小脑梗死的分型与后循环血管病变

目的 研究有无大血管病变患者小脑梗死灶的特征,探讨小脑梗死分型与后循环血管病变的关系。 方法 收集我科自2006年1月～2008年3月期间住院的小脑梗死患者共35例,所有患者均同时具备颅脑磁共振成像（magnetic resonance imaging,MRI）和血管造影检查,包括计算机断层摄影血管造影（computed tomographic angiography,CTA）、磁共振血管造影（magnetic resonance angiography,MRA）和数字减影血管造影（digital subtraction angiography,DSA）检查。根据血管造影检查的结果将入组患者分为两组：大血管病变组20例,小血管病变组15例,分析两组小脑梗死的分型和后循环血管病变（包括狭窄或闭塞）的关系。 结果 ⑴大血管病变组20例中,颅内血管（椎动脉颅内段或基底动脉）病变最多见（10例,50%）,梗死类型多为分水岭梗死（7例,70%）;其次为颅外血管合并颅内血管（椎动脉颅外段合并颅内段或基底动脉）病变（8例,40%）,梗死灶多为小脑后下动脉（PICA）供血区的区域性梗死（7例,87.5%）;单独颅外血管（椎动脉颅外段）病变最少见（2例,10%）,梗死分布无明显倾向性。⑵小血管病变组15例中,梗死灶亦多位于分水岭区（9例,60%）。 结论 由于小脑血液供应特点,小脑梗死中分水岭梗死和腔隙性梗死较区域性梗死更为常见。小梗死灶（直径≤2cm）可能存在后循环大血管的狭窄或闭塞,应予积极的治疗和干预,以防病情加重。     

Clinical implication of cerebral artery calcification on brain CT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Arterial calcification is a process of atherosclerosis, usually taking place within advanced atheromatous plaque. In the coronary arteries, calcification seen on computed tomography (CT) often indicates severe stenosis, and is noted in almost all patients with coronary symptoms. Calcification of the cerebral arteries is also frequently observed on brain CT, but its clinical significance has yet to be clarified. To evaluate the clinical significance of cerebral arterial calcification on brain CT, we investigated the angiographic and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) findings of calcified cerebral arteries. METHODS: The subjects were 57 patients with ischemic stroke, all of whom underwent brain CT, digital subtraction cerebral angiography and TCD. Stroke subtypes were defined according to TOAST classification. Two clinicians who were blinded in respect to the patients' clinical history and to each other's interpretation, determined the presence of cerebral arterial calcification and the degree of angiographic stenosis. RESULTS: Cerebral artery calcification was noted in 23 patients (40%) out of a total of 46 arteries, consisting of 23 internal carotid, 15 vertebral, 5 basilar, 2 middle cerebral and 1 anterior cerebral artery. The patients with calcification were significantly older and more hypertensive than those without calcification. All the patients with calcification showed either large artery atherosclerosis or lacunar stroke. Hemodynamic alterations measured by TCD were rarely observed in calcified arteries. The severity and extent of the atherosclerotic changes were significantly greater in the patients with calcification than those without calcification. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that cerebral arterial calcification does not directly indicate hemodynamically significant atherosclerotic stenosis involving calcified segments, but indicates the underlying etiology of either large artery atherosclerosis or lacunar stroke, and raises the possibility of a diffuse atherosclerotic process being present in the cerebral circulation.     

Complete nonvisualization of basilar artery on MR angiography in patients with vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke: favorable outcome factors

BACKGROUND: In vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) occasionally fails to visualize the basilar artery, but in these patients, little attention has been given to establishing correlations between the clinical and the radiological findings. Our aim was to identify clinical or radiological measures that could assist in predicting a favorable clinical outcome. METHODS: Risk factors, clinicoradiological features, and functional outcomes were assessed in 40 patients with vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke whose basilar arteries were absent on MRA. The presence of potential feeding arteries to the posterior circulation was recorded from a review of the MRA data. To permit quantitative analysis of the images, a potential feeding artery score (PFAS; range: 0-8) was established. One point was assigned when a signal was seen from an intracranial vertebral artery, a posterior inferior cerebellar artery, a superior cerebellar artery, or a posterior cerebral artery. On MRI, the location of the infarction was classified as involving the proximal, middle, and distal territories of the intracranial posterior circulation. The infarctions were also categorized as single- or multi-sector infarctions, and according to whether more than one penetrating or branch artery was involved. Clinical outcomes were classified as favorable (modified Rankin Scale = 0-2) or poor (modified Rankin Scale = 3-6). RESULTS: The clinical outcome was favorable in 30% (n = 12) of patients, and poor in 70% (n = 28). A transient ischemic attack preceded the stroke in 48% of patients, especially those with a favorable outcome (67%). Patients with a favorable outcome had a higher PFAS (p = 0.036) and an increased incidence of single-sector infarction (p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that a higher PFAS, accompanied by a single-sector infarction, is a predictor of improved clinical outcome in patients with vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke in which the basilar artery was absent on MRA.     

Risk factors and subtype analysis of acute ischemic stroke

Background and Purpose: Stroke risk factors and subtypes were examined for associations with mortality and recurrence rate in Taiwanese patients with first-ever and recurrent stroke. Methods: This study examined patients with initial and recurrent stroke from 2003 to 2005 for risk factors, demographic data, Bamford subtypes and transient ischemic attack. Results: One thousand and twenty-one patients with 1,085 stroke episodes were recruited. Significant factors associated with recurrent stroke were hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation and smoking. A significant incidence of lacunar infarction was noted in the patient population (37.82% in all patients; 41.02% in first stroke vs. 35.67% in recurrent stroke patients). Patients with diabetes mellitus were more likely to have lacunar rather than total anterior circulation infarction (TACI) or partial anterior circulation infarction (PACI). Hyperlipidemia was more often attributable to lacunar stroke than PACI. Atrial fibrillation was significantly associated with nonlacunar infarcts, TACI and PACI but not lacunar stroke. Conclusions: The incidence of lacunar infarction was significantly higher in initial rather than recurrent stroke patients. Diabetes mellitus or hyperlipidemia was highly associated with lacunar infarction. Atrial fibrillation was associated with nonlacunar infarction in Taiwan, similar to the result of White and Black populations in the UK.     

Clinical and radiologic features of lacunar versus nonlacunar minor stroke

We determined the angiographic presence of extracerebral and intracerebral arterial disease in 122 patients with minor stroke within the carotid territory; we excluded patients with a recognized cardiac source of emboli. Based on clinical features and computed tomographic findings, patients were classified as having lacunar infarcts (n = 61), nonlacunar infarcts (n = 53), and infarcts of indeterminate type (n = 8). Severe carotid bifurcation disease (greater than or equal to 50% stenosis or occlusion) was significantly more common in nonlacunar than in lacunar infarcts, on both the ipsilateral (p less than 0.001) and the contralateral (p less than 0.01) sides; 79% of the patients with nonlacunar infarcts had severe carotid bifurcation and/or middle cerebral artery disease on the ipsilateral side compared with 3.3% of the patients with lacunar infarcts. Our data underscore the need for classification of patients by the underlying mechanisms in future studies of treatment of ischemic stroke.     

Epidemiological characteristics of lacunar infarcts in a population

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study evaluated the characteristics and natural history of patients with lacunar (small, deep) cerebral infarcts in a defined population for comparison of these characteristics to those in patients with nonlacunar infarcts. METHODS: This is a population-based study in Rochester, Minnesota, from 1960 to 1984, that used the medical record-linkage system to identify and characterize patients with cerebral infarction. RESULTS: The age- and sex-adjusted average annual incidence rate of lacunar cerebral infarction was 13.4/100,000 persons, accounting for 12% of all first cerebral infarcts. Temporal trends in incidence rates, stroke recurrence rates, prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and causes of death (given survival for 30 days) for cases of lacunar infarction were not significantly different from those for cases of nonlacunar infarction. Hypertension was found in 81% of patients who had a lacunar infarct and in 70% of patients who had a nonlacunar infarct (p = 0.05). A potential cardiac source of embolism was found in 12% of patients who had a lacunar infarct and in 28% of patients who had a nonlacunar infarct (p = 0.002). Survival was significantly better after a lacunar infarct than after a nonlacunar infarct. CONCLUSIONS: Small, deep cerebral infarcts had many of the epidemiological characteristics of other cerebral infarcts but there was a slightly higher frequency of hypertension, significantly lower frequency of a cardiac embolic source, and significantly better survival in patients with lacunar infarction than in those with nonlacunar infarction.     

缺血性卒中病变血管和侧支循环代偿的研究

目的 观察缺血性卒中患者的责任病变血管及其侧支循环代偿方式,探讨脑动脉闭塞或严重狭窄时侧支循环的代偿作用与牛津郡社区卒中项目(OCSP)临床症状分型之间的关系.方法对211例缺血性卒中患者采用OCSP分型(完全型前循环梗死36例,部分前循环梗死94例,后循环梗死31例,腔隙性梗死50例),进行数字减影全脑血管造影检查,判定梗死的责任血管、侧支循环是否建立及代偿方式.结果 检出有病变血管的患者198例,共累及病变血管206支,责任血管为颈内动脉98条、大脑中动脉54条、椎动脉27条、颈总动脉6条、基底动脉5条、锁骨下动脉4条、大脑前动脉及大脑后动脉各2条;经Willis环代偿98例,软脑膜支吻合115例,颅外代偿46例.结论脑动脉病变最多位于颈内动脉、大脑中动脉,其次位于椎动脉,前循环病变较后循环病变具有更高的梗死发生率;侧支循环代偿以Willis环最充分,软脑膜支吻合最常见;脑梗死的临床分型受病变血管与侧支循环代偿的综合影响.     

缺血性脑卒中亚型及其危险因素与脑白质变性的关系

目的探讨缺血性脑卒中亚型及其危险因素与脑白质变性(LA)的关系。方法对213例伴LA的缺血性脑卒中患者的LA程度进行分级(LA1、LA2、LA3),分析其与缺血性脑卒中亚型(短暂脑缺血发作、腔隙性脑梗死、动脉血栓形成和心源性脑梗死)及其危险因素(年龄、性别、高血压、糖尿病及冠心病等)的关系。结果213例伴LA的缺血性脑卒中患者中,LA2和LA3患者的年龄明显高于LA1患者(均P<0.05);腔隙性脑梗死患者LA3的发生率明显高于其他缺血性脑卒中亚型(均P<0.05);与LA程度明显相关的因素为年龄(OR 0.69,95%CI:0.49~0.97)和腔隙性脑梗死(OR 0.01,95%CI:0.00~0.33)(均P<0.05)。结论与LA相关的危险因素是高龄和腔隙性脑梗死;可能的机制为穿支动脉硬化和血压调节障碍影响脑白质血流供应,引起白质局部坏死、腔隙形成或弥漫性LA。     

The Role of Transcranial Doppler in Symptomatic Striatocapsular Small Deep Infarction

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The transcranial Doppler (TCD) findings in symptomatic small deep infarction are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of TCD in striatocapsular small deep infarctions (SSDIs). METHODS: The cerebral angiography and TCD findings were analyzed on 100 patients with symptomatic cerebral infarcts on the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of TCD in detecting the MCA lesions were compared between lacunar group (the patients with lacunar syndrome and SSDIs on magnetic resonance image) and nonlacunar group. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were classified as the lacunar group, whereas 62 patients as the nonlacunar group. On angiography, occlusive lesion of MCA was found in 18 of the lacunar group and 24 patients of the nonlacunar group. The degree of MCA stenosis was higher in the nonlacunar group (80.8% +/- 21.2%) than the lacunar group (60.4% +/- 21.6%). The accuracy of TCD for the detection of MCA stenosis was not different between the groups. However, the sensitivity of TCD in the lacunar group was lower (72%) than in the nonlacunar group (88%), and it might have been due to the difference in the degree of MCA stenosis among the groups. CONCLUSION: Occlusive lesions of the MCA should be considered as a potential cause of SSDIs. In this respect, TCD may be used for screening candidates for conventional angiography in those patients. High rate of mild-degree stenosis of MCA in patients with SSDIs, however, caused a risk for missing such stenosis on TCD.     

