ischemic stroke occurring in infants and children, we evaluated 54 cases of cerebral infarction, excluding cases of moyamoya disease, in patients less than 16 years old at 24 clinics in the Tohoku (northeast) district of Japan. We observed two incidence peaks, one in little children and the other in junior high school students. Infection and minor head trauma were more frequently seen prior to ischemic strokes than was heart disease. The middle cerebral artery region, including the basal ganglia, was most commonly affected (49 patients, 91%) on computed tomograms. Angiography was performed in 48 patients (89%) and showed various types of occlusive lesions, mostly affecting the middle cerebral artery. Hemiparesis was the most common form of disability following ischemic strokes (48 patients, 89%). Surgical treatment was carried out in seven patients (13%). The clinical course of these cases showed that the recovery of children after a stroke tends to be better than that of adults, but that permanent disabilities, such as hemiparesis or mental retardation, occur commonly. Further investigation of juvenile cerebrovascular disease is important to prevent ischemic strokes in children.     

Progress in clinical neurosciences: Migraine-stroke: a causal relationship, but which direction?

A significant association between migraine and ischemic stroke has been demonstrated in population and case-control studies. The risk of ischemic stroke appears to be higher in migraine with aura (MWA) than migraine without aura (MwoA). Migraine-stroke comprises a number of distinct entities, including migrainous infarction, in which ischemic stroke occurs during an attack of MWA and migraine-related stroke, in which the causal link is less clear. Migrainous infarction accounts for only one-third of migraine-stroke, strokes may occur during attacks of MwoA, and a number of cerebrovascular disorders may present as MWA or MwoA. Migraine may occur as a consequence of conditions that are known to cause stroke; therefore it remains to be determined whether migraine predisposes to stroke in the absence of any known disease associations, if it is an epiphenomenon of an underlying stroke diathesis, or if it requires the presence of another stroke risk factor to produce cerebral ischemia. Furthermore, it is unclear if ischemia results in migraine more often than migraine results in ischemia. Careful clinical studies that evaluate this bidirectional relationship are needed to determine why migraine patients are subject to a higher risk of ischemic stroke.     

ABCD2评分预测头昏患者发生缺血性脑血管事件风险的研究

目的 探讨ABCD2评分预测短暂性脑缺血发作(TIA)后发生脑梗死的风险。方法 收集118例以头昏为主要症状患者的临床资料。对所有患者在首诊时使用ABCD2评分进行评价,并将入组者分为低危组(1～3分),中危组(4～5分)和高危组(6～7分)。入组患者均在入组后即进行头颅CT检查,在48～72 h内进行核磁共振成像检查,观察弥散加权序列是否出现高信号,以确定是否发生脑血管病事件。出院后对入组者进行长达6个月的随访,观察脑血管事件的发生率。结果 入组118例患者,其中男57例,女61例; 年龄62-77 岁,平均年龄(65.8±11.6)岁。高危组37例,中危组29例,低危组52例。经证实入组患者中15例(12.7%)发生脑血管病事件,经影像学证实均为脑梗死。高危组中11例(29.7%)发生脑梗死,中危组3例(10.3%)发生脑梗死,而低危组患者在随访观察期内仅有1例(1.9%)发生脑梗死,3组间差异具有显著统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论 ABCD2评分系统可有效预测头昏患者发生脑血管病事件的风险。该评分方法的应用对早期干预,预防缺血性脑血管疾病的进展,改善预后有积极意义。     

Temporal trends in the incidence and case fatality of stroke in children and adolescents

A recent study reported that mortality from stroke in children and adolescents decreased by 58% from 1979 to 1998, although it wasn't clear if the case fatality or the incidence of stroke in this age group is decreasing. We report trends of stroke incidence and case fatality in children and adolescents within a large biracial population. The study involved collection of all strokes in the study population between January 1, 1988 and December 31, 1989, July 1, 1993 and June 30, 1994, and January 1, 1999 and December 31, 1999, at all of the regional hospitals serving the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky population (only the children's hospital in 1988). Study nurses reviewed the medical records of all inpatients with stroke-related discharge diagnoses and abstracted relevant data. A study physician reviewed each abstract to determine whether a stroke or transient ischemic attack had occurred. A total of 54 strokes occurred in children or adolescents younger than 20 years during the three study periods (30% African American, 70% Caucasian, and 56% female). The overall incidence rate of all strokes in children younger than 15 years was 6.4/100,000 in 1999, a nonsignificant increase when compared to 1988. The 30-day case-fatality rates were 18% in 1988-1989, 9% in 1993-1994, and 9% in 1999. We found that the incidence of strokes in children has been stable over the past 10 years. The previously reported nationwide decrease in overall stroke mortality in children might be due to decreasing case fatality after stroke and not decreasing stroke incidence. Based on our data, we conservatively estimated that approximately 3000 children less than 20 years old would have a stroke in the United States in 2004.     

A prospective study of acute cerebrovascular disease in the community: the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project 1981-86. 1. Methodology, demography and incident cases of first-ever stroke.

A prospective study of acute cerebrovascular disease in a community of about 105,000 people is reported. The study protocol combined rapid clinical assessment of patients with accurate diagnosis of the pathological type of stroke by CT or necropsy, whether or not they were admitted to hospital. The study population was defined as those people who were registered with one of 50 collaborating general practitioners (GPs). Referrals to the study were primarily from the GPs though, to ensure complete case ascertainment, hospital casualty and admission registers, death certificates and special data from the Oxford Record Linkage Study were also scrutinized. Six hundred and seventy five cases of clinically definite first-ever in a lifetime stroke were registered in four years yielding a crude annual incidence of 1.60/1,000 or 2.00/1,000 when adjusted to the 1981 population of England and Wales. The age and sex specific incidence rates for first stroke showed a steep rise with age for both sexes. The odds of a male sustaining a first stroke were 26% greater than those of a female. Ninety one per cent of patients were examined in a median time of four days after the event by a study neurologist and 88% had cerebral CT or necropsy.     

Ictus cardioembólico: epidemiología

Approximately one in four ischemic strokes is of cardioembolic origin. Non-valvular atrial fibrillation accounts for 50% of these cases, followed by myocardial infarction, intraventricular thrombus, valvular heart disease and a miscellany of causes. The incidence of embolic heart disease in the population could be about 30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year, and its prevalence between 5 and 10 cases per 1,000 persons aged 65 years or older. Hospital mortality is high, and 5-year survival is only one out of every five patients. The recurrence rate of this type of stroke is about 12% at 3 months, higher than that of non-cardioembolic stroke. The severity of cardioembolic strokes and the resulting disability are greater than with non-cardioembolic stroke. Age, a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack, hypertension, diabetes and heart failure play a role in stroke with atrial fibrillation as additional risk factors for future embolisms. Stroke rates can reach over 20% per year and therefore the prevention and treatment of these events are of paramount importance.     

Incidence of seizures in the acute phase of stroke: a population-based study

Purpose: The incidence of seizures within 24 h of acute stroke has not been studied extensively. We aimed to establish the incidence of acute poststroke seizures in a biracial cohort and to determine whether acute seizure occurrence differs by race/ethnicity, stroke subtype, and/or stroke localization.
Methods: We identified all stroke cases between July 1993 and June 1994 and in 1999 within the population of the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan region. Patients with a prior history of seizures/epilepsy were excluded from analysis.
Results: A total of 6044 strokes without a history of seizure(s) were identified; 190 (3.1%) had seizures within the first 24 h of stroke onset. Of ICH/SAH patients, 8.4% had a seizure within the first 24 h of stroke onset (p ≤ 0.0001 vs. all other stroke subtype). Of the patients with ischemic stroke, we observed higher incidence of seizures in cardioembolic versus small or large vessel ischemic (p = 0.02) strokes. Patients with seizures experienced higher mortality than patients without seizures (p < 0.001) but seizures were not an independent risk factor of mortality at 30 days after stroke. Independent risk factors for seizure development included hemorrhagic stroke, younger age, and prestroke Rankin score of ≥1. Race/ethnicity or localization of the ischemic stroke did not influence the risk for seizure development in the studied population.
Discussion: The overall incidence of acute seizures after stroke was 3.1%, with a higher incidence seen in hemorrhagic stroke, younger patients, and those presenting with higher prestroke Rankin scores. Acute seizures were associated with a higher mortality at 30 days after stroke.     

Factors influencing ischemic cerebrovascular disease complicated by hyperhomocysteinemia★

BACKGROUND： Hyperhomocysteinemia, as an important risk factor for ischemic cerebrovascular disease is receiving increasing attention. OBJECTIVE： To analyze whether differences of gender, age, cerebrovascular disease typing, and disease conditions exist when ischemic cerebrovascular disease occurs together with hyperhomocysteinemia. DESIGN： A controlled observation. SETTING： Department of Neurology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 601 acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease inpatients, comprising 386 males and 215 females, aged 33-90 years old, were admitted to the Department of Stroke, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital between August 2005 and April 2007, and were recruited for this study. All included patients consisted of 342 aged patients （≥ 60 years old） and 92 middle-aged and young patients （〈 60 years old）. Among these patients, 48 suffered from transient cerebral ischemic attack, 138 from lacunar cerebral infarction, 273 from atherosclerotic stroke, 38 from cardiogenic cerebral infarction, 44 from agnogenic ischemic stroke, and 6 from other factor-induced ischemic strokes. All included inpatients corresponded to the diagnosis criteria of acute ischemic cerebrovascular disease, formulated in the 4^th National Working Conference of Cerebrovascular Disease, and were confirmed as acute ischemic cerebral infarction by CT and/or MRI examinations. Informed consents of laboratory measurements were obtained from all subjects, and this study was approved by the Hospital＇s Ethics Committee. METHODS： Following admission, 2 mL venous blood was collected from each fasting patient on the third morning. Plasma homocysteine level was measured by an enzymatic cycling assay with a CX5 reader （Beckman, USA）. Plasma homocysteine levels ≥ 16μ mol/L were defined as hyperhomocysteinemia. Clinical neurological function deficit scoring was also performed for each ischemic stroke patient using Chinese stroke scales. Scores ranged from 0 45 （0-15： mild neurological function deficits, 16-30?     

Course of carotid artery occlusions with impaired cerebrovascular reactivity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Retrospective studies have found a close correlation between an impaired cerebrovascular reserve capacity and the incidence of hemodynamic stroke. The present study evaluates this relation prospectively. METHODS: We measured the CO2 reactivity in 85 patients with internal carotid artery occlusions by transcranial Doppler sonography (Doppler CO2 test). All patients were prospectively followed for 38 +/- 15 (mean +/- SD) months. RESULTS: In the group with sufficient CO2 reactivity, four of 48 (8%) developed ipsilateral transient symptoms, none a stroke. In cases with diminished or exhausted cerebrovascular reserve capacity, 12 of 37 (32%) suffered an ipsilateral event (four transient ischemic attacks, eight strokes) (p less than 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Doppler CO2 test seems to be a valuable method of estimating the risk of stroke in patients with carotid artery occlusions.     

Survival after stroke and transient ischemic attacks during the 1970s and 1980s

Survival after stroke and transient ischemic attack was studied in S?derhamn, Sweden, during the periods 1975-1979 and 1983-1987; 640 patients with first-ever stroke and 97 with first-ever transient ischemic attack were registered and followed for 1-3 years. Approximately 90% of the patients were treated in the Department of Internal Medicine of S?derhamn Hospital. The protocols for physical rehabilitation and antithrombotic treatment changed between study periods. Between periods, 3-year survival after stroke increased by 16% (p less than 0.003). The 95% confidence intervals of the relative survival rates were 0.524-0.648, 0.435-0.567, and 0.337-0.475 at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, during the first period and 0.616-0.728, 0.600-0.732, and 0.576-0.748 during the second period. Fewer patients suffered fatal complications of stroke during the second period. The rate of stroke recurrence was approximately 10%/year during both study periods. Four patients suffered fatal hemorrhage during the first period, but no patient did so during the second period. Observed survival after transient ischemic attack did not differ from that expected in the first 2 years of follow-up during either study period. The risk for stroke after transient ischemic attack was approximately 5%/year during both periods. The higher survival rates after stroke during the second period seems to be the result of fewer fatal complications rather than of a reduced risk for recurrent stroke.