Assessment of Relationship between Serum NT-proBNP Levels with Clinical Features and Prognosis in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Background and Aims: We aimed to assess N-terminal pro brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients according to clinical and radiological features and to investigate its relationship with short term clinical outcomes. Methods: In our study, 107 patients with AIS were evaluated prospectively. Of all, 56 patients had no evidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) (sinus rhythm [SR] group) (52.3%), 24 patients had paroxysmal AF (pAF group) (22.4%), and the other 27 patients had chronic AF (cAF group) (25.3%). Demographic datas, clinical characteristics, laboratory and radiological findings, CHA2DS2 -VASc scores, NIHSS (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores on admission and at the third month evaluations were recorded. Good functional outcome at 3 months was defined as modified Rankin score (mRS) 2 or less. According to the TOAST (Trial of Org 10172 in Acute StrokeTreatment) and OCSP (Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project) study, ischemic stroke subtyping was performed. Serum NT-proBNP levels were estimated in 107 stroke patients and 24 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Venous blood samples were obtained for serum NT-proBNP measurement within the first 48 hours of the patient group. Results: Mean age of the 107 AIS patients was 68 ± 15.22 years and 58.9% of them were women. Compared to controls, the SR, pAF and cAF groups had higher plasma NT-proBNP levels (P < 0.001) and also NT-proBNP values were significantly higher in the pAF and cAF group than SR groups (P < 0.001). NT-proBNP values were significantly higher in cardioembolic (CE) (n = 57) group than in large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) (n = 20) and small vessel disease (SVD) (n = 30) groups (P < 0.001). NT-proBNP levels of noncardioembolic SR (n = 49) (P = 0.080), LAA and SVD groups (P = 0.103) were higher than the control group but the difference was not statistically significant. There was a positive correlation between NT-proBNP level and third month mRS scores in CE group (r = 0.491). Conclusions: NT-proBNP will contribute to predict cardioembolic and pAF groups and estimate the prognosis.

Pazopanib induced unilateral posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a reversible clinical and neuroradiological syndrome which may appear at any age and characterized by headache, altered consciousness, seizures, and cortical blindness. The exact incidence is still unknown. The most commonly identified causes include hypertensive encephalopathy, eclampsia, and some cytotoxic drugs. Vasogenic edema related subcortical white matter lesions, hyperintense on T2A and FLAIR sequences, in a relatively symmetrical pattern especially in the occipital and parietal lobes can be detected on cranial MR imaging. These findings tend to resolve partially or completely with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Here in, we present a rare case of unilateral PRES developed following the treatment with pazopanib, a testicular tumor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitory agent.