Ischemia in the territory of a hypoplastic vertebrobasilar system

BACKGROUND: Congenital variations in the configuration and size of the cerebral vessels may predispose to ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVES/METHODS: To illustrate that a hypoplastic basilar artery may lead to posterior circulation ischemia in adults, eight cases are reported from two university medical centers. RESULTS: Five men and three women with a mean age of 49.8 years are reported. Four of the patients had other conventional stroke risk factors. Two patients had brainstem strokes, and six had TIA. All patients had hypoplastic basilar arteries. Seven patients had at least one hypoplastic vertebral artery (bilateral in five cases), and six patients had both posterior cerebral arteries originating from the internal carotid arteries. CONCLUSIONS: A hypoplastic basilar artery is frequently accompanied by vertebral artery hypoplasia, and this can predispose adults to posterior circulation ischemia. This entity can be suspected on the basis of MR angiogram, but conventional angiography will provide definitive diagnosis. Optimal medical and surgical treatment of this condition is unresolved.     

Regional cerebral blood flow in lacunar infarction.

Ten cases of lacunar infarction, 10 cases of nonlacunar cerebral thrombosis, and 8 healthy controls who did not have risk factors of cerebrovascular diseases were studied. Subcortical cystic infarctions with a diameter of less than 1.5 cm were classified as lacunar infarction and the other cerebral thrombosis were classified as nonlacunar cerebral thrombosis. Cerebral blood flow examination by Xenon computed tomography (CT) method was performed within 14 days after the onset of stroke. Stable Xenon was inhaled for 3 minutes and CT scan was taken once before the inhalation, 3 times during the inhalation, and 5 times in the washout phase. Regional blood flows in the infarcted area, around the infarcted area, and in the cerebral cortex and the cerebral white matter where the influence of the infarction was considered to be little were measured before and after intravenous injection of 17 mg/kg acetazolamide. In the lacunar infarction, the blood flow in the cerebral cortex where the influence of the infarction was considered to be little was decreased and the cerebrovascular dilatory reserve capacity in the cerebral cortex and the cerebral white matter was decreased. Arteriolosclerosis is considered to be the basic cause of lacunar infarction.     

动脉粥样硬化性大脑中动脉区域TIA功能磁共振成像分析

目的利用弥散加权成像(DWI)、磁共振血管成像(MRA)对大脑中动脉(MCA)区域TIA进行解剖性定位,评价磁共振对临床实践的指导意义。方法对32例TIA患者,在发作1.5h~7d内行头部MRI、DWI、MRA检查,对DWI图像上的高信号与T2WI像、MRA、临床症状、体征进行对照研究。结果2例DWI正常,但MRA颅内大脑中动脉闭塞,病变血管与临床症状相一致。12例DWI正常,MRA仅轻度狭窄或正常。3例DWI有高信号,T2WI无相应病灶为超早期脑梗死,其中MRA1例动脉硬化样改变,2例大脑中动脉闭塞,病灶与体征相符。15例DWI有高信号、T2WI有相应病灶,2例为早期脑梗死、13例为腔隙性脑梗死,其中MRA8例颅内大血管轻到中度狭窄,2例严重狭窄。MRI显示20例(62.5%)存在多发陈旧腔隙性梗死灶。对于TIA患者发作时MRA相应病变进行χ2四格表精确检验,DWI异常组与正常组比较P<0.05,MRA大血管病变是TIA预后形成梗死的独立危险因素。结论对TIA患者行MRI、DWI、MRA检查,能及时发现超早期脑梗死,还能对新发腔隙性脑梗死准确定位,科学指导临床早期干预治疗。MRA可提供1.2级大血管的供血状态,指导后续的2级预防。     

Progressive deficit in isolated pontine infarction: the association with etiological subtype,lesion topography and outcome

It is important to predict progressive deficit (PD) in isolated pontine infarction, a relatively common problem of clinical stroke practice. Traditionally, lacunar infarctions are known with their progressive course. However, few studies have analyzed the branch atheromatous disease subtype as a subtype of lacunar infarction, separately. There are also conflicting results regarding the relationship with the topography of lesion and PD. In this study, we classified etiological subtypes and lesion topography in isolated pontine infarction and aimed to investigate the association of etiological subtypes, lesion topography and clinical outcome with PD. We analyzed demographics, laboratory parameters, and risk factors of 120 patients having isolated pontine infarction and admitted within 24 h retrospectively. PD was defined as an increase in the National Institutes of Health Stroke scale ≥2 units in 5 days after onset. Patients were classified as following: large artery disease (LAA), basilar artery branch disease (BABD) and small vessel disease (SVD). Upper, middle and lower pontine infarcts were identified longitudinally. Functional outcome at 3 months was determined according to modified Rankin scores. Of 120 patients, 41.7% of the patients were classified as BABD, 30.8% as SVD and 27.5% as LAA. 23 patients (19.2%) exhibited PD. PD was significantly more frequent in patient with BABD (p 0.006). PD was numerically higher in patients with lower pontine infarction. PD was associated with BABD and poor functional outcome. It is important to discriminate the BABD neuroradiologically from other stroke subtypes to predict PD which is associated with poor functional outcome in patients with isolated pontine infarctions.     

Carotid stenosis in lacunar stroke.

The prevalence of extracranial carotid stenosis in patients with a clinical syndrome of lacunar stroke has not been extensively studied using noninvasive methods. We performed carotid duplex sonography on 168 patients referred to the neurosonology laboratory with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke. Strokes were independently classified as lacunar or nonlacunar hemispheric infarction without knowledge of the ultrasound results. We excluded patients with infarcts that were clearly vertebrobasilar, presumed to be cardioembolic, or had occurred greater than 1 year earlier, and patients for whom classification of the nature and location of the event was not possible. Fifty-five patients had lacunar and 54 had nonlacunar stroke. No differences in age, sex, distribution, or prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, prior ischemia, or Hispanic surname existed between the two groups. Tobacco use was more frequent in the nonlacunar group (p less than 0.01). The prevalence of important extracranial carotid stenosis (greater than or equal to 50% diameter reduction) in the lacunar stroke group was 13% (seven of 55) in the ipsilateral and 4% (two of 55) in the contralateral carotid artery. Of the 54 patients with nonlacunar hemispheric stroke, 41% (22) had ipsilateral (p less than 0.01) and 26% (14) had contralateral (p less than 0.01) carotid stenosis. This study suggests that important carotid stenosis is infrequent among patients presenting with a clinical syndrome of lacunar stroke. These data impact on decisions regarding cerebrovascular work-up in such patients.     

Dissection of the Extracranial Vertebral Artery: Clinical Findings and Early Noninvasive Diagnosis in 24 Patients

Dissection of cervical arteries causes ischemic stroke in young adults. This reports the clinical, ultrasonographic, and neuroradiological findings in 24 patients with 28 vertebral artery dissections in the neck (4 occurring bilaterally). In 20 patients (83%), the dissection was temporally related to trauma. No patients had an underlying vascular disease, for example, atherosclerosis or fibromuscular dysplasia. In all, the major initial manifestation was pain in the occipital or neck region. The next most common symptoms were vertigo and nausea (in 17 patients). Clinical manifestations were vertebrobasilar transient ischemic attack (TIA) (5 patients: in 2 patients vestibulocerebellar TIA, in 1 patient visual TIA, in 1 patient motor TIA, and in 1 patient brain stem TIA with perioral paresthesia), cerebellar infarction (10 patients, in 4 patients bilateral), brainstem infarction (5 patients), posterior cerebral artery territory infarction (1 patient), and multiple vertebrobasilar ischemic lesions (3 patients). Typical angiographic findings were irregular narrowing of the vessel lumen or a tapering stenosis with distal occlusion. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a thickened vessel wall with hematoma signal at the site of the dissection. Duplex color-flow imaging was valuable for the early diagnosis of extracranial vertebral artery dissection and for follow-up examinations. The distal V1- and the proximal V2-segment (at the level of C6 vertebra) was the most frequent localization of dissections (in 43%). The outcome was favorable except for 2 patients with basilar artery occlusion. Embolism to the basilar artery may be avoided by early administration of anticoagulants.     

Multiple small subcortical infarction required to distinguish from lacunar infarction: evaluation by use of diffusion-weighted imaging]

Lacunar infarctions are small lesions caused by occlusion of the deep and penetrating vessels. Occlusion of such vessels are resulted from thrombosis based on atherosclerotic change. However, we occasionally encounter a patient with lacunar infarction seemed to be caused by embolic mechanism, as who has had previous experience of TIA or presented with clinical symptoms suddenly. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has high accuracy for depicting small ischemic lesions and discrimination of recent infarctions from old ones. We studied frequency, risk factors and stroke mechanism in the territory of penetrating arteries detected on DWI, and sensitivity of ischemic lesions by DWI as compared with conventional MRI images. Fifty-three consecutive patients with lacunar infarction in the territory of penetrating arteries who admitted to our hospital and were studied by DWI within 24 hours. Nine (17.0%) of 53 patients had multiple high signal lesions on DWI. These lesions were found in single arterial territory in 4 patients and in more than 2 territories in 5 patients. It was presumed that stroke mechanisms were artery to artery or cardiogenic embolism. DWI revealed all 38 hyperintensity lesions, while conventional MRI revealed 35 lesions, although the latter was resulted from retrospectively referring to the DWI finding. Therefore, conventional MRI alone might have been difficult to detect multiple lesions. DWI was enable to distinguish embolic infarction from small vessel lacunar infarction, leading to feasible patient management. Therefore, DWI should be performed in all patients with lacunar infarction, even if neurological finding is correspondent with the conventional MRI finding.     

经头部CT扫描检出的无症状腔隙性脑梗死与有症状非腔隙性脑梗死的危险因素比较分析

目的 探讨经头CT扫描检出的无症状腔隙性脑梗死与有症状非腔隙性脑梗死两病例组的危险因素以及危险因素在两病例组间分布的差异.方法 对一个有2085例的回顾性出生队列研究人群中所检出的52例有症状非腔隙性脑梗死、49例无症状腔隙性脑梗死分别与1908例非脑血管病对照组进行危险因素的单因素及多因素分析,然后在两病例组间进行危险因素的比较分析;以及两病例组间危险因素数量的比较分析.结果 Logistic多元回归发现年龄、性别、糖尿病、酗酒、卒中家族史、颅内动脉狭窄是有症状非腔隙性脑梗死的独立危险因素,而年龄、高血压、吸烟是无症状腔隙性脑梗死的独立危险因素.两组间比较显示糖尿病、颅内动脉狭窄在两病例间分布的差异有统计学意义(P值分别为0.005、0.002).有症状非腔隙性脑梗死组的危险因素数量多于无症状腔隙性脑梗死组(P=0.009).结论 有症状非腔隙性脑梗死与无症状性脑梗死危险因素存在差异,血管机制可能也有不同,糖尿病和颅内动脉狭窄更多见于有症状非腔隙性脑梗死病例组.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the respective risk factors of the symptomatic nonlacunar intaction and the asymptomatic lacunar infaction diagnosed by brain scan of computed tomography alone as well as their differences. Methods 52 symptomatic nonlacunar infaction patients and 49 asymptomatic lacunar infaction patients diagnosed by brain scan of computed tomography alone were found from a sample for retrospective birth cohort study. X~2 - test, t - test and Logistic regression analysis were used for determing the risk factors for each disease when comparing to the contrast group of 1908 who hadnt suffered form cerebrovascular disease respectively. Each risk factor and the amount of risk factors for the two disease were compared between the 52 symptomatic nonlacunar infaction patients and 49 asymptomatic lacunar infaction patients.Results Age, sex, diabetes mellitus, drinking, family history of stroke and the stenosis of intracrianial artery were the independent predictors of the symptomatic nonlacunar infaction ; age, hypertension, smoking were the independent predictors of asymptomatic lacunar infaction. Both the rate of diabetes mellitus ( cerebral infaction 43.1% vs asymptomatic lacunar infaction 16.6% ) and stenosis of intracrianial artery (45.4% vs 15.2% ) were higher in patients with the symptomatic nonlacunar infaction than those with asymptomatic lacunar infaction. Patients with symptomatic nonlacunar infaction had a significant increase in the amount of the risk factors than those with asymptomatic lacunar infaction. Conclusion There may have different distribution of the risk factors and different vascular mechanism between the symptomatic nonlacunar infaction and asymptomatic lacunar infaction. Diabetes mellitus and the stenosis of intracrianial artery more commonlg exist in the patients with the symptomatic nonlacunar infarction.     

Patients with Acute Lacunar Infarction Have Benefit from Intravenous Thrombolysis

Introduction: Usefulness of intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute lacunar cerebral infarction is questionable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis in patients with lacunar infarction in comparison with patients with nonlacunar infarction as well as with patients with lacunar infarction who were not treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Materials and methods: In the first part of the study, among patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis, characteristics and outcomes of 46 patients with lacunar and 221 patients with nonlacunar infarction were compared. In the second part, 46 patients with lacunar infarction treated with intravenous thrombolysis were compared with 45 lacunar infarction patients who were not treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Results: Patients with lacunar infarction had a lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (9.2 versus 13.9, P < .001), a greater Alberta Stroke Program Early computed tomography (CT) score (9.7 versus 9.2, P?=?.002), a lower prevalence of atrial fibrillation (6.5% versus 41.2%, P < .001), and significantly more frequently an excellent outcome after 3 months (76.1% versus 36.2%, P < .001) compared with patients with nonlacunar infarction. Among patients with lacunar infarction, an excellent outcome at discharge was significantly more frequent in the intravenous thrombolysis group (41.3% versus 15.6%, P?=?.01), and the length of hospitalization was significantly shorter (9.5 days versus 14.3 days, P?=?.002). There was no hemorrhagic transformation among patients with lacunar infarction treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Conclusion: Intravenous thrombolysis has proven to be effective and safe in patients with lacunar infarction and should always be applied if there are no absolute contraindications.     

Posterior cerebral artery infarction from middle cerebral artery infarction

BACKGROUND: While it is known that posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarction may simulate middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction, the frequency and localization of this occurrence are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of PCA infarction mimicking MCA infarction and the territory of the PCA most commonly involved in this simulation. DESIGN: We studied 202 patients with isolated infarction in the PCA admitted to our stroke center to determine the frequency of PCA infarction simulating MCA infarction, the involved PCA territory, and the patterns of clinical presentation. RESULTS: We found 36 patients (17.8%) with PCA ischemic stroke who had clinical features suggesting MCA stroke. The PCA territory most commonly involved was the superficial PCA territory (66.7%), followed by the proximal PCA territory (16.7%) and both the proximal and the superficial PCA territories (16.7%). The principal stroke mechanism was cardioembolic (54.1%) in the superficial PCA territory, lacunar (46.2%) in the proximal PCA territory, and undetermined (40.2%) in both the proximal and the superficial territories. Among the 36 patients, the most common clinical associations were aphasia (13 patients), visuospatial neglect (13 patients), and severe hemiparesis (7 patients). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior cerebral artery infarction simulating MCA infarction is more common than previously thought. Early recognition of the different stroke subtypes in these 2 arteries may allow specific management.     

大脑后动脉区梗死与后循环血管状态及危险因素关系

目的探讨大脑后动脉区梗死与后循环血管状态及危险因素的关系。方法回顾性收集2010年1月-2014年6月在首都医科大学宣武医院神经内科住院的经头部MRI证实的首次新发大脑后动脉区梗死的患者192例,其中171例行CT血管成像,21例行DSA,排除有可疑心源性栓子来源的患者。根据头部MRI将梗死部位分为A(中脑组)、B(丘脑组)、C(颞叶内侧组)、D(胼胝体压部组)、E(枕叶组)、F(多部位梗死组)6组。比较PCA区梗死与后循环血管状态及危险因素的关系。结果 (1)PCA区梗死病变分布:192例患者中A、B、C、D、E、F组分别为12例(6.3%)、74例(38.5%)、15例(7.8%)、11例(5.7%)、28例(14.6%)、52例(27.1%)。(2)椎-基底动脉系统血管状态:椎动脉病变66例(34.4%)合并大脑后动脉狭窄13例,基底动脉病变27例(14.1%)合并大脑后动脉狭窄2例,大脑后动脉病变45例(23.4%),未发现血管病变69例(35.9%)。(3)对PCA区梗死病变分布与后循环血管病变行单因素卡方检验:B组与基底动脉病变相关(χ~2=5.318,P=0.021);E组与PCA P4段病变相关(χ~2=18.556,P0.001);F组与椎动脉、基底动脉病变相关(χ~2=4.386,7.059;P=0.036,0.008)。(4)血管病变组与无血管病变组比较:合并高血压病差异有统计学意义(11.126,P=0.001)。结论大脑后动脉区梗死与后循环血管病变关系密切,尤其合并导致血管病变的危险因素时,更应重视血管检查,减少卒中再发。