ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the relationship between indicators of carotid atherosclerosis and onset of ischemic stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).Methods:This is a case-control study, a total of 397 NVAF patients with newly diagnosed ischemic stroke (case group) and 3 038 NVAF patients without ischemic stroke (control group) from January 2015 to December 2017 were included in the study. Differences in general clinical features and carotid atherosclerosis indexes between the two groups were compared. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the correlation between carotid atherosclerosis indexes and ischemic stroke.Results:Proportions of patients with carotid intima thickening, carotid plaque, stable plaque, unstable plaque, and moderate to severe stenosis were higher in the ischemic stroke group than those in the control group (82.1% vs. 64.4%, 69.3% vs. 50.3%, 43.6% vs. 30.6%, 25.7% vs. 19.7%, and 7.3% vs. 4.0%, respectively, all P <0.05). After adjustment of age, gender, heart failure, hypertension, low density lipoprotein -cholesterol and drug use, multivariate analyses showed that subjects with carotid intima thickening, carotid plaque, stable plaque, unstable plaque, moderate to severe stenosis had 1.766, 2.111, 1.892, 2.256 and 1.824 times the risk for the development of ischemic stroke compared with the subjects without any carotid atherosclerosis indicators. Conclusion:Carotid atherosclerosis, especially with unstable carotid plaque, is associated with ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Artificial cervical disc prosthesis simulates range of motion and buffer shock function of normal intervertebral discs. Clinical experiments verify that artificial cervical disc prosthesis material has good biocompatibility and mechanical characteristics. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate artificial cervical disc replacement and zero-profile interbody fixation and fusion system for multilevel cervical disease in 2-year folow-up. METHODS:Artificial cervical disc replacement and zero-profile interbody fixation and fusion system were used to treat 42 patients with multilevel cervical disease. The patient presented typical symptoms and signs of spinal cord or nerve root compression. There were 18 cases of cervical myelopathy, 15 cases of nerve root cervical spondylosis and 10 cases of mixed type of cervical spondylosis. After treatment, mean operation time, blood loss and reoperation rate were measured. Postoperative complications, disability index of neck function, visual analog scale, function unit range of corresponding surgery segments of the cervical spine, Cobb angle of C2-C7 vertebral body, range of motion of adjacent segment of proximal and distal vertebral bodies were observed and clinical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Al cases finished the operation and were scored at various time points. After treatment, radiating pain of shoulder and neck and upper extremity were remarkably lessened. Numbness and sensory loss symptoms disappeared obviously. Quality of life elevated noticeably. Visual analog scale and the disability index of neck function score were decreased in final folow-up compared with pre-treatment (P < 0.001). C2-C7 vertebrae Cobb angle, FSU angle, range of motion of proximal surgery adjacent segment and range of motion of the distal surgery adjacent segment were elevated compared with pre-treatment (P < 0.001). These data indicate that cervical spondylosis was improved after treatment. Each index of cervical spondylosis after artificial cervical disc replacement and zero-profile interbody fixation and fusion system was reconstructed to different degrees.