Three years' interventional neurology experience in Turkey with the Thrombite thrombectomy device in large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation: safety, efficacy, and clinical outcome.

Introduction: While the Thrombite device differs from the Solitare stent with its Helical open-side structure feature, it shows great similarity with its other features. We assessed the Thrombite device's effectiveness and safety in this study. Materials and methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of patients who were included in the Turkish Interventional Neurology database and who had mechanical thrombectomy with the Thrombite device as the first choice between January 2020 and January 2023. The type of study is descriptive research. Result: Using the Thrombite thrombectomy device, 525 patients received treatment. The median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 13, the median initial Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography (ASPECT) score was 8, and the mean patient age was 68.6+11.7 years. Between the groin puncture and the successful recanalization, the median time was 34 minutes (interquartile range [IQR]: 15-45). 48.2% (modified treatment in cerebral infarction; mTICI) 2b/3% and 33.9% (mTICI 2c/3) were the first-pass recanalization rates. In the end, 87.7% of patients had effective recanalization (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction 2b/3). In the "first-pass" subgroup, the favorable functional result (modified Rankin Scale 0-2) was 51.8%, while it was 41.6% for the entire patient population. The rate of embolization into new territory/different territory were 2.1/0.1%. 23 patients (4.5%) had symptomatic hemorrhage. Conclusion: The Thrombite device showed a good safety profile and high overall successful recanalization rates in our experience.

The role of inflammatory parameters in the prediction of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of pre-operative and early postoperative inflammatory parameters with postoperative delirium in patients operated on for coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: The data of 1 279 cardiac surgery patients operated on between June 2014 and March 2020 were analysed retrospectively. Among these, 777 (61.2%) patients operated on for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were enrolled. Two groups were formed. The patients who developed postoperative delirium were placed in group 1 (n = 187) and the patients with uneventful postoperative follow up (n = 590) were enrolled in group 2. RESULTS: Pre- and early postoperative mean platelet volume, C-reactive protein level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelet- to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were elevated in group 1 (p = 0.0001). The APACHE II score and duration of hospital and intensive care unit stay were significantly elevated in group 1 (p < 0.05). An early-stage neurological event was observed in eight patients (4.3%) in group 1 and 12 patients (2%) in group 2, which was not statistically significantly different between the groups (p = 0.09). In-hospital mortality was observed in three patients (1.6%) in group 1 and five patients (0.8%) in group 2, which did not show a statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). In univariate and multivariate regression analysis, the pre-operative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p = 0.013), mean platelet volume (p = 0.0001) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.002) were determined as independent risk factors for the occurrence of delirium in the early postoperative period. Also, the postoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p = 0.0001), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (p = 0.0001) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.0001) were determined as independent risk factors for the occurrence of delirium in the early postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Pre- and early postoperative inflammatory parameters were observed to be predictors of postoperative delirium in patients operated on for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Predictors of Symptomatic Hemorrhage After Endovascular Treatment for Anterior Circulation Occlusions: Turkish Endovascular Stroke Registry.

We evaluated the predictive factors of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) in endovascular treatment of stroke. We included 975 ischemic stroke patients with anterior circulation occlusion. Patients that had hemorrhage and an increase of ≥4 points in their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) after the treatment were considered as SICH. The mean age of patients was 65.2±13.1 years and 469 (48.1%) were women. The median NIHSS was 16 (13-18) and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT 9 (8-10). In 420 patients (43.1%), modified Rankin Scale was favorable (0-2) and mortality was observed in 234 (24%) patients at the end of the third month. Patients with high diastolic blood pressure (P<.05) had significantly higher SICH. SICH was significantly higher in those with high NIHSS scores (P<.001), high blood glucose (P<.001), and leukocyte count at admission (P<.05). Diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 1.90; P<.001), NIHSS (OR 1.07; P<.05), adjuvant intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy (IA-rtPA) (OR, 1.60; P<.05), and puncture-recanalization time (OR 1.01; P<.05) were independent factors of SICH. Higher baseline NIHSS score, longer procedure time, multiple thrombectomy maneuvers, administration of IA-rtPA, and the history of DM are independent predictors of SICH in anterior circulation occlusion.

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis: door-to-door survey in three rural areas of coastal Black Sea regions of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Little information exists on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Turkey. With a door-to-door survey in an urban part of Istanbul, we recently reported a prevalence rate of 101/100,000 population. We therefore investigated three rural areas of Turkey at the same latitude. METHODS: The same survey methods were used for total populations of two rural areas (Kandira and Geyve) near Istanbul, and for half the population of Erbaa, all near 40° north latitude on the Black Sea coast. RESULTS: In Kandira, 5 of 8 suspects were diagnosed as having MS among 8,171 screened, resulting in a prevalence rate of 61/100,000. Geyve with 7 MS cases in 17,016 screened had a prevalence of 41/100,000, and Erbaa with 15 MS cases in 28,177 screened one of 53/100,000. Together they showed a prevalence of 51/100,000. Of the 27 patients, 20 were women; 25 had definite and 2 possible MS, the former all with abnormal laboratory findings. Average ages were 30.5 years at onset and 39.1 years at diagnosis. Clinical features and course were typical of European MS. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that Turkey is a high-risk MS area, similar to most regions of Mediterranean Europe, where all recent increases are likely due to (undefined) environmental factors.

Incidence and predictors of prolonged hemodynamic depression after carotid artery stenting: Yet another benefit of statins?

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of prolonged hemodynamic depression (PHD) after carotid artery stenting (CAS). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 216 CAS procedures performed in 207 patients (156 male; median and interquartile range (IQR) of age 68 (62-73) yr) between July 2012 and October 2020. PHD was defined as hypotension (systolic blood pressure ≤ 90 mmHg) and/or bradycardia (heart rate < 60 bpm) lasting >1 h. RESULTS: The incidence of PHD was 25.9%. At multivariate analysis, asymptomatic lesions (OR: 2.43, 95% CI (1.16-5.06), p: 0.018), the stenosis proximity (<10 mm) to bifurcation (OR: 2.94, 95% CI (1.34-6.43), p: 0.007) and implantation of a Protege stent (OR: 2.93, 95% CI (1.14-7.53), p: 0.025) were independent risk factors, while statin usage (OR: 0.48, 95% CI (0.24-0.95), p: 0.036) was an independent protective factor for PHD after CAS. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with asymptomatic lesions and stenosis close to the bifurcation are more prone to PHD. The type of the stent selected significantly influences the risk of PHD. Further prospective randomized studies are warranted to investigate the possible protective role of statins against PHD after CAS.

Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (Aman) With Motor Conduction Blocks In Childhood; Case Report.

Objective Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), characterized with decreased compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) and absence of demyelinating findings in electrophysiological studies, is a subtype of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). A 4 yr-old male patient presented with ascending weakness, dysarthria and dysphagia to Istanbul Dr. Lütfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital Neurology outpatient for three days to in 2012. Dysphonia, restricted eye movements, flaccid tetraplegia and areflexia were found in neurological examination. There were motor conduction blocks in all peripheral nerves in electrophysiological studies.According to these findings the patient was diagnosed as Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP). Reduction of CMAP amplitudes in posterior tibial nerve, absence of CMAPs in median, ulnar and peroneal nerves and loss of motor conduction blocks were found in following electrophysiological studies. According to these findings, patient was diagnosed as AMAN. Motor conduction blocks may appear in early stage of AMAN and they disappear in later examinations. That's why electrophysiological studies must be repeated in patients with GBS.

Treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy with high dose intravenous methylprednisolone monthly for five years: 10-Year follow up.

OBJECTIVE: Although various modalities of treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculopathy (CIDP) there are not any treatment protocol agreed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the 20 CIDP patients (14 male, 6 female). Five patients were excluded from the study because they could not continue their treatments due to various problems during the treatment. The remaining 15 patients treated with monthly high dose intravenous methyl prednisolone for five years (IVMP) and followed up for 10 years. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 48.1±14.6 years. The mean duration of disease was 6.8±3.1 years. We were found statistically significant difference between the pre-treatment and sixth month modified Rankin scores (p<0.001). Similarly, significant improvement was observed at the end of first, fourth and fifth years of treatment. Statistically significant difference was found between baseline and tenth year modified Rankin scores of 12 patients who were treated with only IVMP during 10 years follow-up. CONCLUSION: Long-term monthly IVMP pulse therapy seems to be very effective in the treatment of CIDP.