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To determine the supratentorial area associated with poststroke dysphagia, we assessed the diffusion tensor images (DTI) in subacute stroke patients with supratentorial lesions.
We included 31 patients with a first episode of infarction in the middle cerebral artery territory. Each subject underwent brain DTI as well as a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and patients divided were into the dysphagia and non-dysphagia groups. Clinical dysphagia scale (CDS) scores were compared between the two groups. The corticospinal tract volume (TV), fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated for 11 regions of interest in the supratentorial area—primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, supplementary motor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, parieto-occipital cortex, insular cortex, posterior limb of the internal capsule, thalamus, and basal ganglia (putamen and caudate nucleus). DTI parameters were compared between the two groups.
Among the 31 subjects, 17 were diagnosed with dysphagia by VFSS. Mean TVs were similar across the two groups. Significant inter-group differences were observed in two DTI values: the FA value in the contra-lesional primary motor cortex and the ADC value in the bilateral posterior limbs of the internal capsule (all p<0.05).
The FA value in the primary motor cortex on the contra-lesional side and the ADC value in the bilateral PLIC can be associated with dysphagia in middle cerebral artery stroke.
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To elucidate the association between glycemic control status and clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke limited to the deep branch of the middle cerebral artery (MCA).
We evaluated 65 subjects with first-ever ischemic stroke of the deep branches of the MCA, which was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography. All subjects had blood hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measured at admission. They were classified into two groups according to the level of HbA1c (low <7.0% or high ≥7.0%). Neurological impairment and functional status were evaluated using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K), and the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) at admission and discharge. Body mass index, serum glucose, homocysteine and cholesterol levels were also measured at admission.
The two groups did not show any difference in the NIHSS, FIM, K-MBI, MMSE-K, and LOTCA scores at any time point. Body mass index and levels of blood homocysteine and cholesterol were not different between the two groups. The serum blood glucose level at admission was negatively correlated with all outcome measures.
We found that HbA1c cannot be used for predication of clinical outcome in patients with ischemic stroke of the deep branch of the middle cerebral artery.
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Objective: To compare the videofluoroscopic findings between the patients with lateral medullary infarct and middle cerebral artery infarct and to investigate specific findings relevant to lateral medullary infarct.
Method: Among patients with stroke taking videofluoroscopic study for swallowing problems, thirteen patients had a lesion in lateral medulla in imaging study and twenty-six patients in middle cerebral arterial territory. The findings of videofluoroscopic study on two groups were analyzed and compared.
Results: In oral phase, the ability of mastication and bolus formation were better in lateral medullary group. In pharyngeal phase, lateral medullary group revealed significantly impaired triggering of pharyngeal reflex, impaired laryngeal elevation, larger amount of residual materials, repeated swallow, delayed pharyngeal transit time, weaker pharyngeal muscle contraction, and poorer upper esophageal sphincter relaxation. Inadequate relaxation of upper esophageal sphincter was most significant factor in indicating the possibility of lateral medullary infarct (positive predictability 90.0%). Inadequate triggering of pharyngeal swallow indicated least possibility of lateral medullary infarct (negative predictability 92.3%).
Conclusion: Lateral medullary group has the characteristics of more impaired pharyngeal function and better oral function during swallowing than middle cerebral artery group in videofluoroscopic study. Inadequate upper esophageal relaxation and triggering of pharyngeal swallow are the most predictive for lateral medullary infarct.