Background and Purpose: We aimed to investigate the rate of hospital admissions for cerebrovascular events and of revascularization treatments for acute ischemic stroke in Italy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Methods: The Italian Stroke Organization performed a multicenter study involving 93 Italian Stroke Units. We collected information on hospital admissions for cerebrovascular events from March 1 to March 31, 2020 (study period), and from March 1 to March 31, 2019 (control period). Results: Ischemic strokes decreased from 2399 in 2019 to 1810 in 2020, with a corresponding hospitalization rate ratio (RR) of 0.75 ([95% CI, 0.71–0.80] P <0.001); intracerebral hemorrhages decreased from 400 to 322 (hospitalization RR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.69–0.93]; P =0.004), and transient ischemic attacks decreased from 322 to 196 (hospitalization RR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.51–0.73]; P <0.001). Hospitalizations decreased in Northern, Central, and Southern Italy. Intravenous thrombolyses decreased from 531 (22.1%) in 2019 to 345 in 2020 (19.1%; RR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.75–0.99]; P =0.032), while primary endovascular procedures increased in Northern Italy (RR, 1.61 [95% CI, 1.13–2.32]; P =0.008). We found no correlation ( P =0.517) between the hospitalization RRs for all strokes or transient ischemic attack and COVID-19 incidence in the different areas. Conclusions: Hospitalizations for stroke or transient ischemic attacks across Italy were reduced during the worst period of the COVID-19 outbreak. Intravenous thrombolytic treatments also decreased, while endovascular treatments remained unchanged and even increased in the area of maximum expression of the outbreak. Limited hospitalization of the less severe patients and delays in hospital admission, due to overcharge of the emergency system by COVID-19 patients, may explain these data.
Eighty consecutive patients with typical subacute thyroiditis were evaluated. Sex distribution showed a higher incidence in females (F/M 3.2/1), with a mean age of 44 yr. In the majority of patients (51/80 = 66%) the onset of the disease was between June and September (46% in July and August). The remaining cases were distributed in the other months without a clear monthly prevalence. These results indicate that the seasonal distribution of subacute thyroiditis is almost superimposable to that of established infections due to some enteroviruses (Echovirus, Coxsackie A and B viruses), suggesting that summer enterovirus infections may be responsible for a large proportion of cases of subacute thyroiditis.
ObjectiveTo evaluate in patients with TIA and ipsilateral high-grade internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis whether changes in cognitive performance and cerebral hemodynamics occurred after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and to explore their relationship.MethodsParticipants were patients who underwent CEA, had TIA within the last 6 months, and had an ipsilateral severe ICA stenosis. Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) plus Complex Figure Copy Test (CFCT) and phonemic (ph) plus categorical (ca) Verbal Fluency (VF) tests were performed to assess right and left hemisphere cognitive functions, respectively. Hemodynamics was assessed with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography by means of the cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVR) to hypercapnia.ResultsA total of 137 patients were included. Before CEA, patients with right ICA obtained lower scores on the CPM and CFCT; patients with left ICA stenosis performed worse on the phonemic and categorical VF tests. The CVR was decreased on the side of the stenosis. At 6 months from CEA, CVR and cognitive performance were significantly improved. The performance change in cognitive tests exploring the revascularized hemisphere was positively associated with the ipsilateral CVR variation (CPM: R2 for linear regression = 0.759, adjR2 = 0.737; CFCT: R2 = 0.734, adjR2 = 0.710; (ph)VF: R2 = 0.774, adjR2 = 0.749; (ca)VF: R2 = 0.732, adjR2 = 0.703).ConclusionCognitive performance was enhanced at 6 months since CEA, and the improvement was related to the CVR increase. Cerebral hemodynamics may be an independent and potentially reversible determinant of cognitive dysfunction in severe carotid artery disease.
Background and Purpose-This study aimed to monitor cognitive performance during a 3-year period in subjects with bilateral asymptomatic severe internal carotid artery stenosis and to explore the role of cerebral hemodynamics and atherosclerotic disease in the development of cognitive dysfunction. Methods-One hundred fifty-nine subjects with bilateral asymptomatic severe internal carotid artery stenosis were included and prospectively evaluated for a 3-year period. At entry, demographics, vascular risk profile, and pharmacological treatments were defined. Cognitive status was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination at baseline and at follow-up. Cerebral hemodynamics was assessed by transcranial Doppler-based breath-holding index test. As a measure of the extent of systemic atherosclerotic disease, common carotid artery intima-media thickness was measured. A cutoff for pathological values was set at 0.69 for breath-holding index and 1.0 mm for intima-media thickness.
The aim of this study was to evaluate visit-to-visit blood pressure (BP) variability in a cohort of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and healthy controls. Patients with clinically diagnosed mild or moderate AD and cognitively normal controls matched for age and sex were recruited and followed up for 6 months. To characterize the BP status of each individual, mean, maximum and minimum values, SD, and coefficient of variation were obtained for both systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). Seventy AD patients and 140 controls were enrolled. No meaningful differences were found in prevalence or treatments of various vascular risk factors. AD patients had higher maximum and lower minimum values and greater SD and coefficient of variation of both SBP and DBP. Group differences in mean values were significant only for SBP. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusted for confounding variables, all the indices related to BP variability were significantly associated with AD. Our results show that AD patients have a greater variability of both SBP and DBP in comparison with age-matched cognitive normal controls, suggesting potential implication in the pathogenesis or progression of the disease.
Our findings show the possibility to obtain a predictive indicator of the risk of conversion from MCI to dementia by considering the presence of both atherosclerotic changes in the carotid district and impairment of cerebral hemodynamics. Such an approach may allow us to formulate a correct prognosis in more than 70% of patients with amnesic MCI.
Chronic diseases are increasing worldwide. Association of two or more chronic conditions is related with poor health status and reduced life expectancy, particularly among elderly patients. Comorbidities represent a risk factor for adverse events in several critical illnesses. We aimed to evaluate if elderly patients are affected by multiple chronic pathologies, assessed by Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), showed a reduced in-hospital survival after ischemic stroke. In a 3-year period, we evaluated all the subjects admitted to our internal medicine department for ischemic stroke. Age, sex, NIHSS score and all the comorbidities were recorded. Days of hospitalization, hospital-related infections and in-hospital mortality were also assessed. For each patient, we evaluated CCI, obtaining four classes: group 1 (CCI: 2-3), group 2 (CCI: 4-5), group 3 (CCI: 6-7) and group 4 (CCI: ≥8). Survival was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. The complete model considered in-hospital death as the main outcome, days of hospitalization as the time variable and CCI as the main predictor, adjusting for NIHSS, sex and nosocomial infections. Patients in CCI group 3 and 4 had an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, independently of NIHSS, sex and nosocomial infections. Elderly patients with multiple comorbidities have higher risk of in-hospital death when affected by ischemic stroke.
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