Publications by authors named "Gerardo Ruiz Ares"

Background: The increasing availability of neuroimaging tests has led to a rise in the identification of incidental unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). Their management is under debate, with no consensus on their follow-up strategy, which can cause anxiety in patients. Our aim is to evaluate the impact of diagnosis and imaging follow-up on daily activities and quality of life.

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Background: Helping people recover from aphasia is among the top 10 research priorities relating to life after stroke.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of dubbing techniques (using newly developed software) for post-stroke aphasia therapy and explore its potential efficacy.

Methods: Randomised, crossover, interventional, feasibility trial that included patients with chronic post-stroke non-fluent aphasia.

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Circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) can participate in innate repair processes triggered after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to describe changes in the proteomic profile of circulating EVs between the acute and subacute phases of ICH and to compare the findings depending on outcomes, as an approach to unraveling such repair mechanisms. This was a prospective observational study including patients with non-traumatic supratentorial ICH.

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Background: Unknown cardioembolic sources are frequent causes of cryptogenic stroke. We analyzed the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) or high burden of ectopic atrial activity (HBEA) in patients with cryptogenic stroke, assessing atrial function and 1-year outcomes.

Methods And Results: The ARIES (Atrial Imaging and Cardiac Rhythm in Cryptogenic Embolic Stroke) study is an observational study including patients with cryptogenic stroke.

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Although diabetes mellitus negatively affects post-ischaemic stroke injury and recovery, its impact on intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the effect of experimental diabetes (ED) on ICH-induced injury and neurological impairment. Sprague-Dawley rats were induced with ED 2 weeks before ICH induction.

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Introduction: A consensus on the management of anticoagulated patients in the acute phase of ischaemic stroke has not yet been established. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes in such patients based on the continuation or discontinuation of anticoagulation.

Methods: Retrospective study of patients with acute ischaemic stroke and cardioembolic source receiving anticoagulant therapy is done.

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Article Synopsis
  • Post-stroke aphasia leads to reduced quality of life and increased risk of depression, yet there's limited research on coping mechanisms for this condition.
  • A study compared 23 patients with post-stroke aphasia to 73 healthy controls using various questionnaires to evaluate health perception, quality of life, communication abilities, and depressive symptoms.
  • Results indicated that patients with aphasia had lower scores in health perception and quality of life compared to controls, but surprisingly reported fewer depressive symptoms, suggesting a complex relationship between communication difficulties and mental health.
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Background: Chest CT has been proposed as a screening test to rule out SARS-CoV-2 lung infection in acute stroke. Our objectives are to analyze the predictive value of neck CT angiography (CTA) source images compared with conventional chest CT, the interobserver concordance and the reliability of the diagnosis using a mobile app.

Methods: A retrospective observational study that included acute stroke patients admitted to a stroke center.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the use of a smartphone app called JOIN to enhance communication and coordination among stroke team members during emergency situations at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid.
  • Results showed that using the app significantly reduced key time metrics for stroke treatment, such as imaging-to-thrombolysis and door-to-thrombolysis times.
  • A majority of healthcare professionals found the app beneficial for diagnosis and decision-making, although improvements were needed for better integration with clinical records.
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Acute ischemic stroke is currently a major cause of disability despite improvement in recanalization therapies. Stem cells represent a promising innovative strategy focused on reduction of neurologic sequelae by enhancement of brain plasticity. We performed a phase IIa, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center, pilot clinical trial.

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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is currently used for the study of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in animal models. However, ultrasound is an inexpensive, non-invasive and rapid technique that could facilitate the diagnosis and follow-up of ICH. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of B-mode ultrasound as an alternative tool for monitoring of ICH volume and brain structure displacement in an animal model.

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Background: Communication is one of the most important predictors of social reintegration after stroke. Approximately 15-42% of stroke survivors experience post-stroke aphasia. Helping people recover from aphasia is one of the research priorities after a stroke.

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Introduction: Thrombotic events are potentially devastating complications of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Although less common than venous thromboembolism, arterial thrombosis has been reported in COVID-19 cohorts in almost 3% of patients. We describe a patient with COVID-19 infection and concurrent cerebral and noncerebral infarction.

