Comparison of the GRACE, HEART and TIMI score to predict major adverse cardiac events in chest pain patients at the emergency department.

Background: The performance of the GRACE, HEART and TIMI scores were compared in predicting the probability of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in chest pain patients presenting at the emergency department (ED), in particular their ability to identify patients at low risk.

Methods: Chest pain patients presenting at the ED in nine Dutch hospitals were included. The primary outcome was MACE within 6weeks.

Does smoking influence outcome after intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke?

Background And Purpose: It remains uncertain whether current smoking influences outcome in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of current smoking in routinely tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-treated stroke patients on the 3-month functional outcome and the occurrence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods: We analyzed data from a single stroke care unit registry of 345 consecutive patients with ischaemic stroke, treated with tPA.

Does the biocompatibility of the peritoneal dialysis solution matter in assessment of peritoneal function?

Background: Peritoneal function tests are performed in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients to characterize peritoneal membrane status. A low pH/high glucose degradation product (GDP) dialysis solution is used as the test solution. The objective of the present study was to compare a 3.

N-acetylaspartate: serum marker of reperfusion in ischemic stroke.

Conventional ways of monitoring reperfusion in acute ischemic stroke have several limitations. In searching for an alternative, we evaluated biochemical serum markers of stroke change in relation to reperfusion. N-acetylaspartate (NAA) is a small amino acid synthesized by neuronal mitochondria, which can be released in the extracellular space after reperfusion in animal models of brain ischemia.

Cluster-like headache aura status.

We describe a patient with successive attacks (40 to 90 minutes) of cluster-like headache associated with aphasia, and contralateral hemihypesthesia and hemiplegia. The condition can best be described as cluster-like headache aura status.