Significance of perihematomal edema in acute intracerebral hemorrhage: the INTERACT trial.

Background: Uncertainty surrounds the effects of cerebral edema on outcomes in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

Methods: We used data from the INTERACT trial to determine the predictors and prognostic significance of "perihematomal" edema over 72 hours after ICH. INTERACT included 404 patients with CT-confirmed ICH and elevated systolic blood pressure (BP) (150-220 mm Hg) who had the capacity to commence BP lowering treatment within 6 hours of ICH.

Fast food and neighborhood stroke risk.

Objective: To investigate the association between the number of fast food restaurants and ischemic stroke in neighborhoods.

Methods: This work was a prespecified part of the Brain Attack in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project. Ischemic stroke cases were prospectively ascertained in Nueces County, Texas.

Ethnic differences in do-not-resuscitate orders after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Objective: To explore ethnic differences in do-not-resuscitate orders after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Design: Population-based surveillance.

Setting: Corpus Christi, Texas.

From the sword to Schindler: a saga of gastroscopy.

Gastroscopy is an art as well as a science. The art is getting the instrument down; the science is the instrument itself. Rudolf Schindler was a master of both and is properly called "The Father Of Gastroscopy".

Deferoxamine reduces intracerebral hematoma-induced iron accumulation and neuronal death in piglets.

Background And Purpose: Our previous studies found that deferoxamine reduces intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-induced brain injury in rats. The current study examined whether deferoxamine reduces brain injury in a piglet ICH model.

Methods: Pigs received an injection of autologous blood into the right frontal lobe.

Effects of deferoxamine on intracerebral hemorrhage-induced brain injury in aged rats.

Background And Purpose: Deferoxamine (DFX) reduces brain edema, neuronal death, and neurological deficits after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in young rats. In the present study, we investigated whether DFX is effective on brain injury after ICH in aged rats and examined dose dependency.

Methods: Male Fischer 344 rats (18 months old) had an intracaudate injection of 100 microL autologous whole blood and were treated with different doses of DFX (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg) or vehicle 2 and 6 hours post-ICH and then every 12 hours up to 7 days.

Acute stroke symptoms: comparing women and men.

Background And Purpose: In a recent meta-analysis, women with stroke had 30% lower odds of receiving tissue plasminogen activator than did men, and some studies have reported greater in-hospital delays in women with stroke. Causes of these disparities are unclear but could result from a different symptom presentation in women. Our objective was to prospectively investigate gender differences in acute stroke symptoms.

Stroke in minorities.

Minorities in the United States have higher stroke risks, stroke occurrence at an earlier age, and for some groups, more severe strokes than non-Hispanic whites. Factors contributing to these disparities are explored. Characteristics of African American, Hispanic, and Native American stroke risk and incidence are reviewed.

Predicting ischaemic stroke subtype from presenting systolic blood pressure: the BASIC Project.

Objective: We hypothesized that low presenting systolic blood pressure (SBP) predicted cardioembolic stroke aetiology.

Design: Active and passive surveillance were used to identify all ischaemic strokes as part of the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) population-based study. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the association between stroke subtype and first documented SBP in the medical record.

Gender and ethnic differences in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Mexican Americans (MAs) comprise the largest component of the largest minority group within the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic and gender differences in the epidemiology, presentation, and outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in a representative United States community. Targeted public health interventions are dependent on accurate assessments of groups at highest disease risk.

Stroke among siblings in a biethnic community.

Background: Mexican Americans (MAs) have an increased risk of stroke compared with non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), especially at younger ages. Little is known regarding patterns of familial aggregation of stroke and whether familial risk assessment might prove a potentially useful tool in assessing stroke risk in this population. This study's objective was to estimate the sibling recurrence risk ratio (lambda(s)) for stroke and to compare this ratio between MAs and NHWs.

Ambient air pollution and risk for ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack.

Objective: Data on the association between air pollution and cerebrovascular disease in the United States are limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and risk for ischemic cerebrovascular events in a US community.

Methods: Daily counts of ischemic strokes/transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) (2001-2005) were obtained from the population-based Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) Project.

Intensive blood pressure reduction in acute cerebral haemorrhage trial (INTERACT): a randomised pilot trial.

Background: There is much uncertainty about the effects of early lowering of elevated blood pressure (BP) after acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). Our aim was to assess the safety and efficiency of this treatment, as a run-in phase to a larger trial.

Methods: Patients who had acute spontaneous ICH diagnosed by CT within 6 h of onset, elevated systolic BP (150-220 mm Hg), and no definite indication or contraindication to treatment were randomly assigned to early intensive lowering of BP (target systolic BP 140 mm Hg; n=203) or standard guideline-based management of BP (target systolic BP 180 mm Hg; n=201).

Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS): development and implementation of a multiethnic health education intervention to increase stroke awareness among middle school students and their parents.

The Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS) project is a 3-year prospective, randomized, controlled, multiethnic school-based intervention study. Project goals include increasing knowledge of stroke signs and treatment and intention to immediately call 911 among Mexican American (MA) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) middle school students and their parents. This article describes the design, implementation, and interim evaluation of this theory-based intervention.

Stroke health and risk education (SHARE) pilot project: feasibility and need for church-based stroke health promotion in a bi-ethnic community.

Background And Purpose: We performed a pilot project to assess the need for and feasibility of a church-based stroke risk reduction intervention in a predominantly Mexican American community.

Methods: Participants were recruited after each mass on a single weekend from 2 Catholic churches in Corpus Christi, Texas. Questionnaires about personal stroke risk factors and interest in program participation were completed, and blood pressure screening was performed.

Public health impact of full implementation of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest.

Aim: Induced hypothermia improves outcomes in patients resuscitated successfully after cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. However, a minority of US physicians currently use the therapy. The aim of this study was to project the public health impact of implementing hypothermia in all eligible US out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors.

Racial and ethnic disparities in the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases: importance to the practicing neurosurgeon.

Objectives: In various surgical procedures, evidence for racial/ethnic disparities has continued to grow in recent years. Our purpose was to review the current literature regarding racial/ethnic disparities in the United States in the surgical treatment and outcome of three different cerebrovascular disease entities: carotid stenosis, intracranial aneurysm, and cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Methods: We conducted an electronic search of literature published between January 1, 1966 and December 10, 2005 using MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, CINAHL, and Science Citation Index (Web of Science), along with manual reference checking, resulting in 313 screened items.