title: Influence of chronic ethanol consumption on the neurological severity in patients with acute cerebral ischemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We tested the hypothesis that excessive chronic ethanol consumption is associated with more severe ischemic strokes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited patients with supratentorial cerebral ischemia within 48 hours of symptom onset. We defined heavy drinkers by a weekly consumption of ethanol of ≥300 g and severe strokes by a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score≥6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 436 patients, 60 were heavy drinkers. Being a heavy drinker was independently associated with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores≥6 (odds ratio, 2.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-5.26; P=0.023) at the logistic regression analysis. This result was not modified with the propensity analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An excessive chronic ethanol consumption is associated with higher baseline stroke severity.
authors.affiliation: University of Lille Nord de France, CHU Lille, Lille, France.
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ducroquet
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leys
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Saabi
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cordonnier
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Girot
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deplanque
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Casolla
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Allorge
authors.forename: Régis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bordet
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
keywords: NIHSS score; alcohol; cerebral ischemia; stroke severity