Objective:To investigate the correlation between the degree of hepatic fibrosis and early neurological deterioration (END) after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and its predictive value.Methods:Patients with AIS received intravenous thrombolysis at Nanjing Jiangbei Hospital from January 2018 to March 2023 were retrospectively included. Hepatic fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) was used to evaluate the degree of hepatic fibrosis in patients. FIB-4 ≥ 2.67 was defined as severe hepatic fibrosis. END was defined as an increase of ≥4 from baseline on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score within 24 h after intravenous thrombolysis. The relevant factors of END were analyzed through univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of FIB-4 for END. Results:A total of 313 patients were included, of which 184 (58.8%) were male, aged 64.8±11.8 years old. The median baseline NIHSS score was 6 (interquartile range, 4-9), and the median FIB-4 was 1.76 (interquartile range, 1.28-2.56). Forty-five patients (14.4%) experienced END. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for other confounding factors, higher FIB-4 was significantly independently correlated with END (odds ratio 2.121, 95% confidence interval 1.422-3.162; P=0.001). ROC curve analysis shows that FIB-4 has a good predictive value for END (the area under the curve 0.689, 95% confidence interval 0.595-0.784; P=0.001). The optimal cutoff value of FIB-4 was 1.82, and its sensitivity and specificity in predicting END were 71.1% and 54.9%, respectively. Conclusion:FIB-4 has good predictive value for END in patients with AIS after intravenous thrombolysis.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between malnutrition and early neurological deterioration (END) after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:Patients with ischemic stroke received intravenous thrombolysis in the Department of Neurology, Nanjing Jiangbei People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. Nutritional status was assessed by geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). END was defined as an increase of ≥4 in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score within 24 h after intravenous thrombolysis compared with the baseline value. The demographic and baseline clinical data of the patients in the END group and the non-END group were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent correlation between malnutrition and END. Results:A total of 256 patients were enrolled, including 156 males (60.9%), aged 65.6±12.0 years. According to GNRI and PNI, there were 122 (46.7%) and 62 (24.2%) patients with malnutrition respectively. END occurred in 37 patients (14.5%) during hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for other confounding factors, there was a significant independent correlation between malnutrition and END after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke (severe malnutrition as assessed by GNRI compared to normal nutritional status: odds ratio 5.736, 95% confidence interval 1.033-31.866, P=0.046; severe malnutrition as assessed by PNI compared to normal nutritional status: odds ratio 4.928, 95% confidence interval 1.589-15.282, P=0.006). Conclusion:Malnutrition is very common in patients with acute ischemic stroke and has a significant correlation with END after intravenous thrombolysis.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between plasma Dickkopf-1 and early neurological deterioration (END) and outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:From January 2020 to December 2020, consecutive patients with first-ever ischemic stroke form the Department of Neurology, Nanjing Jiangbei Hospital were included. All patients were hospitalized within 24 h after onset. END was defined as the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score within 7 d after admission increased by ≥2 or motor function score increased by ≥1 compared with the baseline. Poor outcome was defined as the modified Rankin Scale score >2 at 90 d after onset. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent correlation between plasma Dickkopf-1 and END and outcome. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of plasma Dickkopf-1 for END and poor outcome. Results:A total of 176 patients were enrolled, including 92 males (52.3%), aged 66.7±9.6 years. The median Dickkopf-1 was 4.30 μg/L, 52 patients (29.5%) developed END, and 81 (46.0%) had poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the higher Dickkopf-1 was an independent predictor of END (odds ratio [ OR] 1.696, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.223-2.351; P=0.002) and poor outcome ( OR 1.566, 95% CI 1.156-2.121; P=0.004). ROC curve analysis showed that plasma Dickkopf-1 had good predictive value for END, and its area under the curve was 0.717 (95% CI 0.634-0.801); the optimal cut-off value was 4.40 μg/L, and the corresponding predictive sensitivity and specificity were 71.2% and 60.5%, respectively. Dickkopf-1 also had good predictive value for poor outcome, and its area under the curve was 0.701 (95% CI 0.624-0.778); the optimal cut-off value was 4.25 μg/L, and the corresponding predictive sensitivity and specificity were 65.4% and 61.1%, respectively. Conclusion:Plasma Dickkopf-1 has good predictive value for END and poor outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of thromboelastographic (TEG) parameters for early neurological deterioration (END) after intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:Consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis in Nanjing Jiangbei People's Hospital between January 2017 and December 2019 were enrolled. They completed TEG examination within 24 h after admission. END was defined as an increase of 4 points or more from the baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score within 24 h after admission. Univariate analysis was used to compare the demographic characteristics, baseline data, laboratory indicators and TEG parameters between the END group and the non-END group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for END. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of different models for END. Results:A total of 174 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled, aged (68.9±13.4) years, 111 (63.8%) were male, median baseline NIHSS score was 5.0, and 29 (16.7%) had END. Compared with the patients in the non-END group, the age, homocysteine, fasting blood glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), baseline NIHSS score and the proportion of patients with diabetes mellitus and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in the END group were significantly increased (all P<0.05), and the coagulation reaction time of TEG was significantly reduced ( P=0.005). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, age (odds ratio [ OR] 1.023, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.002-1.066; P=0.031), diabetes mellitus ( OR 2.627, 95% CI 1.021-7.176; P=0.041), higher hs-CRP level ( OR 1.050, 95% CI 1.018-1.083; P=0.002), HT ( OR 3.088, 95% CI 1.707-13.492; P=0.034) and TEG coagulation reaction time reduction ( OR 0.440, 95% CI 0.213-0.907; P=0.026) were the independent risk factors for END in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis. ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve of the basic model composed of age, diabetes, hs-CRP level, and HT for predicting END was 0.766 (95% CI 0.665-0.871). When TEG coagulation reaction time was added to the basic model, the area under ROC curve for predicting END was increased to 0.816 (95% CI 0.733-0.899). Conclusion:The TEG coagulation reaction time reduction has a certain predictive value for END in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolytic therapy.

Objective To investigate the current situations of the frailty and the perceived social support and explore the influence of social support on the frailty in elderly maintenance hemodialysis patients.Methods The 237 elderly patients with maintenance hemodialysis were investigated by the Fried frailty phenotype and the perceived social support scale in this cross-sectional study.Results The prevalence of frailty was 163 (68.8％)in 237 patients.The level of perceived social support was low.The frailty was negatively correlated with the social supportscore,family support,friends support,and other support(r =-0.326,-0.129,-0.301 and-0.230,respectively,all P ＜0.05).Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that friends support,dialysis vintage,Charlson comorbidity index(CCI)score and activities of daily living(ADL)score were the main influential factors for frailty in elderly maintenance hemodialysis patients.Conclusions Medical staff should evaluate the frailty in elderly patients with maintenance hemodialysis,and the frailty can be alleviated by improving the support of friends.

Objective To investigate the correlations of P2Y12 gene polymorphisms with clopidogrel resistance and long-term outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods From June 2015 to June 2017, consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology, Nanjing Jiangbei People's Hospital were enrolled. Thromboelastography was used to measure platelet inhibition rate and assess clopidogrel resistance. Polymerase chain reaction was used to assay C34T and G52T polymorphisms of P2Y12 gene. The patients were followed up at 12 months after discharge. The primary outcome was combined outcome of stroke recurrence, myocardial infarction, and death due to cardiocerebrovascular events. Results A total of 214 patients were enrolled, 51 (23.8%) had clopidogrel re-sistance and 29 (13.4%) had major outcome events. One hundred twenty-eight (59.8%) patients were C34T CC genotype and 86 (40.2%) were CT+TT genotype. The proportion of clopidogrel resistance in patients with CT+TT genotype was significantly higher than that with CC genotype ( 76.5% vs.28.8%;χ2=25.672, P=0.001). There were 131 patients (61.2%) with G52T GG genotype and 83 (38.8%) with GT+TT genotype. There was no significant difference in the proportion of clopidogrel resistance between the GT+TT genotype and the GG genotype (43.1% vs.37.4%; χ2=0.534, P=0.465). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that age (odds ratio [OR] 1.064, 95%confidence interval [CI] 1.009-1.115;P=0.021), diabetes ( OR 3.773, 95%CI 1.672-8.475; P=0.004), and C34T CT+TT genotype ( OR 9.087, 95%CI 4.416-22.665; P=0.002) were the independent risk factors fot clopidogrel resistance. Cox proportional hazards model analysis showed that age (Hazard ratio [HR] 1.058, 95%CI 1.001-1.121; P=0.049), hypertension ( HR 3.105, 95%CI 1.149-9.523; P=0.028), homocysteine ( HR 1.101, 95%CI 1.020-1.190; P=0.014), and C34T CT+TT genotype ( HR 2.588, 95%CI 1.121-5.967; P=0.026) were independent risk factors for the composite outcome. Conclusion C34T polymorphism of P2Y12 gene in patients with acute ischemic stroke may be a risk factor for clopidogrel resistance and is independently associated with the risk of long-term recurrence of vascular events.

