Effect of socioeconomic level on knowledge of stroke in the general population: A social inequality gradient.

OBJECTIVES: Socioeconomic status is a factor that influences health-related behaviour in individuals as well as health conditions in entire populations. The objective of the present study was to analyse the sociodemographic factors that may influence knowledge of stroke. METHOD: Cross-sectional study. A representative sample was selected by double randomisation. Face-to-face interviews were carried out by previously trained medical students using a structured questionnaire with open- and closed-ended questions. Adequate knowledge was previously defined. The Mantel-Haenszel test and adjusted logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between knowledge of stroke and the study variables. RESULTS: 2411 subjects were interviewed (59.9% women; mean age 49.0 [SD 17.3] years) Seventy-three per cent were residents of urban areas, 24.7% had a university education, and 15.2% had a low level of schooling. Only 2.1% reported earning more than 40 000 euros/year, with 29.9% earning less than 10 000. Nearly 74% reported having an excellent or good state of health. The unemployment rate was 17.0%. Prevalence of "adequate knowledge" was 39.7% (95% CI: 37.7%-41.6%). Trend analysis showed an association between knowledge of stroke and income (z=10.14, P<0.0001); educational level (z=15.95, P<0.0001); state of health (z=7.92, P<0.0001); and employment status (z=8.98, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Educational level, income, employment status, and state of health are independent factors for adequate knowledge of stroke. Public awareness campaigns should present material using simple language and efforts should be directed toward the most disadvantaged social strata in particular.

[Internal carotid artery vasculitis originated by cervicofacial actinomycosis as a predisponing factor to stroke]. / Vasculitis de la arteria carótida interna originada por actinomicosis cervicofacial como factor predisponente de infarto cerebral.

Actinomycosis is a chronic, suppurative, fibrotic infection produced by a gram-positive anaerobic bacteria of the normal mouth flora, the infection having tendency to fistulate and to extend without respecting tissue layers. Initial diagnosis is usually delayed due to its painless evolution. Three clinical forms are known: cervicofacial, abdominal and thoracic. Occasionally, there is vascular involvement which is mainly associated with venous thrombotic phenomena with low clinical expresion and hematogenous dissemination that can result in a formation of abscess or meningitis in the central nervous system. We report the case of a 28 year old female patient with type I diabetes and microangiopathyc complication with a internal carotid artery stenosis adjacent to mandibular angle actinomicosis. A few months later and after a miscarriage she suffered from ischemic stroke. The anticardiolipin antibody were positive at the time of stroke with post-operative period and over the next two years. To our knowledge (Medline, 1984-2004), it is the first report of internal carotid vasculitis originated by cervicofacial actinomicosis. We discuss the neuroradiological aspects of our case.

[Hashimoto's encephalitis: a new case with spontaneous remission]. / Encefalitis de Hashimoto: un nuevo caso con remisión espontánea.

Hashimoto's encephalopathy is a poor understood neurological disorder associated with thyroid disease. We describe a 12 years old woman with a relapsing clinical picture characterized by acute onset confusion, tremor, convulsive seizures and a stroke-like episode associated with autoimmune thyroid disease. High titers of antithyroid antibodies were detected in her serum. Neurologic investigation showed a marked slowing of the basic activity in EEG, diminished perfusion of left hemisphere in brain SPECT, mild CSF protein level without pleocytosis, and normal brain CT and cerebral angiogram. The clinical course was favorable without corticosteroid therapy. Antithyroid antibodies and EEG were normal after one-year follow-up. We suggest that antithyroid antibody levels should be checked in any unexplained acute or subacute encephalopathy, especially when a relapsing course, stroke-like exacerbation, seizures, tremor or elevation of the CSF protein are found.

[Paralysis of the nucleus of the third cranial nerve secondary to a mesencephalic hematoma]. / Parálisis nuclear del III par craneal secundario a hematoma mesencefálico.

INTRODUCTION: The oculomotor disorders due to mesencephalic pathology are very varied. Function of the third cranial nerve may be affected at the level of the nucleus, in the mesencephalic fascicular portion, interpeduncular fossa, pathway anterior to the posterior communicating artery, sinus cavernosus, sphenoid fissure and orbit. Paralysis of the common oculomotor nerve is the least common of these. Generally it is secondary to ischemic, or sometimes to hemorrhagic vascular pathology. CLINICAL CASE: We present the case of a hypertensive woman with an oculomotor nerve syndrome associated with limitation of horizontal gaze of the contralateral eye and reactive head inclination due to a mesencephalic haematoma. CONCLUSION: The three neuro-ophthalmological findings seen in our patient have rarely been described in the literature. We consider the clinical observation of this case and the study of the organization of the oculomotor nerve nucleus to be of interest for publication.

[Laryngeal paralysis and olivopontocerebellar atrophy. Apropos of a case]. / Parálisis laríngea y atrofia olivopontocerebelosa. A propósito de un caso.

We display the study performed to a female patient affected of laryngeal paralysis to become, based in clinical and radiologic criteria, to diagnose her cerebellar atrophy. We justify our work because of how infrequently this illness heredodegenerative of the central nervous system begins with cranial pairs paralysis. We emphasize the importance that the new methods of explorations specially TAC and IRM, have to guess the possible etiologies of central originated paralysis.