Stroke in Latin America

Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality in Latin America, with variable incidence and prevalence throughout the continent reflecting regional socioeconomic differences. in Latin America, uncontrolled hypertension is one of the major causes of stroke, but other modifiable risk factors also play a role, such as heavy alcohol consumption and smoking. Intracerebral hemorrhage and lacunar stroke are more frequent in Latin America than in North America and Europe. There are multiple causes of stroke that are endemic to Latin America, including neurocysticercosis, Chagas' disease, sickle cell anemia, malaria, hemorrhagic fever, and snake bites.Harvard Univ, Dept Neurol, Stoke Service, Massachusetts Gen Hosp,Med Sch, Boston, MA 02114 USAUniv São Paulo, Fac Med, Div Neurol & Neurosurg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Neurol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Stroke Serv, Hosp São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Neurol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Stroke Serv, Hosp São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Neuropsychological and phonological evaluation in the Apert's syndrome - Study of two cases

This study evaluated two cases of Apert's syndrome, through phonological, cognitive, and neuropsychological instruments and correlated the results to complementary exams. In short, this study reveals the necessity of application of neuropsychological, cognitive and phonological evaluation and correlation of the results with complementary testings because significant differences can be present in the Apert's syndrome.592B34234

Fusion of magnetic resonance and scintimammography images for breast cancer evaluation: A pilot study

Background: To achieve a more specific method to estimate the real size of breast cancer, we have developed a method to fuse magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and scintimammography (SM) images. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of this method and to evaluate its accuracy to measure the size of breast cancer compared with MRI alone, mammography, and clinical examination, employing pathologic size as the gold standard. Methods: Twenty consecutive breast cancer women at stages IIA-IIIA, scheduled for mastectomies, underwent SM with Tc-99m-sestamibi and MRI with gadolinium 2-10 days before surgery. All patients had had recent mammographies and were examined clinically. Software was developed in visual language to perform the fusion between MRI and SM images and tumor measurements (MRI/SM). The tumor size, in 3 diameters (anteroposterior, longitudinal, and transverse), for each examination was correlated with pathological measurements using linear regression. Results: The MRI/SM technique was successfully performed in all patients, and the principal tumor was measured by this method. The MRI/SM cancer measurements correlated better with pathology than MRI, mammography, and clinical exam in all diameters analyzed (r = 0.88, 0.81, 0.81; SE = 0.11, 0.14, 0.11 in anteroposterior, longitudinal, and transverse diameters, respectively). Conclusions: The MRI/SM is a feasible technique and appears to be more accurate than other examinations (MRI alone, mammography, and clinical exam) to measure breast cancer size.14102903291

Prognosis of Untreated Strokes Due to Anterior Circulation Proximal Intracranial Arterial Occlusions Detected by Use of Computed Tomography Angiography

IMPORTANCE Limited data exist regarding the natural history of proximal intracranial arterial occlusions. OBJECTIVE To investigate the outcomes of patients who had an acute ischemic stroke attributed to an anterior circulation proximal intracranial arterial occlusion. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective cohort study at 2 university-based hospitals from 2003 to 2005 in which nonenhanced computed tomography scans and computed tomography angiograms were obtained at admission of all adult patients suspected of having an ischemic stroke in the first 24 hours of symptom onset. EXPOSURE Anterior circulation proximal intracranial arterial occlusion. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Frequency of good outcome (defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of <= 2) and mortality at 6 months. RESULTS A total of 126 patients with a unilateral complete occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA; 26 patients: median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score, 11 [interquartile range, 5-17]), of the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA; 52 patients: median NIHSS score, 13 [interquartile range, 6-16]), or of the M2 segment of the MCA (48 patients: median NIHSS score, 7 [interquartile range, 4-15]) were included. Of these 3 groups of patients, 10 (38.5%), 20 (38.5%), and 26 (54.2%) with ICA, MCA-M1, and MCA-M2 occlusions, respectively, achieved a modified Rankin Scale score of 2 or less, and 6 (23.1%), 12 (23.1%), and 10 (20.8%) were dead at 6 months. Worse outcomes were seen in patients with a baseline NIHSS score of 10 or higher, with a modified Rankin Scale score of 2 or less achieved in only 7.1% (1 of 14), 23.5% (8 of 34), and 22.7% (5 of 22) of patients and mortality rates of 35.7% (5 of 14), 32.4% (11 of 34), and 40.9% (9 of 22) among patients with ICA, MCA-M1, and MCA-M2 occlusions, respectively. Age (odds ratio, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.91-0.98]), NIHSS score (odds ratio, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.64-0.83]), and strength of leptomeningeal collaterals (odds ratio, 2.37 [95% CI, 1.08-5.20]) were independently associated with outcome, whereas the level of proximal intracranial arterial occlusion (ICA vs MCA-M1 vs MCA-M2) was not. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The natural history of proximal intracranial arterial occlusion is variable, with poor outcomes overall. Stroke severity and collateral flow appear to be more important than the level of proximal intracranial arterial occlusion in determining outcomes. Our results provide useful data for proper patient selection and sample size calculations in the design of new clinical trials aimed at recanalization therapies.712151157US Department of Health and Human Services/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [RO1-HS011392-O1A1]US Department of Health and Human Services/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [RO1-HS011392-O1A1

Infant locomotive development and its association with adult blood pressure.

UNLABELLED: Evidence from animal models suggests that locomotion and blood pressure share common neurophysiological regulatory systems. As a result of this common regulation, we hypothesized that the development of locomotion in human infants would be associated with blood pressure levels in adulthood. The study sample comprised 4,347 individuals with measures of locomotive and non-locomotive neuromotor development in infancy and adult blood pressure levels within a longitudinal birth cohort study, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Later development in all three stages of locomotive development during infancy was associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels at age 31. For age of walking without support, 0.34 (95 % CI 0.07 to 0.60)-mm Hg higher SBP and 0.38 (95 % CI 0.15 to 0.62)-mm Hg higher DBP were estimated for each month of later achievement (P = 0.012 for SBP; P = 0.001 for DBP). No association was identified for non-locomotive neuromotor development. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the positive sequelae of advanced locomotive development during infancy, suggesting that the common regulatory systems between locomotion and blood pressure may influence the development of raised blood pressure over time