Advances in intracerebral haemorrhage management:

Therapeutic effect of early intensive antihypertensive treatment on rebleeding and perihematomal edema in acute intracerebral hemorrhage

To observe the effect of early intensive blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment on rebleeding and perihematomal edema (PE) in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). A total of 121 patients with ICH were randomly assigned to an early intensive antihypertensive treatment group (IG) (n = 62) or control group (CG) (n = 59). For both groups, 25 mg of urapidil injection was slowly administered intravenously in 6 hours of the onset. For the IG, 100 mg of urapidil and 30 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride were then slowly administered. Repeat computed tomography imaging was performed at 24 hours, 72 hours, day 7, and day 14 to detect any rebleeding via changes in hematoma volume and the changes in PE. Finally, NIHSS scores and Barthel Index (BI) were calculated at 24 hours, 72 hours, day 7, day 14, day 30, and day 90. The average hematoma volume in IG patients was significantly smaller than that of CG patients after 24 hours (P < .05). The volume of PE in the CG increased more than in the IG within 24 hours of onset, but was not statistically significant (P > .05); however, this trend was statistically significant after 72 hours (P < .05). On day 30 and day 90, the average NIHSS score of IG patients was lower than that of CG patients, and the BI was higher (P < .05) than that of CG patients. There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups. Early intensive antihypertensive treatment in ICH patients reduces rebleeding and PE, improving short-term quality of life.

Intracerebral hemorrhage: a review of coagulation function

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with a higher mortality rate among stroke subtypes. The amount of hematoma at baseline and subsequent expansion are considered strong independent markers for determining poor clinical outcome. Even though reduction in blood pressure to prevent and control the amount of bleeding in ICH has received considerable amount of attention, the impact of coagulopathy and platelet dysfunction, on the bleeding diathesis has not been extensively investigated. With the increasing use of antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants, given the aging population, a deeper understanding of the interactions between ICH and hemostatic mechanisms is essential to help minimize the risk of a catastrophic coagulopathy-related ICH. In this review article, etiology and risk factors associated with coagulopathy-related ICH are discussed. An overview of coagulation abnormalities, hemostatic agents, and blood biomarkers pertaining to ICH is included.

Activation of TLR4-mediated NFkappaB signaling in hemorrhagic brain in rats

Inflammation and immunity play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Toll-like receptor 4- (TLR4-) mediated nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB) signaling plays critical roles in the activation and regulation of inflammatory responses in injured brain. However, the involvement of TLR4-mediated NFκB signaling in the pathogenesis of ICH remains unknown. The present study was to evaluate the temporal profile of the expression of TLR4 and the activation of TLR4-mediated NFκB signaling in brain tissues of Wistar rats after ICH. TLR4 mRNA and protein, the phosphorylation of inhibitors of kappa B (p-IκBα), and the activity of NFκB were examined in hemorrhagic cerebral tissue by Rt-PCR, Western blots, immunohistochemistry staining, and EMSA. Compared with saline control, the TLR4 mRNA and protein significantly increased starting at 6 hours after ICH, peaked on the 3rd day after ICH, and then decreased but still maintained at a higher level on the 7th day after ICH (P < .05). The level of p-IκBα and the activity of NFκB also increased in the brain after ICH compared with saline control. The present study firstly suggests that TLR4-mediated NFκB signaling participates in the pathogenesis of ICH, which may become a therapeutic target for ICH-induced brain damage.