Calidad de vida en pacientes post-ictus: factores determinantes desde la fase aguda / Quality of life in post-ictuspatients: determinants factors from the acute phase

Introducción: Las enfermedades cerebrovasculares son causa de afectación de la calidad de vida; los factores asociados a una afectación de la calidad de vida varían entre un estudio y otro.Objetivos: Identificar los factores que influyen en la afectación de la calidad de vida en supervivientes a un ictus en su fase aguda. Material y métodos: Se realiza un estudio descriptivo transversal de una serie de 120 sobrevivientes a un ictus isquémico bajo la condición de rehabilitación temprana, aplicándose las escalas transcurridos 10 días de instaurado el ictus. La calidad de vida se evaluó mediante la aplicación de los cuestionarios de la Escala de Calidad de Vida para el Ictus (ECVI-38) de origen cubano desde la fase aguda de instaurado el ictus. Resultados: Predominaron las mujeres, con un promedio de edad por encima de los 65 años. El grado de afectación neurológica entre moderada y grave es de más de dos tercios, con puntuación media de 3,6±3,9. Más de 80 por ciento presentan alta carga de síntomas depresivos, para una puntuación media de 7,7±3,4. La presencia de síntomas depresivos mayores (OR: 0,23, IC: 0,06;0,83), el grado de afectación neurológica (OR: 0,53, IC: 0,09;3,10) y mayor edad (OR: 1,93, IC: 1,44;2,63), fueron los factores asociados a la afectación de la calidad de vida. Conclusiones: El ictus tiene consecuencias físicas y emocionales. La calidad de vida está determinada por el grado de afectación neurológica, mayor edad y la presencia de síntomas depresivos en su fase aguda(AU)

Introduction: Cerebrovascular diseases are cause of impact on lifequality; factors associated with life quality change from one study to another. Objectives: Identify the factors that have influence in the life quality of ictus survivors in their acute phase. Material and Methods: Was performed a transversal-descriptive study of a series of 120 ictus survivors under the condition of early rehabilitation, applying the scales after 10 days of ictus set up. Life quality was evaluated by means of a Cubans Life Quality Scale for ictus (ECVI-38)from the acute phase. Results: Women predominated with an average age over 65 years. Neurological affection degree was from moderated to severe in more than two thirds of patients, with an average score of 3,6±3, 9. More than 80 percent presented in a high degree, depressive symptoms to an average score of 7,7 ±3,4. The presence of uttermost depressive symptoms (OR: 0,23, IC:0,06;0,83), the degree of neurological affection (OR: 0,53, IC:0,09;3,10) and elderliness(OR: 1,93, IC: 1,44;2,63) were the factors associated with life quality affection. Conclusions: Stroke has physical and emotional consequences. Ictus has emotional and physical consequences. Life quality is determined by the neurological affection degree, elderliness and the presence of depressive symptoms in the acute phase(AU)

Serum neuron specific enolase could predict subclinical brain damage and the subsequent occurrence of brain related vascular events during follow up in essential hypertension.

The object of this work was to explore if blood based biomarkers of brain damage could predict subclinical brain lesions and clinical outcome during follow-up in asymptomatic hypertensive patients. This was a cross-sectional study including 101 patients with essential hypertension and no clinical evidence of neurological disease and 53 healthy controls, followed by a longitudinal study of 62 hypertensive patients for an average of 33 months. Serum concentrations of two brain specific proteins (S100B and neuron specific enolase - NSE) were determined at inclusion. Fundoscopic exploration, brain MRI and echocardiographic studies were also performed. Clinical outcome at follow-up was registered: transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, vascular headache or migraine, cardiovascular events and death. Higher serum NSE and S100B concentrations were observed in hypertensive patients; and multiple regression analysis revealed independent associations of clinical variables and more severe white matter lesions only with NSE concentration. A panel combining two clinical variables (blood pressure>140/90 and years of hypertension>10) and serum NSE>13 µg/L predicted more severe white matter lesions with 80% sensitivity and 94.4% specificity. Higher NSE levels at inclusion were associated not only with the occurrence of vascular events related with the CNS (stroke, TIA and vascular headache), but also with an earlier presentation of these events during the follow-up period. Serum NSE concentration could be a useful biomarker to predict subclinical brain damage and future vascular events related with the CNS in hypertension. Blood based biomarkers could aid in filtering hypertensive patients with a higher risk of cerebrovascular disease for brain MRI scanning.

Reliability and validity of a Spanish version of the Impact of Pediatric Epilepsy Scale in a Cuban population.

The Impact of Pediatric Epilepsy Scale (IPES) is a brief, accurate, and acceptable measurement scale of the impact of pediatric epilepsy on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of both the child and the child's family as perceived by the child's parent(s). The aim of this study was to validate a Spanish language version of the IPES in Cuban children with epilepsy. The IPES was translated and adapted to Cuban culture and administered to 76 parents of children with epilepsy. The principal component analysis indicated that two factors accounted for 72% of the variance of the IPES (family relationships and health and social well-being). The IPES was also able to detect differences in HRQOL between subjects according to epilepsy severity. The internal consistency coefficient was 0.962, and the test-retest reliability was 0.979. The Cuban version of IPES can be used to measure a child's epilepsy-specific HRQOL in Cuba.

Short-term prognostic value of serum neuron specific enolase and S100B in acute stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of blood markers for brain injury as outcome predictors in acute stroke. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study included 61 patients with acute stroke (44 ischemic and 17 hemorrhagic) and a high risk control group (79 individuals with no known history of neurological disease). Serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) and S100B were determined by immunoassay (CanAg Diagnostics, Sweden). Outcome at 60 days was evaluated with clinical scales. RESULTS: Higher concentrations of NSE and S100B were measured in patients compared to high risk controls, but they were not related to stroke severity on admission. NSE was associated with functional neurological outcome at 60 days and to the degree of recovery, whereas S100B exhibited a strong correlation with depression symptoms at 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: The measurements of serum concentrations of NSE and S100B after acute stroke may be clinically relevant for predicting functional neurological outcome and post-stroke depression, respectively.

Severity of depressive symptoms as predictor of impairment of quality of life in chronic migraine: comparison with episodic migraine.

To identify predictors of quality of life (QoL) in episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM), 116 migraineurs were evaluated using the Headache Needs Assessment (HANA). QoL was significantly more impaired in patients with CM. Disability was a predictor of QoL in both EM and CM. Severity of depressive symptoms emerged as a predictor of QoL in CM. QoL was also poorer in women and in those with greater headache intensity and nausea associated with headache in the total sample. The present findings suggest a specific role for depressive symptoms in impaired QoL in CM sufferers.

Guías de práctica clínica para las enfermedades cerebrovasculares / Clinic practical guides for cerebrovascular diseases

Se presentan las guías de práctica clínica para las enfermedades cerebrovasculares. Incluye aspectos como su concepto y clasificación, datos epidemiológicos en el mundo y en Cuba, así como su diagnóstico, clasificación, complicaciones y tratamiento. Se ofrece la forma y frecuencia de la evaluación de su aplicación e incluye instrumentos para medir calidad de vida de los enfermos con accidentes cerebrovasculares(AU)

The clinic practical guides for cerebrovascular diseases are presented. They include different aspects as its concept, classification, and epidemiological data in Cuba as well as worldwide. They also offer its diagnosis, classification, complications and treatment. The frequency of assessment of its application including the tools to measure the quality of life in patients with cerebrovascular accident and the way to proceed with them are shown(AU)

Esperanza de vida ajustada por enfermedad cerebrovascular / Cerebrovascular disease-adjusted life expectancy

La enfermedad cerebrovascular (ECV) es una de las que tienen mayor impacto a nivel nacional e internacional, tanto por la mortalidad como por la pérdida de calidad de vida que genera en la población. En Cuba, con respecto a la morbilidad, este impacto no se ha cuantificado en un único índice que tenga en cuenta la severidad relativa de la ECV, es decir, su impacto sobre la calidad (y cantidad) de vida a la que aspiramos socialmente. La esperanza de vida ajustada por discapacidad (EVAD) es un indicador relativamente reciente que permite cuantificar el efecto de la morbilidad por cualquier enfermedad, en particular la ECV sobre la esperanza de vida. En este trabajo se calcula la EVAD para la ECV por sexo y para los años 1990, 1995 y 2000, lo que facilita el estudio comparativo del impacto de la morbilidad por esta enfermedad entre hombres y mujeres, y a lo largo del período abarcado por estos 3 años.

The cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is one of the diseases with the highest impact at the national and international level due to mortality and to the loss of quality of life it generates in the population. In Cuba, as regards morbidity, this impact has not been quantified in a unique index that takes into account the relative severity of the CVD, that is, its impact on the quality (and quantity) of life we all socially aspire to. Disability-adjusted life expectancy (DALE) is a relatively recent indicator that allows to quantify the effect of morbidity by any disease, in particular, the CVD, on life expectancy. In this paper, the DALE is calculated for the CVD by sex and for 1990, 1995 and 2000, which enables to conduct the comparative study of the impact of morbidity by this disease between men and women along this 3-year period.