Background and Purpose-Cerebral microbleeds (MBs) detected by gradient-echo MRI are considered evidence of advanced microangiopathy with potential for further bleeding. The goal of this study was to determine whether the presence of MBs is a risk factor for subsequent intracerebral hemorrhage among patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods-We prospectively examined patients hospitalized with acute cerebral infarction with gradient-echo T2*-weighted MRI for the presence of MBs. We recorded demographics, medical history, and stroke severity. Patients were then followed up for the development of stroke, other vascular events, and death. Results-One hundred twenty-one consecutive patients with a mean age of 67.96Ϯ10.97 years were recruited. MBs were present in 43 patients (35.5%). During follow-up of 27.15Ϯ11.68 months, 16 patients had recurrent stroke. There was no difference between patients with or without MB for the development of ischemic stroke (5 and 6 respectively, Pϭ0.841). However, 4 patients (9.3%) with MBs and 1 patient (1.3%) without an MB had intracerebral hemorrhage during follow-up (Pϭ0.053). Of the 5 patients who developed subsequent intracerebral hemorrhages, 3 were treated with aspirin and 2 with anticoagulation. Two of the intracerebral hemorrhages occurred in the site where asymptomatic MBs were found at baseline. Conclusions-MBs appear to be a risk factor for subsequent intracerebral hemorrhage among patients with ischemic stroke in this small cohort of Chinese stroke patients. A large cohort study is required to confirm this observation.

Background-Serial changes of flow velocities of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) in symptomatic middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusive disease may be related to the occurrence of further vascular events, but prospective data are lacking. Methods-We conducted a prospective study on patients with cerebral ischemia who were hospitalized with symptomatic MCA stenosis or occlusion. We repeated TCD examinations 6 months after the initial examinations and recorded any stroke or coronary events during this period. The changes of MCA flow velocities were categorized as normalized artery, stable artery, and progressed artery, which were determined according to the changes of MCA velocities at 6 months. Results-We studied 143 consecutive patients who had relevant MCA occlusive diseases (107 with stenosis and 36 with occlusion). At 6 months, the velocities in the MCA returned to normal in 42 patients (29%), they were stable in 80 patients (62%), and they progressed in 13 patients (9%). The number of clinical events varied significantly among the 3 groups: there were 2 patients (4.8%) with clinical events in the normal group, 11 patients (12.5%) with clinical events in the stable group, and 5 patients (38.5%) with clinical events in the progressed group (Pϭ0.004). The 18 recurrent events included 10 recurrent strokes, 5 transient ischemic attacks, and 3 acute coronary syndromes. Conclusions-Progression

The authors measured the presence and extent of asymptomatic microbleeds on gradient-recalled-echo MRI in 21 aspirin users who developed intracerebral hemorrhage and 21 aspirin users without history of intracerebral hemorrhage. Microbleeds were more frequent (19 vs 7, p < 0.001) and more extensive (mean number of microbleeds 13.3 vs 0.4, p < 0.001) in the intracerebral hemorrhage group than in the control group. Asymptomatic microbleeds may be a risk factor for aspirin-associated intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose-Cerebral white matter changes (WMC) and lacunar infarct are both believed to be consequence of small vessel disease. Whether the extent of WMC affect the type and degree of cognitive impairment in patients with lacunar infarct is not clear. (nϭ25) within the highest quartile of WMC were older, had more lacunar infarcts, more severe stroke, and lower prestroke cognitive function compared with those with less WMC. In addition, their performances in psychometric tests were significantly more impaired. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that WMC significantly influenced performance in MDRS I/P. WMC did not independently influence performance in MMSE and ADAS-cog. Conclusions-Extent of WMC appears to be associated with executive dysfunction in stroke patients with lacunar infarcts.Further large prospective studies with extensive scales of executive function testing are required to confirm this issue.

The addition of spironolactone to candesartan has significant beneficial effects on LV reverse remodeling in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic systolic HF.

Microbleeds (MBs) detected by gradient-echo T2*-weighted MRI (GRE-T2*),white matter changes and lacunar infarcts may be regarded as manifestations of microangiopathy. The establishment of a quantitative relationship among them would further strengthen this hypothesis. We aimed to investigate the frequency and the number of MBs in patients hospitalized with lacunar infarcts and their quantitative relationship with the severity of white matter changes (WMC) and the number of old lacunar infarcts. We performed a hospital-based survey of patients with acute lacunar infarct. Eighty-two consecutive Chinese patients with acute lacunar infarcts on diffusion-weighted imaging were recruited in 2002. The number of MBs, number of old lacunar infarcts on T2-weighted imaging and the severity of WMC on MRI on admission were recorded. MBs were detected in 22 (27%) patients. The number of MBs ranged from 1 to 42 (mean 6.59, median 3). Advancing age and previous transient ischemic attacks or cerebrovascular accidents (TIA/CVA) were more common in patients with MBs than those without. There were significant correlations among the number of MBs, extent of WMC and number of lacunar infarcts: lacunar infarcts and MBs (r = 0.297, p = 0.007); lacunar infarct and WMC (r = 0.331, p = 0.002); WMC and MBs (r = 0.522, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, linear associations exist among MBs, WMC and lacunar infarcts. Our results suggest that all three may have a shared pathogenesis such as advanced microangiopathy.

Impairment in lung function in AIS patients is predominantly due to restriction of lung volume.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with volumetric measure of WMC among patients with SVD. The role of homocysteine in the development of silent brain infarcts and cerebral atrophy as previously reported cannot be ascertained in this study. No direct relationship was found between homocysteine and cognitive functions.