Prevalence case-control study of epilepsy in three Burkina Faso villages.

PURPOSE: To estimate the association between the prevalence of epilepsy and potential risk factors in three Burkina Faso villages. METHODS: Three villages were selected based on local reports of high numbers of epilepsy cases and pig-rearing practices. One person aged 7 or older was selected at random from all households of selected concessions for epilepsy screening and blood sampling. Epilepsy was confirmed by a physician using the ILAE definition. The cross-sectional associations between epilepsy and selected factors and seroresponse to the antigens of Taenia solium were estimated using a Bayesian hierarchical logistic regression. Prevalence odds ratios (POR) and their 95% Bayesian Credible Intervals (95% BCI) were estimated. RESULTS: Of 888 individuals interviewed, 39 of 70 screened positive were confirmed to have epilepsy for a lifetime prevalence of 4.5% (95% CI: 3.3; 6.0). The prevalence of epilepsy was associated with a positive reaction to cysticercosis Ag-ELISA serology (POR = 3.1, 95% BCI = 1.0; 8.3), past pork consumption (POR = 9.7, 95% BCI = 2.5; 37.9), and being salaried or a trader compared to a farmer or housewife (POR = 2.9, 95% BCI = 1.2; 6.4). DISCUSSION: Several factors were associated with prevalent epilepsy, with Ag-ELISA suggesting the presence of neurocysticercosis. The association between epilepsy and some occupations may reflect differences in local attitudes toward epilepsy and should be further explored.

Coffee consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in men and women with normal glucose tolerance: the Strong Heart Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It was reported that high coffee consumption was related to decreased diabetes risk. The aim of this study is to examine the association between coffee consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in persons with normal glucose tolerance in a population with a high incidence and prevalence of diabetes. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a prospective cohort study, information about daily coffee consumption was collected at the baseline examination (1989-1992) in a population-based sample of American Indian men and women 45-74 years of age. Participants with normal glucose tolerance (N = 1141) at the baseline examination were followed for an average of 7.6 years. The incidence of diabetes was compared across the categories of daily coffee consumption. The hazard ratios of diabetes related to coffee consumption were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders. Levels of coffee consumption were positively related to levels of current smoking and inversely related to body mass index, waist circumference, female gender, and hypertension. Compared to those who did not drink coffee, participants who drank 12 or more cups of coffee daily had 67% less risk of developing diabetes during the follow-up (hazard ratio: 0.33, 95% confidence interval: 0.13, 0.81). CONCLUSION: In this population, a high level of coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of deterioration of glucose metabolism over an average 7.6 years of follow-up. More work is needed to understand whether there is a plausible biological mechanism for this observation.

Rising tide of cardiovascular disease in American Indians. The Strong Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) used to be rare among American Indians, Indian Health Service data suggest that CVD mortality rates vary greatly among American Indian communities and appear to be increasing. The Strong Heart Study was initiated to investigate CVD and its risk factors in American Indians in 13 communities in Arizona, Oklahoma, and South/North Dakota. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 4549 participants (1846 men and 2703 women 45 to 74 years old) who were seen at the baseline (1989 to 1991) examination were subjected to surveillance (average 4.2 years, 1991 to 1995), and 88% of those remaining alive underwent a second examination (1993 to 1995). The medical records of all participants were exhaustively reviewed to ascertain nonfatal cardiovascular events that occurred since the baseline examination or to definitively determine cause of death. CVD morbidity and mortality rates were higher in men than in women and were similar in the 3 geographic areas. Coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence rates among American Indian men and women were almost 2-fold higher than those in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Significant independent predictors of CVD in women were diabetes, age, obesity (inverse), LDL cholesterol, albuminuria, triglycerides, and hypertension. In men, diabetes, age, LDL cholesterol, albuminuria, and hypertension were independent predictors of CVD. CONCLUSIONS: At present, CHD rates in American Indians exceed rates in other US populations and may more often be fatal. Unlike other ethnic groups, American Indians appear to have an increasing incidence of CHD, possibly related to the high prevalence of diabetes. In the general US population, the rising prevalence of obesity and diabetes may reverse the decline in CVD death rates. Therefore, aggressive programs to control diabetes and its risk factors are needed.

Risk factors for coronary heart disease in diabetic and nondiabetic Native Americans. The Strong Heart Study.

The Strong Heart Study is a study of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors among diabetic and nondiabetic Native Americans. The study includes 12 tribes in Arizona, Oklahoma, and North and South Dakota. Phase I, initiated in October 1988, included a mortality survey to determine CVD death rates in individuals 35-74 yr old between 1984 and 1988, and a medical record review to determine rates of myocardial infarction and stroke for individuals ages 45-74 during the same time. In addition, a physical examination was performed on persons 45-74 yr old to measure the prevalence of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases and known and suspected risk factors. In Phase II, CVD mortality and morbidity rates will be determined in the examined cohort by surveillance. CVD risk factors, changes in risk factors over time, and the relationship between risk factors and CVD incidence will be assessed longitudinally. This study provides data on the relative importance of cardiovascular risk factors in nondiabetic and diabetic Native Americans and will provide insight into possible variations in the quantitative or qualitative importance of CVD risk factors among diverse population groups.

Diabetes and coronary heart disease in American Indians: The Strong Heart Study.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death among American Indians. However, information on the prevalence of CHD and its association with known risk factors is limited. The purpose of the Strong Heart Study is to quantify CHD and its risk factors among three geographically diverse groups of American Indians. The population consists of 4,549 adults between 45 and 74 years of age in 13 Indian communities in Arizona, Oklahoma, and South and North Dakota. The phase I examination (1989-1991) revealed very high prevalence rates of diabetes that ranged from 33 to 72% in men and women in the three centers. Prevalence rates of definite myocardial infarction (MI) and definite CHD were higher in men than in women in all three centers (P < 0.0001) and in those with diabetes (P = 0.002 and P = 0.0003 in women and men respectively). Diabetes was associated with a relatively greater increase in prevalence of MI (prevalence rate = 3.8 vs. 1.9) and CHD (prevalence rate = 4.6 vs. 1.8) in women than in men. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the prevalence of CHD among American Indians was significantly related to age, diabetes, hypertension, albuminuria, percentage of body fat, smoking, high concentrations of plasma insulin, and low concentrations of HDL cholesterol. Lower prevalence rates of CHD were found in Arizona despite higher rates of diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and albuminuria; these lower rates may be in part related to lower smoking frequency and lower concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol. These findings from the baseline Strong Heart Study examination emphasize the relative importance of diabetes and its associated variables as risk factors for CHD among American Indian populations.

Adverse effects of diabetes on multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors in women. The Strong Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies have shown that diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women to a greater extent than in men. One explanation could be that diabetes has more adverse effects on CVD risk factors in women than in men. We compared diabetes-associated differences in CVD risk factors in men and women in the Strong Heart Study, a population-based study of CVD and its risk factors in American Indians. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 1,846 men and 2,703 women between the ages of 45 and 74 years from 13 American Indian communities in three geographic areas underwent an examination that included a medical history; an electrocardiogram; anthropometric and blood pressure measurements; an oral glucose tolerance test; and measurements of fasting plasma lipoproteins, fibrinogen, insulin, HbA1c, and urinary albumin. RESULTS: Statistically significantly greater adverse differences in those with diabetes versus those without diabetes were observed in women than in men for waist-to-hip ratio, HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo)B, apoA1, fibrinogen, and LDL size. In multiple linear regression models adjusting for age, center, sex, and diabetes, the diabetes by sex interaction terms were statistically significant for waist-to-hip ratio, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, apoB, apoA1, fibrinogen, and LDL size. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with diabetes-associated differences in men, diabetes in women was related to greater adverse differences in levels of several CVD risk factors. Although the magnitude of the individual diabetes-related differences between men and women was not large, the combined effects of these risk factor differences in diabetic women may be substantial. The apparent greater negative impact of diabetes on CVD risk factors in women may explain, in part, the greater risk for CVD in diabetic women.

Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in three American Indian populations aged 45-74 years. The Strong Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate prevalence rates of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in three American Indian populations, using standardized diagnostic criteria, and to assess the association of diabetes with the following selected possible risk factors: age, obesity, family history of diabetes, and amount of Indian ancestry. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved enrolled members, men and women aged 45-74 years, of 13 American Indian tribes or communities in Arizona, Oklahoma, and South and North Dakota. Eligible participants were invited to the clinic for a personal interview and a physical examination. Diabetes and IGT status were defined by the World Health Organization criteria and were based on fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance test results. Data on age, family history of diabetes, and amount of Indian ancestry were obtained from the personal interview, and measures of obesity included body mass index, percentage body fat, and waist-to-hip ratio. RESULTS: A total of 4,549 eligible participants were examined, and diabetes status was determined for 4,304 (1,446 in Arizona, 1,449 in Oklahoma, and 1,409 in the Dakotas). In all three centers, diabetes was more prevalent in women than in men. Arizona had the highest age-adjusted rates of diabetes: 65% in men and 72% in women. Diabetes rates in Oklahoma (38% in men and 42% in women) and South and North Dakota (33% in men and 40% in women), although considerably lower than in Arizona, were several times higher than those reported for the U.S. population. Rates of IGT among the three populations (14-17%) were similar to those in the U.S. population. Diabetes rates were positively associated with age, level of obesity, amount of Indian ancestry, and parental diabetes status. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is found in epidemic proportions in Native American populations. Prevention programs and periodic screening should be implemented among American Indians. Standards of care and intervention have been developed by the Indian Health Service for individuals in whom diabetes is diagnosed. These programs should be expanded to include those with IGT to improve glycemic control or to reduce the risk of development of diabetes as well as to reduce the risk of diabetic complications.

The epidemiology of placental features: associations with gestational age and neonatal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiologic and pathogenetic significance of placental features and neonatal outcome in a high-risk population. METHODS: One pathologist examined 1252 placentas from clinically selected at-risk singleton pregnancies. Placental pathology features were analyzed relative to gestational age and status of the newborn, including fetal growth restriction (FGR), low 1-minute Apgar score, infection, liver disorder, anomalies, and death in the immediate postnatal period. RESULTS: The most frequent placental pathologic features were ischemic change, meconium staining, and chorioamnionitis. Only 8% of placentas were considered normal. The number of features per placenta increased with gestational age. Among preterm infants, chorioamnionitis occurred most frequently with low 1-minute Apgar score (40%), clinically apparent infection (43%), liver disorder (43%), and anomalies (42%), compared with healthy newborns (15%). Chorioamnionitis at term was most frequent among infants with low 1-minute Apgar score (26%), infection (30%), and liver disorder (23%), compared with healthy newborns (16%). Meconium and ischemic changes were most frequent in placentas from healthy newborns, compared with affected newborns, regardless of gestational age. Multivariable analyses revealed an independent association between chorioamnionitis and low 1-minute Apgar score (P < .05), and both chorioamnionitis and villitis were associated with newborn infection (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The frequency of many major pathologic placental features, especially ischemic changes and meconium, in the absence of immediately detectable abnormality is relatively high. Thus, continued follow-up is needed to determine their long-term clinical significance. In addition, associations of ischemic changes and infarction with FGR in term infants suggest that need for comprehensive investigations of the effects of histopathologically apparent low placental blood flow.

The epidemiology and natural history of infantile spasms.

Few population-based studies of infantile spasms have been done, and most reports have not included comparison groups. In spite of these limitations, this review attempts to summarize what is known about the distribution, etiology, and natural history of infantile spasms in populations; discusses the limitations of current data; and includes suggestions for further population-based research. Most estimates of the incidence of infantile spasms are between 0.25 and 0.42 per 1000 live births per year. Among children less than 10 years of age, the annual prevalence of infantile spasms is 0.14 to 0.19 per 1000. The peak age at onset of spasms is 4 to 6 months, and there appears to be a slight excess of male cases. The etiology of infantile spasms is unknown for 40% to 50% of affected children. Selected syndromes (eg, Aicardi syndrome, Down syndrome, etc) and inherited disorders (eg, tuberous sclerosis) may account for as many as one third of cases. Other factors, such as intrauterine infection, "birth injury," and head trauma have not been systematically evaluated, and thus, their contribution to the etiology of infantile spasms is uncertain. Areas for future etiologic research include controlled studies of immunologic factors and in utero and postnatal infections and further exploration of the interrelationship between infantile spasms and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Maternal-fetal HLA sharing and risk of newborn encephalopathy and seizures: a pilot study.

A pilot case-control study was done to collect data on whether susceptibility to newborn encephalopathy and neonatal seizures is influenced by the degree of maternal-fetal sharing of HLA antigens. Cases included 13 infants with moderate or severe newborn encephalopathy and seven infants with neonatal seizures but no other signs of encephalopathy. Controls were neurologically normal infants matched to cases by date of birth, sex, race, and payment status. Infants and their mothers were typed for HLA-A, -B, -DR, and -DQ antigens. The observed frequency of sharing of maternal antigens was greater than expected (ie, 0.5) for cases compared to controls at the HLA-B, -DR, and -DQ loci but not for HLA-A. The risk of neurologic problems in the neonatal period was increased 6.3 times when there was more than one match at the HLA-DR or -DQ locus. Placental abnormalities were noted at delivery only among cases, and the mean placental weight in cases was 598 g versus 695 g in controls. Further studies with sample sizes sufficiently large to statistically test this hypothesis are needed.

Clinical correlates of white-matter abnormalities on head magnetic resonance imaging.

We undertook this study to investigate the relationship between white-matter abnormalities (seen on brain magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) and muscle tone and muscle stretch reflexes on clinical examination. We identified all patients less than 5 years of age who had undergone cranial MRI studies at Riley Hospital for Children between June 30, 1999, and July 1, 2000, whose scans were read as showing white-matter abnormalities. We measured two ratios and the thickness of the corpus callosum as indicators of the quantity of cerebral white matter. The ratios were R1, the ratio of the thickness of the white matter at the level just above the body of the lateral ventricle compared with the width of the hemisphere, and R2, the ratio of the thickness of the white matter to the width of the hemisphere at the level of the trigone of the lateral ventricle. The thickness of the corpus callosum was measured at the junction of the anterior two thirds and the posterior third. We also evaluated the signal intensity of the cerebral white matter by reviewing the fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery images and grading the signal as normal to severely abnormal depending on the degree and extent of high signal intensity seen (0 = normal to 4+). Thirty-eight children less than 5 years of age who underwent MRI scans between June and August 2000 and who were found to have normal tone prospectively and normal MRI scan on review served as a control group. We identified 215 patients who had white-matter abnormalities; of these, only 142 (66%) had documented tone assessments in their medical record. Our study group was divided into three groups: increased (n = 35), decreased (n = 53), and normal tone (n = 54). All three measurements of white matter in each of the three study groups were significantly below values for control children. The children with white-matter abnormalities and decreased tone had significantly less signal intensity abnormality than the other study groups. Children with white-matter abnormalities and increased tone had a greater frequency of increased reflexes and tended to have more signal abnormalities than the other groups. The group of children with white-matter abnormalities and normal tone had the least amount of cerebral white-matter deficiency of the three study groups. In patients with strikingly decreased quantities of cerebral white matter, those with normal signal-intensity white matter are likely to be hypotonic with normal reflexes and those with increased signal intensity in the white matter are likely to be spastic.

Screening for urethral infection in adolescent and young adult males.

We evaluated the urinary leukocyte esterase (LE) dipstick as a predictor of a positive urethral culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and/or Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescent and young adult males. Sexual and sexually transmitted disease (STD) histories were also analyzed to determine predictors of infection. Subjects were recruited from sexually active males attending an adolescent medicine clinic. Patients were interviewed regarding presence of symptoms of urethritis and a variety of clinical variables. First-voided urine for LE dipstick and urethral swabs for gonorrhea and C. trachomatis cultures were obtained. One hundred patients (mean age, 19.2 years) were asymptomatic; 50 patients (mean age, 19.0 years) had symptoms of urethritis. In asymptomatic patients, the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value positive (PVP), and predictive value negative (PVN) of the LE dipstick were 0.31, 0.92, 0.57, and 0.90, respectively. These values were 0.66, 0.71, 0.76, and 0.60, respectively, in symptomatic patients. In each patient group the dipstick was more sensitive in detecting, and a better predictor of, a positive culture for gonorrhea than Chlamydia. LE dipstick results and clinical variables were evaluated as correlates of infection using stepwise logistic regression. A positive LE dipstick and four additional variables increased the probability of obtaining a positive culture for one or both organisms from symptomatic patients. These variables were the following: sexual contact in the previous month with a partner diagnosed as having a sexually transmitted disease, having ever used a condom, five or more lifetime sexual partners, and more than one sexual partner in the past month. Only a positive LE dipstick entered the model as a predictor of infection in asymptomatic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The relation between newborn hemoglobin F fractions and risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine and compare fetal hemoglobin (HbF) fractions at birth in newborns exposed and not exposed to selected factors that have been reported to increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Previous studies have implicated HbF in the etiology of SIDS by finding higher fractions in infants dying from SIDS compared to age-matched control infants. DESIGN: We performed a cross-sectional study using high-performance liquid chromatography to measure HbF fractions in newborn cord blood samples. Exposure to selected risk factors for SIDS was assessed through review of medical records. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred thirty-three infants born at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St Francis Campus, Wichita, Kan, from February 28 through August 5, 1997. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Hemoglobin F fractions at birth were compared in newborns exposed and not exposed to selected risk factors associated with increased incidence of SIDS. RESULTS: Mean HbF fractions were significantly higher in preterm newborns of mothers who smoked and in term newborns with intrauterine growth restriction, pregnancy weight gain less than or equal to 9 kg, and pregnancy complications associated with reduced placental blood flow. An elevated newborn HbF fraction, defined as 77% or greater, was significantly associated with maternal smoking, maternal anemia, intrauterine growth restriction, and pregnancy complications associated with reduced placental blood flow. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a possible mechanism (HbF) by which previously identified factors may increase the risk of SIDS.

Outcomes of a small group educational intervention for urinary incontinence: episodes of incontinence and other urinary symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: This community-based intervention to reduce urinary incontinence (UI) in elderly women used a small group educational approach. This article reports on change in episodes of incontinence and other urinary symptoms. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to intervention or wait control condition. This article is restricted to 49 intervention and 59 control participants with acceptable diaries. RESULTS: There was a significant treatment effect for a number of incontinent episodes. In the intervention group, 61% had a 50% or greater reduction in episodes, with more than one third having 100% reduction; 38% of the control group had a reduction of 50% or greater. One year postprogram, 75% of treated women reported subjective improvement. There was a reduction in frequency of daily, but not nocturnal, micturition. DISCUSSION: This community-based intervention is an encouraging option for behavioral treatment of UI. Public health models may be particularly appropriate with moderate levels of urinary incontinence.

Outcomes of a small group educational intervention for urinary incontinence: health-related quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: This article examines change in general and condition-specific measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL) among participants in a randomized trial of a community-based intervention for urinary incontinence (UI). METHODS: Participants were randomized into intervention or wait control conditions. Participants were women aged 65 or older with urinary incontinence residing in Oklahoma. General HRQL measures included the Physical Function, Mental Health, Vitality, and Health Perceptions subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36. Condition-specific measures included the Impact of UI and self-management strategies. RESULTS: There were no significant group effects for the general HRQL measures. Intervention participants reported decreased Impact of UI and greater change in self-management strategies than control participants. DISCUSSION: The intervention affected condition-specific quality of life and self-management but not general HRQL. The intervention's impact on quality of life involves change in how the condition is seen as impacting on life and on selection of self-management behaviors.

Alterations in clinical chemistry measures associated with oral contraceptive and estrogen use: the Lipid Research Clinics Program Prevalence Study.

The associations of current oral contraceptive (OC) or estrogen use and mean levels of a variety of clinical chemistry measurements have not been previously described in large, free-living populations. We compared mean fasting measurements of eight clinical chemistry tests (alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT], total bilirubin, globulin, thyroxine, creatinine, uric acid and plasma glucose) adjusted for age, body mass, education, alcohol use, smoking and study population variation in approximately 1,500 white women from nine North American Lipid Research Clinic populations. Compared to hormone nonusers of the same age, OC users aged 20 to 39 years had significantly lower mean values of serum alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, total bilirubin and plasma glucose, while serum globulin, thyroxine and creatinine levels were significantly higher. Mean uric acid values were not significantly different. Estrogen users aged 50 to 69 years had significantly lower mean values of alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin and significantly higher thyroxine and uric acid levels as compared to hormone nonusers aged 50 to 69 years.

Secular trends in the prevalence of HIV infection among a population of males with hemophilia, 1988-1997: the Oklahoma Hemophilia Surveillance System.

Tracking the natural history of HIV/AIDS in the hemophilia community is useful for planning future health care needs and for adjusting estimates of the prevalence of hemophilia as the impact of HIV/AIDS wanes over time. The present study was designed to determine the annual prevalence of HIV infection from 1988 through 1997 in a population of males with hemophilia A or B. Data were obtained from the Oklahoma Hemophilia Surveillance System and were limited to individuals who were seen at the Oklahoma Hemophilia Treatment Center. In 1988, the prevalence rate of HIV infection was 34 percent. Rates have declined in each subsequent year through 1997. The highest rates of HIV infection were observed in persons with severe hemophilia and hemophilia A. The overall prevalence rates of HIV infection in this treatment center population are lower than those reported in other populations. No new cases of HIV infection were observed in persons with hemophilia born after 1985.

Coated-platelet levels and progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease.

OBJECTIVES: Coated-platelets are a subset of platelets produced by dual-agonist activation with collagen and thrombin. These platelets retain full-length amyloid precursor protein on their surface, are elevated in patients with amnestic as compared to nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and correlate with disease progression in Alzheimer disease (AD). Prompted by these findings, we investigated the association between coated-platelet production in amnestic MCI and rate of progression to AD. METHODS: Coated-platelet levels were assayed in 74 patients with amnestic MCI who were subsequently followed longitudinally for up to 36 months in an outpatient dementia clinic. Levels are reported as percent of cells converted into coated-platelets. Subjects were categorized into tertiles of coated-platelet levels. The distributions of time to progression to AD were estimated for each tertile using cumulative incidence curves and compared statistically using a log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to adjust for potential confounders. RESULTS: The 24-month cumulative incidence of progression to AD was different among tertiles: 4% for the first tertile (lowest coated-platelet levels), 13% for the second tertile, and 37% for the third tertile (overall log-rank test, p = 0.02). The hazard rate of progression to AD for patients in the highest coated-platelet tertile was 5.1 times that for patients in the lowest tertile (p = 0.04), whereas the hazard rate for the middle tertile was similar to that for the lowest tertile (hazard rate ratio = 1.5, p = 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated coated-platelet levels in patients with amnestic MCI are associated with increased risk for progression to AD.

Lower coated-platelet levels are associated with early hemorrhagic transformation in patients with non-lacunar brain infarction.

BACKGROUND: Coated-platelets, representing a subset of platelets with procoagulant potential, are elevated in patients with non-lacunar ischemic stroke and decreased in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. However, within the non-lacunar patient population there are individuals with lower levels of coated-platelets, which raises the possibility that these individuals would be susceptible to early hemorrhagic transformation (HT) of ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE: Because extremes in coated-platelet potential may be associated with either thrombotic or hemorrhagic events, we undertook a pilot study to investigate whether there is an association between coated-platelet production and the presence of early HT in patients with non-lacunar ischemic stroke. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Coated-platelet levels were determined in 115 consecutive eligible patients with a diagnosis of non-lacunar ischemic stroke. Early HT was determined on CT scan examination and confirmed by MRI studies. The distribution of coated-platelet levels was summarized using the median and interquartile range (25th-75th percentiles) and compared statistically between patients with and without early HT using the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: The median coated-platelet level in all non-lacunar stroke patients was 38.0% (interquartile range 30.5-48.3%). Early HT was detected in 11 patients (9.6%), and these patients had significantly lower coated-platelet levels compared with those without early HT [median 25.1% (interquartile range 20.4-35.5%) vs. 39.2% (31.6-49.5%), P = 0.003]. CONCLUSIONS: Lower levels of coated-platelets are associated with the presence of early HT in patients with non-lacunar ischemic stroke.