Highlights

Please wait a minute...
  • Select all
    |
  • Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Section
    HU Zheqi, XU Yun
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(12): 1059-1068. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0194

    Objective Excessive cerebral microbleeds(CMB)are a critical risk factor for cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD),yet their neuroimaging mechanisms remain unclear. By using multivariate divergence among multi-contrast MRI features, this study constructs a morphometric inverse divergence (MIND) networks to reveal the pattern of CMB-related structural disruption at the network level and investigate the potential imaging mechanisms of cognitive impairment. Methods A total of 69 CSVD patients with CMB were enrolled as CSVD-c group, 61 patients without CMB were enrolled as CSVD-n group, and 66 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled as HC group. MIND network topology was compared between the three groups, and the correlation between network abnormalities and neuropsychological parameters was analyzed. Results At the cognitive domain level, CSVD patients showed global cognitive decline, significantly affecting multiple domains including memory,visuospatial ability, executive function, and language. Compared with the HCs, CSVD patients had reductions in MIND strength in the frontal lobe (left area 9a and right p32) and the right temporal lobe (Mβ and Pβ),as well as increases in the extent and severity of CMB. For global topology, the patients with CSVD showed significant reductions in global and local efficiency and a significant increase in shortest-path length, with significantly greater changes in the CSVD-c group; for regional topology, there was a significant reduction in nodal efficiency in right Mβ. The correlation analysis showed that global and local efficiency and shortest-path length were significantly correlated with the scores of global cognition and multiple cognitive domains. Network-based statistic further revealed diminished connectivity within the default-mode network (DMN) and between DMN and visual/sensorimotor networks in the CSVD-c group. Conclusion CMB not only exacerbate global cognitive decline in CSVD patients,but also significantly affect multiple cognitive domains including memory, visuospatial ability, executive function, and language.Characteristic network alterations, including reduced synchrony in fronto-temporal regions, impaired global network efficiency and local temporal lobe efficiency, and weakened DMN-related connectivity,may be the potential mechanisms by which CMB aggravate cognitive impairment in CSVD.

  • Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Section
    MAO Chenglu, MO Yuting, JIANG Jialiu
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(12): 1069-1076. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0195

    Objective White matter hyperintensity(WMH) is the core imaging marker for cerebral small vessel disease, and gait disturbance induced by WMH is a major cause of functional disability in middle-aged and elderly populations. Existing studies mostly focus on the static association between WMH and gait disturbance, while time-varying characteristics are observed in the functional connectivity of brain networks. The dynamic functional connectivity(dFC) technique can capture the real-time interaction characteristics of brain networks, providing a new perspective for analyzing the neural mechanism of WMH-related gait disturbance. This study aims to investigate the neuroimaging mechanism of patients with WMH and gait disturbance using the dFC technique and clarify the association of dynamic brain network imbalance with motor function and cognitive function. Methods Subjects were recruited in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from 2023 to 2025, and after screening based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 93 subjects were enrolled in the group of WMH with gait disturbance (WMH-GD group), 86 subjects were enrolled in the group of WMH without gait disturbance (WMH-nGD group), and 92 subjects were enrolled in the normal control group (NC group). Background data collection, neuropsychological assessment, gait testing, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning were performed for all subjects. The DynamicBC toolbox was used to perform the dFC analysis and extract the dynamic indicators including fractional windows(F), mean dwell time (MDT), number of transitions(NT), and transition probability (TP); network-based statistics(NBS) were used to identify differential connectivity between brain regions across groups; the correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between dynamic indicators and clinical parameters. Results The cluster analysis identified two brain functional connectivity states, i.e., State Ⅰ (sparse and weak connectivity, accounting for 61.29%) and State Ⅱ (dense and strong connectivity, accounting for 38.71%). Inter-group comparisons showed that compared with the WMH-nGD group, the WMH-GD group had significantly higher F value (72.48% vs 57.38%, P<0.05) and MDT (95.47 windows vs 54.46 windows, P<0.05) of State Ⅰ and a significantly lower value of NT (2.44 times vs 3.83 times), as well as a significantly lower value of TP from State Ⅱ to State Ⅰ (TP Ⅱ→Ⅰ: 2.61% vs 5.84%, P<0.05) and a significantly higher value of TP from State Ⅱ to State Ⅱ (TP Ⅱ→Ⅱ:97.39% vs 94.16%, P<0.05). The NBS analysis showed that compared with the WMH-nGD group, the WMH-GD group had a significant reduction in inter-regional connectivity between the occipital lobe, the parietal lobe, and the frontal lobe in State Ⅰ and a significant increase in connectivity within subcortical brain regions and between the limbic lobe and the subcortical region. The correlation analysis showed that in the WMH-GD group, Mini-Mental State Examination score was negatively correlated with MDT of State Ⅰ and TP Ⅱ→Ⅱ and was positively correlated with TP Ⅱ→Ⅰ and NT, and gait speed was positively correlated with NT. Conclusion Dynamic brain network imbalance is observed in patients with WMH and gait disturbance, which manifests as rigidity of the sparse and weak connectivity state, a reduction in transition flexibility, and reorganization of cortex-subcortex connectivity. These abnormalities are closely associated with cognitive and gait functions, suggesting that disruption of brain network metastability may be one of the core neural mechanisms underlying WMH-related gait disturbance.

  • Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Section
    XU Jingxian, CHEN Haifeng, XU Yun
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(12): 1077-1084. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0196

    Objective To investigate the change in morphometric similarity gradient in patients with white matter hyperintensity (WMH)-related cognitive impairment and its influence on cognitive function. Methods Baseline and neuroimaging data were collected from 141 healthy controls (HC group), 66 patients with WMH and normal cognition (WMH-NC group), and 134 patients with WMH and cognitive impairment (WMH-CI group). The difference in gradient was compared between groups based on the morphometric similarity gradient analysis. The mediating effect model was used to investigate the association between WMH volume,plasma biomarkers for nerve injury, gradient, and cognitive function. Results The research findings showed significant aberrant alternations in morphometric similarity gradient, with a significant increase in variability in the second gradient (P=0.036, not surviving FDR correction). There was a significant negative correlation between the second gradient and geodesic distance (Pspin<0.001). In addition,visual cortex gradient played a key mediating role in the association between p-tau181/WMH volume and visuospatial function. Conclusion Patients with WMH-related cognitive impairment have aberrant macroscopic connectivity patterns of the cortex. The aberrant pattern of regional cortex mediates the process in which p-tau181 and WMH volume affect cognitive function, which provides a new perspective for understanding the potential structural mechanism of WMH-related cognitive impairment.

  • Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Section
    SUN Jinpeng, XU Yun
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(12): 1085-1088. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0197

    Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) has a high incidence rate, an insidious onset, a heterogeneous etiology, and serious damage. At present, there are still various critical issues in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of CSVD, including the difficulty in early warning, difficult etiological typing, and limited treatment methods. This article summarizes the clinical studies on the diagnosis and treatment of CSVD in recent years, in order to provide a reference for solving problems in diagnosis and treatment.

  • Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Section
    XIONG Ruozhu, JIANG Jialiu, MO Yuting
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(12): 1089-1094. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0198

    Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS) is a prevalent sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by recurrent pharyngeal collapse during sleep,and it is recognized as an important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD) refers to a series of clinical, imaging, and pathological syndromes that arise from pathological alterations in the small arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and small veins within the brain. There is a close association between OSAHS and CSVD,and OSAHS is significantly associated with various neuroimaging biomarkers for CSVD.This article reviews the current status of research on the association between the imaging features of OSAHS and CSVD and related mechanisms, in order to provide a reference for future research.

  • Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Section
    HAN Mengxi, YANG Dan, XU Yun
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(12): 1095-1099. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0199

    Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is an important etiology of vascular cognitive impairment and stroke, and there are still many challenges in its early diagnosis and pathological mechanisms. As a type of extracellular vesicles that exist stably in body fluids and can cross the blood-brain barrier, exosomes have attracted wide attention in recent years. Studies have shown that various exosomal proteins have a potential value in the diagnosis and treatment of CSVD and related cognitive impairment, providing new research directions for the noninvasive management of these diseases. This article systematically reviews the latest advances in exosomal proteins for the diagnosis and treatment of CSVD and related cognitive impairment, in order to provide new perspectives for the application of exosomal proteins in the precise treatment of CSVD.

