Ischemic lesions, lacunar infarcts and leukoaraiosis on head CT or MRI are commonly detected in patients with non-specific symptoms such as dizziness and headache or people undergoing healthy physical examinations. Although these imaging findings are mostly related to vascular disease, especially cerebral small vessel disease, it does not mean that long-term use of antiplatelet drugs and statins are required. On the basis of literature review and clinical experiences, the article points out that the treatment methods for such manifestations include determining whether these lesions are vascular lesions, searching for risk factors or causes such as aging, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular stenosis, and psychological factors, and taking strategies for the corresponding prevention and management, provides a reference for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of these imaging manifestations in clinical practice.
Objective To investigate the correlation of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with total imaging load of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), and the clinical diagnostic value of RDW, NLR and their combined indicators for high load of CSVD imaging. Methods The medical records of CSVD patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of Baotou Central Hospital between October 2018 and October 2022 were retrospective collected. The total imaging load of CSVD was obtained by evaluating the cranial MRI and divided into a low load group and a high load group. The general clinical data, past medical history, and blood biochemical indicators were compared between the two groups. The correlation analysis method was used to analyze the relationship between the relevant indicators and the total imaging load. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of the total imaging load of CSVD. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the detection indicators for clinical diagnosis. Results A total of 320 patients were included. Among them, there were 201 cases (62.81%) in the low load imaging group and 119 cases (37.19%) in the high load imaging group. Excepted for age, gender, history of hypertension, RDW, and NLR (P<0.05), there was no statistically significant difference in the comparison of other indicators between the two groups (P>0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that RDW (r=0.445, P<0.001) and NLR (r=0.309, P<0.001) were positively correlated with the total imaging load of CSVD. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, male gender, RDW, and NLR were risk factors for high imaging load of CSVD. The areas under the ROC curve of RDW, NLR, and their combined indicators were 0.733, 0.644, and 0.792, respectively.Conclusions In patients with CSVD, the levels of RDW and NLR are related to the total imaging load of CSVD, which are independent risk factors for high imaging load of CSVD. The levels of RDW and NLR have clinical diagnostic value in predicting CSVD high load.
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of immature hematomas in patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods Patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage who admitted in West China Hospital of Sichuan University between March 2012 and January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Brain CT scan was used to evaluate the presence of immature hematomas, as well as hematoma volume and the morphological features such as the number of hematoma projections or satellite foci, and finger-like projections. Imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease such as lacunes, microbleeds, white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and enlarged perivascular space were evaluated on MRI. Mature hematomas were defined when the hematomas were completely homogeneous, without any irregularity or hypodensity, otherwise the hematomas were regarded as immature. Patients were divided into two groups: mature hematomas and immature hematomas. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of immature hematomas. Results A total of 170 patients were included. Among them, there were 121 males (71.2%). The average age was (60.9±13.3) years old, and 129 cases (75.9%) had immature hematomas. The comparison between the mature hematomas group and the immature hematomas group showed that higher admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, larger hematoma volume, hematoma volume >30 mL, more hematoma projections or satellite foci, lower incidence of round or oval hematomas, cerebral small vessel disease score, lower WMH burden, and lower burden of cerebral small vessel disease were associated with the occurrence of immature hematomas. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that lower incidence of round or oval hematomas, lower incidence of WMH, and lower periventricular WMH scores were associated with the occurrence of immature hematomas after adjusting for age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, and hematoma volume. Conclusion Lower incidence of round or oval hematomas and lower periventricular WMH burden are associated with immature hematomas.
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) encompasses a group of progressive disorders involving the small vessels of the brain with complex etiologies. Inflammation plays a pivotal role in both the onset and progression of CSVD. In age-related CSVD, chronic inflammation can exacerbate brain tissue damage by impairing endothelial function and disrupting the blood-brain barrier. In contrast, in inflammatory CSVD subtypes driven primarily by immune dysregulation, inflammation itself constitutes the core pathogenic mechanism. These subtypes present with diverse clinical manifestations, posing significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. A deeper understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms involved in CSVD and the unresolved issues in this field may provide new avenues for personalized interventions and improved prognosis.