Objective To investigate the correlation between subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and cerebral atherosclerosis burden in patients with large artery atherosclerotic stroke.Methods Consecutive inpatients with acute large artery atherosclerotic stroke were enrolled.SCH was defined as TSH 4.50-10.0 mU/L and serum thyroxine level was normal.Cerebral atherosclerosis burden score was used to evaluate the severity of cerebral atherosclerosis.The total score of 1 or 2 was defined as mild atherosclerosis,and >2 was defined as severe atherosclerosis.Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between SCH and severe cerebral atherosclerosis.ResultsA total of 263 patients with large artery atherosclerotic stroke were enrolled,including SCH 62 (23.6%),mild atherosclerosis 119 (45.2%),and severe atherosclerosis 144 (54.8%).The age (63.6±10.9 years vs.60.5±11.4 years;t=2.274,P=0.024),homocysteine (17.10±6.20 μmol/L vs.15.63±5.17 μmol/L;t=2.058,P=0.041),National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (8.0 [5.0-10.0]vs.6.0 [5.0-9.0];Z=2.059,P=0.039),as well as the proportions of patients with hypertension (72.9%vs.58.8%;χ2=5.812,P=0.016),smoking (38.2%vs.26.1%;χ2=4.366,P=0.037),and SCH (30.6%vs.15.1%;χ2=8.610,P=0.003) in the severe cerebral atherosclerosis group were significantly higher than those in the mild cerebral atherosclerosis group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that SCH was an independent risk factor for severe atherosclerosis in patients with large atherosclerotic stroke (odd ratio 3.345;95%confidence interval 1.692-6.612;P=0.001) after adjusting for age,sex,hypertension,smoking,homocysteine,and NIHSS score.ConclusionSCH is an independent risk factor for severe cerebral atherosclerosis in patients with large atherosclerotic stroke.

Objective: To assess the status of handgrip strength of elderly population from longevity areas in China, and to analyze the correlative factors of handgrip strength of elderly people. Methods: Data from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) in 2012 was used, from which1 967 participants aged ≥60 years old with valid data of grip strength value from 8 Chinese longevity areas were included. Information on demographics characteristic, life style and health status was collected using questionnaires. The handgrip strength of both left and right hands were measured by grip dynamometer. The different characteristics of group of participants with different grip strength were compared and then analyzed by adopting the Cumulative odds Logistic regression model to identify main factors associated with hand grip strength. Results: The P₅₀ (P₂₅-P₅₀) of hand grip strength of elderly people from the eight longevity areas was 20 (11-28) kg; The hand grip strength of males was 26 (18-34) kg, which was higher than that of females(14 (9-20) kg) (P<0.001). Cumulative odds Logistic regression model showed that the hand grip strength of females was lower than males, whose β value (95%CI) was-1.22 (-1.43--1.00). The elderly who was at a higher age, smoking, drinking or with anemia, had a comparatively lower handgrip strength, whose β (95%CI) value were separately-0.08(-0.09~-0.07),-0.29(-0.56~-0.02),-0.54(-0.80~-0.28), and-0.41(-0.62~-0.20). And the elderly who had a higher boby mass index, drinking tea and outdoor activities, had a comparatively higher handgrip strength, whose β(95%CI) value were separately 0.28 (0.15-0.40), 0.25(0.03-0.47) and 0.51(0.30-0.71). Conclusion Age and gender were the main correlative factors, lifestyles and physical conditions might also be correlative factors of hand grip strength of the elderly from longevity areas in China.

Objective: To explore the association between biomarkers and activities of daily living (ADL) in the elderly over 65 years old from longevity areas in China. Methods: A total of 2 439 people from 8 longevity areas were included in our baseline survey in 2012. Using questionnaires, body measurements, and blood biochemical examinations, information on demographics characteristic, life style, ADL, blood pressure and biomarkers were collected. Based on these six items of ADL (bathing, dressing, indoor activities, toileting, eating, bowel and bladder control), we constructed a dichotomous indicator for ADL. A respondent was defined as ADL disabled if any difficulty in one or more of the above six activities was reported. Information were collected in the follow-up in 2014 using the same questionnaires and examinations. We excluded information on the elderly who lacked ADL or biomarkers test results or with ADL disability at baseline study. Finally 938 elderly people over 65 years old were included in this analysis. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influence factors of ADL disability. Results: During the 2-year follow-up, 100 (10.7%) participants developed into ADL disability, with a rate at 10.7%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that each year increase in age or each 1 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) would cause the risk of ADL disability to increase 9% or 1%, whose OR (95%CI) were separately 1.09 (1.06-1.12), 1.01 (1.00-1.02). Han nationality or cognitive impairment increased the risk of ADL disability, whose OR (95%CI) values were separately 4.90 (1.13-21.24), 2.47 (1.44-4.25), while increased lymphocyte count (>1.60×10⁹/L), being married, or participating in recreational activities decreased the risk of ADL disability, whose OR (95%CI) values were separately 0.51 (0.31-0.82), 0.52 (0.28-0.96), 0.43 (0.23-0.80). Conclusion In the elderly elevated lymphocyte count was associated with lower risk of ADL disability. In addition, incresed age, increased SBP, unmarried, Han nationality or cognitive impairment were associated with the increasing risk of ADL disability in older people, while participating in recreational activities would reduce the risk.

Objective: To investigate the influence factors of survival outcome among elderly aged ≥80 years old. Methods: In baseline survey in 2009, 930 participants aged ≥80 years old were enrolled from 7 longevity areas, to collect the information of socioeconomic factors, life style, cognitive function, activities of daily living and diseases, as well as physical examination to test biomarkers of blood and urine. The survival status was followed up at 2012 and 2014 survey. Stepwise Cox proportional hazards models were used to screen influence factors of 5-year survival. Results: During 5 years of follow-up, 571 participants died, 133 participants were lost to follow up, and the all-cause mortality was 63.4%. In stepwise Cox proportional hazards models, male, unmarried, self-reported poor life quality, disability in daily life, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases were risk factors for elderly survival outcome, with the HR (95%CI) at 1.75 (1.40-2.12), 1.49 (1.10-2.03), 1.40 (1.16-1.69), 1.37 (1.11-1.70), 1.51 (1.22-1.88), 1.62 (1.18-2.23) and 1.48 (1.23-1.77) respectively. Each 1 year increase in age corresponded to 4% increase in mortality risk (HR (95%CI)=1.04 (1.02-1.05)); each 1 kg/m² increase in BMI corresponded to 5% increase in mortality risk (HR (95%CI)=0.95 (0.93-0.98)); each 1.0×10⁹/L increase in total lymphocyte count (TLC) corresponded to 13% increase in mortality risk (HR (95%CI)=0.87 (0.76-0.99)). Additionally, the mortality risk decreased 19% (HR (95%CI)=0.81 (0.66-0.98)) in participants with regularly physical exercise compared to those without; and the mortality risk decreased 41% (HR (95% CI)=0.59 (0.40-0.88)) in participants with elevated triglycerides (TG, ≥2.26 mmol/L) compared to those without. Conclusion In Chinese longevity areas, some nutritional and immune indices such as relatively higher level of BMI, TLC and TG were independent protective factors for 5-year survival outcome, which was different from general adults and younger elderly.