This retrospective descriptive analytical study was performed on 250 patients (130 males and 120 females) diagnosed to have stroke in the Department of Neurology, Babol, Iran, from April 2001 to April 2003.The risk factors for stroke were recorded. The frequencies of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiac diseases and hyperlipidemia were 54, 24, 43.2 and 26%, respectively. All these epidemiological factors were associated with stroke (p < 0.05). The incidence of stroke was 50/100,000 population during 2 years. It happened more often in females than males, and ischemic stroke (67%) was twice as frequent than hemorrhagic stroke (33%). The mortality rate was 32%. The most common epidemiological risk factors for stroke in our region were hypertension, cardiac diseases and diabetes mellitus.

Background Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and is associated with several risk factors with variable risk factor distribution by population. We report the types and frequency of the associated factors of stroke in north Iran. Methods Consecutive patients with stroke were recruited from 2014 to 2015. The two groups of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke were compared with respect to age, sex, the prevalence, and distribution of the risk factors. Results Among 230 patients (84.3% ischemic stroke) with mean age of 61.2 years, hypertension (73%), diabetes mellitus (53%), cardiovascular disease (51%), and dyslipidemia (47%) were the most frequent risk factors. Hypertension was significantly more prevalent in males compared with females (88% vs. 60%, OR = 4.91, 95% CI: 2.48-9.71). Hypertension, smoking, and opioid consumption were associated with hemorrhagic stroke. Dyslipidemia was significantly higher in ischemic stroke (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.21-5.8). Overall, 84.3% of stroke occurred in patients aged >50 years (92.8% of women vs. 74.5% of the men, OR = 4.43, 95% CI: 1.93-10.16, p = 0.001). Conclusion Stroke was more prevalent in females; hypertension was more prevalent in males. In the age group less than 50 years old, stroke is more prevalent in men.

Background and Purpose Due to the high prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) in the elderly, a large financial burden is imposed on the families and health systems of countries in addition to the problems related to the mobility impairment caused by the disease for the patients. Studies on controversial issues in this disease are taken into consideration, and one of these cases is the role of serum homocysteine level in Parkinson's patients. In this study, the serum level of homocysteine and its association with various variables in relation to this disease was compared with healthy individuals. Materials and Methods In this study, 100 patients with PD and 100 healthy individuals as control group were investigated. Serum homocysteine level and demographic and clinical data were included in the checklist. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 23. In all tests, the significance level was below 0.05. Results The mean level of serum homocysteine in case and control groups was 14.93 ± 8.30 and 11.52 ± 2.86 µmol/L, respectively (95% CI: 1.68; 5.14, P < 0.001). In total patients, 85 had normal serum homocysteine level, while 15 had high serum homocysteine level. In controls, the homocysteine level was 98 and 2, respectively (P=0.002). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum homocysteine level higher than 20 µmol/L was accompanied by 8.64-fold in Parkinson's disease involvement (95% CI: 1.92; 38.90, P=0.005). Conclusion Increasing serum homocysteine level elevates the rate to having PD. Serum homocysteine levels did not have any relationship with the duration of the disease, type of cardinal manifestation, and the severity of Parkinson's disease.

Background Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. The role of zinc as a new predictor of stroke was considered. Methods This prospective study was conducted in Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital within a year on 100 stroke and 100 control patients. Findings The difference in zinc serum level in two groups was significant (deficiency: 3 (3%) in patients versus 20 (20%) in control group, normal: 25 (25%) versus 54 (54%), and increased level: 72 (72%) versus 26 (26%); p < 0.001). Difference in zinc serum levels was statistically significant with ischemic heart disease (deficiency: 0 cases (0%), normal: 8 cases (24%), increased level: 24 cases (75%), p = 0.003). Increases in zinc serum level were significantly correlated with the frequency of hemorrhagic and ischemic patients (deficiency: 3 (3.3%) hemorrhagic versus 0 (0%) ischemic; normal: 19 (21%) versus 6 (60%), increased level: 68 (75.6%) versus 4 (40%); p = 0.025). Regression logistics showed that ischemic heart disease (p < 0.001; OR = 28.29, %95 CI: 5.53; 144.87), hyperlipidemia (p < 0.001; OR = 0.26, %95 CI: 0.12; 0.56), and zinc serum level (p < 0.001, OR = 15.53, %95 CI: 4.03; 59.83) each had a significant role. Conclusions Babol stroke patients are prone to increased zinc serum level as a new parameter. Ischemic heart disease, increased levels of zinc, and hyperlipidemia were found to be probable predictor factors for stroke in Babol.

