Repressing iron overload ameliorates central poststroke pain via the Hdac2-Kv1.2 axis in a rat model of hemorrhagic stroke

Thalamic hemorrhage can lead to the development of central post-stroke pain.Changes in histone acetylation levels,which are regulated by histone deacetylases,affect the excitability of neurons surrounding the hemorrhagic area.However,the regulato ry mechanism of histone deacetylases in central post-stroke pain remains unclea r.Here,we show that iron overload leads to an increase in histone deacetylase 2expression in damaged ventral posterolateral nucleus neurons.Inhibiting this increase restored histone H3 acetylation in the Kcna2 promoter region of the voltage-dependent potassium(Kv)channel subunit gene in a rat model of central post-stroke pain,thereby increasing Kcna2expression and relieving central pain.However,in the absence of nerve injury,increasing histone deacetylase 2 expression decreased Kcna2expression,decreased Kv current,increased the excitability of neurons in the ventral posterolateral nucleus area,and led to neuropathic pain symptoms.Moreover,treatment with the iron chelator deferiprone effectively reduced iron overload in the ventral posterolateral nucleus after intracerebral hemorrhage,reversed histone deacetylase 2 upregulation and Kv1.2 downregulation,and alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity in central post-stroke pain rats.These results suggest that histone deacetylase 2 upregulation and Kv1.2 downregulation,mediated by iron overload,are important factors in central post-stroke pain pathogenesis and co uld se rve as new to rgets for central poststroke pain treatment.

Serum prealbumin as an effective prognostic indicator for determining clinical status and prognosis in patients with hemorrhagic stroke

Serum prealbumin is a recognized marker of malnutrition,but its prognostic role in patients with hemorrhagic stroke remains unclear.In this study,we retrospectively reviewed the records of 105 patients with hemorrhagic stroke admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University,China,from January to December 2015.We collected demographic and radiological data,and recorded serum prealbumin levels at admission and on days 1,3,6,9,and 14-21.The existence of infections and gastrointestinal hemorrhage,and clinical condition at discharge were also recorded.Serum prealbumin levels during hospitalization were significantly lower in patients with infections compared with those without infections,and also significantly lower in patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage compared with those without.Serum prealbumin levels at discharge were significantly higher in patients with good recovery than in those with poor recovery.We conclude that regular serum prealbumin measurements in patients with hemorrhagic stroke may be a useful indicator for determining clinical status and prognosis,which may therefore help to guide clinical decision-making.

Correlation between muscular strength and basal nuclei ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke-induced corticospinal tract injury,as detected by diffusion tensor imaging and tractography

BACKGROUND： Conventional neuroimaging diagnosis does not assist with the monitoring or evaluation of basal nuclei ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, or motor functional recovery. Magnetic resonance, diffusion tensor imaging, and diffusion tensor tractography have all been used to observe features of cerebral white matter fibrous structures. In addition, diffusion tensor tractography is the only non-invasive imaging method to display the corticospinal tract in vivo. OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the impairment degree of corticospinal tract induced by basal nuclei ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke through the use of magnetic resonance, diffusion tensor imaging, and diffusion tensor tractography, and to analyze the correlation to muscular strength. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A retrospective case analysis was performed at the Department of Medical Imaging, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between November 2002 and June 2008. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 15 patients with acute or subacute cerebral ischemic stroke and nine with hemorrhagic stroke in the basal nuclei were selected. METHODS： Magnetic resonance, diffusion tensor imaging, and diffusion tensor tractography results and data were analyzed. Fractional anisotropy and directionally encoded color maps were obtained. Three-dimensional tractography of bilateral corticospinal tract was created, and corticospinal tract integrity was graded. Fractional anisotropy of infarct region and corresponding contralateral normal regions were measured, and hematoma volume in hemorrhagic stroke patients was determined. Hand motor function ability was evaluated using Brunstorm criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Fractional anisotropy of infarct region and corresponding contralateral normal regions; hematoma volume in hemorrhagic stroke patients; correlation between muscular strength and corticospinal tract impairment degree in ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke patients before and after treatment. RESULTS： In ischemic stroke patients, the fractional anisotropy value was significantly lower in the infarct area of white matter than in the normal hemisphere （P 〈 0.01）. The impairment degree of corticospinal tract negatively correlated with muscular strength of the corresponding hand （r = -0.97 P 〈 0.01）. The hematoma volume of hemorrhagic stroke patients significantly negatively correlated with Spearman test results for muscular strength of the corresponding hand （r = -0.88, P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Corticospinal tract impairment severity negatively correlated with muscular strength and motor functional recovery, which suggested that diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion tensor tractography could be used to evaluate corticospinal tract motor function.

Clinical factors in patients with ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke in East China

BACKGROUND：Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity of vascular diseases, and its incidence maintains at a high level around the world. In China, stroke has been a major public health problem. Because the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke is different from that of hemorrhagic stroke, their clinical factors would not be the same. Therefore to investigate the different effects of various effect factors on ischemic versus hemorrhagic stroke and then to enhance the prevention are crucial to decrease the incidence.METHODS：A total of 692 patients, consisting of 540 ischemic stroke patients and 152 hemorrhagic stroke patients from East China, were included in this study. The related factors of stroke subtypes were collected and analyzed.RESULTS：The factors significantly associated with ischemic stroke as opposed to hemorrhagic stroke were family history of stroke, obesity, atherosclerotic plaque of the common carotid artery, atrial fibrillation, hyperfibrinogenemia, transient ischemic attack （TIA）, atherosclerotic plaque of the internal carotid artery, coronary heart, lower high-density lipoproteins （lower HDL）, increasing age, diabetes mellitus, and gender （male） （P〈0.05）. Leukocytosis, hypertension and family history of hypertension were the significant factors associated with hemorrhagic stroke versus ischemic stroke. Smoking, drinking, kidney diseases and lower HDL-C were the significant factors contributing to ischemic stroke in man. Obesity, family history of hypertension, family history of stroke, hypercholesteremia and myocardial ischemia were the significant factors for females with ischemic stroke.CONCLUSIONS：The most prominent factors for overall stroke in East China were hypertension, followed by higher pulse pressure and hypercholesteremia. The factors for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are not the same. Different effects of risk factors on stroke are found in male and female patients.

Blood microRNAs as potential diagnostic markers for hemorrhagic stroke

Proper medical treatment of a stroke victim relies on accurate and rapid differentiation between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke,which in current practice is performed by computerized tomography（CT） or magnetic resonance imaging（MRI） scans.A panel of micro RNAs could be an extremely useful clinical tool for distinguishing between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke.This review has shown that blood miRNA profile can distinguish hemorrhagic from ischemic stroke in patients and in experimental animal models.It also seems likely they can differentiate between intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage stroke.The miRNA profile in cerebrospinal fluid could be a useful diagnostic tool for subarachnoid hemorrhagic stroke.Decreased or increased miRNA levels may be needed either as prevention or treatment of stroke.Administration in vivo of miR-130 a inhibitor or miRNA mimic（miR-367,miR-223） in an intracerebral hemorrhage animal model improved neurological outcomes.

Thyroid hormone levels during early periods of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke could serve as an indicator of prognosis

BACKGROUND： Predicting the outcome of stroke during the acute phase is difficult. Accurate methods for predicting outcomes could assist clinicians and families to make correct decisions in resource-poor environments. OBJECTIVE： To determine thyroid hormone levels in patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke at the early stage, and to investigate its correlation with stroke prognosis. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A comparative, observational study was performed at the Department of Emergency, Tertiary-care University Affiliated Hospital from January 2004 to January 2006. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 113 patients presenting to the Emergency Department within 3 hours of stroke symptom onset were approached for enrollment in the study. The patients were diagnosed by computer tomography examination, and comprised 87 ischemic stroke and 26 hemorrhagic stroke patients. METHODS： Following a thorough history and examination by emergency physicians, venous blood samples were collected from each patient. Thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH）, free triiodothyronine （free T3）, and free thyroxine （free T4） levels were measured using a chemiluminescence method. The nerve function of patients was evaluated with Glasgow Coma Scale （GCS） score, and the patients were accordingly assigned to two subgroups-mild stroke （GCS ≥ 9） and severe stroke （GCS ≤ 8）. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Blood levels of TSH, free T3 and free T4; mortality at 7 days. RESULTS： Mean TSH values in hemorrhagic stroke patients with GCS ≤ 8 were significantly greater than those in ischemic stroke patients with GCS ≤ 8 and GCS ≥ 9 （P 〈 0.05）. Compared with patients who survived, the highest TSH levels were detected in patients that had died within 7 days. Correlation analysis results revealed a significant negative relationship between GCS values and TSH levels in patients with hemorrhagic stroke （r= 0.552, P〈 0.01）, and no correlation was determined between GCS values and TSH levels in patients with ischemic stroke （r = 0.239, P 〉 0.05）. CONCLUSION： In patients with hemorrhagic stroke, high TSH levels were observed within the first 3 hours of stroke onset, which could be considered an indicator of poor prognosis.

