At International Stroke Conference, Cedars-Sinai neurology researchers present findings

February 3rd, 2012

All Information Strictly Embargoed Until Time of Each Presentation) – Stroke experts from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center will present research updates at the International Stroke Conference of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Feb. 1 through Feb. 3 in New Orleans. Highlights include:

6:15 – 6:45 p.m. CST, Feb. 1, Thrombin Activity Associated with Neuronal Damage during Acute Stage of Ischemic Stroke

After ischemic stroke – the type caused by a clogged artery but with no bleeding into the brain – a normal protein that plays a positive role in blood clotting escapes intact arteries and seriously damages healthy brain cells. Scientists previously knew that thrombin leaked out during hemorrhagic strokes, and large amounts of the protein killed neurons. In new studies, researchers found thrombin in the brain after ischemic stroke; injecting a drug to counter the effects of thrombin improved stroke symptoms. Patrick D. Lyden, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology, the Carmen and Louis Warschaw Chair in Neurology at Cedars-Sinai and senior author of the poster presentation abstract, is available for interviews.

6:15 – 6:45 p.m. CST Feb. 2, Phase 2/3 Study of Intravenous Thrombolysis and Hypothermia for Acute Treatment of Ischemic Stroke (ICTuS 2/3)

An international multicenter clinical trial is studying the combination of "clot-busting" drug therapy with body cooling to reduce neurological damage after stroke. Following administration of tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), doctors insert a special catheter – part of a high-tech temperature-regulating device – into the inferior vena cava, the body's largest vein. By lowering the temperature of fluid circulating inside the catheter, body temperature is steadily reduced to 33 degrees Celsius (about 91 degrees Fahrenheit). The fluid – contained inside the catheter's closed loop – absorbs the body's heat and transfers it out to slow metabolism, keep tissue swelling in check and give the brain time to rest. Patrick D. Lyden, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology, the Carmen and Louis Warschaw Chair in Neurology at Cedars-Sinai and senior author of the poster presentation abstract, is available for interviews.

6:15 – 6:45 p.m. CST Feb. 2, Real-World Clinical Use of CT Perfusion for Diagnosis and Prediction of Lesion Growth in Acute Ischemic Stroke

This study of Cedars-Sinai patients looks at CT perfusion mapping, an imaging method employed in stroke research centers to evaluate the extent of dead tissue and "at-risk" tissue following ischemic stroke. Cedars-Sinai researchers, collaborating with colleagues from three other centers, found that the technique did not provide sufficient accuracy in real-world, clinical use. Patrick D. Lyden, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology, the Carmen and Louis Warschaw Chair in Neurology at Cedars-Sinai and senior author of the poster presentation abstract, is available for interviews.

Cedars-Sinai researchers also participated in studies that will be presented on spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (6:15 – 6:45 p.m. Feb. 2, Early and Late Predictors of Hyperthermia after Spontaneous ICH, poster presentation); visual impairment after stroke (5:45 – 6:15 p.m. Feb. 1, Recovery from Post-Stroke Visual Impairment: Evidence from a Clinical Trials Resource, poster presentation); and emergency stroke intervention (10:40 – 10:52 a.m. Feb. 3, Beneficial Impact of EMS Routing to Certified Stroke Centers on Door to Imaging Times, oral presentation).

Provided by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center