title: Differences in the clinical manifestations and short-term prognosis of acute cerebral infarction after exposure to Agent Orange.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Agent Orange (AO) is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used in the Vietnam War. Studies conducted thus far show a significant correlation between AO and the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. But there is little data on the association between AO and stroke, and limited studies have targeted patient groups exposed to AO.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bohun medical center Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the study. (ID: 341) We studied patients with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days of onset in VHS medical center and 4 other general hospitals. Among them, 91 consecutive patients with previous exposure to AO were evaluated. For controlled group, 288 patients with no history of AO exposure were chosen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 49 (44.0 %) DM patient with a higher frequency in the exposure group (93 (32.3 %) in controlP= 0.045). There were 6 (6.6 %) hyperlipidemia in exposure group and 69 (24.0 %) in control. (P< 0.002). Small vessel occlusion was the most common subtype (36, 39.6 %) in exposure group but in control group, the large artery atherosclesosis was (120, 41.7 %) (P= 0.014). The NIHSS of the exposure group on admission showed lower scores (median values, 2 and 4, respectively;P= 0.003). The median mRS was 1 for the exposure group and 2 for the control group, at discharge and after 3 months. After 3 months of discharge, 55 (60.4 %) in the exposure group and 171 (59.4 %) in the control group showed below mRS 1 (P= 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study targeted patients who are Vietnam veteran. There is some difference in vascular risk factors and clinical manifestations suggest AO exposure has contributed to a certain extent to the stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Dunchon 2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791 Korea.
authors.forename: SangWoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Dunchon 2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791 Korea.
authors.forename: Inha
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Dunchon 2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791 Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Dunchon 2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791 Korea.
authors.forename: Young Soon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Dunchon 2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791 Korea.
authors.forename: SangWon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Dunchon 2-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791 Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of neurology, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Hwan
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Park