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Ultrasound is a noninvasive technique that provides real-time imaging with excellent resolution, and several studies demonstrated the potential of ultrasound in acute ischemic stroke monitoring. However, only a few studies were performed using animal models, of which many showed ultrasound to be a safe and effective tool also in therapeutic applications. The full potential of ultrasound application in experimental stroke is yet to be explored to further determine the limitations of this technique and to ensure the accuracy of translational research.

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Background And Purpose: The experience gained during the first COVID-19 wave could have mitigated the negative impact on stroke care in the following waves. Our aims were to analyze the characteristics and outcomes of patients with stroke admitted during the second COVID-19 wave and to evaluate the differences in the stroke care provision compared with the first wave.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study included consecutive stroke patients admitted to any of the seven hospitals with stroke units (SUs) and endovascular treatment facilities in the Madrid Health Region.

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Introduction: The concurrency of both, acute stroke and acute myocardial infarction in normal conditions, outside the pandemic is rare. Coagulopathy has been associated with the inflammatory phase of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and might be involved in this concurrency.

Cases Report: We describe 2 patients with previous mild or no symptoms of COVID-19, admitted for acute stroke with recent/simultaneous myocardial infarction in whom admission polymerase chain reaction was negative but serologic testing diagnosed COVID-19.

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Acute, painless, monocular vision loss (APMVL) usually has a vascular aetiology. We conducted a prospective observational study from 2011 to 2018 to analyse the added value of colour Doppler imaging to assess orbital vessel blood flow in the diagnosis of APMVL. The study included 67 patients (39 [58.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A study conducted at 7 stroke centers during the early pandemic revealed that while there was a significant drop in stroke admissions, the management of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients showed no differences in reperfusion therapy but had longer treatment times.
  • * Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 experienced worse outcomes compared to non-COVID-19 stroke patients, highlighting the severity of strokes in those infected and emphasizing the importance of a robust stroke care network to lessen pandemic impacts.
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Oral anticoagulation (OAC) for secondary stroke prevention is recommended in atrial fibrillation (AF) and other sources of cardioembolic stroke. Our objectives were to explore the differences in ischemic and hemorrhagic events when using OAC for secondary stroke prevention according to the type of anticoagulant treatment and to analyze the number and reasons for OAC switches during long-term follow-up. Ischemic stroke (IS) patients who were discharged on OAC for secondary stroke prevention from January 2014 to October 2017 were recruited in a prospective, multicenter, hospital-based registry.

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Background: Ultrasound is a safe, non-invasive and affordable imaging technique for the visualization of internal structures and the measurement of blood velocity using Doppler imaging. However, despite all these advantages, no study has identified the structures of the rat brain using conventional ultrasound.

Methods: A 13 MHz high frequency transducer was used to identify brain structures in the rat.

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Stroke is a major health problem worldwide. It has been estimated that 90% of the population attributable risk of stroke is due to risk factors such as aging, hypertension, hyperglycemia, diabetes mellitus and obesity, among others. However, most animal models of stroke use predominantly healthy and young animals.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study analyzed outcomes and complications of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for basilar artery occlusions (BAO) compared to anterior circulation occlusions, finding that BAO patients experienced longer procedure times and a lower recanalization rate.
  • - Patients with BAO had a higher rate of mortality (33% vs 12%) and lower independence at 3 months (40% vs 58%) compared to those with anterior circulation occlusions, along with a trend of more procedural complications.
  • - The findings suggest that MT is more complex with a higher chance of futile recanalization in BAO cases, particularly influenced by older age and longer procedure durations, indicating a need for refined endovascular approaches for better outcomes. *
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Background And Purpose: The present study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the safety of primary mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke and comorbidities that preclude treatment with IV thrombolysis (IVT), compared with patients who received standard IVT treatment followed by MT. Secondary objectives were to analyse the recanalization rate and outcomes.

Methods: A prospective observational multicenter study (FUN-TPA) that recruited patients treated within 4.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how anticoagulation affects the severity and outcomes of cardioembolic stroke (CS) and the response to intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), analyzing data from patients treated at a Stroke Center from 2010 to 2013.
  • The sample consisted of 475 patients, with a majority classified based on their pre-stroke anticoagulant treatment and INR levels, revealing that higher INR levels (≥2) correlated with milder stroke severity and better outcomes after three months.
  • Additionally, while therapeutic anticoagulation levels improved CS severity and outcomes, the study found no link between anticoagulation and response to IVT.
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