  • Neurosonography Section
    BAI Liyang, LI Xiaodan, WANG Sibo
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 963-967. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0176
    Abstract (1477) Download PDF (16) HTML (1323)   Knowledge map   Save

    Objective To investigate the application value of ultrasound measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in the assessment of brain death. Methods A total of 124 subjects were enrolled and divided into brain death group with 34 patients, deep coma group with 28 patients, and healthy control group with 62 individuals, and ultrasound measurement of ONSD was performed for all three groups. A Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of brain death with ONSD and baseline characteristics. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the independent predictive value of ONSD for brain death. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the optimal cut-off value of ONSD and evaluate its diagnostic efficacy. Results The Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between brain death and ONSD (r=0.825,P<0.001). The multivariate Logistic regression analysis confirmed that ONSD was an independent predictive factor for brain death (odds ratio=70.874, P<0.05,Nagelkerke R2=0.739, Hosmer-Lemeshow test P=0.786).ONSD had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.939(95%CI 88.3‒99.4) in the brain death group and the deep coma group, with an optimal cut-off value of 6.005 mm, a sensitivity of 97.1%,a specificity of 78.6%, a positive predictive value of 84.6%, and a negative predictive value of 95.7%. Conclusion Ultrasound measurement of ONSD has an important clinical application value in the assessment of brain death.

  • Neurosonography Section
    LI Yanlin, TANG Weiting, LI Shuangxing
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 974-978. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0178

    Objective The supine-to-standing transcranial Doppler(TCD) technique is suitable for evaluating cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, and this study aims to assess its performance in predicting adverse outcomes in diabetic patients with or without orthostatic hypotension (OH). Methods The patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were admitted to Department of Endocrinology and Department of Neurology in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University from August 2020 to May 2023 were enrolled as subjects. Basic clinical data were collected, and supine-to-standing TCD was performed to monitor and record the changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and cerebral hemodynamics in both supine and standing positions. The patients were followed for 2-4 years to record medication, orthostatic intolerance score, and adverse events. The two-independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous variables between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous variables between groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical variables between groups. The binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between the results of supine-to-standing TCD and adverse outcomes. Results A total of 118 patients (96 male patients and 22 female patients) were enrolled, among whom there were 28 patients with OH (23.7%) and 90 patients without OH(76.3%). During follow-up, 19 patients (16.1%) experienced adverse outcomes (including syncope, falls, and death).TCD showed that impaired “W” wave recovery in cerebral blood flow in the standing position was an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes in diabetic patients (OR=3.536, 95% CI 1.136-11.006, P=0.029). Conclusion Vascular reflex failure and paradoxical cerebral vasoconstriction may be the mechanisms for impaired cerebral blood flow recovery in the standing position. TCD testing has an important role in detecting cerebrovascular abnormalities and cerebral hemodynamic changes, especially in diabetic patients with OH, and it has good performance in predicting adverse outcomes.

  • Neurosonography Section
    SONG Binbin, SU Fanghui, LI Li
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 979-983. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0179

    Severe carotid artery stenosis is an independent risk factor for stroke, and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can effectively prevent ischemic stroke by alleviating such stenosis. However, CEA carries certain risks of adverse events, including perioperative death, ischemic stroke, and hyperperfusion injury, and these adverse events not only compromise perioperative safety but also diminish the efficacy of the procedure in preventing cerebral ischemic events. A multimodal imaging-based comprehensive management mode (i.e., preoperative assessment with carotid ultrasound, transcranial Doppler (TCD), and CT angiography, intraoperative monitoring with TCD and cerebral oximetry, and standardized postoperative follow-up with carotid ultrasound and TCD) can significantly reduce perioperative mortality and the incidence rate of stroke and avoid hypoperfusion, hyperperfusion syndrome, and arterial restenosis or occlusion, thereby enhancing the perioperative safety of CEA.

