Objective To study the etiology,clinical features and prognosis of cardiogenic cerebral embolism.Methods Cardiogenic cerebral embolism patients in the ward of Department of Cerebral vessels from April 2007 to December 2007 were registered prospectively,and then the clinical data of the patients after 3 months follow-up were analyzed.Results 72 patients were included,49 patients had atrial fibrillation.At the end of the 3 month-follow-up,15 patients were dead,the total mortality was 20.8%.25 patients must depend on others to live on.Conclusion Atrial fibrillation was the most common etiology of cardiogenic cerebral embolism.Internal carotid artery systerm was easier to form embolism than vertebrobasilar systerm.Compared with vertebrobasilar systerm,internal carotid artery systerm was much worse on nerve function impairment and prognosis.Positive measures must be taken to prevent and treat primary cardiopathy,and reduce the rate of cardiogenic cerebral embolism.

Objective To investigate the incidence of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS), the relationship between ARAS and cerebral artery stenosis, and the risk of ARAS in patients with brain infarction. Methods The clinical data of 1 650 brain infarction patients were analyzed, which were carried out digital subtraction angiography(DSA) of cerebral and renal artery.The incidence of ARAS was counted out, and the relationship was analyzed between the different degree and number of cerebral artery stenosis and the rate of RAS. The demographic characteristics and the common risk factors of atherosclerosis were recorded, and the risk factors of ARAS were analyzed. Results The rate of ARAS in moderate stenosis group and severe stenosis and occlusion group of cerebral artery were all significantly higher than that in mild stenosis group and no stenosis group (all P < 0.01). The rates of ARAS in severe stenosis and occlusion group were significantly significantly higher than those in moderate stenosis group (P < 0.01). The rates of ARAS in 2 branch stenosis group and ≥3 branch stenosis group were both significantly higher than those in no stenosis group and 1 branch stenosis group (P < 0.01). The rates of ARAS of ≥3 branch stenosis group were significantly higher than those in 2 branch stenosis group (P<0.05). The rate of ARAS of 1 branch stenosis group were significantly higher than those in no stenosis group (P < 0.05). Age, hypertension, moderate or more artery stenosis or occlusion, and≥2 branch stenosis was independent risk factor of ARAS. Conclusions The incidence of ARAS increasesd with the increase of the degree of cerebral artery stenosis and the number of branch involved.Older age, hypertension, moderate or more artery stenosis or occlusion, and≥2 branch stenosis is risk factor for ARAS.

Objective To explore the relationship between the CHADS2 score and short-term prognosis in acute ischemic stroke patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Methods Consecutive ischemic stroke patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who were hospitalized within 7 days after stroke were registered.Patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of CHADS2 pre-stroke score (0 to 1,2,3to 6).And recovery was assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months follow-up (mRS ≤ 2reflected good prognosis,and mRS ≥ 5 implicated unfavorable outcome).After screening the risk factors affecting prognosis using univariate analysis,the relationship between CHADS2 score and prognosis was estimated using logistic regression model.Results Of 203 patients enrolled,the CHADS2 score of 0-1,2,3-6 were present in 72,53 and 78 respectively.Patients with the higher CHADS2 score had a higher initial NIHSS score (9.8,12.6,13.0,F =3.404,P =0.008 ),more likely to receive nosocomial pulmonary infection( 12.5％,34.0％,39.7％,x2 =14.643,P =0.001 ),negatively related to good prognosis (x2 =28.542,P =0.000 ) and positively related to unfavorable outcome ( x2 =23.575,P =0.000 ).Logistic regression model results suggested that CHADS2 score was an independent predictor of good prognosis and unfavorable outcome. Compared with CHADS2 score 3-6, CHADS2 score 0-1 was independently associated with good prognosis ( OR =5.018,95 ％ CI 2.055-12.560 ).And compared with CHADS2 score 0-1,CHADS2 score 3-6 was independently associated with unfavorable outcome ( OR =6.197,95％ CI1.670-22.996 ).Conclusions CHADS2 pre-stroke score appears to be useful in prediction of stroke outcome for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.After acute ischemic stroke,the patients with the lower CHADS2 score (0-1) are more likely to achieve good prognosis,inversely,the patients with the higher CHADS2 score (3-6) are more likely to achieve unfavorable outcome.

ObjectiveTo evaluate prognosis and its clinical factors in patients with primary pontine hemorrhage. Methods Patients with primary pontine hemorrhage who were hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College within 24 hours after stroke onset between April 2007 and April 2009 were registered conscutively. The patients were followed up for one year. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to analyze survival rate. Cox proportional hazards model was used to study risk factors for 1-year mortality. ResultsA total of 41 patients with primary pontine hemorrhage were studied. Their mean age was (63.5 ± 10. 1 ) years.The overall 1-year mortality rate was 61.0％, the median survival time was (80. 0 ±54.4) days (95％ CI 0-186. 64). After one-year follow-up, the mortality rate in patients with primary dorsal pontine hemorrhage( 18.2％ ) was significantly lower than that in patients with primary ventral pontine hemorrhage(72. 7％ ; x2 = 8. 800, P = 0. 003 ). Patients with massive primary pontine hemorrhage had significantly higher mortality rate than patients with dorsal primary pontine hemorrhage( x2 = 8. 927, P =0. 003). The average hematoma volume of the survivor group and mortality group was (3. 043 ± 1. 718) ml and (5. 984 ± 2. 707) ml, respectively, showing statistical significance (t = 3. 661, P = 0. 001 ). Analysis with Cox proportional hazards model showed that the risk factors associated with mortality were hematoma location ( RR = 2. 428, 95 ％ CI 1. 055-5. 587 ), hematoma volume ( RR = 1. 283, 95 ％ CI 1. 044-1. 577 ),GCS score on admission(RR =3. 389, 95％ CI 1. 177-9. 756). Patients with pontine hematomas in dorsal had a significantly better outcome than in other locations.Conclusions The survival and prognosis in primary dorsal pontine hemorrhage are better than with hemorrhaging in other parts of pontine. A significant correlation was observed between poor prognosis and hematoma volume, hematoma location and GCS score on admission.

