title: Systematic review of survival time in experimental mouse stroke with impact on reliability of infarct estimation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke is the second most common cause of death worldwide. Only one treatment for acute ischemic stroke is currently available, thrombolysis with rt-PA, but it is limited in its use. Many efforts have been invested in order to find additive treatments, without success. A multitude of reasons for the translational problems from mouse experimental stroke to clinical trials probably exists, including infarct size estimations around the peak time of edema formation. Furthermore, edema is a more prominent feature of stroke in mice than in humans, because of the tendency to produce larger infarcts with more substantial edema.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper will give an overview of previous studies of experimental mouse stroke, and correlate survival time to peak time of edema formation. Furthermore, investigations of whether the included studies corrected the infarct measurements for edema and a comparison of correction methods will be discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant terms were searched in the National Library of Medicine PubMed database. A method for classification of infarct measurement methods was made using a naming convention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that infarct size estimations are often performed around the peak time of edema, with a median of 24h. Most studies do consider edema formation, however, there is no consensus on what method to use to correct for edema. Furthermore, investigations into neuroprotective drugs should use longer survival times to ensure completion of the investigated process. Our findings indicate a need for more research in this area, and establishment of common correction methodology.
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences-Department of Biomedicine, BRIC, Københavns Biocenter, Ole Maaloes vej 5, Copenhagen 2200-N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Carina Kirstine
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Klarskov
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences-Department of Biomedicine, BRIC, Københavns Biocenter, Ole Maaloes vej 5, Copenhagen 2200-N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mikkel Buster
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Klarskov
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences-Department of Biomedicine, BRIC, Københavns Biocenter, Ole Maaloes vej 5, Copenhagen 2200-N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasseldam
authors.affiliation: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences-Department of Biomedicine, BRIC, Københavns Biocenter, Ole Maaloes vej 5, Copenhagen 2200-N, Denmark. Electronic address: ffj@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Flemming Fryd
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Johansen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D051379:Mice; D011379:Prognosis; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis
keywords: Brain; Edema; Infarct; Ischemia; Mouse; Stroke