Fibrinolytic measurements in type 2 diabetic patients with acute cerebral infarction

Sex Differences in Hemostatic Factors in Patients With Ischemic Stroke and the Relation With Migraine-A Systematic Review

Background: Women are more affected by stroke than men. This might, in part, be explained by sex differences in stroke pathophysiology. The hemostasis system is influenced by sex hormones and associated with female risk factors for stroke, such as migraine.

Aim: To systematically review possible sex differences in hemostatic related factors in patients with ischemic stroke in general, and the influence of migraine on these factors in women with ischemic stroke.

Results: We included 24 studies with data on sex differences of hemostatic factors in 7247 patients with ischemic stroke (mean age 57–72 years, 27–57% women) and 25 hemostatic related factors. Levels of several factors were higher in women compared with men; FVII:C (116% ± 30% vs. 104% ± 30%), FXI (0.14 UI/mL higher in women), PAI-1 (125.35 ± 49.37 vs. 96.67 ± 38.90 ng/mL), D-dimer (1.25 ± 0.31 vs. 0.95 ± 0.24 μg/mL), and aPS (18.7% vs. 12.0% positive). In contrast, protein-S (86.2% ± 23.0% vs. 104.7% ± 19.8% antigen) and P-selectin (48.9 ± 14.4 vs. 79.1 ± 66.7 pg/mL) were higher in men. Most factors were investigated in single studies, at different time points after stroke, and in different stroke subtypes. Only one small study reported data on migraine and hemostatic factors in women with ischemic stroke. No differences in fibrinogen, D-dimer, t-PA, and PAI-1 levels were found between women with and without migraine.

Conclusion: Our systematic review suggests that sex differences exist in the activation of the hemostatic system in ischemic stroke. Women seem to lean more toward increased levels of procoagulant factors whereas men exhibit increased levels of coagulation inhibitors. To obtain better insight in sex-related differences in hemostatic factors, additional studies are needed to confirm these findings with special attention for different stroke phases, stroke subtypes, and not in the least women specific risk factors, such as migraine.

Sequential butylphthalide therapy combined with dual antiplatelet therapy in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction

OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical efficacy of sequential butylphthalide therapy combined with dual antiplatelet therapy in the treatment of elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI).

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-two elderly patients with ACI who were admitted to the department of neurology of our hospital at May 2016-August 2018 were selected grouped into a control group and an observation group by random number table method, 61 in each group. On the basis of conventional treatment, the patients in the control group were given dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin enteric-coated tablets + clopidogrel bisulfate tablets), while the patients in the observation group were given sequential butylphthalide therapy on the basis of the control group. The clinical effects of the two groups were compared after four weeks of treatment, and the changes of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), ADL score, plasma 3-mercaptopyruvate sulphurtransferase (3-MST) and Amyloid β42 (Aβ42) levels and the occurrence of adverse reactions during treatment were recorded.

RESULTS

The clinical efficacy of the observation group was better than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in NIHSS and ADL scores between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the NIHSS and ADL scores of the observation group were better than those of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma levels of 3-MST and AB42 between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). The level of plasma 3-MST in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, and the level of plasma Aβ42 was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). No serious adverse reactions occurred during the treatment period in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Butylphthalide sequential therapy combined with dual antiplatelet therapy is effective in the treatment of elderly ACI. It can effectively improve the plasma level of 3-MST and decrease the plasma level of Aβ42, which is conducive to improving the living ability and neurological function of patients and has high safety.

Decreased Insulin Sensitivity and Impaired Fibrinolytic Activity in Type 2 Diabetes Patients and Nondiabetics with Ischemic Stroke

We analyzed (a) insulin sensitivity (IS), (b) plasma insulin (PI), and (c) plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with (group A) and without (group B) atherothrombotic ischemic stroke (ATIS), nondiabetics with ATIS (group C), and healthy controls (group D). IS was determined by minimal model (Si). Si was lower in A versus B (1.18 ± 0.67 versus 2.82 ± 0.61 min-1/mU/L × 104; P < 0.001) and in C versus D (3.18 ± 0.93 versus 6.13 ± 1.69 min-1/mU/L × 104; P < 0.001). PI and PAI-1 were higher in A versus B (PI: 19.61 ± 4.08 versus 14.91 ± 1.66 mU/L; P < 0.001, PAI-1: 7.75 ± 1.04 versus 4.57 ± 0.72 mU/L; P < 0.001) and in C versus D (PI: 15.14 ± 2.20 versus 7.58 ± 2.05 mU/L; P < 0.001, PAI-1: 4.78 ± 0.98 versus 3.49 ± 1.04 mU/L; P < 0.001). Si correlated with PAI-1 in T2D patients and nondiabetics, albeit stronger in T2D. Binary logistic regression identified insulin, PAI-1, and Si as independent predictors for ATIS in T2D patients and nondiabetics. The results imply that insulin resistance and fasting hyperinsulinemia might exert their atherogenic impact through the impaired fibrinolysis.

Reductions in mRNA of the neuroprotective agent, neuroserpin, after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in diabetic rats

The aim of this study is to investigate disturbances in fibrinolytic components in diabetic rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Comparison of cerebral injury at 23 h after reperfusion indicated that infarction volumes were increased in diabetic rats as compared with normal rats. Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in normal and diabetic rats was accompanied by increased expression of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and neuroserpin (NSP) mRNA after reperfusion. Most importantly, the expression of NSP mRNA, but not t-PA, u-PA and PAI-1 mRNA, was reduced to undetectable levels at 11 and 23 h after reperfusion in diabetic rats as compared with normal rats. Although activity of PA (t-PA and u-PA) and the ratio of PA/PAI were increased at 5 h after reperfusion in both ischemic brains of diabetic and normal rats, the levels in diabetic rats were lower than that in normal rats. We speculate that the exacerbation of ischemic injury in diabetic rats may be related to the reduction of fibrinolytic component and the neuroprotective role of NSP. Further study of the efficacy of NSP in the pathogenesis and treatment of cerebral ischemia may provide novel insights.

The 4G/4G genotype at nucleotide position -675 in the promotor region of the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) gene is less frequent in young patients with minor stroke than in controls

Genetic risk factors play an important role in the aetiology of vascular diseases. The insertion/deletion polymorphism (4G/5G) in the promotor region of the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) gene has been associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction. We investigated 136 patients with minor stroke (MS) and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and found a prevalence of 0.32 for the 4G/4G genotype in patients compared with 0.42 in 115 age-matched healthy controls. The 4G/4G genotype was significantly less frequent among 61 patients symptomatic before the age of 60 years (prevalence 0.20) than in 75 patients symptomatic after 60 years of age (prevalence 0.42; odds ratio). Our results indicate that the 4G/4G genotype is not a risk factor for MS or TIA and may even be protective in young patients.