Reorganization of injured anterior cingulums in a hemorrhagic stroke patient

In this study, we reported on a patient who showed a new neural tract between the injured anterior cingu- lums and the basal forebrain, as shown by diffusion tensor tractography （DTT）.

Hemorrhagic Stroke: About a Pediatric Case

Stroke is a rare but serious condition with high mortality and morbidity. We report the case of a 10-year-old child with no known pathological history who was transferred to the pediatric department for hemorrhagic stroke. He had been hospitalized 6 days earlier in a peripheral center for a tonic-clonic seizure accompanied by loss of consciousness and fever. Clinical examination revealed meningeal syndrome, facial paralysis, right hemiparesis, ataxia with disturbed balance, aphasia, and a peripapillary hemorrhage on the fundus. A cerebral computed tomography (CT) scan showed a hemorrhagic stroke with ventricular flooding. A lumbar puncture was performed and a hematic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with 12 leukocytes and 8000 red blood cells was obtained. The evolution was marked by the extinction of the infectious and meningeal syndromes, the regression of the pyramidal syndrome and the persistence of the dysarthria justifying a neuropsychological and speech therapy follow-up. Several challenges (diagnostic, therapeutic) exist in the management of children with stroke. Prospective studies with a larger sample are needed to fill the observed gaps.

Clinical Study of Xingnaojing Injection Combined with Craniocerebral Hypothermia Apparatus in the Treatment of Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of Xingnaojing injection combined with craniocerebral hypothermia apparatus in the treatment of acute hemorrhagic stroke.Methods:Seventy-two patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke admitted to our hospital from March 2018 to September 2019 were randomly divided into two groups,with 36 cases in each group.The control group(n=36)was treated with craniocerebral hypothermia apparatus,and the observation group(n=36)was treated with Xingnaojing injection combined with craniocerebral hypothermia apparatus.The clinical efficacy,the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score and the activity of daily living(MBI score)after 1 month of treatment were compared.Results:The effective rate of treatment in the observation group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05);NIHSS score was decreased in both groups(P<0.05);MBI score was increased in both groups,and the change range of the observation group was greater than that of the control group,showing statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Conclusion:Xingnaojing injection combined with craniocerebral hypothermia apparatus can improve the clinical efficacy,the neurological impairment and activity of daily living in the treatment of acute hemorrhagic stroke,which is worthy of clinical application.

The potential mechanism and clinical application value of remote ischemic conditioning in stroke

Some studies have confirmed the neuroprotective effect of remote ischemic conditioning against stroke. Although numerous animal researches have shown that the neuroprotective effect of remote ischemic conditioning may be related to neuroinflammation, cellular immunity, apoptosis, and autophagy, the exact underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. This review summarizes the current status of different types of remote ischemic conditioning methods in animal and clinical studies and analyzes their commonalities and differences in neuroprotective mechanisms and signaling pathways. Remote ischemic conditioning has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for improving stroke-induced brain injury owing to its simplicity, non-invasiveness, safety, and patient tolerability. Different forms of remote ischemic conditioning exhibit distinct intervention patterns, timing, and application range. Mechanistically, remote ischemic conditioning can exert neuroprotective effects by activating the Notch1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway, improving cerebral perfusion, suppressing neuroinflammation, inhibiting cell apoptosis, activating autophagy, and promoting neural regeneration. While remote ischemic conditioning has shown potential in improving stroke outcomes, its full clinical translation has not yet been achieved.

Experimental animal models and infl ammatory cellular changes in cerebral ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke

Stroke, including cerebral ischemia, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, is the leading cause of long-term disability and death worldwide. Animal models have greatly contributed to our understanding of the risk factors and the pathophysiology of stroke, as well as the development of therapeutic strategies for its treatment. Further development and investigation of experimental models, however, are needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of stroke and to enhance and expand novel therapeutic targets. In this article, we provide an overview of the characteristics of commonly-used animal models of stroke and focus on the inflammatory responses to cerebral stroke, which may provide insights into a framework for developing effective therapies for stroke in humans.

From hemorrhagic stroke to lipid paradox: a double-hit hypothesis underlying low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol related cardiovascular risk—a narrative review

Despite overwhelming evidence from large randomized clinical trials supporting a clear benefit of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)lowering therapy on the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,data from epidemiological and clinical observations demonstrated an increased incidence of hemorrhagic stroke in patients with low LDL-C exposure(<70 mg/dL),especially among East Asians.Meanwhile,emerging studies have reported a paradoxical phenomenon in which hypercholesterolemia is associated with better short-term outcomes in acute coronary syndrome patients,the"lipid paradox."The underlying mechanism for these two closely connected clinical observations is not clear.This review aimed to summarize the evolution and clinical implications of these two low LDL-C related concepts,and proposed a"double-hit"hypothesis that may help explain these phenomena.It is worth noting that in the era of increasing use of high-intensity LDL-C lowering and dual antiplatelet strategies in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention,balancing the risk of thrombosis with bleeding complication should be a priority in clinical practice.Our hypothesis may raise clinicians’awareness to identify potential high risk patients with low LDL-C(<70 mg/dL),especially among East Asians.

Genetics of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in Chinese population

Stroke is a major cause of adult death and disability worldwide.Epidemiological and animal studies have provided strong evidence that the pathogenesis of stroke is multi-factorial and induced by a combination of environmental and genetic risk factors,but the identifica-tion of individual causative variants remains little known.Genetic influences are likely to be polygenic with small effect sizes,and stroke itself consists of a number of different subtypes which may each have different genetic profiles.In addition,various ethnic populations may have different stroke risk,such as Asian race.The reasons for high risk of stroke among the Chinese,especially hemorrhagic stroke,remain unknown.Most human studies have taken a candidate gene approach using case-control methodology.To be reliably detected,small relative risks require large sample sizes,probably 1000 patients or more.Genome-wide association(GWA)study is an unbiased and comprehensive approach to identify common risk alleles for complex diseases.Recently,a multistage GWA study has identified three loci on chromosomes 2q,8q and 9p to be associated with intracranial aneurysm in European and Japanese populations.Another GWAfinding is the identification of risk variants for cardioembolic stroke on chromosome 4q25 in European populations.In this review,we mainly focus on the results from case-control association studies on genetic factors that play a role in the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in Chinese population.The combined effects of multiple susceptibility genes for stroke risk are also summarized.

Advances in the knowledge on the role of apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain in hemorrhagic stroke

The apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain(ARC)plays a critical role in extrinsic apoptosis initiation via death receptor ligands,physiological stress,infection response in a tissue-dependent manner,endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress,genotoxic drugs,ionizing radiation,oxidative stress,and hypoxia.Recent studies have suggested that regulating apoptosis-related pathways can improve outcomes for patients with neurological diseases,such as hemorrhagic stroke.ARC expression is significantly correlated with acute cerebral hemorrhage.However,the mechanism by which it mediates the anti-apoptosis pathway remains poorly known.Here,we discuss the function of ARC in hemorrhagic stroke and argue that it could serve as an effective target for the treatment of hemorrhagic stroke.

Advances in minimally invasive treatment of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke

Cerebrovascular diseases,including ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes,affect more than 6 million US adults annually.Strokes cause high rates of morbidity and mortality due to the central nervous system’s sensitivity to disruptions in blood flow,and are refractory to traditional surgical interventions.A variety of minimally invasive surgical and endovascular approaches have recently been developed to improve patient outcomes following stroke.

Use of 3-D magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography in detecting human cerebral stroke: a simulation study

We have developed a new three dimensional (3-D) conductivity imaging approach and have used it to detect human brain conductivity changes corresponding to acute cerebral stroke. The proposed Magnetic Resonance Electrical Impedance Tomography (MREIT) approach is based on the J-Substitution algorithm and is expanded to imaging 3-D subject conductivity distribution changes. Computer simulation studies have been conducted to evaluate the present MREIT imaging approach. Simulations of both types of cerebral stroke, hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke, were performed on a four-sphere head model. Simulation results showed that the correlation coefficient (CC) and relative error (RE) between target and estimated conductivity distributions were 0.9245±0.0068 and 8.9997%±0.0084%, for hemorrhagic stroke, and 0.6748±0.0197 and 8.8986%±0.0089%, for ischemic stroke, when the SNR (signal-to-noise radio) of added GWN (Gaussian White Noise) was 40. The convergence characteristic was also evaluated according to the changes of CC and RE with different iteration numbers. The CC increases and RE decreases monotonously with the increasing number of iterations. The present simulation results show the feasibility of the proposed 3-D MREIT approach in hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke detection and suggest that the method may become a useful alternative in clinical diagnosis of acute cerebral stroke in humans.

