Objective:To investigate the correlation between sarcopenia and post-stroke cognitive impairment(PSCI)in elderly patients with first-time acute minor ischemic stroke.Methods:This was a prospective study.Elderly patients over 60 years of age with first-time acute minor ischemic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology of the General Hospital of Western Theater Command from October 2018 to June 2019 were continuously enrolled.Patients received the SARC-F score assessment within 24h after admission and were divided into two groups according to their SARC-F scores: the non-sarcopenia group(SARC-F score<4)and the sarcopenia group(SARC-F score≥4). Cognitive function was assessed by using the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)within 24 h of admission and at 3-month follow-up.Results:A total of 211 patients were enrolled in this study, including 31 patients(31/211, 14.69%)in the sarcopenia group and 180 patients(180/211, 85.31%)in the non-sarcopenia group.The incidence of PSCI was higher in the sarcopenia group than in the non-sarcopenia group(83.87% or 26/31 vs.55.56% or 100/180, χ2=8.814, P=0.003). The total MMSE score, orientation, immediate memory, attention, calculation and language functions were lower in the sarcopenia group compared with non-sarcopenia group( P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for PSCI( OR=3.478, 95% CI: 1.039-11.642, P=0.043)in the elderly with first-time acute minor ischemic stroke. Conclusions:Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for PSCI in elderly patients with first-time acute minor ischemic stroke.Sarcopenia assessment in the acute phase of stroke might help doctors to assess the risk of PSCI and reduce the incidence of PSCI in stroke patients.

Objective:To explore the correlation between cognitive impairment and intestinal mucosal barrier injury in rats after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion(CCH), and to quantitatively analyze the changes in cognitive behavior of experimental rats caused by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, as well as the expression changes of the intestinal mucosal barrier claudin-1 and osteopontin.Methods:Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into CCH group ( n=15) and sham operation (SHAM) control group ( n=15). The CCH model was established by permanent ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries.Rats in the SHAM group only separated the common carotid artery without ligation.Four weeks later, open field experiment, object discrimination experiment, and Morris water maze experiment were used to detect the emotional arousal ability, the ability to explore new things, and the ability of spatial learning and memory in rats.HE staining and immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to detect the damage of rat ileum tissue.Western blot was used to detect OPN expression, and ELISA was used to detect serum OPN.SPSS 23.0 and GraphPad 8.0 statistical softwares were used to process the data, and the t-test and repeated measures one-way analysis of variance were used for data analysis. Results:In the open field test, compared with the SHAM group ((28.70±10.70)times, (1 030.45±81.51)cm), the number of standing and total exercise distance of rats in the CCH group ((16.70±7.13)times, (736.64±136.71)cm) were decreased( t=1.59, 4.16, both P<0.05). In the object discrimination experiment, the discrimination index of rats in the CCH group (0.44±0.26) was lower than that of the SHAM group (0.91±0.07, t=-7.76, P<0.05). Morris water maze positioning navigation experiment showed that the group main effect and time main effect were both significant( F=383.36, 153.87, P<0.05). Simple effect analysis showed that, compared with the SHAM group, the escape latency and total swimming distance of rats in CCH group increased( P<0.05). Space exploration experiment showed that, compared with SHAM group ((7.20±1.81)times, (9.96±2.95)s), the number of crossings of rats in CCH group ((3.00±0.82)times) decreased, and the incubation period ((29.70±6.28)s) was prolonged( t=4.65, 7.04, both P<0.05). The intestinal mucosal pathology score of SHAM group ((1.98±0.34)points) was lower than that of the CCH group ((4.52±0.27)points), and the difference was significant( t=18.53, P<0.01). Immunofluorescence experiment showed that, compared with SHAM group (125 028.58±33 077.39), the cumulative optical density of claudin-1 between the intestinal epithelial cells of the CCH group(47 154.50±7 507.29) decreased( t=16.10, P<0.01). Western blot experiment showed that, compared with the SHAM group (0.38±0.11), the expression of OPN in the intestines of the CCH group (1.20±0.95) increased( P<0.05). ELISA experiment showed that, compared with the SHAM group ((3.42±0.66)μg/L), the serum OPN content of the CCH group ((14.92±1.45)μg/L) significantly increased( P<0.05). The degree of cognitive impairment was negatively correlated with intestinal mucosal epithelial claudin-1 expression and serum OPN content( P<0.01). Intestinal mucosal epithelial claudin-1 expression was negatively correlated with serum OPN content ( r=-0.952, P<0.01). Conclusion:CCH may cause obvious cognitive impairment in rats and the destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier.Serum OPN may be a potential serological marker of CCH-induced cognitive impairment and intestinal mucosal barrier destruction in rats.