Lipid profiles and ischemic stroke risk: variations by sex within racial/ethnic groups.

Evidence implicates lipid abnormalities as important but modifiable risk factors for stroke. This study assesses whether hypercholesterolemia can be used to predict the risk for etiologic subtypes of ischemic stroke between sexes within racial/ethnic groups. Data elements related to stroke risk, diagnosis, and outcomes were abstracted from the medical records of 3,290 acute stroke admissions between 2006 and 2010 at a regional stroke center.

Disparities in acute stroke severity, outcomes, and care relative to health insurance status.

Background: To examine the differences in risk factors and length of hospital stay (LOS) between the insured and uninsured stroke patients, identifying the root causes of increasing hospital stay.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of stroke registry data of acute stroke patients (N = 19,255) was analyzed to compare risk factors, severity, outcome, and LOS by insurance status. Chart review of patients from a comprehensive stroke center (N = 3290) was studied in greater detail for causes of extended length of stay.

Intensified hypnic jerks: a polysomnographic and polymyographic analysis.

Purpose: To analyze the nature and propagation of muscle bursts in patients presenting with intensified hypnic jerks and sleep onset insomnia.

Methods: We obtained polymyographic recordings from cranially and spinally innervated muscles during polysomnographic study in 10 subjects presenting with repeated jerking movements at sleep onset, anxiety and sleep onset insomnia. One subject also had daytime polymyography during relaxed wakefulness and drowsiness as well as back-averaging of the EEG preceding the muscle bursts.

Some children with growing pains may actually have restless legs syndrome.

Study Objectives: Growing pains may be an important clue to the diagnosis of childhood restless legs syndrome (RLS). However, there are no previous studies to determine whether a subpopulation of children with growing pains meet the diagnostic criteria for RLS. The purpose of this study is to determine if some children with growing pains meet diagnostic criteria for RLS and to compare the polysomnographic characteristics of these children to controls.