Objective:To investigate the predictive value of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) on the outcome after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods:Elderly patients with AIS who received IVT in Fuyang People's Hospital from October 2021 to September 2023 were retrospectively included. Clinical outcome were assessed by the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days after onset, with a score of >2 defined as poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between NPAR and poor clinical outcome after IVT in elderly AIS patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the predictive value of NPAR for poor outcome. Results:A total of 148 patients were included, including 86 males (58.1%), aged (74.11±6.17) years. The median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 5 (interquartile range: 3-8), and the NPAR was 1.58±0.30. The neutrophil count, neutrophil percentage, NPAR, fasting blood glucose and baseline NIHSS score in the poor outcome group were significantly higher than those in the good outcome group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher baseline NPAR (odds ratio [ OR] 2.659, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.117-5.324; P<0.001), NIHSS score ( OR 1.191, 95% CI 1.083-1.309; P<0.001) and fasting blood glucose ( OR 1.224, 95% CI 1.013-1.479; P=0.037) were independent risk factors for poor outcome. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for NPAR to predict poor outcome was 0.712 (95% CI 0.613-0.812; P<0.001), the optimal cut-off value was 1.728, and the predictive sensitivity and specificity were 65.1% and 75.2%, respectively. Conclusion:Higher baseline NPAR may be a predictor of poor outcome after IVT in elderly AIS patients.

Objective:To investigate clinical features, imaging characteristics, etiology, and potential mechanisms of medullary "comma-shaped" infarctions.Methods:Patients with common-shaped infarction treated at Weihai Central Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University from January 2020 to September 2023 were retrospectively collected, and their clinical manifestations, imaging findings, treatment, and outcome were analyzed and summarized.Results:A total of 9 patients with medullary common-shaped infarction were enrolled, including 3 males, aged 67.22±14.66 years (ranging from 39 to 83 years). Main clinical symptoms and signs included the decreased pain and temperature sensation on the contralateral limb (66.67%, 6/9), coughing or choking while drinking liquids/dysphagia (66.67%, 6/9), ipsilateral pharyngopalatine muscle paralysis (66.67%, 6/9), and dizziness (66.67%, 6/9). Seven patients (77.78%, 7/9) had severe stenosis or occlusion at the ipsilateral vertebral artery, one (11.11%, 1/9) had occlusion at the left middle cerebral artery, and one (11.11%, 1/9) did not have large vessel stenosis. At 90 days after onset, the follow-up showed that the modified Rankin Scale scores were all <2.Conclusions:Medullary comma-shaped infarctions are rare in clinical practice, its main manifestations include the decreased pain and temperature sensation on the contralateral limb, coughing or choking while drinking liquids/dysphagia, ipsilateral pharyngopalatine muscle paralysis, dizziness, etc. The pathogenesis is mainly hypoperfusion caused by vertebral artery stenosis.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for post-stroke aphasia (PSA) in acute phase.Methods:Patients with acute ischemic stroke who met the PSA diagnostic criteria and admitted to the Department of Neurology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2022 to November 2023 were prospectively included. They were randomly divided into a tDCS group and a control group using a random number table method. All patients received routine speech and language therapy, and the tDCS group received tDCS on this basis. The anode was the left Broca area, with a stimulation current intensity of 1.5 mA, 20 min per session, once a day, for 7 consecutive days. Before and after treatment, the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) was used to assess spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition and naming ability, and to calculate the Aphasia Quotient (AQ). National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the severity of neurological deficits. The effectiveness of treatment was evaluated based on changes in various speech function scores, and improvements in AQ and Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) severity grading scale scores.Results:A total of 56 patients with PSA were included, of which 42 (75.00%) were male and aged 66.95±11.07 years. The median baseline NIHSS score was 4.00 (interquartile range, 2.00-7.00). The median WAB-AQ score was 64.30 (interquartile range, 50.60-73.05). Thirty-one patients (55.36%) were mild aphasia, 20 (35.71%) were moderate aphasia, and 5 (8.92%) were severe aphasia. There were 28 patients in the tDCS group and 28 in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data between the two groups. After treatment, spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition and naming ability were significantly improved in both groups compared with before treatment (all P<0.001). The repetition ability score in the tDCS group was significantly higher than that in the control group after treatment ( P=0.049). In addition, the differences in spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition and naming ability scores before and after treatment in the tDCS group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05), with the most significant differences in spontaneous speech and naming ability scores before and after treatment (all P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of AQ and BDAE grading improvement between the two groups, and the difference in NIHSS scores before and after treatment were also no statistically significance. Conclusion:tDCS has an improvement effect on the spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition and naming ability in patients with PSA in acute phase, but the degree of improvement is relatively weaker.

Objective:To investigate the impact of short-term exposure to atmospheric pollutants on the number of acute stroke daily admissions in Taiyuan, China.Methods:The case data of patients with stroke from three large hospitals in different regions of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 were collected. The daily average concentrations of atmospheric pollutants and meteorological data in Taiyuan during the same period were collected. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze the correlation between meteorological factors and atmospheric pollutants, and a generalized additive model (GAM) based on time series research and analysis was used to investigate the impact and lag effect of air pollutants on the number of stroke daily admissions. Stratified analysis was performed based on different genders and ages (≤64 years, 65-74 years, and ≥75 years).Results:Between 2018 and 2019, a total of 4 921 patients with acute stroke were collected from three large hospitals, with a daily average of 6.74 stroke admissions. Among them, 4 310 patients (87.6%) had ischemic stroke, 521 (10.6%) had cerebral hemorrhage, and 90 (1.8%) had subarachnoid hemorrhage. GAM analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between short-term exposure to PM 2.5, PM 10, and SO 2 and the number of stroke daily admissions. All three had a significant impact on the number of stroke daily admissions on the day of onset and 3 days later. The maximum effect value was reached on the day of onset, and when the average concentrations of PM 2.5, PM 10, and SO 2 increase by 10 μg/m 3, the number of stroke daily admissions increased by 1.48% (95% confidence interval [ CI] 0.46%-2.53%), 0.80% (95% CI 0.25%-1.36%), and 2.80% (95% CI 0.76%-4.88%), respectively. Stratified analysis showed that exposure to PM 2.5, PM 10, SO 2, and CO had a more significant impact on the number of stroke daily admissions in male patients, while only PM 10 showed positive results in females. Age stratified analysis showed that PM 2.5 significantly increased the number of stroke daily admissions in individuals aged ≥75 years. Conclusion:Short-term exposure to atmospheric pollutants (PM 2.5, PM 10, SO 2, and CO) will to some extent increase the number of stroke daily admissions among residents of Taiyuan, especially among males and those aged ≥75 years.

Recent studies have shown that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can influence the incidence, outcome, and recurrence risk of ischemic stroke independently of traditional risk factors. This article reviews the relationship, related mechanisms, and treatment decisions between NAFLD and ischemic stroke, in order to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment decisions.

Blood brain barrier (BBB) injury is the main pathological manifestation of many neurological diseases. Glycocalyx is the gel layer covering the lumen side of vascular endothelial cells, which plays an important role in regulating BBB function. However, glycocalyx is very fragile and easily damaged in various neurological diseases, leading to BBB destruction. This article focuses on the potential role of glycocalyx in cerebrovascular disease, the possible mechanisms related to glycocalyx and BBB injury, and explores the potential therapeutic strategies for protecting and restoring endothelial glycocalyx.

In recent years, researches have shown that microglia drive their phenotype polarization through energy and substance metabolism reprogramming, thereby exerting pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects, which is closely associated with the risk of ischemic stroke. Their specific metabolic pathways involve glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. This article reviews regulatory mechanisms of microglia metabolism after ischemic stroke and their role in ischemic stroke.

Cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD) is an important risk factor for stroke, cognitive impairment, and death, but its exact pathogenesis is not yet fully understood. Recent studies have shown that as an important part of pathophysiological mechanisms of CSVD, immunoinflammation may affect the progression and prognosis of CSVD. This article reviews the role of immunoinflammation in CSVD.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a group of cerebrovascular system disease syndromes that involve perforating arteries, capillaries, and small veins. Because of the high incidence of CSVD in the elderly and its great harm, it is particularly important to identify and diagnose the diseases as early as possible. With the development of artificial intelligence technology, intelligent algorithms such as machine learning, deep learning, and computer neural networks are increasingly being applied in the medical field. This article reviews the application of artificial intelligence technology in the evaluation of CSVD imaging markers and blood biomarkers in recent years.

The incidence of intracranial aneurysms is higher in population, and the death and disability rates after rupture are extremely high. Early detection of intracranial aneurysms, prediction of rupture risk, operation program, and evaluation of treatment outcomes are all the clinical concerns. With the continuously deepening integration of artificial intelligence technology and medicine, its application in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms is becoming increasingly widespread. This article reviews the current application status of artificial intelligence technology in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.