  • Neurosonography Section
    SUN Tong, YAN Yanhong, HUI Pinjing
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 984-990. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0180
    Abstract (1250) Download PDF (21) HTML (1074)   Knowledge map   Save

    Objective To investigate the severity of white matter lesions (WML) in patients with right-to-left shunt (RLS)-positive migraine. Methods A total of 415 patients with RLS-positive migraine who were consecutively admitted to Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, from January 2022 to January 2025 were enrolled, and all these patients met the diagnostic criteria in The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3 rd edition. RLS was diagnosed based on contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler and contrast-enhanced transesophageal echocardiography, and the type and grade of RLS were assessed. After a series of statistical analyses was conducted, the factors with P<0.05 in the univariate logistic regression analysis were included in the multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to investigate the risk factors for the onset and severity of WML, with P<0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results The analysis of the baseline data of patients with different grades of WML showed that the grade of WML increased with age in the patients with RLS-positive migraine (P<0.05). Comparison of multimodal ultrasound findings between the patients with different grades of WML showed that there were significant differences between the patients with different grades of WML in the factors such as large RLS, potential RLS, prolonged PFO tunnel, higher PFO at the right atrial side in resting state and after Valsalva maneuver, higher PFO at the left atrial side after Valsalva maneuver, early appearance of shunt, and longer duration of shunt (P<0.05). For the establishment of a predictive model, large RLS shunt (P=0.037), higher PFO at the right atrial side after Valsalva maneuver (P=0.018), and longer duration of shunt (P<0.001) were independent risk factors for the onset of WML in patients with RLS-positive migraine, and further research showed that prolonged PFO tunnel (P<0.001) was a risk factor for the onset of moderate-to-severe WML in patients with RLS-positive migraine. Conclusion The predictive model established based on the ultrasound factors including large RLS shunt and prolonged PFO tunnel can be used as an imaging method to screen for WML, especially moderate-to-severe WML, which provides a theoretical basis for subsequent treatment.

  • Neurosonography Section
    ZHANG Juekun, ZHONG Jingxin, ZHANG Changlin
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 991-996. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0181

    Objective There are currently limited studies on the hemodynamics of posterior cerebral artery (PCA) compensation in patients with severe stenosis or occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA), and this study aims to investigate the application value of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in assessing PCA compensation after severe stenosis or occlusion of the unilateral extracranial ICA. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 107 patients who were hospitalized in Encephalopathy Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from January 2022 to February 2025 and met the diagnostic criteria for severe stenosis or occlusion of the unilateral extracranial ICA, and all patients underwent both digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and TCD. The patients were divided into groups based on PCA compensation on DSA, and TCD quantitative parameters were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to investigate the value of TCD in assessing graded compensation of the PCA. Results Among the 107 patients, there were 75 patients (70.1%) in the compensation group and 32 patients (29.9%) in the non-compensation group. The optimal cut-off value of TCD in assessing PCA compensation was a mean velocity of ≥65 cm/s at the PCA P1 segment, with an area under the ROC curve(AUC) of 0.869(95% CI 0.785‒0.953), a sensitivity of 78.7%, a specificity of 84.4%, and a Youden index of 0.630. Compared with the non-compensation group, the compensation group had significant increases in peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and mean velocity (P<0.01) and a significant reduction in pulsatility index (P<0.05). As for the graded compensation of the PCA, the patients with posterior communicating artery (PCoA) compensation alone accounted for 57.3% (43/75), those with leptomeningeal collateral compensation of the PCA alone accounted for 16.0%(12/75), and those with both patterns of compensation accounted for 36.7% (20/75).An end-diastolic velocity of ≥48 cm/s at the PCA P1 segment was the optimal cut-off value for assessing PCoA compensation, with an AUC of 0.813 (95%CI 0.726‒0.900), a sensitivity of 76.2%, a specificity of 79.5%, and a Youden index of 0.557; a mean velocity of ≥60 cm/s at the PCA P2 segment was the optimal cut-off value for assessing leptomeningeal collateral compensation of the PCA, with an AUC of 0.824 (95%CI 0.723‒0.925), a sensitivity of 71.5%, a specificity of 90.7%, and a Youden index of 0.625. Conclusion This study conducts a hemodynamic stratification analysis on compensation patterns of the PCA in patients with severe stenosis or occlusion of the unilateral extracranial ICA. Quantitative blood flow indicators at the PCA-P1 and PCA-P2 segments are highly consistent with DSA in assessing PCA compensation and can reliably evaluate the compensation status of the PCoA and the leptomeningeal collaterals.

  • Neurosonography Section
    PENG Fenghe, YANG Jie, GAO Mingjie
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 997-1000. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0182

    Case-based teaching is a teaching model that integrates theoretical knowledge with clinical practice, and it is widely used in medical education and plays an important role in standardized residency training. Taking preoperative vascular ultrasound evaluation for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) as an example, this article explores the application of the case-based teaching method in cultivating clinical thinking ability among trainees receiving standardized residency training for ultrasound. Through an analysis of typical cases, trainees engage in the whole process of clinical practice under the guidance of instructors, from medical history collection and imaging interpretation to identification of key intraoperative issues. The teaching process emphasizes the characteristics of vascular ultrasound, such as the combination of vascular structure and hemodynamics, integrated cerebrovascular and cervical assessment, and precise evaluation of collateral circulation. The case-based teaching method not only deepens the understanding of diseases among trainees, but also fosters their ability to think independently and solve clinical problems, facilitating the transition from theory to practice and ensuring precise diagnosis and treatment. This article summarizes the implementation steps and effectiveness of the case-based teaching method, in order to provide a reference for ultrasound residency training.

  • Neurosonography Section
    LUO Jiabao, ZHANG Feng
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 1001-1007. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0183
    Abstract (1153) Download PDF (13) HTML (1092)   Knowledge map   Save

    Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, especially machine learning algorithms, have achieved remarkable advances in medical image analysis in recent years. As a noninvasive, real-time, and cost-effective imaging modality, vascular ultrasound is one of the most active areas for the application of AI technologies in medicine. This article reviews the latest research advances in the application of AI in vascular ultrasound image recognition, automatic segmentation, diagnostic assistance, and risk prediction in 2021—2025, covering the aspects of transcranial Doppler, carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysms, aortic dissection, peripheral artery disease, arteriovenous fistula, venous thrombosis, and the inferior vena cava. This article highlights the key technological innovations, clinical value, and research challenges of AI within these areas.

  • Neurosonography Section
    CHENG Hongyu, LUO Tao, LU Dan
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 1008-1011. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0184
    Abstract (1200) Download PDF (11) HTML (1050)   Knowledge map   Save

    Objective To apply bedside ultrasound for real-time monitoring of intracranial conditions in patients with severe traumatic brain injury experiencing acute encephalocele during large craniotomy, and to investigate the clinical value of intraoperative bedside ultrasound in the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of acute encephalocele. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 32 adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury, and according to whether intraoperative ultrasound was performed, they were divided into ultrasound group with 17 patients and CT group with 15 patients. The two groups were compared in terms of time of operation, accuracy, mortality rate, and postoperative Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups, and the independent samples t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. Results Both ultrasound and CT could provide an accurate basis for diagnosis, with no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy; however, compared with the CT group, the ultrasound group had significantly shorter time of operation and diagnostic time. Based on GOS score and grading results at 6 months after surgery, the patients undergoing ultrasound examination had a significantly better prognosis than those undergoing CT examination. Conclusion Intraoperative ultrasound for patients with severe traumatic brain injury enables rapid and accurate identification of etiology, facilitates dynamic intracranial monitoring, and shortens the time for rescue, showing an important clinical significance in improving prognosis and reducing mortality rate. Therefore, it holds promise for clinical application.

  • Neurosonography Section
    ZHANG Hui, TANG Haiyan, WU Fei
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(11): 1012-1016. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0185

    Objective We sought to investigate the clinical characteristics and echocardiographic changes of cryptogenic perforator infarction(PI) patient with patent foramen ovale(PFO). Methods From Jan 2015 to Dec 2023, patients diagnosed with cryptogenic stroke were retrospectively included in our study. All patients received transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and transcranial Doppler(TCD).PFO was diagnosed by the bubble test of TCD. Comparisons of clinical features and TTE findings were performed firstly in PI patients, between PFO and non-PFO, and then in patients with PFO, between PI and cortical infarction(CI). Results A total of 251 patients were retrospectively analyzed. PFO was detected in 104 patients,of those,40.4%(42/104) had pure PI(PFO-PI) and 59.6%(62/104) had CI(PFO-CI). In patients without PFO,30.6%(45/147) had pure PI(non-PFO-PI).Compared with non-PFO-PI, PFO-PI associated with a higher proportion of vertebrobasilar circulation infarctions(VCI)(47.6% vs 17.8%, P=0.003), lower mean value of left ventricle end-diastolic diameters(LVEDd)(47.3 mm vs 49.8 mm, P=0.037) and lower peak E-wave velocity(62.6 cm/s vs 70.8 cm/s,P=0.015).In PFO patients, PFO-PI was detected with a lower mean value of aorta root diameters(32.5 mm,P=0.011) and lower mean value of LVEDd(47.3 mm,P=0.045) than PFO-CI(34.5 mm and 49.4 mm, respectively). Conclusion Higher proportion of VCI was found in PFO-PI. Lower LVEDd, lower Em and without aortic root dilatation were three echocardiographic features associated with PFO-PI in cryogenic PI patients.

