Social Network-Based Digital Stroke Prevention: Opportunities, Results and Prospects

Aim. To study the possibilities and limitations of the social network as a digital medical tool, which is aimed at improving programs for primary and secondary stroke prevention in young people.

Material and methods. The study was carried out in the format of online training for volunteers. At the first stage of the work, the online school “Stroke in Young People” was announced in 8 medical blogs. As part of the school, a special account was created for readers (n=1354). At the second stage, 49 respondents (4% of men, whose average age was 24.4±5.2 years) were selected from 1354 listeners, who were surveyed on “Awareness of risk factors and stroke symptoms among users of social networks” before and after the online school.

Results. The online school audience is predominantly female (91%), and 43% of readers were in the 25-34 age group. The total number of people who listened to and read the online school material is 8712 people. 17% worked in the healthcare system, and 22% of respondents had a history of stroke. 38 (78%) people of the 2nd stage among the respondents independently searched for information about stroke earlier, and 30 (61%) received this information passively from medical workers in 2020. Before the online school start, the majority of respondents (over 60%) were aware of 2 out of 7 stroke risk factors (dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension) and 3 out of 6 stroke signs (drooping of the face half, weakness in the limbs and difficulty speaking). Less than 40% of the participants considered the stroke risk factors for diabetes mellitus, other cardiovascular diseases (CVD), obesity, and alcohol use; less than 20% were aware of stroke symptoms such as impaired vision and coordination and very severe headache. After completing online learning, the greatest increase in knowledge was found among the following risk factors – smoking and other CVDs (p<0.05); stroke symptoms - headache and drooping of the face half (p<0.05).

Conclusion. The online school aroused interest among healthcare workers and people without medical education, including those with stroke. Most of the respondents believed that they knew how to prevent a stroke (over 80%) and would be able to provide first aid to a person with a stroke (over 90%). At the same time, the awareness of risk factors and stroke symptoms was low prior to the start of learning, even though the study included healthcare workers and stroke survivors. Online learning has led to increased awareness of some risk factors and stroke symptoms. Social media can be one of the tools for medical prevention of stroke in young people, but program planning should take into account the way the material is presented and its readability.

[The influence of catecholamines on Th17-cells in multiple sclerosis]

AIM

Тo investigate the possible association between clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS), quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Th17, dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the serum in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A comprehensive neurological and immunological examination of 43 patients with relapsing-remitting-MS (RR-MS) was performed. All patients were subjected to a standard neurological examination with assessment of the EDSS score. Dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Percentage of Th17-cells was determined by flow cytometry. The functional activity of Th17- and Th1-cells was assessed by the production of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), respectively, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with microbeads coated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28-antibodies.

RESULTS

The percent Th17-cells and cytokine production was significantly higher in MS patients with the exacerbation of disease than in the control group or remission, while the dopamine level was lower. Norepinephrine levels in MS patients in the acute stage and remission were comparable, but nevertheless, reliably lower than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest the inhibitory effect of catecholamines on Th17 cells.

[Pathomorphological characteristics and risk factors of asymptomatic cerebral infarction based on the results of a cross-sectional hospital-based study]

AIM

To study the prevalence, pathomorphological characteristics and risk factors of asymptomatic cerebral infarction (CI) based on the results of post-mortem studies and clinical charts of patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The autopsies of 735 patients died due to different diseases were analyzed using continuous sampling method. CI lesions were found in 86 patients (47 women, 39 men, mean age 76.3±10.5 years). Morphological parameters of CI and cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

There were mean 2.7±1.5 CI lesions per patient in the main group: 47 (54.6%) patients had ≥3 lesions, 9 (10.5%) - 2 lesions and 30 (34.9%) - 1 lesion. The significantly higher frequency of cardiovascular risk factors was found in CI patients (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, tobacco smoking) while the adherence to prevention strategies was lower compared to patients without CI.

[Asymptomatic cerebral infarctions: risk factors and cognitive impairment]

Objectives. To study the risk factors of asymptomatic cerebral infarctions (AI) and their effect on cognitive functions. Material and methods. We examined 114 patients, aged from 53 to 88 years, including 58 patients with AI (group 1), 32 women and 26 men (mean age 66.5±7.3 yeas), and 56 patients with chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) without a history of stroke and transitory ischemic attacks, (group 2), 36 women and 20 men (mean age 64.2±6.6 yeas). Results. Cardiovascular risk factors (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation) were more frequent in group 1. The results of neuropsychological testing revealed worse cognitive performance in patients with AI. Conclusions. The results confirmed the negative effect of AI on cognitive functioning and higher risk of CCI progression.