Introduction Stroke is one of the most common neurological disorders with high mortality rates. A large financial burden is imposed on the families and health systems of countries in addition to the problems related to the disabilities caused by the disease for the patients. Extensive research is being conducted on the disease, including studies seeking possible relationships between some biomarkers such as uric acid and stroke. Methods This descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study was conducted on 170 stroke patients at Babol Ayatollah Rohani Hospital during 2015-2016. Serum uric acid (SUA) levels were measured and recorded at admission time. Patients' demographic data as well as the stroke type and some of their risk factors were entered in a checklist. The data were analyzed by SPSS.v.23 using chi-square and logistic regression tests. P < 0.05 was considered as significant in all analyses. Results Of the total 170 included patients, 57% had normal, 25% had low, and the remaining patients (18%) had high SUA levels. There was no significant difference in SUA levels in different types of stroke in both genders. Diabetic ischemic embolic patients had higher levels of SUA than diabetic ischemic thrombotic cases. Patients with low magnesium levels had higher rate of low levels of SUA in ischemic stroke. Conclusion Serum uric acid levels are not associated with stroke types and gender. Diabetic embolic ischemic stroke cases had high SUA levels than thrombotic types and in ischemic stroke patients with low serum levels of magnesium, SUA levels were also lower.

Introduction: Many studies have shown a relationship between serum level of trace elements and risk of stroke, but the exact mechanism of this relationship is not clear. The purpose of this study was to measure changes of serum magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc levels in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients to evaluate their potential diagnostic utility.Materials and methods: Overall, 53 healthy individuals (30 men, 32 women) and 53 ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients (30 men, 23 women) who were admitted to the Rouhani Hospital in Babol (Iran) were enrolled in the study within 24 hours after stroke onset. Diagnosis was made based on medical history and physical examination by a neurologist. After blood sampling, serum copper was assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and zinc, magnesium and iron levels were assessed by spectrophotometry. Data analysis was performed in SPSS (version 21) using independent sample t-test and chi-square test. Results: Serum concentrations of copper was significantly higher in the patients (58.8 ±14.7 mg/dL) compared with the controls (45.7 ±10.0 mg/dL). Serum concentrations of zinc was significantly higher in the patients (113.2 ±17.3 mg/dL) compared with the controls (95.60 ±12.80 mg/dl). Moreover, serum concentrations of iron was significantly higher in the patients (148.5 ±30.4 mg/dL) compared with the controls (74.22 ±33.3 mg/dL). However, the patients (1.4 ±0.8 mEq/L) had significantly lower level of magnesium level compared to the controls (2.1 ±0.3 mEq/L). Conclusions: Our results suggest that evaluation of serum magnesium, iron, copper and zinc levels in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients may be useful for the prediction and diagnosis of stroke status.

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Background: Nursing role in post ischemic stroke is vulnerable by correct nursing recognition, due to limited study and evaluation of, this study was conducted. Material and method: It was a retrospective cross-sectional study that all patients admitted with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke in the Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital of Babol from 2015 to 2016. Data was analyzed by chi-square, t-test and coefficient, Kappa tests in spss21. Results: Of 300 ischemic stroke patients were studied, Distribution of sex was 154 (51.2%) female vs. 146 (48.5%) male, age range was 43-90 years with mean age of 65.8 ± 15.7 years. Pain in 107 patients (35.5%), depression in 101 patients (33.6) and fever in 94 patients (31.2) were the most common early complications of ischemic strokes. Coefficient was excellent agreement between the neurologist and nurses (yes 703 (84%), no 136(16%), Kappa=0.76). The highest amount of agreement was in relation to the diagnosis of pressure ulcer (accurate 70 (93%), misdiagnose 5 (7%), Kappa=0.83) and dysphasia (accurate 79 (91%), misdiagnose 8 (9%), Kappa = 0.84). Although the lowest rate of agreement was in relation to the diagnosis of CHF (accurate 4 (17%), misdiagnose 20(83%), Kappa=0.10). Conclusion: most common early complication was pain and the most accurate recognition by nurses was dysphagia and pressure ulcer. The total agreement between nurse and neurologist was favorable that nurses can play an important role to inform neurologist but continuous education to decrease misdiagnosis is recommended. It suggests a suitable feedback from neurologist to nurses. It can help nurses to analyzed how much it recognition was correct or need be more training.