  • Cerebral Vascular Diseases Section
    QI Feiran, ZHAO Xinyu, XING Yingqi
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(9): 771-777. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0146

    Stroke is one of the most common and serious neurological complications associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, and close monitoring, early recognition, and timely intervention can reduce the incidence rate of stroke and the mortality rate of patients. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and transcranial color Doppler ultrasonography (TCCD) have emerged as the preferred modalities for monitoring cerebral blood flow in ECMO patients due to their bedside applicability, ability to provide real-time dynamic assessments, and noninvasive safety. This article summarizes the spectral characteristics of cerebral blood flow in patients undergoing various ECMO modalities and elaborates on the latest research advances and clinical significance of TCD/TCCD in predicting stroke events, monitoring cerebral microembolic signals, reflecting the change in intracranial pressure, confirming brain death, and providing prognostic evaluation.

  • Cerebral Vascular Diseases Section
    HAO Tao, ZHANG Huiping, PAN Yanyan
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(9): 777-782. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0147

    Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) in the treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing mechanical thrombectomy. Methods This was a single-center randomized parallel-controlled clinical study. A total of 40 patients with anterior circulation large-vessel occlusive ischemic stroke who were admitted to Baoji High-Tech Hospital within 24 hours after onset and underwent emergency mechanical thrombectomy from July 2023 to July 2024 were enrolled and randomly assigned to the experimental group and the control group at a ratio of 1∶1. The patients in the experimental group received standardized RIC treatment (cuff pressure 200 mmHg), while those in the control group received sham RIC intervention (cuff pressure 60 mmHg), and the course of treatment was 7 days for both groups. The two groups were compared in terms of baseline information, safety assessment indicators (including hemorrhagic transformation, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and adverse events), and efficacy evaluation indicators [including NIHSS score, Barthel index, and mRS score after 7 days of treatment, as well as the proportion of patients with good prognosis (an mRS score of 0-2) and excellent prognosis (an mRS score of 0-1) at follow-up on day 90]. Results A total of 39 patients were finally included in the analysis, with 19 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. At follow-up on day 90, 3 patients were lost to follow-up, and 18 patients in each group were included in the analysis. There were no significant differences between the two groups in all baseline data (P0.05) except sex (P=0.048). The safety analysis showed that during hospitalization, there were no deaths in either group, and there were no significant differences in hemorrhagic transformation, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and adverse events between the two groups (P0.05). One patient in the control group and 2 patients in the experimental group died at follow-up on day 90, with no significant difference between the two groups(P0.999). The efficacy analysis showed that after 7 days of treatment, there were no significant differences in NIHSS score, Barthel index, and mRS score between the two groups (P0.05). At follow-up on day 90 after surgery, 10 patients in the experimental group and 9 patients in the control group had a good prognosis (55.6% vs 50.0%, P0.99), and 10 patients in the experimental group and 6 patients in the control group had an excellent prognosis (55.6% vs 33.3%, P=0.315). Conclusion RIC has good safety and efficacy in the treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy, with a tendency to improve 90-day functional prognosis.

  • Cerebral Vascular Diseases Section
    SU Honglang, DING Gen, FENG Can
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(9): 783-788. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0148

    Objective To investigate the practical efficacy of precise pulmonary rehabilitation strategy based on lung ultrasound(LUS) in patients with stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). Methods A total of 86 SAP patients who attended Xiangtan Central Hospital from January 2023 to January 2025 were enrolled and randomly divided into control group and experimental group, with 43 patients in each group. The patients in the control group received conventional SAP rehabilitation regimen, while those in the experimental group received LUS-based precise pulmonary rehabilitation strategy; the course of intervention was 14 days for both groups. The two groups were compared in terms of pulmonary function, pulmonary infection, inflammatory factors, and quality of life before intervention and after 7 and 14 days of intervention, and adverse reactions were recorded for both groups. Results Significant time, group, and interaction effects were observed in pulmonary function between the two groups, indicating that the experimental group had a significantly better improvement in pulmonary function than the control group, which became more significant over time (P0.001). Compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly lower rate of pulmonary infection and levels of inflammatory factors (P0.001), a significantly higher quality of life (P0.001), and a significantly lower overall incidence rate of adverse reactions (P0.05). Conclusion For patients with SAP, the precise pulmonary rehabilitation strategy based on LUS can improve lung function and inflammatory indicators, alleviate pulmonary infection, enhance quality of life, and reduce the risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, it holds promise for clinical application.

  • Cerebral Vascular Diseases Section
    PAN Xijuan, LIU Ran, CUI Liuping
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(9): 789-795. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0149

    Objective To investigate the hemodynamic features of left innominate vein (LIV) compression and their association with clinical manifestations, and to assess the diagnostic value of ultrasound. Methods A total of 32 patients with LIV compression and 67 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled, and according to the symmetry of the diameters of bilateral transverse sinuses, sigmoid sinuses, and internal jugular veins (IJV), the HCs were divided into symmetric group with 32 individuals and asymmetric group with 35 individuals. All subjects underwent CTV/MRV and ultrasound examination to measure the diameter, velocity, and flow volume of IJV and vertebral vein, and the differences between groups were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to assess diagnostic efficacy. Results The patients with LIV compression mainly had the neurological symptoms such as cerebral tinnitus, dizziness, and tinnitus. Compared with the HCs, the patients with LIV compression had a significantly lower total flow volume of IJV and vertebral vein on the ipsilateral side [(406.42±177.05)ml/min vs (742.55±276.41)ml/min, P0.001)], and the parameters of the ipsilateral side were lower than those of the contralateral side. There was no significant difference in the flow volume of IJV between the contralateral side of patients with LIV compression and the dominant side of the HCs in the asymmetric group. Total flow volume had an area under the ROC curve of 0.849 in predicting LIV compression, with a sensitivity of 77.60%, a specificity of 78.10%, and a cut-off value of 525.73 ml/min. Conclusion This study systematically reveals the blood flow characteristics of the bilateral IJV-vertebral vein system in patients with LIV compression,i.e.,LIV compression leads to a reduction in flow on the ipsilateral side and a compensatory increase on the contralateral side,and the asymmetry of bilateral blood flow may be the cause of the symptoms such as cerebral tinnitus and tinnitus.Ultrasound can be used to measure the total flow volume of IJV and vertebral vein, and it can effectively identify this disease and thus has a good value in screening.

  • Cerebral Vascular Diseases Section
    CHEN Liangsheng, GONG Cheng, PENG Xumiao
    Journal of Apoplexy and Nervous Diseases. 2025, 42(9): 796-806. https://doi.org/10.19845/j.cnki.zfysjjbzz.2025.0150

    Objective To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xingnaojing Injection (XNJ) in the treatment of post-stroke disorders of consciousness (PSDOC). Methods PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, VIP, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and SinoMed were searched for related randomized controlled trials (RCT) published up to July 2025. RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16.0 were used for data extraction and analysis. Results A total of 48 RCT were included, with 4 570 patients in total. The RCT included had relatively low overall risk of bias. The meta-analysis showed that compared with conventional treatment alone, XNJ combined with conventional treatment significantly improved the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of patients with PSDOC (mean difference=2.62, 95% confidence interval: 2.37-2.86, I²=66%, P0.000 01). The subgroup analyses showed that XNJ administered at three dosages (20 ml, 30 ml, 40 ml) and for different treatment durations (1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks) could effectively improve the GCS score of patients, and it also showed efficacy in patients with hemorrhagic/ischemic stroke and disorders of consciousness. Nine RCT reported the adverse reactions including nausea, rash, and mild dizziness during the trial, which were resolved after the infusion rate was slowed down. Conclusion XNJ is a safe and effective therapy for improving consciousness in patients with PSDOC.