Changes in plasma concentrations of novel vascular and inflammatory biomarkers in obstructive sleep apnea patients pre- and post-stroke.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a common condition in the general population and causes significant OSA-associated morbidities including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events such as cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and stroke.

Methods: In this study, using sensitive ELISA immunoassays, we measured subset of endothelial/vascular and inflammatory biomarkers as well as neurofilament light chain (NfL), a sensitive marker for neuroaxonal injury, using plasma from OSA patients post-stroke (Acute Cerebral Infarction (ACI), N = 26) to determine their usefulness as potential prognostic markers in disease progression.

Results: Our results showed significantly increased plasma TNFα and NfL concentrations and decreased concentrations of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-AA) in post-stroke OSA patients with more severe white matter hyperintensities (WMHs).

Malignant ischemic stroke revealing a spontaneous carotid dissection in a young patient: Rare case report.

Ischemic stroke remains today a major health problem that requires adequate management and etiological research. The prevalence in young people has increased. This article is a case report of a 37-year-old female diabetic patient who had an acute ischemic stroke due to spontaneous dissection of the right internal carotid artery.

CGRP, Migraine, and Brain MRI in CADASIL: A Pilot Study.

Background: Migraine is associated with neuroimaging differences in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). However, it is unknown if migraine-related disability (MRD) or if calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a vasoactive peptide important in migraine pathology, have radiographic implications. The aims of this study were to identify whether MRD or interictal serum CGRP levels impacted neuroimaging findings for those with CADASIL.

Yield of Head Imaging in Ambulatory and Hospitalized Patients With SARS-CoV-2: A Multi-Center Study of 8675 Patients.

Background And Purpose: To describe the neurological and cerebrovascular findings in patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and underwent head imaging in ambulatory and inpatient settings.

Methods: Consecutive patients aged ≥18 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosed or treated at Mayo Clinic sites from 3/11/2020 to 7/23/2020 with head CT or brain MRI within 30 days of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis were included. Demographics, medical history, indication for SARS-CoV-2 testing, neurologic symptoms, indication for brain imaging, neuroimaging findings, etiology of cerebrovascular events, and hospital course were abstracted from medical records.

Treatment of migraine in patients with CADASIL: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Migraine is a common and often refractory feature for individuals with cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) without consensus guidelines for treatment. Migraine treatment poses a theoretical risk within this unique population with precarious cerebrovascular autoregulation, given the vasomodulatory influence of many antimigraine medications. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluate the frequency and efficacy of treatments for migraine in individuals with CADASIL.

Plasma neurofilament light predicts mortality in patients with stroke.

Given the heterogeneity of stroke brain injury, there is a clear need for a biomarker that determines the degree of neuroaxonal injury across stroke types. We evaluated whether blood neurofilament light (NFL) would fulfill this purpose for patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI; = 227), aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH; = 58), or nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH; = 29). We additionally validated our findings in two independent cohorts of patients with ICH ( = 96 and = 54) given the scarcity of blood biomarker studies for this deadliest stroke type.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Migraine-Related Disability in CADASIL: A Mayo Clinic Cohort.

Objectives: Cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is inherited microangiopathy characterized by recurrent subcortical infarcts. A majority of those with CADASIL report coexistent migraine with aura. The authors aim to quantitatively describe migraine-related disability within a CADASIL cohort.

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden and All-Cause Mortality: Mayo Clinic Florida Familial Cerebrovascular Diseases Registry.

Goal: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) leads to cognitive decline, gait disturbances, mood changes, and an increased risk of stroke. The goal of this study is to describe the relationship between a composite radiographic CSVD score and all-cause mortality.

Materials And Methods: Data were collected from a prospective registry of patients with and without cerebrovascular disease from November 2010 through April 2018.

CNS small vessel disease: A clinical review.

CNS small vessel disease (CSVD) causes 25% of strokes and contributes to 45% of dementia cases. Prevalence increases with age, affecting about 5% of people aged 50 years to almost 100% of people older than 90 years. Known causes and risk factors include age, hypertension, branch atheromatous disease, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, radiation exposure, immune-mediated vasculitides, certain infections, and several genetic diseases.

Pharmacotherapy for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Cerebral Microbleeds.

Background: Patients with cerebral microbleeds have increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. No trial specifically informs antithrombotic therapy for patients with cerebral microbleeds and atrial fibrillation. We investigated the safety of anticoagulation versus no anticoagulation with regard to cerebrovascular outcomes and mortality.

Severity of White Matter Hyperintensities and Effects on All-Cause Mortality in the Mayo Clinic Florida Familial Cerebrovascular Diseases Registry.

Objective: To compare all-cause mortality rates across the severity range of white matter hyperintensities (WMH).

Patients And Methods: Between October 26, 2010, and October 5, 2017, the ongoing Mayo Clinic Florida Familial Cerebrovascular Diseases Registry prospectively enrolled 1011 diverse participants with and without cerebrovascular disease. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was used to evaluate WMH in 455 participants using the Fazekas scale.

Destigmatizing Migraine.

A migraine is one of the most disabling diseases in adults globally. There has been some progress in assessing various quantitative components of quality of life while we struggle to discuss the less addressed, albeit important, qualitative aspects, such as the stigma associated with this disease. People with a migraine can be viewed negatively by society.

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic Lamb wave transducers using rectangular membranes.

This paper details the theory, fabrication, and characterization of a new Lamb wave device. Built using capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs), the structure described uses rectangular membranes to excite and receive Lamb waves on a silicon substrate. An equivalent circuit model for the transducer is proposed that produces results, which match well with those observed by experiment.