Neurological and MRI findings as predictors of progressive-type lacunar infarction.
OBJECTIVE
To find neurological or neuroimaging signs to predict neurological deterioration in acute lacunar infarctions.


METHODS
Sixty-one consecutive patients with a supratentorial lacunar infarct, who were admitted within 48 h, were studied retrospectively. Progressive-type stroke (PS) was defined as progressive motor deficits that arose within 7 days after onset, by using the motor ratings of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.


RESULTS
Sixteen patients (26%) were classified into the PS group. In the PS group, fluctuating or progressing onset (81 vs. 42%, p = 0.009), leg-predominant motor deficits on admission (63 vs. 16%, p = 0.001) and corona radiata lesion on diffusion-weighted MRI (100 vs. 69%, p = 0.013) were all more frequent than in the non-PS group.


CONCLUSIONS
Bedside neurological assessment and MRI findings may allow us to predict PS and start early intensive treatment for preventing further neurological deterioration.
Nagakane
Yoshinari
Y
Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan. nagakane@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Naritomi
Hiroaki
H
Oe
Hiroshi
H
Nagatsuka
Kazuyuki
K
Yamawaki
Takemori
T
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies