Citations
To determine whether cognitive function is associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in patients with infratentorial stroke.
This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. Twenty-four first-ever infratentorial stroke patients between 18 and 60 years of age were enrolled. WMH was evaluated by the Fazekas scale and the Scheltens scale. Cognitive functions were assessed using the Korean Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, and the Seoul Computerized Neuropsychological Test Battery (SCNT) at one month after stroke. All participants were divided into two groups based on the presence of WMH (no-WMH group and WMH group). General characteristics and cognitive functions were compared between the groups.
There were no significant differences in general characteristics, such as age, stroke type, hypertension history, and education level between the two groups. However, K-MMSE in the WMH group was significantly lower compared to the no-WMH group (p<0.05). The verbal learning test score in SCNT was significantly higher in the no-WMH group compared to the WMH group (p<0.05). Executive function in the no-WMH group tended to be higher compared to the WMH group.
Impairment of cognitive function in patients with infratentorial stroke appeared to be associated with WMH. WMH should be carefully evaluated during rehabilitation of infratentorial stroke patients.
Citations
To compare the swallowing functions according to the lesion locations between brain tumor and stroke patients.
Forty brain tumor patients and the same number of age-, lesion-, and functional status-matching stroke patients were enrolled in this study. Before beginning the swallowing therapy, swallowing function was evaluated in all subjects by videofluoroscopic swallowing study. Brain lesions were classified as either supratentorial or in-fratentorial. We evaluated the following: the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) National Outcome Measurement System (NOMS) swallowing scale, clinical dysphagia scale, functional dysphagia scale (FDS), penetration-aspiration scale (PAS), oral transit time, pharyngeal transit time, the presence of vallecular pouch residue, pyriform sinus residue, laryngopharyngeal incoordination, premature spillage, a decreased swal-lowing reflex, pneumonia, and the feeding method at discharge.
The incidence of dysphagia was similar in brain tumor and stroke patients. There were no differences in the results of the various swallowing scales and other parameters between the two groups. When compared brain tumor patients with supratentorial lesions, brain tumor patients with infratentorial lesions showed higher propor-tion of dysphagia (p=0.01), residue (p<0.01), FDS (p<0.01), PAS (p<0.01), and lower ASHA NOMS (p=0.02) at initial evaluation. However, there was no significant difference for the swallowing functions between benign and malig-nant brain tumor patients.
Swallowing function of brain tumor patients was not different from that of stroke patients according to matching age, location of lesion, and functional status. Similar to the stroke patients, brain tumor patients with infratentorial lesions present poor swallowing functions. However, the type of brain tumor as malignancy does not influence swallowing functions.
Citations