title: [Influence of beginning time of hypothermia treatment on prognosis of extensive cerebral infarction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the influence of beginning time of cranial hypothermia treatment on the prognosis of extensive cerebral infarction(ECI) so as to establish the optimum time for such treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two ECI patients were divided into three groups. In group A hypothermia treatment was begun within 6 hours after cerebral infarction in 31 patients. In another 31 cases in group B it was begun in 7-10 hours, and in 30 cases in group C it was begun in 11-14 hours after the attack. The mortality rate, the volume of cerebral infarction, neurological deficiency score(NDS) and quality of life in survivors were determined respectively in three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The volume of cerebral infarction in group A and B was obviously smaller than that of group C after hypothermia treatment(P<0.01). The mortality rate was higher in group C (26.67% in group C, 3.23% in group A and 6.45% in group B, both P<0.05) The mortality rate was highest in cases with high body temperature in group C(P<0.05). NDS was significantly lower in survivors of groups A and B compared with group C (both P<0.05), groups A and B compared with group C(P<0.05). The NDS and quality of life of the survivors with high body temperature(P<0.05 or P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cranial hypothermia treatment should be begun with 10 hours after illness to obtain best effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the 159th Hospital of PLA, Zhumadian 463008, Henan China.
authors.forename: Xin-li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Zheng-xiang
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yuan-wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qun-cai
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors