Reduction of inflammation after administration of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: results of the Subcutaneous Interleukin-1Ra in SAH (SCIL-SAH) study.

OBJECTIVE Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating cerebrovascular event with long-term morbidity and mortality. Patients who survive the initial bleeding are likely to suffer further early brain injury arising from a plethora of pathological processes. These may result in a worsening of outcome or death in approximately 25% of patients and may contribute to longer-term cognitive dysfunction in survivors.

Inflammation as a predictor for delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Background: The mechanism of development of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is poorly understood. Inflammatory processes are implicated in the development of ischemic stroke and may also predispose to the development of DCI following SAH. The objective of this study was to test whether concentrations of circulating inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra)) were predictive for DCI following SAH.

Does inflammation predispose to recurrent vascular events after recent transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke? The North West of England transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke (NORTHSTAR) study.

Background And Hypothesis: Inflammation is implicated in the pathogenesis and outcome of ischaemic injury. Poststroke inflammation is associated with outcome but it remains unclear whether such inflammation precedes or results from ischaemic injury. We hypothesised that inflammatory markers are associated with an increased risk of recurrent vascular events soon after transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke.

Clinical outcome following acute ischaemic stroke relates to both activation and autoregulatory inhibition of cytokine production.

Background: As critical mediators of local and systemic inflammatory responses, cytokines are produced in the brain following ischaemic stroke. Some have been detected in the circulation of stroke patients, but their role and source is unclear. Focusing primarily on interleukin(IL)-1-related mechanisms, we serially measured plasma inflammatory markers, and the production of cytokines by whole blood, from 36 patients recruited within 12 h and followed up to 1 year after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS).

The effects of dyslexia on the work of nurses and healthcare assistants.

Aim: To explore the effects of being dyslexic on the working lives of nurses and healthcare assistants (HCAs), and to identify what might be done to improve their working lives.

Method: A qualitative approach was taken comprising semi-structured interviews and interpretative data analysis. Seven nurses and HCAs took part in the study.