1) This study investigated the effect of the antiplatelet drug cilostazol on preventing worsening of symptoms (progressing stroke) in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
2) 510 patients with non-cardioembolic stroke within 24 hours of onset were randomized to receive either cilostazol 200 mg/day or no additional medication (control group) along with standard treatments.
3) The rate of progressing stroke, defined as a 4-point or greater increase in stroke severity scores on days 3 and/or 5, was lower in the cilostazol group (3.2%) compared to the control group (6.3%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Functional outcomes
Rivaroxaban for thromboprophylaxis after Hospitalization for Medical IllnessShadab Ahmad
Anticoagulant prophylaxis reduces the risk of in-hospital venous thromboembolism by 50 to 60% but is rarely continued after discharge in accordance with current guidelines
Journal Club evaluation, effect of Rivaroxaban in heart failure
background of heart failure, pathophysiology, epidemiology and the treatment algorithm.
In patients with PAD, smoking should be stopped and hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus treated. Patients with PAD should be treated with atorvastatin 40 mg to 80 mg daily or rosuvastatin 20 to 40 mg daily.
ntiplatelet drugs such as aspirin or clopidogrel and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should be given .Beta blockers should be given if coronary artery disease, especially prior myocardial infarction, s present unless contraindicated. Cilostazol improves exercise time until intermittent claudication. Exercise rehabilitation programs should be used. Indications for lower extremity percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or bypass surgery are 1) incapacitating claudication in patients interfering with work or lifestyle; 2) limb salvage in patientss with limb-threatening ischemia as manifested by rest pain, nonhealing ulcers, and/or infection or gangrene; and 3) vasculogenic impotence.
http://www.scireslit.com/
Prevention of recurrent stroke in atrial fibrillation Jacek StaszewskiJacek Staszewski
Prevention of recurrent stroke in atrial fibrillation. Comaprison of NOAC vs VKA. Riks of hemorrhagic stroke. When anticoagulation should be initiated following acute stroke.
Preventing Amputation with an Arterial Compression PumpACI Medical, LLC
This slideshow is designed to give non-professionals a "plain English" explanation of how ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device® became successful at saving legs from arterial disease-related amputation.
You'll get a glimpse some of the landmark clinical studies that shaped and tested this powerful home-use arterial compression pump to be the industry standard.
Rivaroxaban for thromboprophylaxis after Hospitalization for Medical IllnessShadab Ahmad
Anticoagulant prophylaxis reduces the risk of in-hospital venous thromboembolism by 50 to 60% but is rarely continued after discharge in accordance with current guidelines
Journal Club evaluation, effect of Rivaroxaban in heart failure
background of heart failure, pathophysiology, epidemiology and the treatment algorithm.
In patients with PAD, smoking should be stopped and hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus treated. Patients with PAD should be treated with atorvastatin 40 mg to 80 mg daily or rosuvastatin 20 to 40 mg daily.
ntiplatelet drugs such as aspirin or clopidogrel and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should be given .Beta blockers should be given if coronary artery disease, especially prior myocardial infarction, s present unless contraindicated. Cilostazol improves exercise time until intermittent claudication. Exercise rehabilitation programs should be used. Indications for lower extremity percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or bypass surgery are 1) incapacitating claudication in patients interfering with work or lifestyle; 2) limb salvage in patientss with limb-threatening ischemia as manifested by rest pain, nonhealing ulcers, and/or infection or gangrene; and 3) vasculogenic impotence.
http://www.scireslit.com/
Prevention of recurrent stroke in atrial fibrillation Jacek StaszewskiJacek Staszewski
Prevention of recurrent stroke in atrial fibrillation. Comaprison of NOAC vs VKA. Riks of hemorrhagic stroke. When anticoagulation should be initiated following acute stroke.
Preventing Amputation with an Arterial Compression PumpACI Medical, LLC
This slideshow is designed to give non-professionals a "plain English" explanation of how ArtAssist®...The Arterial Assist Device® became successful at saving legs from arterial disease-related amputation.
You'll get a glimpse some of the landmark clinical studies that shaped and tested this powerful home-use arterial compression pump to be the industry standard.
Crown Medical Research and Pharmaceutical Sciences College of Canada offers opportunities to expand your experience beyond the classroom and support them with guidance on career opportunities.
Our professors, consultants, and course developers are recognized leaders in professional development and training in the field of pharmaceutical, natural health products, quality assurance and quality control, regulatory affairs and submissions, pharmacovigilance and drug safety reporting, clinical research, cosmetics, food sciences, biopharmaceutical, and health care policy and services management.
We strive to continuously evolve and expand our programs in an attempt to respond effectively to changing technologies and workforce demands in the industry. It is with this strategy that our programs will prepare our learners for their future.
When attending our college, you will be exposed to highly qualified professionals and professors as well as students with diverse backgrounds and proven professional abilities seeking to improve their skill set and employment outlook.
We are located at Richmond Hill, in the Greater Toronto Area, that is one of the 3 biggest financial and social center in North America. This gives learners access to the head quarters of many industries and to be exposed to personal, and professional growth opportunities.
Our college offers academic counseling program through one-on-one meetings with professors and collaborators and we offer faculty-mentoring program to assist students in improving their learning and working strategies for reaching faster their career goals.
When you are considering to enroll in a certificate course offered by our college, please explore the program information on the website and contact us for a one-on-one mentoring meeting, to visit the campus, and to get a career consultation at any time. Our intensive courses start every month and our learners can start their program with us at any time during the year.
Chronic critical limb ischemia is manifested by pain at rest, nonhealing wounds and gangrene. Ischemic rest pain is typically described as a burning pain in the arch or distal foot that occurs while the patient is recumbent but is relieved when the patient returns to a position in which the feet are dependent
A less-invasive-approach-of-medial-meniscectomy-in-rat-a-model-to-target-earl...science journals
In order for insulin to exert its biological actions on target cells in peripheral tissues like muscle and adipose tissues, Insulin must pass through the endothelial barrier into the interstitium.
Impact of statins and beta-blocker therapy on mortality after coronary artery...Paul Schoenhagen
Background: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients after first-time isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and assessed the impact of a discharge regimen including beta-blockers and statin therapy and their relationship to long-term all cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).
Methods: We identified patients age >18 years, undergoing first time isolated CABG from 1993 to 2005. Patients were identified using the Cardiovascular Information Registry (CVIR). We collected follow-up information at 30, 60, 90 days and yearly follow-up. The registry is approved for use in research by the institutional review broad.
Results: We identified 5,205 patients who underwent single isolated CABG between January 1993 and December 2005. The mean age was 64.5±9.7 years and over 70% were male. There was a significant difference in the low density lipoproteins (LDL) concentration between those with or without statin medications (134±41.9 mg/dL) (no statin) vs. 126±44.8 mg/dL (with statin), P=0.001. A discharge regimen with statin therapy was associated with and overall reduction in 30 day, 1 year and long-term mortality. In addition, overall the triple ischemic endpoint of death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke was also significantly lower in the statin vs. no-statin group. In addition, statin and beta-blockers exerted synergistic effect on overall mortality outcomes short-term and in the long-term. We note that the predictors of overall death include no therapy with statin therapy and age [hazard ratios (HR) 1.1, 95% CI: 1.04-1.078, P<0.001] and presence of renal failure (HR 2.0, P=0.005). The estimated 11-year Kaplan Meier curves for mortality between the two groups starts to diverge immediately post discharge after single isolated CABG and continue to diverge through out the follow-up period.
Conclusions: A post-discharge regimen of statins independently reduces overall and 1 year mortality. These results confirm those of earlier studies within a contemporary surgical population and support the current clinical guidelines.
Impact of statins and beta-blocker therapy on mortality after coronary artery...Paul Schoenhagen
Abstract
Background: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients after first-time isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and assessed the impact of a discharge regimen including beta-blockers and statin therapy and their relationship to long-term all cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).
Methods: We identified patients age >18 years, undergoing first time isolated CABG from 1993 to 2005. Patients were identified using the Cardiovascular Information Registry (CVIR). We collected follow-up information at 30, 60, 90 days and yearly follow-up. The registry is approved for use in research by the institutional review broad.
Results: We identified 5,205 patients who underwent single isolated CABG between January 1993 and December 2005. The mean age was 64.5±9.7 years and over 70% were male. There was a significant difference in the low density lipoproteins (LDL) concentration between those with or without statin medications (134±41.9 mg/dL) (no statin) vs. 126±44.8 mg/dL (with statin), P=0.001. A discharge regimen with statin therapy was associated with and overall reduction in 30 day, 1 year and long-term mortality. In addition, overall the triple ischemic endpoint of death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke was also significantly lower in the statin vs. no-statin group. In addition, statin and beta-blockers exerted synergistic effect on overall mortality outcomes short-term and in the long-term. We note that the predictors of overall death include no therapy with statin therapy and age [hazard ratios (HR) 1.1, 95% CI: 1.04-1.078, P<0.001] and presence of renal failure (HR 2.0, P=0.005). The estimated 11-year Kaplan Meier curves for mortality between the two groups starts to diverge immediately post discharge after single isolated CABG and continue to diverge through out the follow-up period.
Conclusions: A post-discharge regimen of statins independently reduces overall and 1 year mortality. These results confirm those of earlier studies within a contemporary surgical population and support the current clinical guidelines.
Evidence base for secondary prevention – Antihypertensive therapy in cerebrov...Apollo Hospitals
Antihypertensive therapy for preventing recurrence in survivors of stroke and transient ischemic attack patients requires much caution. Cutting the right balance between benefit and harm calls for the classical individual evidence based considerations. Current understanding to guide practices is briefly reviewed as stroke emerges as huge challenge with increasing longevity and chronic diseases.
Management of Takotsubo Syndrome: A Comprehensive ReviewNicolas Ugarte
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a transient left
ventricular wall dysfunction that is often triggered by physical or emotional stressors. Although
TTS is a rare disease with a prevalence of only 0.5% to 0.9% in the general population, it is
often misdiagnosed as acute coronary syndrome. A diagnosis of TTS can be made using Mayo
diagnostic criteria. The initial management of TTS includes dual antiplatelet therapy,
anticoagulants, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or aldosterone
receptor blockers, and statins. Treatment is usually provided for up to three months and has a
good safety profile. For TTS with complications such as cardiogenic shock, management
depends on left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). In patients without LVOTO,
inotropic agents can be used to maintain pressure, while inotropic agents are contraindicated
in patients with LVOTO. In TTS with thromboembolism, heparin should be started, and
patients should be bridged to warfarin for up to three months to prevent systemic emboli. Our
comprehensive review discussed the management in detail, derived from the most recent
literature from observational studies, systematic review, and meta-analyses.
"La apendicitis aguda, descrita desde 1886, es la emergencia quirúrgica más común. Tiene su mayor incidencia durante la adultez joven y su menor incidencia en niños y adultos mayores. Su diagnóstico se basa en una historia clínica completa, un examen físico bien orientado y en una adecuada interpretación
de los exámenes de laboratorio y gabinete. A pesar de ser una entidad de resolución quirúrgica, su tratamiento engloba diferentes aspectos médicos".
Las parasitosis intestinales son infecciones que pueden producirse por la ingestión de quistes de protozoos, huevos o larvas de gusanos o por la penetración de larvas por vía transcutánea desde el suelo. Las infecciones parasitarias intestinales provocan un número no despreciable de niños infestados en nuestro país.
En las últimas décadas ha aumentado enormemente la incidencia de dengue en el mundo. El número real de casos de dengue está insuficientemente notificado y muchos casos están mal clasificados. Según una estimación reciente, se producen 390 millones de infecciones por dengue cada año (intervalo creíble del 95%: 284 a 528 millones), de los cuales 96 millones (67 a 136 millones) se manifiestan clínicamente (cualquiera que sea la gravedad de la enfermedad). En otro estudio sobre la prevalencia del dengue se estima que 3900 millones de personas, de 128 países, están en riesgo de infección por los virus del dengue.
(Esta es una presentación más actualizada y completa que una versión previamente publicada.)
ECV, RECOMENDACIONES ACTUALES. 2013.
Basado en: American Heart Association Stroke Council, Council on Cardiovascular Nursing, Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease, y Council on Clinical Cardiology Cita. Stroke. 2013;44 URL: http://stroke.ahajournals.org/lookup/doi/10.1161/STR.0b013e318284056a .
IMÁGENES EN LA ENFERMEDAD CEREBRO-VASCULAR.
La enfermedad cerebrovascular es la tercera causa de muerte y la primera causa de invalidez en el mundo. Se trata de una enfermedad que no respeta edad, sexo, raza, ni condición social y que en muchas ocasiones afecta a individuos en las etapas más productivas de sus vidas. A pesar de esto, la mayoría de la gente no es consciente de la gravedad de esta enfermedad, de los factores de riesgo que favorecen su desarrollo, de sus manifestaciones clínicas, ni de las opciones de tratamiento que existen en la actualidad. El diagnóstico clínico del ACV es tan simple o tan complejo como quiera mirarse. Por lo tanto, Se utilizan estudios que muestran imágenes del cerebro (tomografía computada, resonancia magnética), miden el grado de compromiso, la actividad eléctrica del cerebro y muestran el flujo de sangre al cerebro a fin de averiguar el tipo de accidente cerebrovascular y su gravedad. La TC es el método neurorradiológico más usado en pacientes con sospecha de infarto o de hemorragia cerebrales; la TC demuestra sangre desde el primer momento que ha sido liberada al espacio subaracnoideo o al tejido cerebral y es por lo tanto mandatoria y superior a RM cuando se sospecha HIC o HSA o cuando estas entidades deben ser descartadas. Los defectos isquémicos en cambio, pueden tardar hasta 24 horas en dar manifestaciones propias como hipodensidad tisular. Cada vez es más importante reconocer cambios isquémicos tempranos, debido a los nuevos métodos terapéuticos que exigen descartar a aquellos pacientes con lesiones “establecidas”. La sensibilidad de la TC en isquemia de la fosa posterior es pobre. Los infartos lacunares en general y los infartos del tallo en particular son difíciles de apreciar en TC por su pequeño tamaño y el poco contraste que tienen con el tejido adyacente. No se recomienda el uso de medio de contraste intravenoso porque no ayuda al diagnóstico en la etapa aguda y puede inducir confusión. La RM aporta datos importantes en la evaluación de la ECV sin desplazar a la TC de manera completa. Sus principales ventajas radican en detectar infartos más tempranamente que lo que lo hace la TC, permitir un diagnóstico también más temprano de los infartos pequeños especialmente de los infartos lacunares ha permitido deducir interesantes aspectos fisiológicos con el uso de medio de contrate paramagnético. Las imágenes influidas por T2 muestran los infartos como lesiones hiperintensas tan temprano como dos horas después del desarrollo de los síntomas y es un método mucho más sensible que la TC en la evaluación de los infartos de la fosa posterior.
These lecture slides, by Dr Sidra Arshad, offer a quick overview of physiological basis of a normal electrocardiogram.
Learning objectives:
1. Define an electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrocardiography
2. Describe how dipoles generated by the heart produce the waveforms of the ECG
3. Describe the components of a normal electrocardiogram of a typical bipolar leads (limb II)
4. Differentiate between intervals and segments
5. Enlist some common indications for obtaining an ECG
Study Resources:
1. Chapter 11, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th edition
2. Chapter 9, Human Physiology - From Cells to Systems, Lauralee Sherwood, 9th edition
3. Chapter 29, Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology, 26th edition
4. Electrocardiogram, StatPearls - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549803/
5. ECG in Medical Practice by ABM Abdullah, 4th edition
6. ECG Basics, http://www.nataliescasebook.com/tag/e-c-g-basics
Ethanol (CH3CH2OH), or beverage alcohol, is a two-carbon alcohol
that is rapidly distributed in the body and brain. Ethanol alters many
neurochemical systems and has rewarding and addictive properties. It
is the oldest recreational drug and likely contributes to more morbidity,
mortality, and public health costs than all illicit drugs combined. The
5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-5) integrates alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence into a single
disorder called alcohol use disorder (AUD), with mild, moderate,
and severe subclassifications (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
In the DSM-5, all types of substance abuse and dependence have been
combined into a single substance use disorder (SUD) on a continuum
from mild to severe. A diagnosis of AUD requires that at least two of
the 11 DSM-5 behaviors be present within a 12-month period (mild
AUD: 2–3 criteria; moderate AUD: 4–5 criteria; severe AUD: 6–11 criteria).
The four main behavioral effects of AUD are impaired control over
drinking, negative social consequences, risky use, and altered physiological
effects (tolerance, withdrawal). This chapter presents an overview
of the prevalence and harmful consequences of AUD in the U.S.,
the systemic nature of the disease, neurocircuitry and stages of AUD,
comorbidities, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, genetic risk factors, and
pharmacotherapies for AUD.
Lung Cancer: Artificial Intelligence, Synergetics, Complex System Analysis, S...Oleg Kshivets
RESULTS: Overall life span (LS) was 2252.1±1742.5 days and cumulative 5-year survival (5YS) reached 73.2%, 10 years – 64.8%, 20 years – 42.5%. 513 LCP lived more than 5 years (LS=3124.6±1525.6 days), 148 LCP – more than 10 years (LS=5054.4±1504.1 days).199 LCP died because of LC (LS=562.7±374.5 days). 5YS of LCP after bi/lobectomies was significantly superior in comparison with LCP after pneumonectomies (78.1% vs.63.7%, P=0.00001 by log-rank test). AT significantly improved 5YS (66.3% vs. 34.8%) (P=0.00000 by log-rank test) only for LCP with N1-2. Cox modeling displayed that 5YS of LCP significantly depended on: phase transition (PT) early-invasive LC in terms of synergetics, PT N0—N12, cell ratio factors (ratio between cancer cells- CC and blood cells subpopulations), G1-3, histology, glucose, AT, blood cell circuit, prothrombin index, heparin tolerance, recalcification time (P=0.000-0.038). Neural networks, genetic algorithm selection and bootstrap simulation revealed relationships between 5YS and PT early-invasive LC (rank=1), PT N0—N12 (rank=2), thrombocytes/CC (3), erythrocytes/CC (4), eosinophils/CC (5), healthy cells/CC (6), lymphocytes/CC (7), segmented neutrophils/CC (8), stick neutrophils/CC (9), monocytes/CC (10); leucocytes/CC (11). Correct prediction of 5YS was 100% by neural networks computing (area under ROC curve=1.0; error=0.0).
CONCLUSIONS: 5YS of LCP after radical procedures significantly depended on: 1) PT early-invasive cancer; 2) PT N0--N12; 3) cell ratio factors; 4) blood cell circuit; 5) biochemical factors; 6) hemostasis system; 7) AT; 8) LC characteristics; 9) LC cell dynamics; 10) surgery type: lobectomy/pneumonectomy; 11) anthropometric data. Optimal diagnosis and treatment strategies for LC are: 1) screening and early detection of LC; 2) availability of experienced thoracic surgeons because of complexity of radical procedures; 3) aggressive en block surgery and adequate lymph node dissection for completeness; 4) precise prediction; 5) adjuvant chemoimmunoradiotherapy for LCP with unfavorable prognosis.
NVBDCP.pptx Nation vector borne disease control programSapna Thakur
NVBDCP was launched in 2003-2004 . Vector-Borne Disease: Disease that results from an infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding arthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Examples of vector-borne diseases include Dengue fever, West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, and malaria.
New Drug Discovery and Development .....NEHA GUPTA
The "New Drug Discovery and Development" process involves the identification, design, testing, and manufacturing of novel pharmaceutical compounds with the aim of introducing new and improved treatments for various medical conditions. This comprehensive endeavor encompasses various stages, including target identification, preclinical studies, clinical trials, regulatory approval, and post-market surveillance. It involves multidisciplinary collaboration among scientists, researchers, clinicians, regulatory experts, and pharmaceutical companies to bring innovative therapies to market and address unmet medical needs.
- Video recording of this lecture in English language: https://youtu.be/lK81BzxMqdo
- Video recording of this lecture in Arabic language: https://youtu.be/Ve4P0COk9OI
- Link to download the book free: https://nephrotube.blogspot.com/p/nephrotube-nephrology-books.html
- Link to NephroTube website: www.NephroTube.com
- Link to NephroTube social media accounts: https://nephrotube.blogspot.com/p/join-nephrotube-on-social-media.html
Ozempic: Preoperative Management of Patients on GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Saeid Safari
Preoperative Management of Patients on GLP-1 Receptor Agonists like Ozempic and Semiglutide
ASA GUIDELINE
NYSORA Guideline
2 Case Reports of Gastric Ultrasound
Knee anatomy and clinical tests 2024.pdfvimalpl1234
This includes all relevant anatomy and clinical tests compiled from standard textbooks, Campbell,netter etc..It is comprehensive and best suited for orthopaedicians and orthopaedic residents.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE.pdfAnujkumaranit
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. It encompasses tasks such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. AI technologies are revolutionizing various fields, from healthcare to finance, by enabling machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.
Title: Sense of Taste
Presenter: Dr. Faiza, Assistant Professor of Physiology
Qualifications:
MBBS (Best Graduate, AIMC Lahore)
FCPS Physiology
ICMT, CHPE, DHPE (STMU)
MPH (GC University, Faisalabad)
MBA (Virtual University of Pakistan)
Learning Objectives:
Describe the structure and function of taste buds.
Describe the relationship between the taste threshold and taste index of common substances.
Explain the chemical basis and signal transduction of taste perception for each type of primary taste sensation.
Recognize different abnormalities of taste perception and their causes.
Key Topics:
Significance of Taste Sensation:
Differentiation between pleasant and harmful food
Influence on behavior
Selection of food based on metabolic needs
Receptors of Taste:
Taste buds on the tongue
Influence of sense of smell, texture of food, and pain stimulation (e.g., by pepper)
Primary and Secondary Taste Sensations:
Primary taste sensations: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Umami
Chemical basis and signal transduction mechanisms for each taste
Taste Threshold and Index:
Taste threshold values for Sweet (sucrose), Salty (NaCl), Sour (HCl), and Bitter (Quinine)
Taste index relationship: Inversely proportional to taste threshold
Taste Blindness:
Inability to taste certain substances, particularly thiourea compounds
Example: Phenylthiocarbamide
Structure and Function of Taste Buds:
Composition: Epithelial cells, Sustentacular/Supporting cells, Taste cells, Basal cells
Features: Taste pores, Taste hairs/microvilli, and Taste nerve fibers
Location of Taste Buds:
Found in papillae of the tongue (Fungiform, Circumvallate, Foliate)
Also present on the palate, tonsillar pillars, epiglottis, and proximal esophagus
Mechanism of Taste Stimulation:
Interaction of taste substances with receptors on microvilli
Signal transduction pathways for Umami, Sweet, Bitter, Sour, and Salty tastes
Taste Sensitivity and Adaptation:
Decrease in sensitivity with age
Rapid adaptation of taste sensation
Role of Saliva in Taste:
Dissolution of tastants to reach receptors
Washing away the stimulus
Taste Preferences and Aversions:
Mechanisms behind taste preference and aversion
Influence of receptors and neural pathways
Impact of Sensory Nerve Damage:
Degeneration of taste buds if the sensory nerve fiber is cut
Abnormalities of Taste Detection:
Conditions: Ageusia, Hypogeusia, Dysgeusia (parageusia)
Causes: Nerve damage, neurological disorders, infections, poor oral hygiene, adverse drug effects, deficiencies, aging, tobacco use, altered neurotransmitter levels
Neurotransmitters and Taste Threshold:
Effects of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) on taste sensitivity
Supertasters:
25% of the population with heightened sensitivity to taste, especially bitterness
Increased number of fungiform papillae
Cilostazol for the prevention of acute progressing stroke. 2013
1. Cilostazol for the Prevention of Acute Progressing Stroke:
A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial
Hiroaki Shimizu, MD,* Teiji Tominaga, MD,† Akira Ogawa, MD,‡
Takamasa Kayama, MD,x Kazuo Mizoi, MD,jj Kiyoshi Saito, MD,{
Yasuo Terayama, MD,# Kuniaki Ogasawara, MD,** and Etsuro Mori, MD,††
and the Tohoku Acute Stroke Progressing Stroke Study Group
Background: Progressing stroke is one of the major determinants of outcome after
acute ischemic stroke. A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted to inves-
tigate the effect of cilostazol on progressing stroke. Methods: Adult patients with
noncardioembolic ischemic stroke within 24 hours after onset were randomized to
receive cilostazol 200 mg/day (cilostazol group) or no medication (control group)
in addition to the optimum medical treatments (a free radical scavenger plus an anti-
platelet agent or an antithrombin agent). The primary endpoints were the rate of
progressing stroke, defined as aggravation of the National Institutes of Health
Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score by $4 points on days 3 and/or 5 and a modified Rankin
Scale score of 0 to 1 at 3 months after enrollment. Aggravation caused by systemic
complications, edema, hemorrhagic infarction, or recurrent stroke was not consid-
ered as progressing stroke. This trial was registered as UMIN000001630. Results:
A total of 510 patients were enrolled from 55 institutions in Japan between February
2009 and July 2010. The rate of progressing stroke was 3.2% and 6.3% in the cilostazol
and control groups, respectively (P 5.143). The modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 1
at 3 months did not differ between the groups. Conclusions: Cilostazol failed to show
a preventive effect against acute progressing stroke. However, the tendency to re-
duce progressing stroke and the results of stratified analyses may encourage addi-
tional studies to clarify the effect of cilostazol in the treatment of acute ischemic
stroke. Key Words: Acute ischemic stroke—cilostazol—clinical trial—progressing
stroke—prospective—randomization.
Ó 2013 by National Stroke Association
In patients with acute ischemic stroke, worsening
of clinical and/or radiologic findings is encountered
in 20% to 40% of all patients, even with currently avail-
able treatments.1-3
Despite this high prevalence of
progressing stroke in the acute stage and its
importance as a predictor of poor outcome,1,4,5
From the *Departments of Neurosurgery at Kohnan Hospital;
†Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai; xYamagata
University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamagata; {Fukushima Med-
ical University, Fukushima; jjAkita University Graduate School of Med-
icine, Akita; **Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka;
‡Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka; #Department
of Neurology, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka;
and ††Department of Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neurosci-
ence, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Received July 28, 2012; revision received January 22, 2013; accepted
February 5, 2013.
Supported by Gonryo for the Promotion of Medical Science at
Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Dr. Shimizu has received lecture fees from Sanofi-Aventis and
Otsuka Pharmaceutical. Dr. Terayama has received lecture fees from
Sanofi-Aventis and Otsuka Pharmaceutical and consultant fees from
Sanofi-Aventis. Dr. Etsuro Mori has received lecture fees from
Tanabe-Mitsubishi and consultant fees from Lundbeck.
Address correspondence to Hiroaki Shimizu, MD, Department of
Neurosurgery, Kohnan Hospital, 4-20-1 Nagamachi-minami, Taihaku-
ku, Sendai 982-8523, Japan. E-mail: hshim@kohnan-sendai.or.jp.
1052-3057/$ - see front matter
Ó 2013 by National Stroke Association
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2013.02.009
Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Vol. 22, No. 4 (May), 2013: pp 449-456 449
2. prevention of this phenomenon has not been fully
developed.6,7
Studies with anticoagulants failed to clarify any benefi-
cial effect against acute progression.7
The majority of pa-
tients with noncardioembolic acute stroke are treated
with aspirin, but aspirin resistance is not rare.8
A random-
ized clinical trial showed some favorable effect of aspirin
in comparison to placebo for the prevention of progress-
ing stroke,9
but another recent study was negative.10
Immediately after transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mi-
nor stroke, early stroke recurrence might be reduced by
using clopidogrel in addition to aspirin, but in association
with increased hemorrhagic risks.11
Early initiation of as-
pirin plus extended-release dipyridamole may be as safe
and effective as, but not superior to, aspirin or clopidogrel
alone in preventing subsequent deterioration.12,13
During the acute phase of ischemic stroke, both platelet
function and inflammatory reactions are exaggerated.14,15
Cilostazol is an antiplatelet agent that inhibits
phosphodiesterase III in platelets and vascular
endothelium. It improves endothelial function and inhibits
inflammatory reactions,16-18
and has significantly fewer
adverse systemic and cerebral hemorrhagic effects
compared with other antiplatelet agents.19-21
Recent
papers reported that patients treated with aspirin plus
cilostazol during the acute phase of stroke (#48 hours
after stroke onset) had less neurologic deterioration during
the first 14 days than those treated with aspirin alone.22
The present pilot study investigated the efficacy and
safety of cilostazol administration in the prevention of
acute progressing stroke in patients with noncardioem-
bolic infarction as a multicenter randomized controlled
trial.
Methods
Patients
The present study included patients with acute noncar-
dioembolic ischemic stroke. Subtypes of ischemic stroke
were based on the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke III23
and judged by physicians in
each hospital. Specifically, the definitive diagnosis of car-
dioembolic stroke is often difficult in the acute stage, so
we tentatively defined cardioembolic stroke as infarction
in areas of the cortical branches in patients with any heart
disease that is a potential embolic source (e.g., atrial fibril-
lation, postsurgical state for valve, sick sinus syndrome,
etc.). All other types of ischemic stroke were considered
eligible except for rare pathologies, such as Moyamoya
disease, arterial dissection, and hematologic diseases.
Inclusion criteria were age between 20 and 80 years,
first or recurrent noncardioembolic infarction, designated
treatment could be started within 24 hours after the onset,
stable clinical condition, and informed consent available.
Exclusion criteria were modified Rankin Scale (mRS)
score $2 before stroke onset, National Institutes of Health
Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score $20, and contraindication to
cilostazol administration. Patients with unstable clinical
conditions, swallowing disturbances, severe systemic
conditions (e.g., cancer, liver cirrhosis, and chronic renal
failure, etc.), congestive heart failure, and current hemor-
rhage (e.g., peptic ulcer, intracerebral hemorrhage, etc.)
were excluded. Patients were also excluded if they were
allergic to cilostazol, were under intravenous treatment
with tissue plasminogen activator, were candidates for lo-
cal intra-arterial fibrinolysis, or were pregnant. Participat-
ing hospitals were asked to enroll at least 10 consecutive
patients who fulfilled the entry criteria.
The study was performed in accordance with the
Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the review
board of Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.
This trial was registered with the University Hospital
Medical Information Network–Clinical Trials Registry
(UMIN-CTR) in Japan (trial UMIN000001630).
Procedures
All enrolled patients received the optimum medical
treatment decided by each institution—usually according
to the Japanese Guidelines for the Management of
Stroke24
—with no restriction except for cilostazol admin-
istration. These treatments included initial intravenous
agents (e.g., edaravone and/or ozagrel, argatroban, or
heparin) and simultaneous or subsequent oral agents
(e.g., aspirin, thienopyridines, or warfarin). Patients
were randomized into either the cilostazol group or the
control group. Patients allocated to the cilostazol group
received oral cilostazol of 200 mg/day immediately after
the randomization for 3 months of the study period. Pa-
tients in the control group received no cilostazol medica-
tion throughout the study period. No placebo tablet was
used, and the study was performed as an open trial.
The randomization was performed by a commercial on-
line system (Waritsuke-kun; Mebix, Inc., Tokyo, Japan)
using a dynamic balancing method with stratification
by study institution.
The primary endpoints were rate of progressing stroke
defined as aggravation of the NIHSS score by $4 points
on days 3 and/or 5 after enrollment (the day of enroll-
ment was considered to be day 1) and mRS scores 0 to 1
at 3 months after enrollment. Aggravation related to
causes other than progression of the primary infarction,
such as systemic complication, edema, hemorrhagic in-
farction, or recurrent cerebral stroke, was not considered
as progressing stroke. Evaluation of the mRS at 3 months
was another primary endpoint to clarify the effect of pro-
gressing stroke on clinical outcome. The secondary end-
points were any cardiovascular events within the brain,
heart, and peripheral arteries during the 3 months of
the study period, the rate of mRS scores of 0 to 1 at 1
month after enrollment, and the rate of mRS scores 0 to
2 at 1 and 3 months after enrollment.
H. SHIMIZU ET AL.450
3. Patients were assessed at baseline (day 1), days 3, 5, and
14 (or at discharge), and at 1 and 3 months after enroll-
ment for the NIHSS score and 1 and 3 months after enroll-
ment for the mRS score. The prehospital mRS score was
also assessed by interviewing patients or family mem-
bers. Brain imaging studies with computed tomography
and/or magnetic resonance imaging were performed on
days 1 and 14 (or at discharge), or at any time after neu-
rologic deterioration. Blood pressure and hematologic
and biochemical laboratory analyses were examined on
days 1 and 14 (or at discharge). All adverse events occur-
ring within 3 months of the study period were recorded.
Neurologic, radiologic, and systemic evaluations were
performed without considering the group allocation by
the physician in charge during hospitalization and, after
discharge, a physician who took care of outpatients.
Statistical Analyses
The study was designed as a pilot study because no
clinical study of cilostazol in the setting of acute progress-
ing stroke was available at the beginning of the study.
Because the rate of progressing stroke was difficult to es-
timate, the sample size was calculated as 250 patients in
each arm, assuming that rates of mRS scores of 0 to 1 at
3 months after enrollment would be 30% in the control
group and 43% in the cilostazol group (a 5 0.05; b 5
0.2).9,20,25-28
Both full analysis set and per protocol
analysis were performed by one of authors (H. S.). The
results of the full analysis set are reported here because
the results were similar. Comparison of mRS and NIHSS
scores between the 2 groups was performed with the
Wilcoxon rank sum test at each time point. The
difference between treatment groups in NIHSS changes
from enrollment to day 14 or discharge was analyzed
after applying the maximum score of 42 points for
missing data because of death with a linear mixed
effects model on interaction between the treatment
groups and time. Comparisons of age between groups
used the unpaired t test. Comparisons of categorical
data were examined with the Fisher exact test.
All analyses used JMP Statistical Discovery Software
(version 8.0.2; SAS Institute Japan Inc., Tokyo, Japan).
Results
A total of 510 patients (340 men and 170 women with
a mean age of 66.4 years) were enrolled from 55 institu-
tions in Japan between February 2009 and July 2010.
Two patients withdrew informed consent, and 1 patient
did not return to the hospital and therefore received no
treatment. Five hundred seven patients were included
in the full analysis set. The cilostazol group consisted of
251 patients, of whom 238 patients were treated with
200 mg/day and 2 patients with 100 mg/day. Cilostazol
was maintained for the 3 months of the study period in
all but 11 patients in whom it was discontinued because
of adverse events (headache in 4, palpitation in 3, and
other reason in 4) and replaced by clopidogrel in 5 pa-
tients or aspirin in 2 patients. The evaluation of the NIHSS
score was available only at enrollment in 1 patient in the
cilostazol group, and evaluation of worsening of the
NIHSS score was possible in 250 patients. All 256 patients
in the control group provided longitudinal NIHSS score
data. Excluding 31 patients with protocol violations, a to-
tal of 476 patients were included in the per protocol set
(Fig 1).
Three patients died during the study period. One pa-
tient in the control group died of subarachnoid hemor-
rhage 5 days after enrollment. Two patients in the
cilostazol group died of brain edema associated with pri-
mary infarction 7 and 31 days after enrollment; these
cases were eventually diagnosed as cardioembolic infarc-
tion and pulmonary embolism, respectively. Missing
NIHSS data after the deaths were adjusted with the max-
imum score of 42 points.
The profiles of the groups were similar, although alco-
hol consumption and a history of cerebral infarction
were less common in the cilostazol group than in the con-
trol group (P ,.05). Heart rate and triglyceride level were
lower in the cilostazol group, and were the only signifi-
cantly different physiologic and laboratory parameters
(P , .05). Stroke subtypes did not differ between the
groups (Table 1).
Concomitant drugs administered for antithrombotic
and neuroprotective reasons after enrollment are also
listed in Table 1. During the first 1 to 2 weeks after stroke
onset, intravenous administration of edaravone (a free
radical scavenger) plus ozagrel (an antiplatelet agent) or
argatroban (an antithrombin agent) was common in ac-
cordance with the Japanese Guidelines for the Manage-
ment of Stroke,24
and no statistical difference was
detected between the groups. The oral administration of
antiplatelet agents other than cilostazol was common in
the control group after cessation of intravenous treat-
ments described above but not in the cilostazol group,
Figure 1. Trial profile. FAS, full analysis set; PPS, par-protocol set; mRS,
modified Rankin Scale; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.
CILOSTAZOL FOR ACUTE PROGRESSING STROKE 451
4. and the use of thienopyridines and aspirin was signifi-
cantly different between the groups (P , .0001).
The mean mRS score before the current onset of
stroke and the mean NIHSS score at enrollment were
not different between the groups (Table 2). At the
primary endpoints, rates of mRS scores of 0 to 1 at 3
months after enrollment were 74.5% and 72.7% in the
cilostazol and control groups, respectively, and did not
differ between the groups. The rates of progressing
stroke, defined as aggravation of the NIHSS score by
$4 points on days 3 and/or 5, were 3.2% in the cilosta-
zol and 6.3% in the control groups, which were not
statistically significant (P 5 .143). In patients who expe-
rienced progressing stroke, the rate of mRS scores of
0 to 1 at 3 months after enrollment was significantly
lower than in patients without progressing stroke
(Table 3).
Cardiovascular events occurred as secondary end-
points in 5 and 8 patients in the cilostazol and control
groups, respectively, with no significant difference. Re-
current ischemic strokes were detected in 3 and 4 patients
in the cilostazol and control groups, respectively. Intracra-
nial hemorrhages were observed in 2 patients each in both
groups. The other secondary endpoints based on mRS
score at 1 or 3 months did not show any significant differ-
ence between the 2 groups (Table 2).
Adverse events were recorded in 20 patients in the
cilostazol group (22 events) and 10 patients in the con-
trol group (10 events; Table 4). The difference was not
statistically significant between the groups (P 5 .06;
Fisher exact test). Palpitation and headache were the
main adverse events in the cilostazol group. Other pa-
rameters did not show differences between the groups.
No major systemic bleeding occurred during the study
period.
Discussion
In the present study, the primary endpoint for mRS
score did not show any significant difference between
the cilostazol and control groups. The rates of progressing
stroke also failed to show statistically significant effects of
cilostazol (P 5 .143).
Patients with progressing stroke had a statistically sig-
nificantly lower rate of mRS scores of 0 to 1 at 3 months
after enrollment than those without progressing stroke
(Table 3), suggesting that progressing stroke is one of
the major influencing factors on clinical outcome.
Table 1. Patient characteristics
Cilostazol group (n 5 251) Control group (n 5 256) P value
Demographics
Male, n (%) 165 (65.7) 175 (68.4) .571
Age (y), mean (SD) 66.2 (9.4) 66.6 (8.9) .635*
Present smoker, n (%) 93 (37.1) 115 (45.1) .071
Alcohol, n (%) 112 (44.6) 139 (54.5) .027
Heart rate (bpm), mean (SD) 76 (14) 78 (14) .045*
Triglycerides (mg/dl), mean (SD) 134 (104) 138 (79) .047*
Stroke subtype, n (%)
Atherothrombotic 77 (30.7) 64 (25.0)
.289Lacunar 161 (64.1) 181 (70.7)
Others 13 (5.2) 11 (4.3)
Complications/medical histories, n (%)
Hypertension 151 (60.2) 166 (64.8) .313
Ischemic heart disease 6 (2.4) 5 (2.0) .770
Diabetes mellitus 67 (26.7) 66 (25.8) .840
Dyslipidemia 52 (20.7) 45 (17.6) .429
Cerebral infarction 25 (10.0) 43 (16.8) .027
Cerebral hemorrhage 8 (3.2) 5 (2.0) .414
Concomitant of antithrombotic drugs, n (%)
Edaravone 207 (82.5) 205 (80.1) .497
Ozagrel 160 (63.8) 170 (66.4) .576
Argatroban 53 (21.1) 58 (22.7) .747
Heparin 7 (2.8) 8 (3.1) 1.000
Warfarin 4 (1.6) 8 (3.1) .382
Thienopyridinesy 31 (12.4) 117 (45.7) ,.0001
Aspirin 46 (18.3) 113 (44.1) ,.0001
Physiologic and blood examination data that had no statistical significance are not listed.
*Unpaired t test. All other P values were calculated with the Fisher exact test.
yAll thienopyridines were clopidogrel except for 1 case (ticlopidine) in the cilostazol group.
H. SHIMIZU ET AL.452
5. There is one paper that investigated rates of early neu-
rologic progression within 7 days, defined as an increase
in the NIHSS score of .2, or 1 point in limb weakness,
showing no difference between the cilostazol- and
aspirin-treated groups.19
In the present study, the rates of progressing stroke
tended to be low at 3.2% in the cilostazol group and
6.3% in the control group, based on the definition of pro-
gressing stroke as a worsening of the NIHSS score by $4
points on days 3 and/or 5. Even if other definitions of pro-
gressing stroke, such as a worsening of the NIHSS score
by $1, 2, or 3 points on days 3 and/or 5 were used, the
rates of progressing stroke in the present study did not
differ significantly between the groups (Table 2), although
there were decreasing tendencies in the cilostazol group
when the change in NIHSS score by $3 or 4 points were
applied.
The NIHSS score at discharge or 2 weeks after enroll-
ment in the cilostazol group, which was not a planned
analysis point, was significantly lower than that in the
Table 2. Primary and secondary endpoints and related parameters
Cilostazol group (n 5 251) Control group (n 5 256) P value
mRS score (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), n for each score
Before the current onset 220, 27, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0 228, 25, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0 .614*
1 month 90, 79, 37, 18, 22, 4, 1 88, 86, 31, 2, 4, 25, 1, 1 .842*
3 months 101, 86, 34, 17, 9, 2, 2 98, 89, 31, 21, 15, 1, 1 .558*
mRS score at 3 months, n (%)
0-1 187 (74.5) 186 (72.7) .687y
0-2 221 (88.1) 217 (84.8) .302y
mRS score at 1 month, n (%)
0-1 169 (67.3) 173 (67.6) 1.000y
0-2 206 (82.1) 204 (79.7) .501y
NIHSS (mean 6 SD)z
At enrollment 3.7 6 2.9 3.6 6 2.8 .696*
.070zDay 3 3.2 6 3.5 3.4 6 4.1 .561*
Day 5 2.8 6 3.4 3.1 6 4.2 .308*
At discharge or 2 weeks after the enrollment 2.0 6 3.7 2.4 6 3.9 .046*
Worsening of NIHSS on day 3 or 5 compared with baseline, n (%)
$1 point 39 (15.6) 48 (18.8) .410y
$2 points 27 (10.8) 33 (12.9) .494y
$3 points 12 (4.8) 23 (9.0) .079y
$4 points 8 (3.2) 16 (6.3) .143y
Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events (n)
Cerebral infarction 3 4 1.000y
Intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage 2 2 1.000y
Congestive heart failure 0 2 .499y
Abbreviations: mRS, modified Rankin Scale; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; SD, standard deviation.
*Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
yFisher exact test. mRS data at each time point are expressed by actual number of patients of each mRS score group.
zLinear mixed effects model of the interaction between the treatment groups and time for the difference between the groups in the NIHSS
changes from enrollment to day 14 or discharge. Time was treated as a continuous variable. In the model, interactions between treatment group
and time, treatment group, and time were included as independent variables.
Table 3. Influence of progressing stroke on modified Rankin
Scale score 3 months after enrollment
mRS score
at 3 months
Progressing
stroke (n 5 24)
No progressing
stroke (n 5 483) P value
0-1 1 373 ,.0001*
$2 23 110
Total 24 483
Abbreviation: mRS, modified Rankin Scale.
*Fisher exact test.
Table 4. Adverse events
Cilostazol
group (n 5 251)
Control
group (n 5 256)
Palpitation 7 0
Headache 4 1
Pneumonia 3 5
Hepatic dysfunction 1 1
Others 7 3
Total 22* 10*
*Twenty-two and 10 events in 20 and 10 patients, respectively.
CILOSTAZOL FOR ACUTE PROGRESSING STROKE 453
6. control group (P 5 .046; Table 2). The changes in NIHSS
score from enrollment to day 14 or discharge were not sig-
nificantly different as analyzed with a linear mixed effects
model of the interaction between the treatment groups
and time, but there was a favorable tendency in the cilos-
tazol group (P 5 .070).
Recently, cilostazol is reported to ameliorate the no
reflow phenomenon29
and to reduce the risk of hemor-
rhagic transformation30
after transient ischemia in mice.
Because reperfusion injury plays an important role at least
in the microcirculation levels, the tendency to reduce the
rate of progressive stroke in this study may be attributable
to the favorable effect of cilostazol on microcirculation.
The use of any medication except cilostazol was al-
lowed in the control group to achieve the best outcomes
possible for the patients. Therefore, the present pilot
study suggests that additional investigation is justified
to confirm the efficacy of cilostazol administration.
The intravenous administration of ozagrel, argatroban,
and edaravone is approved for clinical use during the 1 to
2 weeks after the onset of ischemic disease in Japan.24
However, progressing strokes are common in the acute
stage of lacunar and atherothrombotic infarction, despite
the combination of these currently available treatments,
and no preventive treatment has been established.6
Early deterioration is a strong predictor of a bad out-
come and could be used as an early surrogate end point
in therapeutic trials.1,5
The present results as shown in
Table 3 also imply that, although the mRS score at 3
months after enrollment is a combination of neurologic,
systemic, and other deterioration during the preceding 3
months, a positive predictive value of progressing stroke
for the worse outcome was high.
Several methodologic limitations should be recognized
in the present study. This study was open, which may
have caused bias in evaluating the patients, and the small
number of patients may have weakened the statistical
power of the study. The control group was treated with
various drugs that were thought to be the best in each
hospital. This may have made the evaluation of cilostazol
rather complex. Physicians who treated the patients were
not completely divided from those evaluated the patients
along the time course of the study, because some hospitals
actually had ,3 physicians in neurologic and neurosurgi-
cal departments. There were a couple of baseline param-
eters that showed statistically significant differences
between the groups. In particular, previous cerebral in-
farction was more frequent in the control group than the
cilostazol group and may have influenced the results
(although multivariate comparison using logistic regres-
sion analysis showed no statistically significant influence
of cerebral infarction on the rate of the primary
endpoints). Nevertheless, considering that all available
treatments were allowed in the control group and the cilos-
tazol group showed a tendency to reduced rate of progress-
ing stroke, another clinical trial would be encouraged to
overcome the limitations of the present study.
In this regard, we have performed an unplanned post
hoc analysis to contribute to an additional study. First,
stratified analyses were performed using the Fisher exact
test for comparison of rates of several parameters of clin-
ical importance. The results were expressed in Figure 2 by
the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI). In a sub-
group with NIHSS score #3.0 at enrollment, cilostazol
treatment reduced the risk of progressing stroke by 83%
(odds ratio 0.186; 95% CI 0.028-0.708). In another sub-
group with nonlacunar infarction, cilostazol treatment re-
duced the risk of progressing stroke by 87% (odds ratio
0.110; 95% CI 0.006-0.641). Second, time from the symp-
tom onset to start of the therapy was analyzed to investi-
gate if there is difference in rates of primary endpoints
between the 2 groups (Table 5). The time tended to be
shorter in patients with progressing stroke in each treat-
ment group, although the difference did not reach a statis-
tically significant difference between the cilostazol and
the control groups (P 5 .08). In terms of mRS score at 3
Figure 2. Stratified analysis for rates of
progressing stroke. Fisher’s exact test.
H. SHIMIZU ET AL.454
7. months, the time was statistically significantly shorter in
patients with mRS scores $2 than those with mRS scores
of 0 to 1. These results together indicate that patients who
come to a hospital earlier after symptom onset tend to
have a greater chance for progressing stroke and worse
clinical outcome at 3 months and that these patients
may be a reasonable candidate to study drug effects.
The present study may suggest that when the effect of
cilostazol is tobe investigated inthe acute stage ofischemic
cerebrovascular disease, it may be recommended to in-
clude more patients with mild symptoms, nonlacunar in-
farction, and/or earlier time points after symptom onset.
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Yes (n 5 24) 9.1 (6.3) 6.9 (4.6) .34 7.6 (5.2)
P value* .65 .07 — .08
mRS score at 3 months
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$2 (n 5 134) 9.0 (6.2) 8.7 (5.9) .79 8.8 (6.1)
P value* .13 .17 — .04
Abbreviation: mRS, modified Rankin Scale.
Data are expressed in hours as mean (standard deviation).
*Unpaired t-test.
CILOSTAZOL FOR ACUTE PROGRESSING STROKE 455
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