A comparative clinical study of the effectiveness of computer cognitive training in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairments without dementia

Introduction. A complex of computer neuropsychological programs was developed at KrasSMU, which in several pilot studies has shown effectiveness in cognitive training for patients with vascular cognitive impairments (VCI). Objectives. The aim of the present study was to compare changes in cognitive status in those patients with post-stroke VCI who worked with neuropsychological computer programs, with those changes experienced by a group of similar patients who played entertaining computer games. Methods. Patients in the early recovery period after a hemispheric stroke with VCI without dementia (N=26, age 40-67) were randomized into three groups. All patients underwent conventional treatment in a rehabilitation hospital. Patients in the intervention group had ten daily 40-minute training sessions with neuropsychological computer programs. Participants in the active control group played entertaining computer games, and kept an identical regimen. Patients in the passive control group received only conventional treatment. Cognitive, neurological, affective, and functional states were assessed before and after the training periods. Results. Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group as compared to the passive control group on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA, p=0.0004), the Clock Drawing Test (CDT, p=0.001), and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB, p=0.01). Differences between the groups of patients playing neuropsychological and entertaining games were statistically insignificant (Mann-Whitney U test, p>0.05), although in the intervention group there were improvements on every cognitive scale after the training period (Wilcoxon matched pairs test, p<0.05), while in the active control group, enhancements were evident only on some cognitive scales (p<0.05). No changes were observed in the passive control group

Post-stroke dementia - a comprehensive review

Post-stroke dementia (PSD) or post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) may affect up to one third of stroke survivors. Various definitions of PSCI and PSD have been described. We propose PSD as a label for any dementia following stroke in temporal relation. Various tools are available to screen and assess cognition, with few PSD-specific instruments. Choice will depend on purpose of assessment, with differing instruments needed for brief screening (e.g., Montreal Cognitive Assessment) or diagnostic formulation (e.g., NINDS VCI battery). A comprehensive evaluation should include assessment of pre-stroke cognition (e.g., using Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly), mood (e.g., using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and functional consequences of cognitive impairments (e.g., using modified Rankin Scale). A large number of biomarkers for PSD, including indicators for genetic polymorphisms, biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid and in the serum, inflammatory mediators, and peripheral microRNA profiles have been proposed. Currently, no specific biomarkers have been proven to robustly discriminate vulnerable patients (‘at risk brains’) from those with better prognosis or to discriminate Alzheimer’s disease dementia from PSD. Further, neuroimaging is an important diagnostic tool in PSD. The role of computerized tomography is limited to demonstrating type and location of the underlying primary lesion and indicating atrophy and severe white matter changes. Magnetic resonance imaging is the key neuroimaging modality and has high sensitivity and specificity for detecting pathological changes, including small vessel disease. Advanced multi-modal imaging includes diffusion tensor imaging for fiber tracking, by which changes in networks can be detected. Quantitative imaging of cerebral blood flow and metabolism by positron emission tomography can differentiate between vascular dementia and degenerative dementia and show the interaction between vascular and metabolic changes. Additionally, inflammatory changes after ischemia in the brain can be detected, which may play a role together with amyloid deposition in the development of PSD. Prevention of PSD can be achieved by prevention of stroke. As treatment strategies to inhibit the development and mitigate the course of PSD, lowering of blood pressure, statins, neuroprotective drugs, and anti-inflammatory agents have all been studied without convincing evidence of efficacy. Lifestyle interventions, physical activity, and cognitive training have been recently tested, but large controlled trials are still missing

The Role of Insulin Resistance in the Development of Complications after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of carbohydrate metabolism disorders and insulin resistance indices on the immediate results of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Method. Patients with coronary artery disease who underwent CABG (n = 383) were examined to determine glycemic status, free fatty acid and fasting insulin levels, and insulin resistance indices (Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), McAuley index, Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI), Revised-QUICKI). Patients were assessed for the development of perioperative complications and their length of stay in the hospital. Two groups were formed: group 1, patients with a combined endpoint (CEP, any complication and/or duration of hospital stay >10 days), n = 291; and group 2 (n = 92) without a CEP. Perioperative characteristics were analyzed, and predictors of hospital complications and prolonged hospital stay were evaluated. Results. Patients in the CEP group were older, and there were more women among them (p = 0.003). Additionally, in this group, there were more patients with diabetes mellitus (37.5% vs 17.4%, p p p = 0.007). In the group with a CEP, the levels of glucose (p = 0.031), glycated hemoglobin (p = 0.009), and free fatty acids (p = 0.007) and the Revised-QUICKI (p = 0.020) were higher than in the group without complications. In a regression analysis, the independent predictors of complications were combined operations (p = 0.016) and the predictors of a long hospital stay (>14 days) were female gender, the left atrium size, and diabetes mellitus (p p < 0.001). Conclusions: In the group with in-hospital complications after CABG, not only was the presence of diabetes mellitus more often detected, but there were also higher levels of free fatty acids and a higher Revised-QUICKI. Therefore, additional assessments of insulin resistance and free fatty acid levels are advisable in patients before CABG

Factors associated with abnormal cardio-ankle vascular index in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the phenotypic and genetic characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with different responses to treatment with metformin (MF) in the Novosibirsk region.  Materials and methods: We examined 460 patients with T2DM in the Novosibirsk region. Patients were divided into groups according to their HbA1c level: patients who achieved the target HbA1c level during MF therapy (n = 209) and those who did not reach the target HbA1c level (n=251). Genotyping of ATM (rs11212617) was performed using polymerase chain reaction by TaqMan.  Results: Patients who achieved the target HbA1c level during MF treatment (good response) were older (61. 1±9. 1 years vs. 57. 4±8. 4 years, p=0. 001), had later onset of diabetes (54. 6 ± 10. 1 years vs. 49. 2±8. 5 years, p = 0. 0001) and shorter duration of diabetes (6. 5±5. 9 years vs. 8. 2±6. 1 years, p=0. 03) compared with those who did not achieve the target HbA1c level. There was no statistically significant association between ATM rs11212617 and achieving the target HbA1c level among all patients [odds ratio (OR)=0. 94, 95% confidence interval = (0. 73–1. 23), p=0. 67] or those with MF monotherapy [OR=0. 90, (0. 65–1. 25), p=0. 54] or combination therapy [OR=1. 02, (0. 72–1. 43), p=0. 92]. There was an effect of age on response to MF therapy in all three groups (all patients: p=0. 001, MF monotherapy group: p=0. 04, combination therapy group: p=0. 0009). In the MF monotherapy group, low dose MF was associated with a good response (p=0. 03), and in the combination therapy group, males were more likely to have a good response (p=0. 003). Patients with genotype C/C or A/C for ATM (rs11212617) compared with those with genotype A/A were more likely to have high levels of triglycerides [2. 33 (1. 52–4. 2) mmol/l, 2. 09 (1. 35–3. 0) mmol/l and 1. 99 (1. 49–3. 21) mmol/l, respectively, p=0. 001], coronary heart disease (CHD) (13. 4%, 13. 4% and 9. 6%, respectively, p=0. 009) and myocardial infarction (7. 8%, 3. 2% and 4. 0%, respectively, p=0. 001).  Conclusion: Patients with T2DM who had a good response to MF therapy were older, more likely to be male and had a later onset of T2DM. Genotype C/C for ATM rs11212617 was associated with high triglycerides, CHD and myocardial infarction. ATM rs11212617 was not associated with response to MF therapy in the Novosibirsk region