Myeloperoxidase: a new target for the treatment of stroke?

Myeloperoxidase is an important inflammatory factor in the myeloid system,primarily expressed in neutrophils and microglia.Myeloperoxidase and its active products participate in the occurrence and development of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke,including damage to the blood-brain barrier and brain.As a specific inflammatory marker,myeloperoxidase can be used in the evaluation of vascular disease occurrence and development in stroke,and a large amount of experimental and clinical data has indicated that the inhibition or lack of myeloperoxidase has positive impacts on stroke prognosis.Many studies have also shown that there is a correlation between the overexpression of myeloperoxidase and the risk of stroke.The occurrence of stroke not only refers to the first occurrence but also includes recurrence.Therefore,myeloperoxidase is significant for the clinical evaluation and prognosis of stroke.This paper reviews the potential role played by myeloperoxidase in the development of vascular injury and secondary brain injury after stroke and explores the effects of inhibiting myeloperoxidase on stroke prognosis.This paper also analyzes the significance of myeloperoxidase etiology in the occurrence and development of stroke and discusses whether myeloperoxidase can be used as a target for the treatment and prediction of stroke.

Stroke Epidemiological Study at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Cocody in Abidjan, Côte D’Ivoire

Background: Recent literature reported a recurrent increase in hemorrhagic stroke (HS) rates in low- and middle-income countries. However, the causes and mechanisms of the rising HS rates are unknown. To address these issues, the present epidemiological study was carried out in the neurovascular unit of the neurology department at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Cocody in Abidjan (Africa). Methods: The study included 60 patients hospitalized from January 1 to December 31, 2016, who underwent brain CT (computerized tomography) scans. We examined the medical records and survey forms in these patients with acute stroke (within 7 days) admitted to the Neurovascular Unit receiving only stroke patients. In these patients, we explored stroke distribution according to socio-demographic variables: age, gender and socio-professional categories. In addition, common risk factors were assessed. Results: In Côte d’Ivoire, our studies showed an ischemic stroke (IS) rate of 66.67% and a hemorrhagic stroke (HS) rate of 33.33%. Our studies indicated that stroke particularly affects the 40 - 60 age group. Then, stroke frequency has fallen in the 30 - 40 and 60 - 70 age groups, becoming rare in relatively young (70 years) subjects. In the sample analyzed, stroke occurred in women (56.67%) compared with men (43.33%). However, there was no gender-specific predilection for stroke. In addition, 90% of strokes occur in the working population and 10% in the non-working population. Arterial hypertension was the highest medical risk factor among patients (66.13%), compared with the other risk factors i.e. alcohol (17.42%), smoking (12.90%), previous stroke (9.67%), diabetes (6.65%), heart disease (6.65%) and dyslipidemia (3.23%). Specifically, hypertension was the main risk factor causing HS (45%) and IS (21.66%) in patients. Conclusion: Stroke particularly affected socio-economically active subjects (aged 40 - 60) in Africa, which were subjected to high prevalence of hemorrhagic stroke (HS). Chronic stress related to working life and unfavorable socioeconomic conditions would be a triggering event for hemorrhagic stroke.

Neonatal hemorrhage stroke and severe coagulopathy in a late preterm infant after receiving umbilical cord milking:A case report

BACKGROUND Umbilical cord milking(UCM)is an alternative placental transfusion method for delayed umbilical cord clamping in routine obstetric practice,allowing prompt resuscitation of an infant.Thus,UCM has been adopted at some tertiary neonatal centers for preterm infants to enhance placental-to-fetal transfusion.It is not suggested for babies less than 28 wk of gestational age because it is associated with severe brain hemorrhage.For late preterm or term infants who do not require resuscitation,cord management is recommended to increase iron levels and prevent the development of iron deficiency anemia,which is associated with impaired motor development,behavioral problems,and cognitive delays.Concerns remain about whether UCM increases the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage.However,there are very few reports of late preterm infants presenting with neonatal hemorrhage stroke(NHS)and severe coagulopathy after receiving UCM.Here,we report a case of a late preterm infant born at 34 wk of gestation.She abruptly deteriorated,exhibiting signs and symptoms of NHS and severe coagulopathy after receiving UCM on the first day of life.CASE SUMMARY A female preterm infant born at 34 wk of gestation received UCM after birth.She was small for her gestational age and described as vigorous with Apgar scores of 9 and 10 at one minute and five minutes of life,respectively.After hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit,she showed hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis.The baby was administered glucose and sodium bicarbonate infusions.Intramuscular vitamin K1 was also used to prevent vitamin K deficiency.The baby developed umbilical cord bleeding and gastric bleeding on day 1 of life;a physical examination showed bilateral conjunctival hemorrhage,and a blood test showed thrombocytopenia,prolonged prothrombin time,prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time,low fibrinogen,raised D-dimer levels and anemia.A subsequent cranial ultrasound and computed tomography scan showed a left parenchymal brain hemorrhage with extension into the ventricular and subarachnoid spaces.The patient was diagnosed with NHS in addition to disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC).Fresh frozen plasma(FFP)and prothrombin complex concentrate were given for coagulopathy.Red blood cell and platelet transfusions were provided for thrombocytopenia and anemia.A bolus of midazolam,intravenous calcium and phenobarbital sodium were administered to control seizures.The baby’s clinical condition improved on day 5 of life,and the baby was hospitalized for 46 d and recovered well without seizure recurrence.Our case report suggests that preterm infants who receive UCM should undergo careful clinical assessment for intracranial hemorrhage,NHS and severe coagulopathy that may develop under certain circumstances.Supportive management,such as intensive care,FFP and blood transfusion,is recommended when the development of massive NHS and associated DIC is suspected.CONCLUSION Our case report suggests that for late preterm infants who are small for gestational age and who receive UCM for alternative placental transfusion,neonatal health care professionals should be cautious in assessing the development of NHS and severe coagulopathy.Neonatal health care professionals should also be more cautious in assessing the complications of late preterm infants after they receive UCM.

Pattern of Stroke Admissions, Radiodiagnostic Compliance, and Outcomes in the Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital, South-South, Nigeria

Background: Stroke patients form an integral part of patients admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU);and may need airway maintenance, supplemental oxygen and even endotracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation. Method: In this retrospective study, the medical records and radiological investigations of the patients were assessed. Also, their socio-demographics, and clinical diagnosis and background co-morbidities were noted. The radiological diagnosis post CT was used to determine the type of stroke for those compliant;while clinical assessment alone was used to determine the diagnosis in those who did not do CT. They were also classified into 2 groups: those requiring mechanical ventilation (for ICU care) and those without the need for mechanical ventilation (for high dependency Unit (HDU) care). The eventual clinical outcome was noted. Result: A total of eighty-eight cases, 67% (n = 59) were males and 33% (n = 29) females. 89.8% (n = 79) had hypertension, 3.4% (n = 3) had diabetes while 6.8% (n = 6) had both hypertension and diabetes. Of the hypertensives, 36.7% (n = 29) had hemorrhagic stroke and 66.3% (n = 50) had ischaemic stroke. 53.3% (n = 46) patients had High dependency Unit (HDU care while 47.7% (n = 42) were mechanically ventilated. Of the number in HDU, 51.5% (n = 17) were haemorrhagic, while 52.7% (n = 29) were ischaemic. Clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke was done in 55 (62.5%) and hemorrhagic stroke in 37.5% (n = 33). Of the lot, only 19.3% (n = 17) of them did CT and 80.7% (n = 71) did not have CT done. None did MRI. Late presentation (beyond 24 hrs) was a common feature for most of the patients, for whom immediate cardio-respiratory support became necessary. Overall mortality rate was 62.5% (n = 55). 39.1% (n = 18) of the HDU (46) patients died, while 88.1% (n = 37) of the ventilated (42) patients died. 56.6% (n = 26) were discharged from the HDU and 4.3% (n = 2) referred to another facility. Of the 42 patients on mechanical ventilation 88.1% (37) died, 9.5% (n = 4) discharged, and 2.4% (n = 1) referred to another health facility. Summary: Low neuroimaging compliance by Stroke patients in our environment and late presentation to hospital, impacts negatively on good outcome of the disease. This, coupled with the high cost of these facilities, makes their use unaffordable, suggesting a strong indication for comprehensive quality and affordable health care and health insurance in the country.