Aim - In this study, we aimed to examine the risk factors, topographic features and stroke mechanisms of acute ischemic unilateral infarcts of thalamus. Methods - Patient with isolated thalamic infarct and those with posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarction who were admitted to our hospital between January 2014 and January 2017 with acute unilateral thalamic infarction (TI) were included in this study (isolated thalamic infarction/ isolated TI; thalamic and posterior cerebral artery infarction/PCA+TI). Demographic characteristics and vascular risk factors of the patients were determined. Thalamic infarct areas were recorded topographically as anterior, posteromedial, ventrolateral, posterolateral, more than one area, and variant areas. Stroke mechanism was determined according to the criteria of „Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment” (TOAST). Patients with isolated TI and PCA TI were compared according to risk factors, stroke mechanism and infarct topography. Results - Forty-three patients with a mean age of 63.3 ± 14.5 years were included in the study. Twenty-eight patients (60.1%) were found to have isolated TI and the remaining 15 patients (34.9%) had PCA+TI. 32.1% of patients with isolated TI had sensory symptoms on presentation, and 60% of patients with PCA-TI had sensorimotor symptoms. The mean age, the mean score on National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the mean frequency of atrial fibrillation were higher in PCA+TI patients than in isolated-TI patients (p: 0.04, p: 0.004, p: 0.02 respectively). 32.6% of the patients had ventrolateral, 30.2% had posteromedial involvement. Ventrolateral topography was seen in 46.7% of the PCA+TI patients, while posteromedial topography was seen in 39.3% of the isolated-TI patients. 53.6% of the isolated-TI had small vessel disease etiology, while 40% of the PCA+TI had cardioembolic etiology, and the other 40% had large artery atherosclerosis. Conclusion - Our study showed that the most ommon stroke mechanism in patients with thalamic infarction is the small vessel disease. Isolated TI and PCA+TI patients differ in terms of etiologic mechanism and infarct topography. Variant territorial involvement and multiple area involvements can be quite common in thalamic infarcts.

[BACKGROUND - The main determinant of outcome in acute pancreatitis is the extent of inflammation and pancreatic necrosis. Early administration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may prevent the development of severe complications through modulation of eicosanoid synthesis and cytokine release. PATIENTS AND METHODS - In the prospective, randomised clinical trial 14 patients with acute pancreatitis received n-3 PUFAs (3.3 g/day for 5- 7 days) as a supplement to their enteral formula in the form of fish oil, and another 14 patients receiving enteral nutrition served as a control group. Measurements of erythrocyte superoxidedysmutase activity, serum total antioxidant status, C-reactive protein and praealbumin concentrations were performed at admission and at day 3, 7 and 14. Beside routine laboratory and imaging examinations, the fatty acid and vitamin A and E concentrations of the serum lipid fractions were also determined at admission and at day 7 of the jejunal nutrition. The endpoints of the study were the duration of hospitalisation, the duration of jejunal nutrition and the frequency of complications. RESULTS - A significantly higher superoxidedysmutase activity was observed in patients receiving n-3 fatty acids at day 3 of the treatment. The n-3 to n-6 long chain PUFA ratio increased significantly in the serum lipids of the patients receiving n-3 PUFA supplementation, whereas remained unchanged in the controls. Supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in the length of hospitalisation (13.1±6.7 vs. 19.3±7.2 days, p<0.05) and jejunal feeding (10.6±6.7 vs. 17.6±10.5, p<0.05). Complications developed in 6/14 (42%) of the treated group and in 9/14 (64%) of the control patients. CONCLUSION - Enteral administration of n-3 PUFAs in acute pancreatitis may promote earlier recovery by moderating inflammation.]

[Persistent trigeminal artery is a relatively frequent type of intracranial arterial developmental anomalies. The diagnostic tools for demonstration previously consisted of carotid angiography, later CT and DSA and nowadays MR and MRA. The practical benefit of the diagnosis is to avoid any hazard at the operation of associated hypophysis adenomas and aneurysms and could also give a possible explanation for apparent hormonal abnormalities. The authors support the latter possibility with a case report.]

[Ivabradine is a new agent that selectively inhibits the If channels of the sinus node. Electrophysiological studies have shown a significant heart rate lowering effect of ivabradine compared to placebo, while no significant changes have been observed in the frequency-corrected QT interval (QTc) or in the conductivity or refractoriness of the atrial muscle, AV node, His- Purkinje system or ventricular muscle. In a noninferiority study that compared ivabradine to atenolol, the same efficacy was shown in terms of increasing effort tolerance and reducing anginal events, with less reduction in heart rate. The same results were obtained with the comparison to amlodipine - the two drugs were equally efficient. The longest trial investigated the efficacy and safety of ivabradine for 12 month; both heart rate and the number of anginal episodes significantly decreased during the entire study period. The ongoing BEAUTIFUL trial tests ivabradine in patients with heart failure. The only important side effect of ivabradine is phosphenes, but this rarely requires the treatment to be discontinued. No other side effects such as symptomatic bradycardia or conduction abnormalities have been observed. Ivabradine is currently indicated as an alternative treatment of stable angina pectoris.]

[The essential hypertension increases the risk of cognitive impairment even in symptom-free patients. Sixty, non-treated hypertensives were investigated (44±10.5 év) with nine pszichological tests, measuring the reaction time, attention, short and long-term memory, psychomotor speed etc. The results of nine tests were summarized and compared with those of age-matched control persons (n=98). All hypertensives had normal CT findings. The carotid intima-media-thickness, the arterial stiffness and the velocities in the middle cerebral arteries were also analyzed (with tilting table test). The sum of the results of cognitive tests was significantly worse than that of controls 14.8±7.1 vs. 27.8±5.5 p<0.0001. The results of intima-media thickness and stiffness measurements were also significantly worse compared with controls while the middle cerebral velocities did not differ. After one year antihypertensive therapy not only the improvement of blood pressure, intima-media thickness and stiffness values could be detected but also the the score of summarized cognitive tests improved (from 17.4±6.0 to 31.6±6.0 p<0.0001).]