Objective To investigate the relationship between blood pressure(BP) and prognosis in three different ischemic stroke subtypes.Methods The consecutive patients with a brain infarction proven on diffusion-weighted MRI who were hospitalized within 48 hours after stroke onset between April 2007 and April 2008 were registered.All subjects with acute ischemic stroke consecutively admitted to the neurological wards of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College,were registered in the Wenzhou Stroke Registry Program.Data were collected and coded at primary registration.The BP levels were studied during the initial 7 hospital days.Survival and dependency were assessed at 3 months.Outcomes were adjusted age,consciousness level,admission NIHSS score,the decline level of systolic BP,the decline level of diastolic BP,complication and so on. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between BP and prognosis.Results A U-shaped effect was observed in each subgroup between BP and prognosis.In the subgroups of atherothrombosis,cardioembolism and small artery disease,those who had a BP of 150/95 mm Hg(1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa)on admission,140/90 mm Hg on day 1-7 would have a better prognosis.In the subgroups of atherothrombosis and cardioembolism,the decrease of BP during the first 24 hours was the independent predictor of the death and disability at 3-month.In the atherothrombosis group,when the decrease of systolic BP during the first 24 hours was greater than 20 mm Hg,the risk of the death and disability at 3-month increased 4.44 times(OR 4.44,95%CI 1.70-11.59,P=0.002).In the atherothrombosis group,when the decrease of diastolic BP during the first 24 hours was greater than 10 mm Hg,the risk of the death/disability at 3-month increased 3.70 times(OR 3.70,95%CI 1.54-8.90.P=0.00).In the cardioembolism group,the risk increased respectively 7.98 times(OR 7.98,95%CI 1.34-47.66.P=0.026)and 6.68 times(OR 6.68.95%CI 1.55-28.79,P=0.01).In the subgroups of small artery disease,the decrease of BP during the first 24 hours was not the independent predictor of the death and disability at 3-month.Conclusions A U-shaped effect is observed in each subgroup between BP and prognosis.In the subgroups of atherothrombosis and cardioembolism,the decrease of BP during the first 24 hours is the independent predictor of the death and disability at 3-month.

Objective To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3)serum level and polymorphism(5A/6A) and the stability of carotid plaque in Chinese Han population.Methods Two hundred and eighty acute cerebral infarction patients from the department of neurology of Taizhou Hospital were divided into carotid vulnerable plaque group and carotid stable plaque group according to the results of carotid B-mode uhrasonngraphy.Serum MMP-3 level waa measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).At the same time, genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the common 5A/6A functional promoter polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene.The serum MMP-3 level and genotype frequencies of the MMP-3 gene between the two groups were analyzed.Results The genotype frequencies of the MMP-3 gene 5A/6A polymorphism of the two groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium The genotype distribution of the MMP-3 promoter 5A/6A polymorphism between the carotid vulnerable plaque group and the carotid stable plaque group was significantly different(χ2 =6.13, P =0.01, OR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.14-3.15).The frequencies of 5A allele were 20.6% and 12.8% in the carotid vulnerable plaque group and the carotid stable plaque group respectively (χ2=6.09, P=0.01, OR =1.76, 95%CI 1.12-2.77).Serum level of MMP-3 in the carotid vulnerable plaque group was higher than that in the carotid stable plaque group (t = 3.39, P =0.00).Conclusion The present findings suggest that serum level of MMP-3 and genetic polymorphism of 5A/6A in MMP-3 promoter are related with carotid vulnerable plaque in Chinese Han population and 5A allele may be a susceptible predictor of carotid vulnerable plaque.

To explore the incidence and risk factors for spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation (HT) of cardioembolism (CE,n =150) and large artery atherosclerotic infarction (LAA,n =370).The incidence of HT was 29.3％ in CE.And it was significantly higher than 9.7％ (P ＜0.05).Infarct size,low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score were independent predictors of spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation in LAA.OR values were 3.92,2.96 and 1.45 respectively.Infarct size,admission NIHSS score and random blood glucose level were independent predictors of spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation in CE.OR values were 4.86,2.42 and 1.42 respectively.As compared with LAA,CE was more prone to HT.LAA and CE-related factors of hemorrhagic transformation are not completely identical.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) serum level and the promoter 5A/6A polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction (ACI) in a Chinese Han population.

METHODSTwo hundred and fifteen patients with acute ACI from the Department of Neurology of Taizhou Hospital and 226 healthy controls were included in the study. Serum MMP-3 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the common 5A/6A functional promoter polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene.

RESULTSThe genotype distribution of the MMP-3 promoter 5A/6A polymorphism between the ACI patients group and the control group was significantly different (chi (2)= 9.389, P= 0.002). The frequencies of the 5A allele were 14.2% and 7.7% in the ACI patients group and the control group respectively (chi (2)= 9.430, P= 0.002). Serum level of MMP-3 in the ACI patients group was significantly higher than that in the control group (t= 24.867, P= 0.000). Among the ACI patients group, serum MMP-3 levels also had significant difference between the 5A/6A+ 5A/5A and the 6A/6A genotype (t= 2.057, P= 0.041).

CONCLUSIONThe present findings suggest that serum level of MMP-3 obviously increased within 48 hours of ischemic stroke and the genetic polymorphism of 5A/6A in the MMP-3 promoter is associated with ACI and MMP-3 expression in the Chinese Han population.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 ; blood ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics