Trends in Mortality from Ischemic Heart Disease in the Region of the Americas, 2000–2019

Background:In latest decades, mortality rates from ischemic heart disease (IHD) had declined steadily in most of the world as a consequence of improvements in prevention and therapy.Objective:The aim of this study was to analyze trends in mortality caused by IHD in the region of the Americas from 2000 to 2019.Methods:Estimates of the age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) due to IHD were extracted from the Data Portal on Noncommunicable Diseases, Mental Health, and External Causes (ENLACE), Pan American Health Organization. We used Joinpoint regression to analyze significant changes in mortality trends by country, gender, geographical sub-region, and country income, according to the World Bank classification. We also calculated the average annual percent change (AAPC) mortality rate for the overall period in the Americas as a whole and by country and sub-region.Results:In the region of the Americas, the AAMR from IHD decreased from 117.80 (95% uncertainty interval (UI)) 106.64–135.90) in 2000 to 73.64 (62.65–92.66) per 100,000 in 2019. In males, from 149.08 (95% UI 138.23–168.08) to 96.02 (95% UI 83.48–117.19) and in females 92.36 (95% UI 81.35–109.42) to 54.84 (95% UI 45.28–71.76). The AAPC mortality rate in the region decreased –2.5% (95% CI: –2.7, –2.3), with joinpoints in 2007 and 2012, –2.3% (95% CI: –2.5, –2.1) in men and –2.7% (95% CI: –3.0, –2.5) in women. According to the sub-region analysis, the highest decrease was recorded in North America, AAPC –3.1% (95% CI: –3.3, –3.0) with one joinpoint in 2011, whereas there was a stagnation of the mortality rate in Central America, Mexico, and Latin Caribbean with an AAPC of 0.1 (–0.2, 0.3) with one joinpoint in 2007.Conclusions:Age-adjusted mortality rate from IHD between 2000 and 2019 has decreased in the region of the Americas. However, different trends were observed, North America had the highest reduction in AAPC, while Central America, Mexico, and Latin Caribbean Region had a stagnation. This trend was highly influenced by country income.     

Left Ventricular Abnormality and Covert Atrial Fibrillation in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source

Aims: The relationship between left ventricular (LV) function and AF detection in embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) patients with insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) remains unclear. We investigated the association between LV function and AF detection in patients with ESUS after ICMs implantation. Methods: We enrolled patients with ESUS who underwent ICMs implantation from September 2016 to September 2020 using a single-center, prospective registry. LV systolic and diastolic functions were assessed on precordial echocardiography by LV fractional shortening (LVFS) and average E/e’, respectively. Associations between characteristics of LV function and detection of AF by ICMs were analyzed. Results: Participants comprised 101 patients (median age, 74 years; male, 62%). During a median follow-up period of 442 days (interquartile range (IQR), 202–770 days), AF was detected in 24 patients (24%). Median duration from ICMs implantation to AF detection was 71 days (IQR, 13–150 days). When LVFS and E/e’ were dichotomized by cutoff value, each of low LVFS (＜35.5%; adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 4.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.77–12.9) and high E/e’ (≥ 8.65; adjusted HR, 4.56; 95%CI, 1.17–17.7) were independently associated with AF detection after adjusting for age and sex. When patients were divided into four groups according to dichotomized LVFS and E/e’, the combination of low LVFS and high E/e’ was independently associated with AF. Conclusions: In patients with ESUS after ICMs implantation, the LV characteristics of low LVFS and high E/e’ were associated with AF detection.     

Effectiveness of Anchoring with Balloon Guide Catheter and Stent Retriever in Difficult Mechanical Thrombectomy for Large Vessel Occlusion

ObjectiveA distal navigation of a large bore aspiration catheter during mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is important. However, delivering a large bore aspiration catheter is difficult to a tortuous or atherosclerotic artery. We report the experience of anchoring with balloon guide catheter (BGC) and stent retriever to facilitate the passage of an aspiration catheter in MT. MethodsWhen navigating an aspiration catheter failed with a conventional co-axial microcatheter delivery, an anchoring technique was used. Two types of anchoring technique were applied to facilitate distal navigation of a large bore aspiration catheter during MT. First, a passage of aspiration catheter was attempted with a proximal BGC anchoring technique. If this technique also failed, another anchoring technique with distal stent retriever was tried. Consecutive patients who underwent MT with an anchoring technique were identified. Details of procedure, radiologic outcomes, and safety variables were evaluated. ResultsA total of 67 patients underwent MT with an anchoring technique. Initial trial of aspiration catheter passage with proximal BGC anchoring technique was successful for 35 patients (52.2%) and the second trial with distal stent retriever anchoring was successful for 32 patients (47.8%). Overall, navigation of a large bore aspiration catheter was successful for all patients (100%) without any procedure related complications. ConclusionOur study showed the usefulness of anchoring technique with proximal BGC and distal stent retriever during MT, especially in those with an unfavorable anatomical structure. This technique could be an alternative option for delivering an of aspiration catheter to a distal location.     

Fetal stroke and cerebrovascular disease: Advances in understanding from lenticulostriate and venous imaging,alloimmune thrombocytopaenia and monochorionic twins

Fetal stroke is an important cause of cerebral palsy but is difficult to diagnose unless imaging is undertaken in pregnancies at risk because of known maternal or fetal disorders. Fetal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging may show haemorrhage or ischaemic lesions including multicystic encephalomalacia and focal porencephaly. Serial imaging has shown the development of malformations including schizencephaly and polymicrogyra after ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke. Recognised causes of haemorrhagic fetal stroke include alloimmune and autoimmune thrombocytopaenia, maternal and fetal clotting disorders and trauma but these are relatively rare. It is likely that a significant proportion of periventricular and intraventricular haemorrhages are of venous origin. Recent evidence highlights the importance of arterial endothelial dysfunction, rather than thrombocytopaenia, in the intraparenchymal haemorrhage of alloimmune thrombocytopaenia. In the context of placental anastomoses, monochorionic diamniotic twins are at risk of twin twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), or partial forms including Twin Oligohydramnios Polyhydramnios Sequence (TOPS), differences in estimated weight (selective Intrauterine growth Retardation; sIUGR), or in fetal haemoglobin (Twin Anaemia Polycythaemia Sequence; TAPS). There is a very wide range of ischaemic and haemorrhagic injury in a focal as well as a global distribution. Acute twin twin transfusion may account for intraventricular haemorrhage in recipients and periventricular leukomalacia in donors but there are additional risk factors for focal embolism and cerebrovascular disease. The recipient has circulatory overload, with effects on systemic and pulmonary circulations which probably lead to systemic and pulmonary hypertension and even right ventricular outflow tract obstruction as well as the polycythaemia which is a risk factor for thrombosis and vasculopathy. The donor is hypovolaemic and has a reticulocytosis in response to the anaemia while maternal hypertension and diabetes may influence stroke risk. Understanding of the mechanisms, including the role of vasculopathy, in well studied conditions such as alloimmune thrombocytopaenia and monochorionic diamniotic twinning may lead to reduction of the burden of antenatally sustained cerebral palsy.     

针刺对脑卒中后认知功能障碍相关机制研究进展

脑卒中后认知功能障碍的干预方法多样,主要有认知功能训练、药物治疗、针刺干预等。大量临床实践已证实针刺对卒中后认知功能障碍的恢复具有一定的疗效。本研究搜集近几年关于针刺对脑血流、对神经细胞内部结构以及相关分子生物学等的影响,并从以上几方面将针刺治疗脑卒中后认知功能障碍部分作用机制做简单阐述;提出目前针刺治疗本病的问题及展望。     

Brunnstrom运动分期综合治疗脑梗死初探

目的:评估针刺结合推拿和康复治疗脑梗死神经功能、日常生活活动能力。方法:43例均采用西医对症治疗,同时进行针刺、推拿和康复治疗。结果:针刺治疗前、第20、40次针刺治疗后斯堪的纳雏亚卒中量表评分依次升高(P<0．01), Brarthel指数也依次升高(P<0．01)。结论:针刺结合推拿和康复治疗可明显改善脑梗死患者神经功能和日常生活活动能力。     

Aligned acupuncture at muscle regions plus cutaneous needle for upper limb spasticity after stroke: A multicenter randomized controlled trial

Objective： To evaluate the clinical efficacy of aligned acupuncture at the muscle regions plus cutaneous needle for post-stroke upper limb spasticity. Methods： By adopting a design of multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial, 488 patients with post-stroke upper limb spasticity were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 244 in each group. In addition to rehabilitation training, the treatment group received aligned acupuncture at the muscle regions plus cutaneous needle therapy and the control group received conventional Western medicine. After successive 3-week treatments, the clinical efficacy, spasticity degree of the upper limb, joint function, and neurological defect degree were evaluated in the two groups. Results： The total effective rate was 93.4% in the treatment group versus 61.5% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant （P 〈 0.05）. The upper-limb spasticity degree, joint function, and neurological defect degree were improved significantly in both groups after intervention （P〈0.05）, and the improvements in the treatment group were more significant than those in the control group （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）. Conclusion： Aligned acupuncture at the muscle regions plus cutaneous needle therapy is effective in treating post-stroke upper limb spasticity.     

探讨食道超声在防治房颤患者脑卒中的应用价值

目的：分析111例行食道超声和头颅CT检查的房颤患者,了解左房血栓与脑卒中的关系以及食道超声在防治房颤患者脑卒中的应用价值。方法：通过对2006年3月～2008年8月在新疆自治区人民医院心内科住院的房颤患者,行食道超声和头颅CT检查并对住院病例进行回顾性分析,了解左房血栓的发生率,以及左房血栓与脑卒中发生的关系。结果：111例房颤患者均经食道超声检查,发现左房血栓15例,占13.5%。左房血栓组与左房无血栓组在脑卒中发生率方面有统计学意义（X2=10.695P〈0.001）。结论：左房血栓与脑卒中的发生密切相关,食道超声在防治房颤患者脑卒中的方面有重要的应用价值,建议为预防房颤患者脑卒中的发生,对房颤患者行食道超声检查。     

自我放松训练对心功能的影响

自我放松训练是建立在催眠暗示基础上的一种心理疗法。我们用XG—Ⅱ型血液循环功能测试仪对22例自我放松训练者放松前后测试,结果表明在放松训练中,心脏每搏输出量明显增加,而心脏指数无明显改变,提示它可以改善心功能。     

缺血性脑卒中病人院前发病过程应对轨迹的质性研究

目的 明确缺血性脑卒中病人和家属院前发病的应对过程,解明其应对规律和影响因素,为构建全面的脑卒中院前干预方案提供科学依据.方法 通过半结构式访谈收集10例个案资料,运用扎根理论研究方法进行资料分析.结果 缺血性脑卒中病人和家属院前发病过程经历了四个阶段,即识别阶段、反应阶段、警觉阶段和行动阶段.结论 健康教育人员应当结合缺血性脑卒中病人和家属院前应对的整个过程,构建全面的、综合性的干预措施.