Time to Computerized Tomography Scan, Age, and Mortality in Acute Stroke.

Background: Time to computerized tomography (CT) is important to institute appropriate and timely hyperacute management in stroke. We aimed to evaluate mortality outcomes in relation to age and time to CT scan.

Methods: We used routinely collected data in 8 National Health Service trusts in East of England between September 2008 and April 2011.

The SOAR stroke score predicts hospital length of stay in acute stroke: an external validation study.

Aims: The objective of this study is to externally validate the SOAR stroke score (Stroke subtype, Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project Classification, Age and prestroke modified Rankin score) in predicting hospital length of stay (LOS) following an admission for acute stroke.

Methods: We conducted a multi-centre observational study in eight National Health Service hospital trusts in the Anglia Stroke & Heart Clinical Network between September 2008 and April 2011. The usefulness of the SOAR stroke score in predicting hospital LOS in the acute settings was examined for all stroke and then stratified by discharge status (discharged alive or died during the admission).

The SOAR stroke score predicts inpatient and 7-day mortality in acute stroke.

Background And Purpose: An accurate prognosis is useful for patients, family, and service providers after acute stroke.

Methods: We validated the Stroke subtype, Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project Classification, Age, and prestroke Rankin stroke score in predicting inpatient and 7-day mortality using data from 8 National Health Service hospital trusts in the Anglia Stroke and Heart Clinical Network between September 2008 and April 2011.

Results: A total of 3547 stroke patients (ischemic, 92%) were included.

Evaluation of stroke services in Anglia Stroke Clinical Network to examine the variation in acute services and stroke outcomes.

Background: Stroke is the third leading cause of death in developed countries and the leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. A series of national stroke audits in the UK highlighted the differences in stroke care between hospitals. The study aims to describe variation in outcomes following stroke and to identify the characteristics of services that are associated with better outcomes, after accounting for case mix differences and individual prognostic factors.

Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Legionella pneumophila in elderly patients with stroke (C-PEPS, M-PEPS, L-PEPS): a case-control study on the infectious burden of atypical respiratory pathogens in elderly patients with acute cerebrovascular disease.

Background And Purpose: Multiple studies have suggested an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether the risk of cerebrovascular disease is associated with Legionella pneumophila infection and the aggregate number/infectious burden of these atypical respiratory pathogens.

Methods: One hundred patients aged >65 years admitted with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and 87 control patients admitted concurrently with acute noncardiopulmonary, noninfective conditions were recruited prospectively.

A case-control study on the prevalence of electrocardiographic rhythms and ischemic changes in elderly patients with acute cerebrovascular disease.

Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities have been observed in acute cerebrovascular events. This case-control study investigated the prevalence of ECG rhythms and ischemic changes in elderly stroke and medical patients. The ECG rhythms and ischemic changes of 97 elderly patients admitted with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were compared with those of 70 medical controls admitted during the same study period.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae in elderly patients with stroke. a case-control study on the seroprevalence of M. pneumoniae in elderly patients with acute cerebrovascular disease - the M-PEPS Study.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies have suggested certain infections as potential risk factors for stroke. Chlamydia pneumoniae, an atypical respiratory pathogen, has been linked to atherosclerotic vascular diseases. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, another atypical respiratory micro-organism, can rarely cause stroke.

The reproducibility of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific antibodies.

With use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Chlamydia pneumoniae immunoglobulins were detected in a consecutive series of patients' sera (n = 122 for IgA and IgG; n = 138 for IgM). When the ELISA tests were repeated, the percentage disagreements were 12%, 16% and 10% for C. pneumoniae IgA, IgG and IgM, respectively.

Chlamydia pneumoniae in elderly patients with stroke (C-PEPS): a case-control study on the seroprevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in elderly patients with acute cerebrovascular disease.

Background And Purpose: Multiple studies have suggested an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and atherosclerotic vascular disease. We investigated whether serological markers of C. pneumoniae infection were associated with acute stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), exclusively in elderly patients.

Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis -- what we know and what we don't.

The clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis include coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral vascular disease. World-wide, CAD and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability. The recognition of atherosclerosis as an inflammatory disease in its genesis, progression and ultimate clinical manifestations has created an interesting area of vascular research.

Inflammation, infection and antimicrobial therapy in coronary heart disease--where do we currently stand?

Traditional atherosclerotic risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes mellitus, account for only about 50% of the clinical occurrence of coronary heart disease (CHD). The infectious hypothesis proposes that various microorganisms, in particular, Chlamydia pneumoniae, may serve as potential etiological factors, linking inflammation and atherosclerosis (or its clinical manifestations). Evidence from seroepidemiology, pathology, animal models, molecular biology and immunology, and human antibiotic intervention studies, collectively have suggested a largely positive association between C.

Erratum: S. Fazel and R. Jacoby, 'The elderly Criminal'. International journal of geriatric psychiatry 15(3) 2000, 201-202.

The original article to which this Erratum refers was published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 15(3) 2000, 201-202. Following publication of the above paper in the March 2000 edition of the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (15(3), 201-202), it came to our attention that one of the co-authors names was omitted from the contents page. The authors of this paper are Dr Seena Fazel and Professor Robin Jacoby.