Objective To study the effect of silencing the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) gene on the production of inflammatory factors induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), and whether NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway plays a role in the BMEC model of cerebral small vessel disease induced by proinflammatory agents. Methods BMECs from male Wistar rats were extracted in vitro and the morphology and purity of endothelial cells were identified. BMECs in normal culture were divided into blank control group and LPS+ATP group. The expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and downstream inflammatory factor Caspase-1 were detected by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction, and compared by student’s t test between the two groups. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence the specific gene NLRP3 in BMECs. After transfection of siRNA NLRP3 and siRNA plasmid negative control into BMECs, the transfected cells were divided into four groups, namely, siNC group (non silenced target gene), siNLRP3 group (silenced target gene), siNC+LPS+ATP group (non silenced target gene and added proinflammatory agents) and siNLRP3+LPS+ATP group (silenced target gene and added proinflammatory agents). The expression levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 were detected by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction, and analyzed by analysis of variance for 2-factor factorial design. Results The microvascular segments of rat BMECs were “beaded” after 24 h of isolation and culture; after 48 h, “island” cell clusters were formed; after 72 h, “paving stone” like monolayer cells adhered to the wall and grew. After that, the cells gradually became dense and reached the convergence degree of 80%. The positive rate of BMECs detected by immunofluorescence staining was 96%. In the normally cultured cells, the protein and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the LPS+ATP group were higher than those in the blank control group (P<0.05). In the RNA interference cultured cells, the protein and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the siNLRP3 group were lower than those in the siNC group, and those expression levels in the siNLRP3+LPS+ATP group were lower than those in the siNC+LPS+ATP group (P<0.05); the protein and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in the siNC+LPS+ATP group were higher than those in the siNC group, and those expression levels in the siNLRP3+LPS+ATP group were higher than those in the siNLRP3 group (P<0.05). Plasmid transfection and proinflammatory agents intervention had statistically significant interaction effect on the mRNA expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 (P<0.05). Conclusions LPS and ATP can promote the release of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in BMECs. Silencing NLRP3 gene expression can reduce the induction of proinflammatory agents. NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway may play a role in the cerebral small vessel disease cell model of rat BMECs induced by proinflammatory agents.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the level of homocysteine (HCY) and the overall burden of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in patients with ischemic stroke.MethodsA total of 322 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke admitted to the People’s Hospital of Deyang City between January 2016 and December 2017 were enrolled. The patients’ demographic information, clinical information, and serum HCY concentration were collected after admission. The presence or absence of a CSVD was assessed by MRI and the overall burden score for the CSVD was determined. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether serum HCY level was associated with the overall burden of CSVD.ResultsThe median level of HCY was 13.2 μmol/L (inter-quartile range: 4.3 to 22.6 μmol/L). Univariate analysis showed that the difference of HCY levels among patients with different total CSVD scores was statistically significant (F=6.874, P=0.001); Spearman correlation analyses showed that the HCY level grouped by quartiles was correlated to the number of lacunar infarctions (rs=0.267, P=0.001), Fazekas score of white matter lesions (rs=0.122, P=0.042), and enlarged perivascular space (EPV) score (rs=0.319, P=0.001), but was not correlated to cerebral microhemorrhage (rs=−0.010, P=0.869). After multivariate regression analysis to adjust the effects of other factors, compared with the patients with HCY levels in the lowest quartile group, the patients with HCY levels in the highest quartile group were more likely to develop lacunar infarction [odds ratio (OR)=1.892, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.012, 2.987)], white matter lesions [OR=1.548, 95%CI (1.018, 1.654)], severe EPV [OR=6.347, 95%CI (3.592, 13.978)], and the increase in the CSVD score [OR=2.981, 95%CI (1.974, 5.398)].ConclusionIn patients with ischemic stroke, elevated HCY levels may be associated with the overall burden of the CSVD.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical result in repair of soft tissue defect with combined skin flap vascularized by pedicle on the one end and vascular anastomosis on the other end. METHODS From October 1990 to August 1995, 5 cases with soft tissue defect at the extremities and 1 cases with sacral bed sore were repaired by the combined skin flaps transfer, ranged from 15 cm x 30 cm to 16 cm x 70 cm in defect, among them, 5 cases with myocutaneous flap and 1 case with skin flap, and the size of the combined skin flaps was 15 cm x 40 cm to 12 cm x 80 cm. RESULTS All the flaps were survived with satisfactory effect. Followed up 3 to 6 years, there was no obvious complication. CONCLUSION Transfer of combined skin flaps vascularized by pedicle and vascular anastomosis is suitable to repair the soft tissue defect, especially in large area defect.
Cerebral small vessel disease is a common neurological disease, including acute and non-acute categories. With the development of neuroimaging, cerebral small vessel disease has attracted substantial attention in recent years. However, the categories and concepts of cerebral small vessel disease and the related imaging markers usually confuse people. The purpose of this study was to discuss the relationships among acute and non-acute cerebral small vessel disease and the imaging markers, so as to improve the understanding of cerebral small vessel disease, and to shed light on clinical practice and research.
Cerebral small vessel disease refers to a series of clinical, imaging, and pathological syndromes caused by various factors affecting small blood vessels in the brain. Cognitive impairment is one of the most common complications of cerebral small vessel disease. Current researches have found that cognitive impairment is related to various factors such as hypoxia. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can achieve certain therapeutic effects by improving hypoxia. This article reviews the pathogenesis of cerebral small vessel disease, biomarkers of cerebral small vessel disease, research progress on hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cognitive impairment, and focuses on the research progress of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for mild cognitive impairment and dementia, providing more references for clinical treatment.