Objectives: Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) is noninvasive and highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO). We evaluated the diagnostic implications of the TCD with a saline agitation test as a routine work-up for ischemic stroke patients.
Methods: A TCD bubble study was performed in all consecutive ischemic stroke patients as a routine work-up. We evaluated the prevalence of microembolic signals (MES) for each stroke etiology and the optimal number of MES for predicting the PFO-attributable stroke.
Results: Subjects (N = 499) with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled. A significant fraction of patients had MES during both normal respiration (5.7-44.4%) and the Valsalva maneuver (19.5-55.6%) across all stroke etiology categories. The optimal MES threshold for the diagnosis of PFO-attributable stroke confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography was 46 MES during the Valsalva maneuver (96% sensitivity and 95% specificity). Applying ≥46 MES during the Valsalva maneuver as a threshold effectively increased the ability to differentially diagnose PFO-attributable stroke from other etiologies. The number of MES during the Valsalva maneuver was negatively correlated with increasing age (r = -.108; P = .016).
Conclusions: A significant fraction of patients had right to left shunt across all Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment etiologies. A threshold number of MES facilitated the differential diagnosis of PFO-attributable stroke from other etiologies, and the optimal threshold was 46 MES during the Valsalva maneuver.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jum.15724 | DOI Listing |
Hypertension
December 2024
Vanderbilt Autonomic Dysfunction Center, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN. (L.E.O., A.D., C.A.S., A.G., B.K.B., S.P., I.B.).
Background: The cholinesterase inhibitor pyridostigmine is used to treat orthostatic hypotension by facilitating cholinergic neurotransmission in autonomic ganglia, thereby harnessing residual sympathetic tone to increase blood pressure (BP) preferentially in the upright posture. We hypothesized that less severe autonomic impairment was associated with greater pressor responses to pyridostigmine.
Methods: To identify predictors of pressor response, linear regression analyses between the effect of pyridostigmine on upright BP and markers of autonomic impairment were retrospectively conducted on 38 patients who had a medication trial with pyridostigmine (60 mg single dose).
Int Urogynecol J
December 2024
Department of Ultrasound, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, China.
Introduction And Hypothesis: This study examines the effectiveness of yoga intervention on the early postpartum recovery of pelvic organ positions.
Methods: A prospective study was conducted from May to November 2020, involving women who had vaginal deliveries and underwent pelvic floor ultrasound examinations. The control group received no intervention, whereas the experimental group participated in weekly 60-min yoga sessions from 1 week to 3 months postpartum.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol
December 2024
Direttore UOC Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Parma, Professore Ordinario di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Direttore della Scuola di Specializzazione in Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Presidente del CdS OstetriciaUniversità di Parma, Italy. Electronic address:
Second stage of labor is considered to be associated with an increased risk of intrapartum fetal hypoxic injury. This is due to a combination of several risk factors such as -the increased frequency, strength and duration of uterine contractions due to higher number and affinity of myometrial oxytocin receptors; -the Ferguson's reflex which leads to a reflex release of endogenous oxytocin in response of the distension of the cervix by descending fetal head in late stages of labor; maternal expulsive efforts with the Valsalva manoeuvre that may reduce maternal oxygenation, as well as reduce the venous return and maternal cardiac output due to increased intrathoracic pressure, winch may lead to reduced placental oxygenation; - and increased fetal intracranial pressure due to head compression leading to a potential decrease in fetal cerebral oxygenation. In addition, the umbilical cord often forms one or more loops around the fetal neck, which may get tightened as the head descends leading to an acute and intermittent cessation of fetal oxygenation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBr J Sports Med
December 2024
Program for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, Physical Activity and Diabetes Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Objective: To examine maternal and fetal cardiovascular responses to high-intensity resistance exercise in pregnancy.
Methods: 10 healthy pregnant (26.4±3.
J Sex Med
December 2024
School of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada.
Background: The neuromuscular contribution to increased tone of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) observed among those with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is unclear.
Aim: To determine if PFM activity differs between those with provoked PVD and pain free controls, and if the extent of PFM activation at rest or during activities is associated with pain sensitivity at the vulvar vestibule, psychological, and/or psychosexual outcomes.
Methods: This observational case-control study included forty-two volunteers with PVD and 43 controls with no history of vulvar pain.
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