Thyroid function tests and early outcomes of acute ischemic stroke in older euthyroid patients.

Blood thyroid function tests (TFT) are routinely used to screen for thyroid disorders in several clinical settings. TFT on hospital admission may also be useful prognostic predictors of acute IS: according to recent evidence, poststroke outcome is better in patients with lower thyroid function and worse in those with higher thyroid function. However, previous reports are few and mostly compared patients with thyroid disorders to euthyroid patients.

Independent predictors of ischemic stroke in the elderly: prospective data from a stroke unit.

Objective: Incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) increases with age. Knowledge of factors associated with IS acute outcomes in the oldest-old (≥80 years) is needed to improve quality of care and resource allocation in this age group.

Methods: Data are for 769 consecutive IS patients aged ≥60 years (436 aged ≥80 years) admitted to an Italian stroke unit in a 4-year period.

Seizures in acute stroke: incidence, risk factors and prognosis.

Background And Purpose: Studies on post-stroke seizures have produced conflicting results. Our study aim was to further elucidate the incidence and predictive factors of early post-stroke seizures (ES) and their relationship with outcome.

Methods: relevant clinical data were prospectively collected in 2,053 patients with acute stroke admitted to the Stroke Unit from 2004 to 2008.