Glucocorticoids are the first-line therapy of many neurological disorders, with the treatment regimen varying across types and characteristics of neurological disorders. This article reviews the national and international guidelines and expert consensuses in the past decade on glucocorticoids treatment for neurological disorders, and summarizes recommendations from the latest Chinese guidelines and consensuses. In summary, the most frequently used pulse therapy of glucocorticoids in China is intravenous infusion of high-dose (usually 1000 mg/d) methylprednisolone in a short period (often <5 d), followed by gradual tapering, bridging with oral prednisone or direct discontinuation. The treatment regimen for children and juveniles is similar to that for adults but the dose is adjusted by body weight. Pharmacodynamics of glucocorticoids should be considered for the treatment of perinatal women. To provide appropriate glucocorticoids treatment for patients with neurological disorders, clinicians should fully understand features of each neurological disorder and clinical characteristics of individual patient.
Objective To investigate the relationship between systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) and early neurological deterioration (END) and 3-month prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated at West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Deyang People’s Hospital between April 2020 and October 2020 were collected. Clinical data were collected using a unified case form and outcomes were followed up for 3 months. According to the poor prognosis, the patients were divided into END group and non-END group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship of SIRI, END and 3-month prognosis. We drew receiver operating characteristic curve to evaluate the value of related factors in predicting the occurrence of END and poor prognosis after 3 months. Results A total of 242 patients were included, of which 47 (19.42%) were in the END group. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in National Institutes of Health stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission, hypertension, creatinine, urea nitrogen, neutrophils count, lymphocyte count, neutrophil count/lymphocyte count ratio (NLR), lymphocyte count/monocyte count ratio, platelet count/lymphocyte count ratio, complications (besides cerebral edema) and SIRI (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that NIHSS score on admission, hypertension, SIRI and NLR were independent risk factors for END (P<0.05). SIRI had better predictive value for the occurrence of END than NLR (P<0.05). Compared with the non-END group, the patients in the END group had worse prognosis at 3-month [44.7%(21/47) vs. 17.4% (34/195), P<0.05]. NIHSS score on admission had predictive value for clinical prognosis of acute ischemic stroke patients at 3-month. Conclusion SIRI is an independent risk factor for END in patients with acute ischemic stroke, and there is no independent correlation with the 3-month prognosis.
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis bridging endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with acute cardioembolic stroke. Methods We retrospectively included patients with cardioembolic stroke who were admitted within 24 h after onset of stroke symptoms and had received EVT in the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2017 and December 2021. Based on whether they had received intravenous thrombolysis, the patients were divided into bridging therapy group and direct EVT group. The primary outcome was unfavorable outcome by 3 months, defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 3 to 6. The secondary outcomes included intracranial hemorrhage during hospitalization and 3-month death. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the treatment effect on the primary outcome after adjusting for confounding factors. Results A total of 285 patients were enrolled. Among them, 174 (61.1%) were female, the median age was 74 years (interquartile range 64-80 years), and the median time from stroke onset to admission was 4.0 h (interquartile range 3.0-5.0 h). Compared to patients in the direct EVT group (n=202), patients in the bridging therapy group (n=83) had a lower rate of unfavorable functional outcome (55.4% vs 68.3%, P=0.039) by 3 months, while the incidences of intracranial hemorrhage (47.0% vs. 39.6%, P=0.251) and 3-month death (20.5% vs. 30.7%, P=0.080) were comparable between the two groups. After adjusting for confounding factors, the bridging therapy improved 3-month functional outcomes over direct EVT [odds ratio=0.482, 95% confidence interval (0.249, 0.934), P=0.031]. Conclusion In patients with acute cardioembolic stroke, intravenous thrombolysis bridging endovascular treatment can significantly improve 3-month functional outcomes without increasing the risk of intracranial hemorrhage.
Objective To explore the clinical and imaging features of patients with acute dizziness and assess their associations with 3-month prognosis. Methods We enrolled adult patients with a chief complaint of acute dizziness, who were admitted to the Neurological Clinic at the Emergency Department of West China Hospital, Sichuan University between January 1st and May 31st 2022. We collected clinical and imaging features at baseline for each patient. The primary outcome was recurrent dizziness within 3 months after index dizziness. Secondary outcome was stroke within 3 months after index dizziness. Results A total of 1 322 patients who visited the Neurological Clinic were included, of which 617 (46.7%) had a chief complaint of acute dizziness. Among 222 patients who performed emergent brain and neck CT angiography, 1 patient presented with intracerebral haemorrhage. Among the remaining 221 patients, 206 patients completed 3-month follow-up, with 76 patients reported recurrent dizziness and 7 patients had stroke (6 ischaemic, 1 hemorrhagic). The multivariate logistic regression showed that chronic dizziness duration and parenchymal hypodensity on brain CT were each associated with a higher risk of recurrent dizziness. Compared with those who did not report stroke, the stroke patients were more likely to present with hypertension, headache symptoms, and exhibit parenchymal hypodensity on baseline CT (P<0.05). Conclusions In patients with acute dizziness, those with chronic dizziness duration and parenchymal hypodensity on baseline CT were associated with a higher risk of 3-month recurrent dizziness. Acute dizziness patients experiencing 3-month stroke often have hypertension, headache symptoms, and parenchymal hypodensity on baseline CT.
Objective To analyze the difference of clinical characteristics and vascular risk factors between patients with unexplained non-acute dizziness and headache, so that to bring new perspective on prevention of vascular risk factors and enhancement of symptoms among different patients. Methods The data of patients in the cerebrovascular disease clinic of the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University between July 1th and September 30th, 2021 were collected retrospectively. The included patients were divided into dizziness group or headache group according to the complained. The clinical characteristics and risk factors of the two groups were compared. Results A total of 273 patients were included. There were 198 cases (72.5%) in dizziness group and 75 cases (27.5%) in headache group. Compared with headache group, patients in dizziness group were older, with a shorter course of disease, and accounted for a higher proportion of patients with symptoms related to body position, higher proportion of patients with hypertension and carotid plaque, and more vascular risk factors (P<0.05). Logistic regression results showed that patients with symptoms related to body position [odds ratio (OR)=7.025, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.772, 28.488), P=0.007], at least one [OR=2.461, 95%CI (1.298, 4.664), P=0.006], two or more vascular risk factors [OR=2.314, 95%CI (1.033, 5.186), P=0.042] were independently associated with dizziness. The longer course of disease [OR=0.994, 95%CI (0.990, 0.997), P=0.001] was independently associated with headache. Conclusion Patients with non-acute unexplained dizziness and headache, especially those with dizziness, should pay more attention to the inquiry and treatment of vascular risk factors and psychopsychological factors.